Mycobacterium leprae in Nine-Banded Armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus), Ecuador.

We found Mycobacterium leprae, the most common etiologic agent of Hansen disease or leprosy, in tissues from 9 (18.75%) of 48 nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) collected across continental Ecuador. Finding evidence of a wildlife reservoir is the first step to recognizing leprosy zoonotic transmission pathway in Ecuador or elsewhere.

Molecular identification and antimicrobial resistance patterns of enterobacterales in community urinary tract infections among indigenous women in Ecuador: addressing microbiological misidentification.

Background: Antibiotic resistance of Enterobacterales poses a major challenge in the treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs). In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), standard microbiological (i.e.

Banana fruit (Musa sp.) DNA-magnetite nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization, and biocompatibility assays on normal and cancerous cells.

Magnet-mediated gene therapy has gained considerable interest from researchers as a novel alternative for treating genetic disorders, particularly through the use of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs)-such as magnetite NPs (Fe3O4NPs)-as non-viral genetic vectors. Despite their commercial availability for specific genetic transfection, such as in microglia cell lines, many potential uses remain unexplored. Still, ethical concerns surrounding the use of human DNA often impede genetic research.

Characterization of antimicrobial resistance profiles in Escherichia coli isolated from captive mammals in Ecuador.

Background: This study focuses on the AMR profiles in E. coli isolated from captive mammals at EcoZoo San Martín, Baños de Agua Santa, Ecuador, highlighting the role of wildlife as reservoirs of resistant bacteria.

Aims: The aim of this research is to investigate the antimicrobial resistance profiles of E.

A Circular Bioeconomy Approach to Using Post-Bioadsorbent Materials Intended for the Removal of Domestic Wastewater Contaminants as Potential Reinforcements.

Agro-industrial residue valorization under the umbrella of the circular bioeconomy (CBE) has prompted the search for further forward-thinking alternatives that encourage the mitigation of the industry's environmental footprint. From this perspective, second-life valorization (viz., thermoplastic composites) has been explored for agro-industrial waste (viz.

Addressing the Concern of Orange-Yellow Fungus Growth on Palm Kernel Cake: Safeguarding Dairy Cattle Diets for Mycotoxin-Producing Fungi.

Palm kernel cake (PKC), a byproduct of palm oil extraction, serves an important role in Ecuador's animal feed industry. The emergence of yellow-orange fungal growth in PKC on some cattle farms in Ecuador sparked concerns within the cattle industry regarding a potential mycotoxin-producing fungus on this substrate. Due to the limited availability of analytical chemistry techniques in Ecuador for mycotoxin detection, we chose to isolate and identify the fungus to determine its association with mycotoxin-producing genera.

Chromosomal -carrying isolated from the stool sample of a community resident in Ecuador.

We identified a chromosomal gene within a transposon in a colistin-resistant strain isolated from the stool sample of an Ecuadorian resident. This finding suggests a more stable acquisition of quinolone resistance on chromosomes than that on plasmids and the potential for propagation to other DNA structures.

Lifestyle behavior of physiotherapy students from Ecuador upon admission to higher education: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Admission to university has been identified as a period involving the adoption of unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. However, few studies have addressed the extent of this experience among Latin American university students. The aim of this study was twofold: first, to describe anthropometric variables, body composition, physical activity, sedentary behavior, sleep duration and quality, diet, and alcohol consumption in first-year students entering physiotherapy school at the in Quito, Ecuador; second, to test differences in these variables between sexes.

Comparative genome analysis of colistin-resistant Escherichia coli harboring mcr isolated from rural community residents in Ecuador and Vietnam.

The spread of colistin-resistant bacteria among rural community residents of low- and middle-income countries is a major threat to community health. Although the mechanism of the spread of colistin-resistant bacteria in communities is unknown, geographic and regional characteristics may influence it. To elucidate the spread mechanism of colistin-resistant bacteria, we analyzed the genomes of colistin-resistant Escherichia coli isolated from Vietnam and Ecuador residents, which are geographically and socially different.

New Primers for Detection and Differentiation between and Subgenera by Polymerase Chain Reaction.

Background: is the parasitic protozoan responsible for leishmaniases, a disease that can cause a range of cutaneous, mucosal, and visceral infections. Two subgenera and are known to infect humans in the tropics and subtropics of the Americas. The aim of the present study was to develop a new pair of primers for the two subgenera and test in clinical samples.

A Fatal Case of Disseminated Histoplasmosis by var. Misdiagnosed as Visceral Leishmaniasis-Molecular Diagnosis and Identification.

Histoplasmosis is an endemic mycosis in the Americas. However, its diagnosis is challenging due to the complexity and limited availability of conventional laboratory techniques-antigen tests, culture, and staining. Microscopic preparations often confuse with other pathogens, such as spp.

The Development of a Multiplex PCR Assay for Fast and Cost-Effective Identification of the Five Most Significant Pathogenic Species.

A multiplex PCR system (m-PCR) has been developed to accurately differentiate the five most important pathogenic species, including the three species associated with infection in dairy cattle (, , and ) and the two species associated with human infections ( and ). The method is low-cost since it employs a simple "heat-shock" method in a TE buffer for DNA extraction. Furthermore, it requires only primers, a Taq polymerase, an agarose gel, and a molecular weight marker for identification.

Case report: First report on human infection by tick-borne in the Amazon region of Ecuador.

Babesiosis is a protozoan disease acquired by the bite of different species of ticks. More than 100 spp. infect wild and domestic animals worldwide, but only a few have been documented to infect humans.

Co-Harboring of Beta-Lactamases and Genes in and from Healthy Carriers and Backyard Animals in Rural Communities in Ecuador.

Few studies have addressed drug resistance of Enterobacterales in rural communities in developing countries. This study aimed to determine the coexistence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and carbapenemase genes in and strains carrying the gene in rural communities in Ecuador from healthy humans and their backyard animals. Sixty-two strains, thirty and thirty-two strains carrying the gene were selected from a previous study.

Whole-genome sequencing for surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in Ecuador: present and future implications.

Whole-genome sequencing is becoming the gold standard for pathogen characterization and offers considerable advantages for understanding the evolution and dissemination of new determinants of antimicrobial resistance. Despite the benefits of whole-genome sequencing for pathogen characterization, implementation costs and lack of expertise may limit its use by public health laboratories. This article reviews the advantages of whole-genome sequencing for pathogen characterization and the current status of the use of whole-genome sequencing for antimicrobial resistance surveillance in Ecuador.

Colistin resistance in and in humans and backyard animals in Ecuador.

Objective: Colistin is an antibiotic of last resort for treating serious Gram-negative bacterial infections. However, the misuse of colistin, especially as an animal growth promoter, has contributed to increasing antimicrobial resistance, mediated mainly through plasmid transfer of the gene. This study assessed the prevalence of phenotypic and molecular colistin resistance in in Ecuador in healthy humans and their chickens and pigs.

Beta-Lactam Antibiotic Resistance Genes in the Microbiome of the Public Transport System of Quito, Ecuador.

Multidrug-resistant bacteria present resistance mechanisms against β-lactam antibiotics, such as Extended-Spectrum Beta-lactamases (ESBL) and Metallo-β-lactamases enzymes (MBLs) which are operon encoded in Gram-negative species. Likewise, Gram-positive bacteria have evolved other mechanisms through genes, which encode modified penicillin-binding proteins (PBP2). This study aimed to determine the presence and spread of β-lactam antibiotic resistance genes and the microbiome circulating in Quito's Public Transport (QTP).

Genomic insights of harboring by geographical region and a One-Health perspective.

The importance of the One Health concept in attempting to deal with the increasing levels of multidrug-resistant bacteria in both human and animal health is a challenge for the scientific community, policymakers, and the industry. The discovery of the plasmid-borne mobile colistin resistance () in 2015 poses a significant threat because of the ability of these plasmids to move between different bacterial species through horizontal gene transfer. In light of these findings, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that countries implement surveillance strategies to detect the presence of plasmid-mediated colistin-resistant microorganisms and take suitable measures to control and prevent their dissemination.

Highactivity of gold and silver nanoparticles from Solanum mammosum L. against SARS-CoV-2 surrogate Phi6 and viral model PhiX174.

The search for new strategies to curb the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, has become a global priority. Various nanomaterials have been proposed as ideal candidates to inactivate the virus; however, because of the high level of biosecurity required for their use, alternative models should be determined. This study aimed to compare the effects of two types of nanomaterials gold (AuNPs) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), recognized for their antiviral activity and affinity with the coronavirus spike protein using PhiX174 and enveloped Phi6 bacteriophages as models.

High Prevalence of Infection in Dairy Cattle with Chronic Mastitis in Ecuador.

The genus , a unicellular, non-photosynthetic, yeast-like microalgae, is a pathogen of concern for the dairy industry. It causes bovine mastitis that currently cannot be cured, and hence generates significant economic losses in milk production. In this study, for the first time in Ecuador, we identify as the etiologic agent of chronic mastitis in dairy cattle.

The Re-Identification of Previously Unidentifiable Clinical Non-Tuberculous Mycobacterial Isolates Shows Great Species Diversity and the Presence of Other Acid-Fast Genera.

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria that cannot be identified at the species level represent a challenge for clinical laboratories, as proper species assignment is key to implementing successful treatments or epidemiological studies. We re-identified forty-eight isolates of Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN)-staining-positive "acid-fast bacilli" (AFB), which were isolated in a clinical laboratory and previously identified as species but were unidentifiable at the species level with the hsp65 PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (PRA). As most isolates also could not be identified confidently via , , or DNA sequencing and a nBLAST search analysis, we employed a phylogenetic method for their identification using the sequences of the rDNA, which resulted in the identification of most AFB and a species diversity not found before in our laboratory.

Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamases Producing in South America: A Systematic Review with a One Health Perspective.

Purpose: Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing (ESBL) Enterobacteriaceae, which includes , has emerged as a global health threat. ESBL enzymes including CTX-M, TEM, and SHV are the most detected. Here, a systematic review was developed to assess the status of ESBLs in considering studies performed in the human, animal, food, and environmental realms in South America.

Worldwide Prevalence of -mediated Colistin-Resistance in Isolates of Clinical Samples, Healthy Humans, and Livestock-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Antimicrobial resistance is a serious public-health problem throughout the world. , the most common Gram-negative microorganism, has developed different resistance mechanisms, making treating infections difficult. Colistin is considered a last-resort drug in the treatment of infections caused by .