Fish-borne nematodiases in South America: neglected emerging diseases

AbstractFish-borne zoonotic nematodes may infect humans when fish or squid are ingested raw or inadequately cooked. Human infections may have serious consequences, including the unexpected deaths of infected people. This kind of disease is poorly known in general, and the characteristics of such infections in South American countries as a whole have never been assessed. In this paper the present status of fish-borne nematodiases in humans in South American countries is characterized. Potentially zoonotic nematode species are very common in both freshwater and marine fish in South America. Reports of human infections have only been found in some countries, and their incidence (especially with anisakids andGnathostomaspp.) varies from country to country. Apparently they are more abundant in countries with strong traditions of eating raw fish, and are more frequent on the western coast of South America. So far fish-borne nematodes have been reported in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. In recent years, cases of human infection have appeared in probably underestimated numbers. People need to be clearly informed about risky feeding habits, and physicians need to learn more about zoonotic diseases.

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UNA virus: first report of human infection in Argentina

Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo ◽

10.1590/s0036-46652003000200012 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 45 (2) ◽

pp. 109-110 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Luis Adrián Diaz ◽

Lorena Ivana Spinsanti ◽

Walter Ricardo Almiron ◽

Marta Silvia Contigiani

Keyword(s):

South America ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Neutralizing Antibodies ◽

Neutralization Test ◽

Human Infection ◽

First Report ◽

Central Argentina ◽

Human Sera ◽

Vertebrate Hosts ◽

Human Infections

Una virus (UNAV), Togaviridae family, is widely distributed in South America, where infections have been detected in mosquitoes and vertebrate hosts (humans, birds and horses). We analyzed human sera from Córdoba inhabitants aged 44 to 89 years and using a neutralization test, we found a prevalence of UNAV antibodies of 3.8% (3/79). The low titers detected suggest past infections probably acquired in rural areas of the Province of Córdoba (central Argentina). None sera were found positive for MAYV neutralizing antibodies. This is the first report of human infections by UNAV in Argentina.

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Current Knowledge of Small Flukes (Digenea: Heterophyidae) from South America

The Korean Journal of Parasitology ◽

10.3347/kjp.2020.58.4.373 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 58 (4) ◽

pp. 373-386

Author(s):

Cláudia Portes Santos ◽

Juliana Novo Borges

Keyword(s):

South America ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Molecular Taxonomy ◽

South American ◽

Molecular Tools ◽

Lack Of Information ◽

Parasite Ecology ◽

Small Intestinal ◽

Human Infections ◽

Host Parasite

Fish-borne heterophyid trematodes are known to have a zoonotic potential, since at least 30 species are able to infect humans worldwide, with a global infection of around 7 million people. In this paper, a ‘state-of-the-art’ review of the South American heterophyid species is provided, including classical and molecular taxonomy, parasite ecology, host-parasite interaction studies and a list of species and their hosts. There is still a lack of information on human infections in South America with undetected or unreported infections probably due to the information shortage and little attention by physicians to these small intestinal flukes. Molecular tools for specific diagnoses of South American heterophyid species are still to be defined. Additional new sequences of Pygidiopsis macrostomum, Ascocotyle pindoramensis and Ascocotyle longa from Brazil are also provided.

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Multiproxy evidence for leaf-browsing and closed habitats in extinct proboscideans (Mammalia, Proboscidea) from Central Chile

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1804642115 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 115 (37) ◽

pp. 9258-9263 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Erwin González-Guarda ◽

Alia Petermann-Pichincura ◽

Carlos Tornero ◽

Laura Domingo ◽

Jordi Agustí ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South America ◽

Late Pleistocene ◽

Feeding Habits ◽

South American ◽

Dental Microwear ◽

Central Chile ◽

Great American Biotic Interchange ◽

History Of ◽

The Individual

Proboscideans are so-called ecosystem engineers and are considered key players in hypotheses about Late Pleistocene megafaunal extinctions. However, knowledge about the autoecology and chronology of the proboscideans in South America is still open to debate and raises controversial views. Here, we used a range of multiproxy approaches and new radiocarbon datings to study the autoecology of Chilean gomphotheres, the only group of proboscideans to reach South America during the Great American Biotic Interchange (∼3.1 to 2.7 million years before present). As part of this study, we analyzed stable isotopes, dental microwear, and dental calculus microfossils on gomphothere molars from 30 Late Pleistocene sites (31° to 42°S). These proxies provided different scales of temporal resolution, which were then combined to assess the dietary and habitat patterns of these proboscideans. The multiproxy study suggests that most foraging took place in relatively closed environments. In Central Chile, there is a positive correlation between lower δ13C values and an increasing consumption of arboreal/scrub elements. Analyses of dental microwear and calculus microfossils have verified these leaf-browsing feeding habits. From a comparative perspective, the dietary pattern of South American gomphotheres appears to be constrained more by resource availability than by the potential dietary range of the individual taxa. This multiproxy study is aimed at increasing knowledge of the life history of gomphotheres and thus follows an issue considered one of the greatest challenges for paleontology in South America, recently pointed out by the need to thoroughly understand the role of ecological engineers before making predictions about the consequences of ecosystem defaunation.

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Pleistocene Mammals from Pampean Region (Argentina). Biostratigraphic, Biogeographic, and Environmental Implications

Quaternary ◽

10.3390/quat4020015 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 15

Author(s):

José Luis Prado ◽

María Teresa Alberdi ◽

Jonathan Bellinzoni

Keyword(s):

South America ◽

The State ◽

Historical Study ◽

South American ◽

Environmental Implications ◽

Sedimentary Sequences ◽

Pampean Region ◽

Mammalian Faunas ◽

Pleistocene Mammals ◽

Fossil Records

The Pampean Region contains sedimentary sequences with abundant mammal fossil records, which constitute the chronological outline of the Plio–Pleistocene of South America. These classic localities have been used for more than a century to correlate with other South American regions. Throughout this time, a series of misinterpretations have appeared. To understand the stratigraphic significance of these localities and the geochronological situation of each unit referring to the Pleistocene, a critical historical study of the antecedents was carried out, evaluating the state of each unit. The biostratigraphic studies of the Pampean Region’s mammalian faunas improved the understanding of biogeographic changes taking into account the environmental fluctuations of the Pleistocene.

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An Overview of Equine Influenza in South America

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v13050888 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 888

Author(s):

Cecilia Olguin-Perglione ◽

María Edith Barrandeguy

Keyword(s):

South America ◽

Disease Surveillance ◽

Economic Losses ◽

South American ◽

Respiratory Pathogens ◽

Equine Influenza Virus ◽

Equine Influenza ◽

Vaccine Manufacturer ◽

Gene Level ◽

Control Procedures

Equine influenza virus (EIV) is one of the most important respiratory pathogens of horses as outbreaks of the disease lead to significant economic losses worldwide. In this review, we summarize the information available on equine influenza (EI) in South America. In the region, the major events of EI occurred almost in the same period in the different countries, and the EIV isolated showed high genetic identity at the hemagglutinin gene level. It is highly likely that the continuous movement of horses, some of them subclinically infected, among South American countries, facilitated the spread of the virus. Although EI vaccination is mandatory for mobile or congregates equine populations in the region, EI outbreaks continuously threaten the equine industry. Vaccine breakdown could be related to the fact that many of the commercial vaccines available in the region contain out-of-date EIV strains, and some of them even lack reliable information about immunogenicity and efficacy. This review highlights the importance of disease surveillance and reinforces the need to harmonize quarantine and biosecurity protocols, and encourage vaccine manufacturer companies to carry out quality control procedures and update the EIV strains in their products.

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Organoids to Dissect Gastrointestinal Virus–Host Interactions: What Have We Learned?

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v13060999 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 999

Author(s):

Sue E. Crawford ◽

Sasirekha Ramani ◽

Sarah E. Blutt ◽

Mary K. Estes

Keyword(s):

Cell Types ◽

Human Infection ◽

Viral Pathogens ◽

Host Interactions ◽

Complex Interactions ◽

Microbe Interactions ◽

Host Microbe Interactions ◽

Human Intestinal Epithelium ◽

Human Viruses ◽

Human Infections

Historically, knowledge of human host–enteric pathogen interactions has been elucidated from studies using cancer cells, animal models, clinical data, and occasionally, controlled human infection models. Although much has been learned from these studies, an understanding of the complex interactions between human viruses and the human intestinal epithelium was initially limited by the lack of nontransformed culture systems, which recapitulate the relevant heterogenous cell types that comprise the intestinal villus epithelium. New investigations using multicellular, physiologically active, organotypic cultures produced from intestinal stem cells isolated from biopsies or surgical specimens provide an exciting new avenue for understanding human specific pathogens and revealing previously unknown host–microbe interactions that affect replication and outcomes of human infections. Here, we summarize recent biologic discoveries using human intestinal organoids and human enteric viral pathogens.

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Comparison of <i>H</i> component geomagnetic field time series obtained at different sites over South America

Annales Geophysicae ◽

10.5194/angeo-36-937-2018 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 36 (3) ◽

pp. 937-943 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Maurício J. A. Bolzan ◽

Clezio M. Denardini ◽

Alexandre Tardelli

Keyword(s):

South America ◽

Geomagnetic Field ◽

Phase Coherence ◽

South American ◽

Data Set ◽

Geomagnetism And Paleomagnetism ◽

Strong Phase ◽

Geomagnetic Fields ◽

Time Variations ◽

Physical Phenomena

Abstract. The geomagnetic field in the Brazilian sector is influenced by the South American Magnetic Anomaly (SAMA) that causes a decrease in the magnitude of the local geomagnetic field when compared to other regions in the world. Thus, the magnetometer network and data set of space weather over Brazil led by Embrace are important tools for promoting the understanding of geomagnetic fields over Brazil. In this sense, in this work we used the H component of geomagnetic fields obtained at different sites in South America in order to compare results from the phase coherence obtained from wavelet transform (WT). Results from comparison between Cachoeira Paulista (CXP) and Eusébio (EUS), and Cachoeira Paulista and São Luis (SLZ), indicated that there exist some phenomena that occur simultaneously in both locations, putting them in the same phase coherence. However, there are other phenomena putting both locations in a strong phase difference as observed between CXP and Rio Grande, Argentina (RGA). This study was done for a specific moderate geomagnetic storm that occurred in March 2003. The results are explained in terms of nonlinear interaction between physical phenomena acting in distinct geographic locations and at different times and scales. Keywords. Geomagnetism and paleomagnetism (time variations – diurnal to secular)

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Reflections on Contemporary South American Democracies

Journal of Latin American Studies ◽

10.1017/s0022216x01006125 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 33 (3) ◽

pp. 599-609 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

GUILLERMO O'DONNELL

Keyword(s):

Latin America ◽

South America ◽

National Level ◽

South American ◽

Science Literature ◽

Political Rights ◽

Opinion Expression ◽

Definition Of ◽

The Third World ◽

Indefinite Future

The occasion of honouring the memory of John Brooks, a great friend of Latin America, has helped me vanquish my initial reluctance to tackle a topic that is as broad, varied and still open-ended as the present situation of democracy in South America. As a first measure of my limitations, with the exception of some references to Costa Rica and Mexico, I will not discuss Central America and the Caribbean, not because I feel these regions are unimportant but because, simply, I do not know enough about them. However, when I feel that I am on sufficiently solid ground so as to refer to Latin America as a whole, I will do so.I begin by noting that in contemporary South America some countries satisfy the definition of political democracy. Those countries share two main characteristics. One is that they hold elections under universal adult franchise that, at least at the national level, are reasonably fair and competitive. These are standard criteria in the political science literature. However, having in mind the experience of Latin America and elsewhere in the third world, I believe that we should add that such elections must be institutionalised. By this I mean that all relevant actors expect that elections of this kind will continue being held in the indefinite future so, whether they like or not, it is rational for them to play democracy, not coup-making or insurrection. We should also stipulate that these elections are decisive, in the sense that those who are elected do occupy the respective offices and end their terms in the constitutionally prescribed way; they are not, as it has happened too often in Latin America, prevented from occupying office or thrown out of it because some supra-constitutional power feels that they are the ‘wrong people’.The second characteristic is the enjoyment of certain political rights, especially of opinion, expression, association, movement and access to a reasonably free and pluralist media. Of course, these and other rights are important per se; in addition, they are instrumental – necessary conditions – for the effectuation of the kind of elections I have just specified.

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A new species of Dichelyne (Nematoda, Cucullanidae) parasitizing sciaenid fishes from off the South American Atlantic coast

Acta Parasitologica ◽

10.2478/s11686-009-0010-x ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 54 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Juan Timi ◽

Ana Lanfranchi ◽

Luiz Tavares ◽

José Luque

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Atlantic Coast ◽

Length Distribution ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Nematode Species ◽

Valid Species ◽

South American ◽

Type Specimens ◽

Pacific Waters ◽

A New Species

AbstractA new nematode species Dichelyne (Cucullanellus) sciaenidicola sp. nov. is described based on specimens collected from the Whitemouth croaker Micropogonias furnieri (Desmarest) and the Argentine croaker Umbrina canosai Berg, from coastal waters of Argentina and Brazil. These nematodes were firstly identified as D. (C.) elongatus (Törnquist, 1931), a commonly reported species from M. furnieri in South American Atlantic waters. However, other species of Dichelyne have so far been reported from this host in the same area, namely D. (C.) rodriguesi (Pinto, Fábio et Noronha, 1970), D. (C.) amaruincai (Freitas, Vicente et Ibañez, 1969) and D. (Dichelyne) micropogonii Pereira et Costa, 1996. A careful re-examination of these parasites, as well as of type specimens of all species reported from M. furnieri, revealed that these nematodes represented a new species. The new species is distinguished from most of its congeners by having papillae 5–7 and 9 forming a subventral line close to cloaca, this feature is shared with other 6 species [D. (C.) dichelyneformis (Szidat, 1950), D. (C.) fraseri (Baylis, 1929), D. (C.) abbreviatus (Rudolphi, 1819), D. (C.) adriaticus (Törnquist, 1931), D. (C.) minutus (Rudolphi, 1819) and D. (C.) mariajuliae Alarcos, Timi, Etchegoin et Sardella, 2006)], which are readily distinguished by their body size, spicules length, distribution patterns of other papillae and position of the excretory pore and deirids. Also, D. (C.) elongatus from Umbrina canariensis (Valenciennes) from West Africa is established as a new species Dichelyne (Cucullanellus) yvonnecampanae sp. nov.; D. (C.) amaruincai from Pacific waters is considered as a valid species, D. (D.) micropogonii is regarded as species inquirendae and D. (C.) rodriguesi is identified as Cucullanus sp.

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A Yahgan for the killing: murder, memory and Charles Darwin

The British Journal for the History of Science ◽

10.1017/s0007087411000641 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 46 (3) ◽

pp. 415-443 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

JOSEPH L. YANNIELLI

Keyword(s):

South America ◽

Charles Darwin ◽

Historical Memory ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

Western Coast ◽

Cultural Interaction ◽

European Expansion ◽

Multiple Contexts ◽

History Of

AbstractIn March 1742, British naval officer John Byron witnessed a murder on the western coast of South America. Both Charles Darwin and Robert FitzRoy seized upon Byron's story a century later, and it continues to play an important role in Darwin scholarship today. This essay investigates the veracity of the murder, its appropriation by various authors, and its false association with the Yahgan people encountered during the second voyage of theBeagle(1831–1836). Darwin's use of the story is examined in multiple contexts, focusing on his relationship with the history of European expansion and cross-cultural interaction and related assumptions about slavery and race. The continuing fascination with Byron's story highlights the key role of historical memory in the development and interpretation of evolutionary theory.

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