NMR metabolomics of cerebrospinal fluid differentiates inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system.

Background: Myriad infectious and noninfectious causes of encephalomyelitis (EM) have similar clinical manifestations, presenting serious challenges to diagnosis and treatment. Metabolomics of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was explored as a method of differentiating among neurological diseases causing EM using a single CSF sample.

Methodology/principal Findings: 1H NMR metabolomics was applied to CSF samples from 27 patients with a laboratory-confirmed disease, including Lyme disease or West Nile Virus meningoencephalitis, multiple sclerosis, rabies, or Histoplasma meningitis, and 25 controls.

Phylogenetic analysis of Chikungunya virus in Colombia: Evidence of purifying selection in the E1 gene.

Introduction: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a single-stranded positive sense RNA virus that belongs to the Alphavirus genus of the family Togaviridae. Its genome is 11.8 kb in length, and three genotypes have been identified worldwide: Asian, East/Central/South African (ECSA) and West African.

The relevance of dengue virus genotypes surveillance at country level before vaccine approval.

Dengue is a major threat for public health in tropical and subtropical countries around the world. In the absence of a licensed vaccine and effective antiviral therapies, control measures have been based on education activities and vector elimination. Current efforts for developing a vaccine are both promising and troubling.

Virology, immunology and pathology of human rabies during treatment.

Background: Rabies is an acute fatal encephalitis caused by all members of the Lyssavirus genus. The first human rabies survivor without benefit of prior vaccination was reported from Milwaukee in 2005. We report a second unvaccinated patient who showed early recovery from rabies and then died accidentally during convalescence, providing an unparalleled opportunity to examine the histopathology as well as immune and virological correlates of early recovery from human rabies.

[Evaluation of the seroconversion as a response to rabies vaccination in dogs, Valle del Cauca, Colombia, 2009].

Introduction: The province of Valle del Cauca has been free of dog rabies for more than 20 years. However, sylvatic rabies foci remain which are threats to the health of the populace and its pets. Rabies vaccination campaigns are carried out annually in all 42 counties of the province.

[Outbreak of urban rabies transmitted by dogs in Santa Marta, northern Colombia].

Introduction: An urban rabies outbreak occurred in the District of Santa Marta between April 2006 and January 2008, which resulted in the deaths of 4 humans and 28 dogs.

Objectives: Three objectives were entertained-first, the diagnostic laboratory techniques were described as well as the rabies control actions taken; second, the impact of anti-rabies dog vaccination was assessed in terms of neutralizing antibody seroconversion; and third, the epidemiological significance and public health implications of the outbreak were examined.

Materials And Methods: Rabies diagnosis was achieved by direct immunofluorescence, inoculation of mice and immunohistochemistry.

[An outbreak of human rabies transmitted by a cat in the town of Santander de Quilichao, Colombia, 2008].

Objectives: A sylvatic rabies outbreak during March 2008 caused two human deaths in the town of Santander de Quilichao in Cauca, Colombia. This article describes the diagnostic laboratory techniques used, the field investigation and focus control used, as well as this outbreak's epidemiological significance and implications for public health.

Methods: Rabies was diagnosed by direct immunofluorescence, biological tests involving inoculating mice, histopathology and immunohistochemistry and then typed by using monoclonal antibodies.

Molecular epidemiology of rabies in Colombia 1994-2005 based on partial nucleoprotein gene sequences.

One hundred and twenty-four rabies viruses (RABV) were isolated from humans and eight species of mammals in Colombia during 1994-2005. To determine the genetic and reservoir-associated diversity cDNA fragments encoding 88 amino acids at the carboxyl terminus of the nucleoprotein were sequenced and used in phylogenetic analyses. Eight genetic lineages (GL) were characterized.

[Outbreaks of human rabies transmitted by vampire bats in Alto Baudó and Bajo Baudó municipalities, department of chocó, Colombia, 2004-2005].

Introduction: During months May to July 2004, a rabies outbreak in the Embera community of Birrinchao, in the Purricha river basin department of Choc6 was reported with 14 human deaths. Another rabies outbreak was reported in January 2005 in the black communities of Pató and Nauca in the neighboring municipality of Alto Baudó with 3 human deaths.

Objectives: To describe the largest outbreaks of human rabies transmitted by vampire bats reported in Colombia to date.

A phylogenetic reconstruction of the epidemiological history of canine rabies virus variants in Colombia.

Historically, canine rabies in Colombia has been caused by two geographically distinct canine variants of rabies virus (RV) which between 1992 and 2002 accounted for approximately 95% of Colombian rabies cases. Genetic variant 1 (GV1) has been isolated up until 1997 in the Central Region and the Department of Arauca, and is now considered extinct through a successful vaccination program. Genetic variant 2 (GV2) has been isolated from the northern Caribbean Region and continues to circulate at present.

[Molecular epidemiology of rabies epizootics in Colombia, 1994-2002: evidence of human and canine rabies associated with chiroptera].

Three urban rabies outbreaks have been reported in Colombia during the last two decades, one of which is ongoing in the Caribbean region (northern Colombia). The earlier outbreaks occurred almost simultaneously in Arauca (eastern Colombia) and in the Central region, ending in 1997. Phylogenetic relationships among rabies viruses isolated from the three areas were based on a comparison of cDNA fragments coding for the endodomain of protein G and a fragment of L protein obtained by RT-PCR.

Molecular epidemiology of rabies epizootics in Colombia: evidence for human and dog rabies associated with bats.

Three urban rabies outbreaks have been reported in Colombia during the last two decades, one of these is occurring in the Caribbean Region (northern Colombia), while the other two occurred almost simultaneously in Arauca (eastern Colombia) and in the Central Region and ended in 1997. In order to derive phylogenetic relationships between rabies viruses isolated in these three areas, 902 nt cDNA fragments encoding the cytoplasmic domain of protein G and a fragment of protein L were obtained by RT-PCR. These amplicons contained the G-L intergenic region and were sequenced to draw phylogenetic trees.

[Standardization of rabies virus genome amplification for its use in molecular epidemiology studies].

In order to improve the diagnosis and typification of rabies viruses at the Instituto Nacional de Salud National Reference Laboratory for rabies, we standardized techniques for the amplification of a 902 nucleotide DNA fragment, complementary to a selected region of the rabies virus genomic RNA. This region codes for a segment of both the glycoprotein and protein L, and contains the G-L intergenic noncoding region known as Pseudogen Psi. The standardized techniques included: 1) biological amplification of rabies viruses by intracerebral mouse inoculation; 2) total RNA extraction from the brains of infected mice, 3) RT-PCR amplification of a 902 nucleotide DNA fragment complementary to the selected RNA region.