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PubMed2000

[Cryptosporidiosis in the Andean region of Colombia: seroprevalence and recognition of antigens].

The objective of this study was to investigate, for the first time, the seroprevalence of cryptosporidiosis among urban and rural inhabitants in several departments of the Andean region of Colombia. The antigen recognition of Cryptosporidium parvum was also studied with sera. Between June 1996 and October 1998 1,778 serum samples were collected from people selected through convenience sampling. The detection of anti-C. parvum antibodies (IgM, IgA, and IgG) was carried out with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and antigen recognition was done with immunoblotting. A prevalence of 83.3% was found, and the antibody percentages were 72.2% for IgM, 27.7% for IgA, and 27.6% for IgG. Higher seropositivity percentages were found among women, persons less than 30 years old, and residents of rural areas. IgM seroprevalence decreased with age, while IgG and IgA seroprevalences increased with age. These three immunoglobulin isotypes most frequently recognized the antigens from 51 to 69 kDa, which can be considered immunodominant. Of note was the immunoreactivity of IgM and IgA to protein fractions from 12 to 14 kDa and from 42 to 48 kDa, respectively, which could indicate exposure to the parasite. These results indicate that cryptosporidiosis is endemic in the Andean region of Colombia, and that it is possible to attribute many cases of diarrheal syndrome to C. parvum.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Determination of malathion and diazinon resistance by sequencing the Md alpha E7 gene from Guatemala, Colombia, Manhattan, and Thailand housefly (Musca domestica L.) strains.

Organophosphate (OP) insecticides (parathion/diazinon) resistance in housefly (Musca domestica L.) is associated with the change in carboxylesterase activity. The product of alpha E7 gene, which is a member of alpha-esterase gene cluster, is probably playing a role in detoxification of the xenobiotic esters. In parathion/diazinon resistant M. domestica species Gly137 to Asp substitution was found in the active center of the product of alpha E7 gene. In malathion (an OP) resistant M. domestica strains Trp251 to Ser substitution was identified in the active center of the Md alpha E7. In our research, to understand the allelic diversity of the Md alpha E7, the gene was partially sequenced from four different housefly strains from different localities (Guatemala, Manhattan (USA), Colombia (USA) and Thailand). It was found out that; in Thailand strain one allele has Cys residue at the position of 251, the other allele contains a Trp for the same site. In Colombia strain, one allele has Asp137, the other allele contains a Gly residue at this point. The Manhattan and Guatemala strains have Asp137 and Trp251 residues on their both alleles at these two different positions.

Animals↗
PubMed1965

HISTOPLASMA CAPSULATUM FROM THE LIVER OF A BAT IN COLOMBIA.

Of 135 bats (eight species), one of the species Glossophaga sorcina sorcina, a nectar-feeding bat from Girardot, Colombia, harbored Histoplasma capsulatum. The microorganism was cultured from the liver. This is the second report of recovery of this fungus from bat tissue.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Reducing infections among women undergoing cesarean section in Colombia by means of continuous quality improvement methods.

BACKGROUND: Improving obstetric care in resource-limited countries is a major international health priority. OBJECTIVE: To reduce infection rates after cesarean section by optimizing systems of obstetric care for low-income women in Colombia by means of quality improvement methods. METHODS: Multidisciplinary teams in 2 hospitals used simple methods to improve their systems for prescribing and administering perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis. Process indicators were the percentage of women in whom prophylaxis was administered and the percentage of these women in whom it was administered in a timely fashion. The outcome indicator was the surgical site infection rate. RESULTS: Before improvement, prophylaxis was administered to 71% of women in hospital A; 24% received prophylaxis in a timely fashion. Corresponding figures in hospital B were 36% and 50%. Systems improvements included implementing protocols to administer prophylaxis to all women and increasing the availability of the antibiotic in the operating room. These improvements were associated with increases in overall and timely administration of prophylaxis (P<.001) in both hospitals by time series analysis, with adjustment for volume and case mix. After improvement, overall and timely administration of prophylaxis was 95% and 96% in hospital A and 89% and 96% in hospital B. In hospital A, the surgical site infection rate decreased immediately after the improvements (P<.001). In hospital B, the infection rate began a downward trend before the improvements that continued after their implementation (P =.04). CONCLUSION: Simple quality improvement methods can be used to optimize obstetric services and improve outcomes of care in resource-limited settings.

Ampicillin↗
PubMed1997

Living on the edge: dietary strategies of economically impoverished women in Cali, Colombia.

Economically impoverished women in Cali, Colombia, have restricted access to food in a city where food is abundant. Ethnographic observations, interviews and 2 day food records were used to better understand the coping strategies used by a group of these women (n = 85) to maintain adequate levels of energy intake. Anthropometric indicators of nutritional status were normal for the group. Interview data revealed that the ability to purchase food was a concern for 58% of the women. When faced with a restricted ability to purchase food, the women indicated they made compromises in meal composition, reduced portion sizes, and/or reduced the number of meals. They also relied on relatives, friends, neighbors, store credit, or local government programs for access to food. Changes in meal composition were identified in 17.1% of all diet records (n = 509). Low energy intake (defined as energy intake < or = 1.27 x BMR) was identified in 17.1% of all diet records. Carbohydrate consumption was significantly greater on low-energy intake days. The adequate nutritional status of this group of women suggests that their coping strategies are usually adequate to maintain energy intake, but the presence of uncertainty, the frequency of compromises in diet composition, and the frequency of low-energy intake days suggest that these women are at risk for undernutrition.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1999

Estimating energy intake of urban women in Colombia: comparison of diet records and recalls.

As part of a larger study of energy-nutrition, we compared the performance of 24 h diet recalls with estimated diet records kept by trained observers. The subjects were economically disadvantaged women (n = 85) in the city of Cali, Colombia. A 24 h recall and an estimated diet record were collected for each woman at 0 and approximately 3 and 6 months. Energy intake obtained from the estimated dietary records was validated against energy expenditure and used as the reference method. Energy and macronutrient intake were calculated from published food composition tables and proximate analyses of common foods. The number of food items consumed per woman per day, total and in each of 16 food groups, was tabulated. Energy and macronutrient intakes were 11-13% lower in the 24 h recalls. The discrepancy energy could be largely accounted for by the lower number of food items in the recalls. The number of food items in eight of 16 food groups was significantly lower in the recalls compared to the records. Underreporting on the recalls was a general tendency in these subjects and not clearly related to average energy intake. We conclude that 24 h diet recalls underestimate energy and nutrient intake in this population and are not suitable for studies of human energetics.

Body Composition↗
PubMed2000

Seed dispersal by woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagothricha) at Tinigua National Park, Colombia: dispersal distance, germination rates, and dispersal quantity.

The purpose of this study was to describe seed dispersal patterns of woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagothricha) in terms of dispersal quantity and two factors related to dispersal quality: germination rates of dispersed seeds and the distance of dispersal to parental trees. The possible influence of retention time, travel distance, seed size, activity patterns, and fruit abundance on dispersal distance was also analyzed. Observations on activity, diet, daily movements, and seed dispersal were made on focal individuals of a group of woolly monkeys at a tropical rain forest in Tinigua National Park (Colombia). Sixty hours of focal samples per month were completed during 1 year. A total of 753 depositions were collected during the study. Each dropping contained seeds from an average of 2.68 different species (range 0 to 9). Collected depositions contained an underestimated total of 50,168 seeds (>1 mm). Given a population density of 30 individuals/km2, the woolly monkeys in the study area disperse more than 25,000 seeds/km2/day. These seeds belong to 112 different plant species. Germination rates of dispersed seeds are usually similar or higher than those of non-swallowed seeds. It was possible to determine dispersal distance in 264 cases when the focal animal was continuously followed from ingestion at the parental tree to deposition. Only 1% of these depositions landed in close proximity (<15 m) of the parental tree. It was very common that the droppings were deposited between 100 and 500 m from the parent tree, and up to 1.5 km. Higher retention times and longer travel distances were not correlated with increased dispersal distance. Two main reasons for this result were the prolonged and variable passage rates (avg=11.2 hr+/-6.5 SD.) and the circuitous routes of monkeys in this forest.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Anthropometric characteristics of pregnant women in Cali, Colombia and relationship to birth weight.

Anthropometric dimensions were collected from 46 pregnant women living in Cali, Colombia to gain a better understanding of how poor, urban women deal with the demands of pregnancy and to identify relationships between maternal characteristics and infant birth weight. Height, weight, skinfold thicknesses (subscapular, suprailiac, thigh, calf, and triceps), and circumferences (hip, thigh, calf, and mid-upper arm) were measured on all women. Infant measurements were weight and length. The women were measured in the second and third trimesters, and a subsample (n = 16) was measured twice in the third trimester. Mean birth weight was 3,137.6 +/- 488.5 g (n = 44), and mean length was 49.8 +/- 3.0 cm. All but three of the infants were full-term, and the incidence of low birth weight (LBW) was 9%. The 46 women showed a significant increase in weight (P < 0.001); subscapular, suprailiac, and mid-thigh skinfold thicknesses (P < or = 0.01) and in hip, thigh, and calf circumferences (P < or = 0.01) between trimesters 2 and 3. Women who gave birth to both normal birth weight (NBW) and LBW infants showed significant increases in weight (P < 0.001 and P = 0.02, respectively), but only women who had NBW infants showed significant increases in the suprailiac skinfold and hip circumference (P < 0.001). In the third trimester, attained weight, skinfold thicknesses, and circumferences tended to be greater in women who had NBW infants. In general, this group of women gained less weight and had a greater incidence of LBW infants compared with women in developed countries, but changes in skinfold thicknesses over the course of pregnancy were similar compared with other studies.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Genetic population history relationships of the population of Bogotá, Colombia, by using the D1S80, VWA, and TH01 molecular markers.

The genetic relationships of the population of Bogotá, Colombia, was comparatively studied with regard to other populations from America, Europe, and Asia, by using the D1S80, VWA, and TH01 molecular loci. From a population history point of view, the population of Bogotá seems to be more related to a European origin, with several differential contributions coming from Amerindians rather than from African and Asian populations, when the D1S80 and TH01 markers were employed. However, the contribution was greater from African populations for the VWA marker. Several explanations are offered to resolve the genetic affiliation of this population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Study of the etiology of deafness in an institutionalized population in Colombia.

To identify causative factors we screened 1,715 deaf individuals from 16 schools for the deaf in Colombia. We found evidence of environmental causation in 579 (33.8%) cases, genetic in 608 (35.4%), and in 528 (30.8%) we were unable to identify the etiology. The degree of hearing loss was severe to profound in 1,238 (72.2%), although in 987 (57.5%) of the deaf population studied the hearing impairment was not noticed until 2 to 5 years of age. The frequent association of deafness with other anomalies underscores the importance of a careful clinical and ophthalmologic evaluation in individuals with hearing loss. Our observations also emphasize the need for programs directed towards the prevention of hearing loss, including primary prevention as well as early diagnosis, investigation of possible genetic causes, and rehabilitation of deaf individuals.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Aging and secular change in adult stature in rural Colombia.

Age-associated changes in adult stature of a cross-sectional sample of 634 adults from rural Colombia were estimated by multiple regression of stature and age controlling for subischial length, and from equations predicting maximum attained stature from subischial length. From these analyses the estimated rate of loss in stature due to aging per se for men was 0.12 cm/yr, while for women it was 0.03 cm/yr. When corrected for aging, several secular trends in adult stature were evident, although none were statistically significant.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Tooth size of Ticuna Indians, Colombia, with phenetic comparisons to other Amerindians.

This study reports an odontometric analyses of unadmixed, adult Ticuna Indians, Colombia, South America. This group is characterized by crown diameters intermediate in size relative to the known Amerindian range and, in turn, to the range in modern man. Sex dimorphism is absent in Ticuna tooth size; there is a strong retention of the MI > M2 size sequence. The Ticuna are compared multivariately to other Indian groups reported in the literature, using the size and shape coefficients of L.S. Penrose. Tooth size clusters the groups into small, medium, and large-toothed classes, but does not yield a pattern attributable to known genetic or historical affinities. Shape coefficients distinguish Indians from non-Indians (Caucasian, Negroid, and Australian samples), primarily on the basis of 11-12 proportionalities. Neither size nor shape discriminates between North and South American groups.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

"Giant" tamarin from the Miocene of Colombia.

A nearly complete but badly crushed skull and mandible of Lagonimico conclucatus, gen. et sp. nov. is described from the La Victoria Formation, Colombia. The specimen is of middle Miocene age and dates from about 13.5 Ma. Features of the dentition suggest Lagonimico is a sister group to living Callitrichinae (Saguinus, Leontopithecus, Callithrix, and Cebuella). These features include having elongate compressed lower incisors, a reduced P2 lingual moiety, and the absence of upper molar hypocones. The new taxon also has autapomorphies, such as a relatively deep jaw, that rule it out of the direct ancestry of any living callitrichine. This animal is assigned to a new tribe of the callitrichine clade. The orbits of L. conclucatus are small, suggesting diurnal habits. Inflated, low-crowned (bunodont) cheek teeth with short, rounded shearing crests, as well as premolar simplification and M3 size reduction, suggest fruit- or gum-eating adaptations, as among many living callitrichines. Procumbent and slightly elongate lower incisors suggest this species could use its front teeth as a gouge, perhaps for harvesting tree gum. Estimates from jaw size suggest Lagonimico weighed about 1,200 g, about the size of Callicebus, the living titi monkey of South America. Judged from tooth size and jaw length, Lagonimico would have been slightly smaller than Callicebus, but still larger than Callimico or any living callitrichine. Therefore, many of the distinctive anatomical features of the callitrichine clade, sometimes explained by phyletic dwarfing, may have evolved at larger body size. Evolutionary size reduction may have occurred in parallel in callitrichines and Callimico.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Tropical spastic paraparesis: a neuroepidemiological study in Colombia.

A geographic isolate of tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP) in Tumaco, Colombia, is described. Fifty confirmed cases were identified (29 men, 21 women) with an estimated prevalence ratio of 98 cases per 100,000 population. Patients with identified cases ranged in age from 24 to 75 years (mean, 46.5). TSP begins with burning feet, leg stiffness, spastic bladder, and, in men, impotence. Patients exhibited leg weakness, spasticity, hyperreflexia, and scissoring gait. Babinski, Chaddock, and Hoffmann signs could be elicited. Ankle reflexes and vibratory sensation of the feet were decreased. Intellectual function, coordination, and cranial nerves remained normal. TSP is a slowly progressive disorder but so far there have been no deaths from it. Forty cases in this report began between 1971 and 1980; the earliest documented case began in 1952. Living conditions and occupations of the patients were typical for the region. Yaws had occurred in 74% of confirmed cases. No likely etiological neurotoxic or nutritional factors were identified. TSP also has been described in India, Africa, the Seychelles, and Jamaica.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Exposure to wood smoke, HPV infection, and genetic susceptibility for cervical neoplasia among women in Colombia.

Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer among women in Colombia (16/100,000). Infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) plays a major role in the etiology of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs). Exposure to chemical agents may be a cofactor for tumor induction, and individual genetic differences in the metabolism of these chemical agents may affect the susceptibility of individuals towards the development of HSIL. In this case-control study, a total of 91 cases with HSIL and 92 healthy controls, frequency-matched by age and place of origin, were recruited, and their frequencies of CYP2E1, GSTM1, and GSTT1 polymorphism were determined. We then evaluated the association of these polymorphisms, by themselves and in combination with wood smoke exposure and HPV-infection status, with the risk of HSIL. The results indicate that GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphism were not associated with HSIL, although a small increase in risk was observed for individuals who were GSTT1 null (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 0.57-3.44). Contrary to other investigations, the c2/c2 variant of the CYP2E1 gene was associated with a significant increase in risk after adjusting for wood smoke exposure (OR = 6.3, 95% CI = 1.10-36.38) or wood smoke exposure and HPV-infection status (OR = 10.7, 95% CI = 1.76-65.58). Wood smoke exposure also increased the risk of HSIL among CYP2E1 c2/c2 HPV-positive women (OR = 3.3, CI = 0.50-22.50); however, the increase did not achieve statistical significance. Our study provides tantalizing evidence that genetic differences in the metabolism of wood smoke carcinogens, particularly metabolism by CYP2E1, may confer susceptibility for HSIL development. Further investigations with larger populations will be needed to confirm this association, which may provide important information for improving cervical cancer prevention programs.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

CFTR mutations in patients from Colombia: implications for local and regional molecular diagnosis programs.

Cystic Fibrosis is a worldwide distributed hereditary disease. The incidence of the main (p.F508del) and other frequent mutations has been determined in a great number of countries and ethnic groups, but its incidence in most Latin American countries has remained unknown until recently. It is now beginning to be recognized as a frequent cause of infant mortality, and some countries report the incidence of their mutations. Colombia started several years ago a concerted program of molecular study of patients which were clinically diagnosed as probable cystic fibrosis. We screened the whole CFTR (ABCC7) coding sequence in 92 patients from 6 different geographic regions, using conventional PAGE analyses and DGGE followed by sequencing. Additionally, we established the frequency of the p.F508del mutation in 130 unrelated healthy controls. The results of this pilot study in Colombian patients from various ethnic admixture show six main mutations: p.F508del (41.8%), c.1811+1.6kbA>G (6.5%), p.G542X (3.8%), p.S549R (2.2%), p.W1282X (1.1%) and p.R1162X (1.1%). Thirteen other rare mutations, including three novel, were detected, accounting for a total of 63.6% known mutations. There is a great variability between the geographic regions, both in the frequency of the p.F508del mutation and non-p.F508del CF chromosomes. Our results point to a varied origin of the disease genes. These results also show that careful scrutiny of the mutations is needed in each part of Latin America in order to establish priority-screening protocols adapted to each country and region.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

High prevalence of CBS p.T191M mutation in homocystinuric patients from Colombia.

Homocystinuria is an autosomal recessive disease most commonly caused by mutations in cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS). In this study we present the mutation analysis of 36 Colombian individuals from 10 unrelated kindred, with 11 individuals clinically classified as homocystinuric. Mutation analysis of the CBS gene revealed p.T191M, a prevalent mutation in Spain and Portugal, in the homozygous state in seven of the unrelated patients. Genotype-phenotype assessment of the p.T191M homozygous patients showed a high level of variability, including different severity in one pair of affected siblings. None of the patients responded biochemically to treatment with pharmacological doses of pyridoxine and folic acid as revealed by essentially unchanged homocysteine levels. This study offered a unique opportunity to study 18 heterozygous (p.T191M/wt) relatives of the homocystinuric patients. One atypical finding was that many of them presented with above average total homocysteine levels, putting them at an increased risk for vascular disease. Cryptorchidism was present in three of the cases, one of which presented also with Klinefelter syndrome. In addition to the previously described p.T191M mutation, a new mutation, p.A288T, was identified in a single individual. In this paper we present the first characterization, at a molecular level, of patients with homocystinuria from Colombia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Adeno-associated virus seropositivity and HPV-induced cervical cancer in Spain and Colombia.

Extensive experimental and limited epidemiologic data suggest that adeno-associated viruses (AAV) can have antioncogenic activity and may be protective factors for the development of cervical cancer. To examine the association between AAV-2 IgG antibodies and cervical neoplasia in Spain and Colombia, we tested for AAV-2 antibodies using an ELISA assay for 109 women with invasive cervical cancer, 100 population-based controls age-matched to the invasive cases, 77 women with carcinoma in situ (CIN III) and 100 clinic-based controls age-matched to the CIN III cases. Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA was detected in cervical exfoliated cells by polymerase chain reaction using HPV-L1 and GP5+/6+ consensus primers. The prevalence of AAV-2 antibody titers >100 was significantly lower in invasive cervical cancer cases than control participants. When comparing women with invasive cancer with controls or with CIN III cases, a pattern of decreasing cervical cancer risk with increasing AAV-2 titers was observed. Elevated AAV antibody titers (>100) were inversely associated with invasive cervical cancer (OR 0.3; 95% CI 0.1-0.7), although results were not statistically significant after controlling for HPV (OR 0.4; 95% CI 0.1-1.6). In contrast, AAV-2 antibodies were not significantly associated with the risk of CIN III (OR 1.4; 95% CI 0.3-6.8). These results provide supportive evidence that AAV infection may be a protective factor for the development of invasive cervical cancer. Alternatively, the lower AAV-2 seroprevalence in invasive cervical cancer cases may be due to an immunosuppressive effect of cervical cancer on AAV antibody response. To investigate whether a direct viral interaction is occurring, future studies should aim to resolve at what frequency AAV is found in the genital tract and to clarify further whether AAV may infect the same HPV-positive cells in the cervix.

Adult↗