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PubMed2003

Molecular epidemiology of HIV-1 in Venezuela: high prevalence of HIV-1 subtype B and identification of a B/F recombinant infection.

The authors assessed HIV-1 variability in two distinct areas of Venezuela (the capital Caracas and Margarita Island) through the analysis of blood specimens and clinical and epidemiologic data of 72 persons. Proviral DNA was evaluated through heteroduplex mobility assay (HMA) based on the envelope region. Additionally, FOK I restriction enzyme digestion assay was performed in all subtype B ED31/33 amplified products to check the presence of the typical Brazilian subtype B GWGR variant. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis for C2-V3 region of gp120 was performed in selected cases. The vast majority of samples were found to belong to subtype B, with a North American/European RFLP profile. An F subtype HIV-1 based on the region was identified for the first time in Venezuela. Genetic analyses of the protease and reverse transcriptase fragments of this sample depicted a recombinant B/F genetic profile. The discrimination capacity of HIV-1 subtypes using the primer set ED3/14-ED31/33 among the Caracas samples was found to be higher than for those from Margarita Island. The authors' results point to relevant differences between the samples of continental and Caribbean regions of Venezuela, requiring further evaluation of larger samples.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Impact of imported malaria on the burden of disease in northeastern Venezuela.

BACKGROUND: Many countries throughout the world are reporting an increasing number of imported malaria cases. It is now well documented that population movements play an important role in the spread and introduction of malaria infection in nonendemic areas. METHODS: We evaluated the contribution of imported malaria to the overall malaria burden of disease in an already endemic malaria region in Venezuela, where malaria is exclusively caused by Plasmodium vivax. To estimate the magnitude of this contribution, we retrospectively analyzed cases of imported malaria in Sucre, Venezuela, during a 10-year period (1987-1998). RESULTS: During this period, 1,755 (3.8% of the total) cases of imported malaria were identified. Most of these cases were imported from the Meridian states into Sucre. In Latin America, a major factor in the reemergence and spread of malaria is human migration. Surveillance of imported cases of malaria in Venezuela would allow us to continue evaluating population migration dynamics and its epidemiologic impact on malaria transmission. CONCLUSION: Enhanced surveillance, such as the one shown in this study, would help the early identification of nonindigenous Plasmodium species and also of resistant Plasmodium strains with a potential to spread locally. Population mobility and imported malaria cases may add to the magnitude of malaria burden in some regions of Latin America. Furthermore, malaria treatment guidelines at local and national levels need to incorporate imported malaria cases in their treatment algorithms and into chemoprophylactic recommendations for travelers.

Cost of Illness↗
PubMed2005

Infection with transfusion-transmitted virus (TTV) in humans and other primates in Venezuela.

Tranfusion-transmitted virus (TTV), a single-stranded circular DNA virus that chronically infects humans and other animals, displays a high degree of genetic diversity and was originally thought to be associated with hepatitis. The prevalences of TTV infection among different populations of humans and non-human primates from Venezuela have now been evaluated, using serum samples and three different detection tests. All three tests were PCR-based, one involving a hemi-nested PCR and primers based on the N22 open-reading-frame-1 region (N22-PCR), another employing 55 cycles with primers from the more conserved untranslated region (UTR-PCR), and the other using a hemi-nested PCR with primers from the same region (HUTR-PCR). The overall prevalences of human infection appeared much higher with the HUTR-PCR (52%) than with the N22-PCR (13%) or the UTR-PCR (5%). When the products amplified by N22-PCR from 28 human isolates of TTV were sequenced, only two genotypes of the virus were detected. The non-human sera tested came from primates kept in a zoo in north-western Venezuela. TTV DNA was detected, by HUTR-PCR, in both of the chimpanzee sera tested but not in any of the sera from the 11 New-World primates or the other 12 Old-World primates that were investigated. The results, particularly those of the HUTR-PCR, indicate that TTV infection is common in Venezuela, especially in populations, such as many Amerindian groups, who live under poor sanitary conditions. Although TTV infection may be relatively rare among non-human primates from the New World, this will have to be investigated further, using many more samples collected throughout the Americas.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Epizootics of yellow fever in Venezuela (2004-2005): an emerging zoonotic disease.

Epidemics and epizootics of yellow fever (YF) have been occurring in the border area of eastern Colombia and western Venezuela since 2003; for this reason many epidemiological control measures were adopted by the Ministry of Health (MOH) trying to prevent their spreading. These activities included monkey deaths surveillance as well as immunization of susceptible individuals with YF vaccine. In this setting, we analyzed epidemiological and epizootical issues related to YF in Venezuela during 2004-2005. In this period, YF epizootics occurred initially without geographical links to the 2003 outbreaks (which occurred at the Southern Maracaibo lake epizootic wave), but in relation with the Guayana epizootic wave; beginning in Monagas state and then affecting Anzoátegui, Guárico, and Sucre states. Just months later, Apure was also affected. Mérida and Táchira also report epizootics for the end of 2004. This year concluded with 15 human deaths due to YF and more than 100 howler monkey deaths. In the same year, 715 suspected cases were investigated confirming YF in 0.7% of them. For these reasons, between 2002 and 2004, Venezuela's MOH has vaccinated approximately 1.9 million people in areas considered to be enzootic. The country's goal for 2006 is to have 7 million people residing in high-risk cities and towns vaccinated, and in this way, preventing and controlling this emerging zoonotic disease.

Alouatta↗
PubMed2005

Comparative development and impact of transgenic papayas in Hawaii, Jamaica, and Venezuela.

We present data concerning the creation of transgenic papayas resistant to Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) and their adoption by three different countries: the United States (e.g., Hawaii), Jamaica, and Venezuela. Although the three sets of transgenic papayas showed effective resistance to PRSV, the adoption rate in each country has varied from full utilization in Hawaii to aggressive testing but delay in deregulating of the product in Jamaica to rejection at an early stage in Venezuela. Factors that contributed to the rapid adoption in Hawaii include a timely development of the transgenic product, PRSV causing severe damage to the papaya industry, close collaboration between researchers and the industry, and the existence of procedures for deregulating a transgenic product. In Jamaica, the technology for developing the initial field-testing of the product progressed rather rapidly, but the process of deregulation has been slowed down owing to the lack of sustained governmental efforts to complete the regulatory procedures for transgenic crops. In Venezuela, the technology to develop and greenhouse test the transgenic papaya has moved abreast with the Jamaica project, but the field testing of the transgenic papaya within the country was stopped very early on by actions by people opposed to transgenic products. The three cases are discussed in an effort to provide information on factors, other than technology, that can influence the adoption of a transgenic product.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2006

[Economic impact of dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever in the State of Zulia, Venezuela, 1997-2003].

OBJECTIVES: To determine the direct and indirect costs of medical care provided to cases of dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome (DHF/DSS) between 1997 and 2003 in Zulia State, Venezuela. METHODS: The total number of patients with dengue and DHF/DSS was obtained from records belonging to the Regional Epidemiology Office of the state of Zulia and from reports of cases that were confirmed in the Virology Section of Dr. Americo Negrette's Clinical Research Institute, Zulia University, Maracaibo, Venezuela, between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 2003. Direct costs included the cost of emergency medical care for all cases and hospital costs for cases with DHF/DSS (cost per bed-day and laboratory expenses). The costs connected to absence from work among patients over 15 years of age and mothers who accompanied their children under 15 years of age comprised the indirect costs, which were adjusted for the proportion of men and women in the labor force. Calculations were based on the minimum yearly wage, and results were given in United States dollars, converted according to each year's average exchange rate. RESULTS: During the study period, 33,857 cases of dengue and DHF/DSS were seen. Of them, 30 251 (89.35%) were cases of dengue, and 3606 (10.65%) were cases of DHF/DSS. Six cases of DHF/DSS died (lethality rate: 0.2 per 100 cases of DHF/DSS). Direct costs were 474,251.70 US dollars; of these costs, 132,042.30 US dollars were spent on emergency medical care and 342,209.40 US dollars on the hospital costs of DHF/DSS cases. Indirect costs were 873,825.84 US dollars and comprised 64.8% of overall expenditures (1 ,48,077.54 US dollars) connected to this disease during the study years. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study on the economic impact of dengue in the state of Zulia and in Venezuela. In spite of some limitations, results show that dengue is an important public health problem that causes great expense because of temporary absenteeism from work and that undermines regional and national economic development.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

[Serotypes and genotypes of dengue virus circulating in Venezuela, 1990-1997].

Due to the increasing severity of hemorrhagic dengue epidemics during the last years in Venezuela, a retrospective analysis was conducted to identify the behaviour of the dengue virus serotypes circulating in the country and the molecular evolution of dengue virus serotype 2. The data presented here indicates that dengue virus serotypes 1, 2 and 4 are endemic in Venezuela, they circulate simultaneously around the year in the biggest urban cities, however, one particular serotype is predominant during an epidemic period and replaces the virus serotype dominant during the previous epidemic period. The increased severity of dengue fever since 1989 in Venezuela might be associated to the introduction of the Asiatic genotype of virus which replaced the autochthonous Caribbean genotype. The Asiatic genotype is recognised as a more virulent virus.

Dengue↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Susceptibility of Biomphalaria glabrata to Schistosoma mansoni from Venezuela and Brazil].

Schistosoma mansoni partially develops its life cycle into snails of the Family Planorbid. Biomphalaria glabrata represents an important host-intermediate. This paper reports experimental infection with miracidia vs. snail in sympatric and parapatric combination. The infection assay to sympatric combination were: BH snail (Belo Horizonte, Brasil) vs. a common geographic origin parasite, and Barbula, Carabobo State, Venezuela vs. SM Venezuela parasitic. The parapatric combination were: BH snail vs. SM; Barbula vs. BH; Caripe Monagas State, Venezuela vs. SM and Caripe vs. SM. During the study period was observed not miracid penetration. The infection percentage ranged from 88.89% in Barbula vs. SM combination to 0.00% in the Caripe vs. BH and BH vs. SM combination. We concluded which different existence of susceptibility from evaluated combination.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

[Seroepidemiology of Herpes simplex virus type 2 in the Amerindian Yukpa population of Zulia state, Venezuela].

BACKGROUND: Yukpa aborigines start early in life their sexual activity and promiscuity with native and foreign individuals is common among women. This behavior allows the installation and propagation of Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). AIM: To determine the presence of antibodies to HSV-2 in a Yukpa Amerindian community at Zulia State, Venezuela. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We studied 96 natives, between 13 and 49 years old (62.3% of the whole population, 100% of individuals in fertile age). Control population consisted of 76 individuals, with similar sex and age range distribution, of the urban population from Maracaibo, Zulia State, Venezuela. HSV-2 serologic status was determined by an indirect fluorescent antibody test. RESULTS: Antibodies to HSV-2 were detected in 53.1% of Yukpa population and 21.1% of urban population. Aboriginal women aged 21 to 40 years old had a prevalence of antibodies against HSV-2 of 66.7%. Among pregnant native women, the prevalence of antibodies against HSV-2 was 54.6%. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high prevalence of antibodies against HSV-2 among Yukpa natives in Venezuela.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

[The discovery of the tropics: Williams College's expedition to Venezuela in 1867].

Myer's expedition to Venezuela passed unnoticed for U.S. intellectual circles in the 19th century. Although Humboldt's work made it known scientifically, the country remains today terra incognita in some respects, such as the knowledge of her natural resources. Venezuela's political and economic conditions in the 19th century prevented the publication at the time of the foreign literature on her natural history. In the last decades of the 20th century there is at last a new and growing interest in studying and translating the legacy that international scholars on Venezuela left.

Expeditions↗
PubMed2002

[Vitamin A deficiency and the anthropometric nutritional status of urban and rural marginalized children in the state of Zulia, Venezuela].

The present transversal study was carried out to estimate the prevalence of both vitamin A deficiency (VAD) and protein-energy malnutrition among children (24 to 85 months) from three urban slums (n = 173) in Maracaibo city, Zulia State, Venezuela and a rural slum area (n = 34), vieinal to Maracaibo, by measuring serum retinol and z score of anthropometric indices Height//Age (H//AZ); Weight//Age (W//AZ) and Weight//Height (W//HZ), compared to NCHS-WHO reference values. The Graffar's methodology adapted to Venezuela by Méndez Castellano (1986) confirmed the underprivileged socio-economic condition of the children population. For serum retinol analysis, peripheral venous blood was drawn and serum was treated according to the Bieri et al. (1979) technique and HPLC procedure. Values were recorded in microgram/dL. Statistical analysis was done by using Epi Info 2000, release 1.0 and SAS release 6.0 (1996) computer programs. The prevalence of VAD (serum retinol < 20 micrograms/dL) in the total children population (n = 207) was 22.2%, being higher in urban children than in rural children (22.5% vs 20.5%). No clinical signs of VAD were detected in the children. The nutritional status analysed by Z score of anthropometric indices revealed that 27.4% of children suffered from undernutrition (Z score = -2 to > -3 SD), being 15.4% stunted, 9.6% wasted and 2.6% with acute protein-energy malnutrition. Neither severe malnutrition nor overweight were detected. According with the H//AZ index, 54.6% of children had adequate nutrition. However 23% of them suffered from VAD. In children at risk of developing undernutrition (Z score = -1 to > -2 SD), 20.9% had VAD and of the stunted children, 21.9% presented VAD. With W//AZ, 60.3%, 29.9% and 9.1% of children were with adequate nutrition, at risk, or wasted respectively; of each group, 25.6%, 17.7% and 15%, respectively had serum retinol values below 20 micrograms/dL. The Z score of W//HZ indicator revealed that 87.4%, 10.4% and 2.4% of children were in good nutrition, at risk, or with acute protein-energy malnutrition, respectively. In the three groups 22.1%, 23.8% and 20%, respectively were affected by VAD. These results indicate that VAD coexists indistinctly in healthy, adequately nourished children, as in those malnourished ones. Our VAD prevalence results and others from Venezuela, are higher than the criteria laid down by WHO and PAHO which warrant wide community intervention. This public health problem becomes more significant because children are apparently healthy and, if timely vitamin A supplementation is not given, any intercurrent infection is likely to worsen the vitamin A status, increasing the widely known consequences.

Body Height↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Direct genetic manipulation and criminal code in Venezuela: absolute criminal law void?].

The judicial regulation of genetic biotechnology applied to the human genome is of big relevance currently in Venezuela due to the drafting of an innovative bioethical law in the country's parliament. This article will highlight the constitutional normative of Venezuela's 1999 Constitution regarding this subject, as it establishes the framework from which this matter will be legally regulated. The approach this article makes towards the genetic biotechnology applied to the human genome is made taking into account the Venezuelan penal law and by highlighting the violent genetic manipulations that have criminal relevance. The genetic biotechnology applied to the human genome has another important relevance as a consequence of the reformulation of the Venezuelan Penal Code discussed by the country's National Assembly. Therefore, a concise study of the country's penal code will be made in this article to better understand what judicial-penal properties have been protected by the Venezuelan penal legislation. This last step will enable us to identify the penal tools Venezuela counts on to face direct genetic manipulations. We will equally indicate the existing punitive loophole and that should be covered by the penal legislator. In conclusion, this essay concerns criminal policy, referred to the direct genetic manipulations on the human genome that haven't been typified in Venezuelan law, thus discovering a genetic biotechnology paradise.

Criminal Law↗
PubMed1975

[Onychomyosis caused by Trichopyton soudanense. 1st isolation in Venezuela].

Trichophyton soudanense is a dermatophyte wich is of highest incidence in Africa. Cases of tinea produced by this fungus have been described in England, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, the United States and Brazil. This investigation reports the first isolation of this fungus in Venezuela, from a lesion of the nail in a female patient who has always resided in Venezuela. The identification of this fungus was based on macroscopic and microscopic morphological characteristics; biological properties, scare or no growth when the only nitrogen source in the culture medium is provided by potassium or ammonium nitrate, and the production of dark pigment when inoculated in Lowenstein-Jensen medium. Experimental innoculation in animals produced an endothrix parasitism of the hair. Reference is made ot the incidence of the most frequently occuring dermatophytes in Venezuela.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

[Control, elimination and eradication of viral immuno preventable diseases in Venezuela].

Vaccination has demonstrated the capacity for the drastic decrease of the prevalence and incidence of several diseases of viral etiology and it has allowed their eradication. Among these human immuno preventable diseases are included poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, chicken pox, rubella, hepatitis A and B, influenza A and yellow fever. In residents, travelers to endemic areas and personal at risk, the vaccines to Japanese and equine encephalitis, rabies and adenovirus can be applied. Venezuela has not escaped from the positive impact in the epidemiology of these illnesses as a consequence of the organization and implementation of big national vaccination campaigns; however, and in spite of these efforts, important outbreaks of measles, yellow fever, chicken pox and hepatitis have occurred in the last few years. The tools to eliminate the majority of these viral diseases exist in Venezuela as well as in other countries, and are readily available, effective and relatively not expensive, but require on the whole of an effort of authorities and communities. The implementation of these strategies should have the support of the World Health Organization and the Panamerican Health Organization. This is a priority for the next few years if our aim is the eradication of these illnesses from Venezuela, the continent and the world.

Humans↗
PubMed2006

Microsporidiosis in Venezuela: prevalence of intestinal microsporidiosis and its contribution to diarrhea in a group of human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients from Zulia State.

Microsporidia are recognized as a cause of morbidity among patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Infection rates for intestinal microsporidiosis in HIV-infected patients from Venezuela are unknown. To determine the prevalence and pathogenic role of microsporidia in these patients in northwestern Venezuela, a case control study was conducted in 103 outpatients (mean +/- SD age = 37.3 +/- 5.6 years). Microsporidia were detected using unconcentrated formalin-fixed stools examined by Weber's chromotrope-based staining method. For identification of coccidia, modified Ziehl-Neelsen carbolfuchsin staining of formalin-ether concentrates were used, and for other pathogenic parasites, iron hematoxylin-stained smears and formalin-ether concentrates were examined. Microsporidial infections were detected in 14 (13.6%) of 103 patients and 39 (37.9%) had other parasitic pathogens. No significant difference was noted in the occurrence of the infection in patients with diarrhea (13 of 74, 17.6%) and controls (1 of 29, 3.4%) (P = 0.118). Nevertheless, this result may be due to the small sample size (n = 14) of infected individuals. The proportions of other pathogens in patients with or without diarrhea were not significantly different (P = 0.828). Microsporidiosis is common among the HIV-infected population in northwestern Venezuela. However, its pathogenic role in these patients is uncertain and warrants further investigation.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1993

[Genetic and demographic structure of the State of Aragua, Venezuela, estimated through the surnames].

The genetic structure of the State of Aragua, Venezuela, has been studied through the analysis of surnames obtained from the register of electors. The analysis covered 23 counties and included a total of 99,593 individuals and 6,338 different surnames. Estimators of isolation, consanguinity, microdifferentiation and four measures of genetic distance, were studied. When our results were compared with those obtained in other States of Venezuela studied previously (Falcón, Lara, Mérida, Nueva Esparta and Yaracuy), Aragua appears as the State most open to new migrants, probably due to its nearness to Caracas, Venezuela's capital city. Within Aragua, the counties most isolated are Choronií, Ocumare de la Costa and Tovar, while those less isolated are El Limón, Turmero, La Victoria, San Mateo and Cagua. The correlations between the logarithmic transformations of genetic and geographic distances were all significant, revealing surname differentiation by distance. The dendrogram built with the Euclidean distance matrix shows a first group of counties formed by those localized towards the central portion of the State, to which southern counties are added. Choroní and Ocumare de la Costa form a group which enters the dendrogram just before Tovar, the last county to be included in the analysis. Seven surnames with a focal distribution within the State were identified: Ayala and Calanche in Choroní; Kanzler, Misle and Ruh in Tovar; Lira in San Mateo and Santaella in Barbacoas.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

A new cytotype of Anopheles nuneztovari from western Venezuela and Colombia.

Cytogenetic analysis of the larval polytene chromosomes of Anopheles nuneztovari from 5 collection sites in Táchira and Zulia states northwest of the Andean Cordillera in western Venezuela and from 2 sites in the Department of Valle, western Colombia, revealed what appears to be a distinctive cytotype informally designated as An. nuneztovari C. Its chromosomes are homosequential with those of An. nuneztovari B from western Venezuela southeast of the Cordillera but differ in the presence of a well-defined chromocenter and unique inversion polymorphisms. The large complex inversion in western Venezuela, 2Lb, is present at a frequency of 0.263 and deviates significantly from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in 3 of the 5 sites. Two smaller inversions (2Lc and 2Ld) that are included in 2Lb are present in the Colombian samples at a frequency of 0.300.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

[Need and demand of kidneys for transplantation in Venezuela].

The number of cadaveric kidneys available for transplantation has become insufficient around the world. Despite concerted efforts, we have been unsuccessful in greatly improve the supply of organ donors, and consequently the number of end stage renal failure patients awaiting for kidney transplantation continues to increase. The primary objective of this paper is to quantify the need and supply of kidneys for transplant in Venezuela. An overview of the current level of kidney transplant activity in Venezuela is presented, observing that the activity with cadaveric donors had been predominant since 1983, although not to an optimal level. The annual activity in kidney transplant between 1989-1991 remained stable in 6 transplants/million people, but went sharply down to 4.6 in 1992. An estimate of the current need is around 10 donors/million people. This is in contrast with an effective donation rate of only 2.01 and 1.92 donors/million achieved in 1990 and 1991 respectively. The most frequent cause for no donation was the lack of familiar consent. Based on an analysis of the factors involved in the shortage of donor supply in Venezuela, we present some recommendations to increase the availability of cadaveric organ donors in the country. These measures include an improvement of education and legal regulation in the field of organ donation and transplantation, and following the Spanish model, the creation of a program of hospital transplant coordinators that can detect and evaluate potential organ donors as well as coordinate the logistical aspects of transplantation.

Humans↗