Bim, a new serovar of Leptospira interrogans isolated from a dog in Barbados

A new serovar of Leptospira interrogans was isolated from a dog in Barbados. The proposed name of the new serovar is bim, and the designated type strain is 1051. The serogroup of the new serovar is the Autumnalis serogroup. The new serovar was subsequently isolated from six patients with leptospirosis in Barbados (AU)

Pathogenic leptospira isolates from the Caribbean Island of Barbados

This paper lists all the known pathogenic leptospira isolates made on Barbados up to December 31, 1981. Only 17 of the total of 78 have already been reported on. The 78 isolates were obtained from humans, dogs, rats, mongooses and a mouse, and the serogroups to which they belonged were Icterohaemorrhagiae, Autumnalis, Ballum and Canicola. On Barbados, serogroup Autumnalis is an important human pathogen, and rats are an important reservoir of leptospires. The investigation and isolation of leptospires on Barbados has until recently been sporadic, dependent on the interst and enthusiasm of a few individuals, and restricted by a shortage of money and manpower. During 1964 and 1965 the Barbados Ministries of Health and Agriculture and the U.K. Ministry of Overseas Development investigated the impact of rodents on the health and economy of Barbados. As part of this study, leptospires wer isolated by taylor and identified to serogroup by Turner. The results are recorded in an unpublished document (Taylor, 1965). Between 1971 and 1981, Leptospira were isolated from rodents, mongooses (Herpestes auropunctatus), dogs and amphibians at the Barbados Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL) by Jones and Everard. Twenty-three of these isolates survived and were identified by Myers and Dr. C. R. Sulzer of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Atlanta, U.S.A. Seventeen of the 23 have been reported on(Jones, 1974; Myers and Jones, 1975; Damude et al., 1979a), and they are included here for the sake of completeness. In 1979 10 Autumnalis isolates made by Taylor in 1964-1965 were reactivated from liquid nitrogen, cultured, and identified to serovar by Everard. The identifications were confirmed by Dr. Sulzer. The remaining 33 isolates in Taylor's series were not reactivated. From November 1979, isolates were made by Everard from patients at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), Bridgetown, and were identified to serovar by Dr. Sulzer. These studies have provided all the isolates recorded here. The Leptospiral Serotype DistributionList (Galton, 1966) do not have an entry for Barbados, but the supplement to the 1966 edition covering the period July 1966 to July 1973 (Sulzer, 1975) lists Autumnalis fort-bragg isolated from a rat, and Canicola, Ballum and Icterohaemorrhagiae from specified hosts. Barbados obtained up to December 31, 1981. Only 17 of the isolates have been previously reported. All the Leptospira isolates recorded from Trinidad, Grenada and St. Vincent up to the end of 1979 are listed by Everard et al. (180). (AU)

A study of leptospirosis among animals in Barbados W.I

Microscopic agglutination tests performed during 1971 and 1972 on Barbadian livestock showed positive serological reactions for leptospirosis as follows: cattle 51 percent, pigs 13 percent, sheep 18 percent, horses 64 percent, and goats 19 percent. The serogroup Autumnalis predominated in all but horses in which the reactions to the Pyrogenes group appeared slightly higher. After the isolation of a strain of Leptospira serotype fort-bragg (Barbadian strain No. 119) of the Autumnalis serogroup in 1973, and its subsequent inclusion in our test battery of leptospiral antigens, high percentages of cattle, dogs, mongooses and man showed sero-positive reactions against the strain. Attention is called to the wide dissemination of the fort-bragg serotype on the island and to the role of rodents and the mongoose in its spread. 74 clinically affected Barbadian cattle from three herds were studied during 1975-76, 60 (81 percent) were serologically positive and nine different serogroups were represented. Predominant sero-positive reactions to Hebdomadis, Autumnalis, Ballum, and Pyrogenes antigens were recorded. The highest titres were against Autumnalis, Hebdomadis and Pomona. Hebdomadis and Pomona serogroup antibodies may be due to many importations of cattle with those infections into Barbados (Summary)

The problem of human leptospirosis in Barbados

The results of a retrospective study of human leptospirosis cases occurring in Barbados during the period 1968-74, and of serological findings among high risk occupational groups, fever cases and health care patients monitored for the disease during 1975-77, indicate that infection by serotype fort-bragg of the Autumnalis group is widespread in this Caribbean island. The occupational groups most affected are sanitation workers and sugar-cane workers. Results of serological tests conducted at the principle hospital are comparable with the results obtained by the microscopic agglutination reference test procedure conducted at the Pan American Zoonosis Centre (CEPANZO) Summary

El futuro de la enfermería en América Latina / The future of nursing in Latin America

The authors take up the subject with a retrospective review of the concepts of economic and social development, the health policy that has emerged in the last 25 years, and the salient characteristics of health practice and the training of nursing personnel. They interpret development in the health field and various approaches to the extension of the health services coverage that have been taken in the countries of Latin America through implementation of the strategies of primary care and community participation. Finally, they present several considerations on the future of nursing, with emphasis on a comprehensive view of the profession as an occupation and a social practice, after which they formulate a series of propositions that can serve as a basis for training of the nursing personnel that will be needed to serve society adequately (Au)

Aislamiento de Leptosira fort-bragg de una rata de Barbados / Leptospira fort-bragg isolated from a rat in Barbados

A partir del tejido renal de una rata (Rattus rattus) de Barbados, se aisló una cepa de Leptospira la que se demostró pertenecía al serotipo fort-bragg del grupo Autumnalis. Este es el primer informe que se conoce sobre el aislamiento de dicho serotipo en una especie animal (AU)

Aislamiento de Leptosira fort-bragg de una rata de Barbados / Leptospira fort-bragg isolated from a rat in Barbados

A partir del tejido renal de una rata (Rattus rattus) de Barbados, se aisló una cepa de Leptospira la que se demostró pertenecía al serotipo fort-bragg del grupo Autumnalis. Este es el primer informe que se conoce sobre el aislamiento de dicho serotipo en una especie animal (AU)

Leptospira fort-bragg isolated from a rat in Barbados

Leptospira fort-bragg was isolated from the kidney tissue of a rat (Rattus rattus) trapped on a plantation in St. Philip Parish, Barbados. This constitutes the first reported isolation of this Autumnalis group serotype outside of the United States and its first known isolation from an animal species. Serologic evidence is presented which indicates that this serotype may be the cause of leptospiral infections in Barbadian cattle (Au)

Preliminary report on the isolation of twelve leptospira serotypes in Barbados

Twelve leptospira serotypes, representing four different serogroups, have been isolated from rodents in Barbados. That six of the isolates belong to the icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup may be of some significance in regard to human leptospirosis on the island. (AU)