Spatial distribution of Culicoides imicola, the main vector of bluetongue virus, in Spain.
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Animals↗
Biomedical subjects
R Estrada
Publications and source records attributed to R Estrada.
Effects of vaccination against viral haemorrhagic disease and myxomatosis on long-term mortality rates of European wild rabbits.
The effects of vaccination against myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD) on long-term mortality rates in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were studied from 1993 to 1996 by radiotracking a free-living population of wild rabbits. During the three months after immunisation, unvaccinated young rabbits weighing between 180 and 600 g were 13.6 times more likely to die than vaccinated young rabbits. In adult rabbits, vaccination did not significantly decrease mortality, mainly owing to the high proportion of rabbits which had previously been exposed to the antigens of both diseases. Compared with adult rabbits with natural antibodies to VHD, rabbits without these antibodies were 5.2 times more likely to die of VHD during annual outbreaks.
Age Factors↗
Ectoparasite ticks and chewing lice of red-legged partridge, Alectoris rufa, in Spain.
During the 1992-1993 and 1993-1994 shooting seasons, 212 wild red-legged partridge, Alectoris rufa (Galliformes: Phaisanide) were captured in 18 Spanish provinces and examined for chewing lice and ticks. Three tick species and six species of chewing lice were found. Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) Haemaphysalis punctata Canestrini & Fanzago, Hyalomma lusitanicum Koch and Ixodes frontalis Panzer were found at the lowest prevalence (1.4% overall tick prevalence). The louse (Mallophaga) species, Goniodes dispar Burmeister (Goniodidae) (52.8%) and Cuclotogaster obscurior Hopkins (Philopteridae) (28.8%) were the most prevalent, while Goniocotes obscurus Giebel (Philopteridae) (10.8%), Menopon pallens Clay (Menoponidae) (7.5%) and Menacanthus lyali Rodriguez et al. (Menoponidae) (3.3%) were found at medium to low prevalence. Columbicola columbae columbae Linnaeus (Philopteridae) was found at the lowest prevalence (0.5%). The intensity of C. obscurior and overall intensity of all lice species were directly related to the environmental mean temperature and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), whereas intensity of G. dispar was directly related to NDVI only. The intensity of G. dispar, C. obscurior, all louse intensity, and louse species richness were higher in male than female birds. Intensity of each louse species, all louse intensity and louse species richness were inversely associated with the nutritional index. No relationship was observed between bird age and louse intensity or species richness.
Animals↗
Correlates of helminth community in the red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa L.) in Spain.
Between 1992 and 1996, 587 wild red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) from 16 Spanish provinces were examined to study the variations of helminth communities in this game species across a broad geographical area. The survey revealed 13 species of helminth parasites. Dicrocoelium sp.. Rhabdometra nigropunctata, and Cheilospirura gruweli were the most common species, whereas Raillietina bolivari, Choanotaenia infundibulum, Tetrameres sp., and Capillaria anatis were the most rare. Subulura suctoria, Heterakis gallinarum, Heterakis tenuicaudata, Capillaria contorta, Trichostrongylus tenuis, and Raillietina tetragona occurred with intermediate frequencies. The abundance of C. gruweli, S. suctoria, H. tenuicaudata, T. tenuis, and R. tetragona was inversely correlated to latitude and directly correlated to yearly mean temperature, whereas the abundance of Dicrocoelium sp. was directly correlated to latitude and inversely correlated to yearly mean temperature. The abundance of R. tetragona was inversely correlated to latitude and yearly mean humidity. The number of helminths per partridge and the number of helminth species per partridge were lower in young birds than in adults. Partridge body condition was inversely correlated to abundance of C. contorta. Richer infracommunities were linked to richer component communities. At the infracommunity level, total number of helminths per partridge and number of helminth species per partridge were inversely correlated to latitude and directly correlated to yearly mean temperature. At the component community level, both species richness and diversity (Simpson's index) were inversely correlated to latitude and directly correlated to mean temperature. Across the broad geographical range of the study area, the helminth parasite communities of red-legged partridges had marked geographical variation in their structure. Our results suggest that this variation is determined by the distribution of both intermediate and definitive hosts. We discuss the implications of this variation for the hypothesis that supplementary releases of captive-bred partridges for sport hunting can affect the helminth fauna of wild red-legged partridges.
Analysis of Variance↗
Epidemiology of viral haemorrhagic disease and myxomatosis in a free-living population of wild rabbits.
From January 1993 to June 1996, the epidemiology of myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD) was studied in a free-living population of wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Spain by means of serological surveys and radiotracking. Myxomatosis was endemic and associated with the breeding period. Its serological pattern was characterised by a 100 per cent prevalence of antibodies in adult rabbits and a rapid increase in antibodies in young rabbits in their first year. No mortality from myxomatosis was detected in adults, and mortality in young rabbits could not be estimated because of interference by predators and scavengers and the deaths of many radiotagged rabbits inside their burrows. VHD was also an endemic disease associated with the breeding period. Adults had a higher prevalence of antibodies against VHD than young rabbits, reaching values of 80 to 90 per cent. During the study, there was an increase in rabbit numbers as a result of a decrease in mortality from predation which was associated with an increase in mortality due to VHD and in the prevalence of antibodies to VHD. Mortality from VHD was lower in rabbits with VHD antibodies than in seronegative rabbits, but some mortality from the disease was also detected in seropositive rabbits. The annual mean mortality rate due to VHD in adult rabbits was estimated to be 21.8 per cent.
Animals↗
Field trial with oral vaccination of dogs against rabies in the Philippines.
BACKGROUND: The potential role of oral vaccination of dogs against rabies in the Philippines was investigated in terms of safety and efficacy. METHODS: Prior to the vaccination campaign, a house-to-house survey was carried out to collect data on the dog population in the study area, the coastal village of Mindoro. During the vaccination campaign all households were visited again, and all dogs encountered (>2 months old) were, if possible, vaccinated. Furthermore, 14 dogs vaccinated were bled on different occasions. RESULTS: During the survey, a total of 216 dogs were counted, and none of these animals had previously been vaccinated against rabies. Only 17 dogs could be restrained and subsequently vaccinated directly by the vaccinators. Another 126 dogs were offered a local-made boiled intestine bait, containing a capsule filled with 3.0 ml SAD B19 (107.9 FFU/ml). The bait acceptance rate of dogs offered a bait was 96.1%. The vaccination coverage of the dog population (> 2 months old) estimated by the number of animals vaccinated directly and the number of dogs that accepted a bait and subsequently punctured the vaccine container was 76%. Fifteen and 29 days after the vaccination campaign 6 and 10 dogs (n = 14) had rabies virus neutralizing antibody titres of >/= 0.5 IU/ml, respectively. No unintentional contacts of nontarget species, including humans, with the vaccine virus were reported. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the campaign show that oral vaccination of dogs against rabies is a promising supplementary method in dog rabies control in the Philippines.
Administration, Oral↗
Acceptability of local made baits for oral vaccination of dogs against rabies in the Philippines.
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Administration, Oral↗
Spinocerebellar ataxia 2 (SCA2): morphometric analyses in 11 autopsies.
Eleven autopsies of patients from the large founder-population with dominantly inherited spinocerebellar ataxia 2 (SCA2) in Holguín, Cuba, were analyzed by the same observers, including quantitative microscopic evaluation. As expected in this disease with highly unstable polyglutamine expansions, considerable variability was observed, which correlated to age at onset and to progression of clinical symptoms. The degeneration of the olivopontocerebellar regions as in classical olivopontocerebellar atrophy occurred early and severely in SCA2. The neuropathological progression soon included neuronal loss in the substantia nigra, striatum, pallidum and later even the neocortex, while the dentate nucleus was consistently spared. This widespread degeneration pattern goes clearly beyond purely cerebellar degenerations such as SCA5 and 6 and beyond spinocerebellar degenerations such as SCA1, 3, 7, also involves regions known to degenerate in Huntington's disease, and is quite similar to the degeneration pattern in sporadic patients with multi-system atrophy.
Adult↗
Once-daily therapy for H. pylori infection: a randomized comparison of four regimens.
OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the efficacy and tolerability of novel, once-daily therapies in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection. METHODS: One hundred sixty subjects with H. pylori infection documented by endoscopic biopsy or serology plus 13C-urea breath test were randomly assigned to omeprazole 80 mg q.d. and metronidazole extended-release formulation 750 mg q.d. for 10 days (OM); OM plus amoxicillin 1.5 g q.d. for 10 days (OMAm); OM plus azithromycin 500 mg q.d. for 7 days (OMAz); or OM plus clarithromycin 1 g q.d. for 10 days (OMCI). A repeat breath test was done 6 wk after the completion of therapy. Subjects were considered compliant if they took > or = 80% of each study medication as prescribed. RESULTS: Intent-to-treat eradication rates were OM = 8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 2-20%), OMAm = 35% (95% CI, 21-52%), OMAz = 65% (95% CI, 48-79%), and OMCI = 78% (95% CI, 62-89%). Lack of compliance was seen in 5% of subjects given OM, 8% given OMAm, 3% given OMAz, and 15% given OMCI. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study demonstrated that once-daily triple therapy with high-dose omeprazole, metronidazole extended-release formulation, and clarithromycin achieved an eradication rate approaching 80%. Further study may permit development of optimal once-daily dosing and enhance eradication rates.
Adult↗
Effect of proton-pump inhibitor therapy on diagnostic testing for Helicobacter pylori.
BACKGROUND: Proton-pump inhibitor therapy may cause false-negative results on Helicobacter pylori diagnostic testing. OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency and duration of conversion of urea breath test results from positive to negative in patients given a proton-pump inhibitor. SETTING: Two urban university gastroenterology clinics. PATIENTS: Patients infected with H. pylori who had positive results on urea breath tests. INTERVENTION: Lansoprazole, 30 mg/d for 28 days. MEASUREMENTS: The urea breath test was repeated at 28 days. If the results were negative, testing was repeated 3, 7, 14, and 28 days after completion of therapy until the results reverted to positive. RESULTS: 31 (33%) of 93 patients in whom H. pylori was not eradicated had a negative breath test result while receiving lansoprazole. The proportions of patients whose breath test results were positive after completion of lansoprazole therapy were 91% (95% CI, 83% to 96%) at 3 days, 97% (CI, 90% to 99%) at 7 days, and 100% (CI, 96% to 100%) at 14 days. CONCLUSION: Patients should not receive proton-pump inhibitors for 2 weeks before receiving the urea breath test for H. pylori infection.
2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles↗
Gastrointestinal helminth parasites in stray cats from the mid-Ebro Valley, Spain.
Gastrointestinal helminths were collected from 58 necropsied stray cats (Felis catus) in the mid-Ebro Valley, North-East Spain, from December 1989 to March 1992. The prevalence was 89.7%, with those of individual parasites being Toxocara cati 55.2%C, Ancylostoma tubaeforme 29.3% Joyeuxiella pasqualei 55.2%, Diplopylidium acanthotetra 20.7%, Dipylidium caninum 20.7%, Mesocestoides spp. 13.8%, Taenia taeniformis 8.6% and Diplopylidium nölleri 8.6%. In relation to sex, the differences were not significant. However, the season of the year significantly affected the prevalence of A. tubaeforme and D. acanthotetra.
Ancylostoma↗
Effect of blood on rapid urease testing of gastric mucosal biopsy specimens.
BACKGROUND: The effect of blood on rapid urease tests is uncertain. We assessed the effect of soaking gastric biopsy specimens in blood on the results of both agar gel (CLOtest) and strip (Pyloritek) rapid urease tests. METHODS: One hundred patients undergoing endoscopy had four adjacent biopsy specimens taken from normal appearing mucosa in the antrum. Two biopsies were soaked in blood for 1 minute; one specimen was placed on a CLOtest and one on a Pyloritek. The other two biopsy specimens were placed on CLOtest and Pyloritek without soaking in blood. The same process was performed with four adjacent biopsy specimens from the gastric body. CLOtests were read at 1, 4, and 24 hours; Pyloritek results were read at 1 hour. RESULTS: The number of positive tests for the blood-soaked and standard biopsy specimens were comparable at all times for both rapid urease tests. Discordant results between the blood-soaked and standard specimens were seen in 17 of 400 test comparisons (4%): in 8 of these only the blood-soaked specimen was positive, and in 9 only the standard specimen was positive. CONCLUSIONS: "Contamination" of biopsy specimens with blood does not alter rapid urease test results.
Biopsy↗
Inhibition by CaNa2EDTA of local tissue damage induced by Bothrops asper (terciopelo) venom: application in horse immunization for antivenom production.
The ability of the chelating agent CaNa2EDTA to inhibit local tissue damage induced by Bothrops asper venom was studied in mice and in horses used for polyvalent (Crotalinae) antivenom production. CaNa2EDTA was devoid of toxicity when injected i.m. or s.c. inducing only a mild edema. Preincubation of B. asper venom with CaNa2EDTA inhibited hemorrhagic and dermonecrotic activities, but did not reduce edema-forming and myotoxic effects. A group of horses initially immunized with native venoms developed less severe local tissue reactions when injected with booster doses of venom and CaNa2EDTA than when receiving booster injections of venom alone, although they showed a similar antivenom response. Moreover, antivenoms produced from plasmas of horses that received booster injections of either venom alone or venom plus CaNa2EDTA had similar neutralizing activity against lethal, hemorrhagic and coagulant effects induced by B. asper venom. The similar antibody response was corroborated by Western blotting using crude venom and by an ELISA that estimates anti-myotoxin titer. It is concluded that the chelating agent CaNa2EDTA reduces the extent of local tissue damage induced by B. asper venom, without affecting the immune response of horses against pharmacologically-relevant venom components.
Animals↗
Expression in Escherichia coli of the lpdA gene, protein sequence analysis and immunological characterization of the P64k protein from Neisseria meningitidis.
By making use of recombinant DNA technology it is possible to characterize meningococcal outer membrane proteins (OMPs) capable of stimulating a host immune response. The lpdA gene, which codes for an OMP (P64k) from Neisseria meningitidis, was cloned in Escherichia coli. The recombinant protein was recognized by sera from patients convalescing from meningococcal disease. The monoclonal antibodies obtained against the recombinant protein recognized the natural protein on a Western blot, and monoclonal antibody 114 was assayed in ELISA with a panel of 85 N. meningitidis strains. The protein was recognized in 81 strains (95.3%); the strains that were not recognized were neither epidemic nor isolated from systemic disease. The complete amino acid sequence of P64k was obtained by automatic sequencing and MS.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Clinical and laboratory alterations in horses during immunization with snake venoms for the production of polyvalent (Crotalinae) antivenom.
Six horses were immunized with the venoms of Bothrops asper, Crotalus durissus durissus and Lachesis muta stenophrys for the production of polyvalent (Crotalinae) antivenom. During the immunization, clinical and laboratory alterations were evaluated in these animals, and the development of humoral immune response was followed. Only moderate local tissue changes (edema, abscesses, fistules and fibrosis) were observed in these animals, whereas no systemic alterations occurred. Regarding laboratory tests, there was a drop in hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit, together with an increment in total serum protein. Horses developed a moderate leukocytosis, with increments in polymorphonuclear leukocytes and lymphocytes. No significant changes were observed in prothrombin time or platelet count. There were no alterations in serum lactic dehydrogenase and gamma glutamyl transferase activities, whereas minor increments in creatine kinase and alanine aminotransferase activities were observed, together with a decrease in aspartate aminotransferase. All these changes occurred after the injection of 9 mg venom, when sodium alginate was first used as adjuvant. Creatinine levels had a small increment, although no changes were observed in urea levels or in the urea/creatinine ratio. An important individual variability was observed in the humoral immune response, as judged not only by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, but also by assessing the neutralization of the indirect hemolytic activity of venoms.
Animals↗
Can school teachers improve the management and prevention of skin disease? A pilot study based on head louse infestations in Guerrero, Mexico.
BACKGROUND: The effect of health education provided by teachers, in three primary schools of Guerrero, Mexico, on the prevalence of head louse infestation was compared. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey and rapid appraisal methods were performed, including a child questionnaire and qualitative data from teachers and focus groups of mothers in the same schools. RESULTS: Nine hundred and forty-four students and 33 teachers were interviewed; a focus group discussion with 6-8 mothers per school was performed. In the self-diagnosis of pediculosis, the prevalence was 22% (range, 18%-33%) with a sensitivity of 68% and a specificity of 86%. In one school, 100% of the teachers applied a health program, whereas in the other two schools this percentage was only 20%. A child under 9 years of age who attended a school without information on health was 3.6 times more likely to have head louse infestation (OR = 3.6, CI 95% = 2.1-6) than a child of the same age who attended a school where information was given. In older children the effect and potential impact were lower. The difference between the two age groups is unlikely to be explained by chance (X2 het = 5.7, df = 1, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This study emphasizes the potential value of simple, but effective, health education provided by school teaching staff through liaison with patents in the amelioration of endemic disease.
Adolescent↗
Neutralizing capacity of a new monovalent anti-Bothrops atrox antivenom: comparison with two commercial antivenoms.
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Animals↗
Randomized comparison of ranitidine bismuth citrate-based triple therapies for Helicobacter pylori.
OBJECTIVES: In an attempt to increase the efficacy and simplicity of FDA-approved regimens for Helicobacter pylori, we studied (1) addition of an inexpensive antibiotic (amoxicillin) to twice-daily ranitidine bismuth citrate (RBC)-clarithromycin dual therapy, and (2) substitution of RBC for bismuth subsalicylate + H2-receptor antagonist in bismuth-based triple therapy. METHODS: Subjects with previously untreated Helicobacter pylori infection documented by 13C-urea breath test plus either endoscopic biopsy or serology were randomly assigned to a 2-wk course of (1) RBC 400 mg b.i.d., amoxicillin 1 g b.i.d., and clarithromycin 500 mg b.i.d. (RAC), or (2) RBC 400 mg b.i.d., metronidazole 250 mg t.i.d., and tetracycline 500 mg t.i.d. (RMT). Repeat breath test was performed 4 wk after the completion of therapy. RESULTS: Intent-to-treat and per-protocol cure rates for RAC were 46 of 50 patients (92%) and 45 of 47 patients (96%); for RMT they were 40 of 50 patients (80%) and 37 of 42 patients (88%). Study drugs were stopped due to side effects in three patients (6%) taking RAC and six patients (12%) taking RMT. CONCLUSIONS: Twice-daily RBC-based triple therapy with clarithromycin and amoxicillin produces Helicobacter pylori eradication rates over 90%, which is comparable to rates seen with proton pump inhibitor-based triple therapies. RBC also may be substituted for bismuth subsalicylate and an + H2-receptor antagonist in standard bismuth-based triple therapy.
Adult↗