Short report: Genetic variation of Echinococcus canadensis (G7) in Mexico.

We evaluated the genetic variation of Echinococcus G7 strain in larval and adult stages using a fragment of the mitochondrial cox1 gen. Viscera of pigs, bovines, and sheep and fecal samples of dogs were inspected for cystic and canine echinococcosis, respectively; only pigs had hydatid cysts. Bayesian inferences grouped the sequences in an E.

Findings related to IL-8 and IL-10 gene polymorphisms in a Mexican patient population with irritable bowel syndrome infected with Blastocystis.

The intestinal protozoan parasite Blastocystis is one of the most common parasites worldwide in humans and, although its ability to cause human disease has been questioned, some reports have demonstrated that this microorganism is associated to the development of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and to a proinflammatory response, in which the expression of some cytokines is unregulated. Since inflammatory cytokine gene polymorphisms might have a role in the pathophysiology of IBS, we assessed the role of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for interleukin (IL)-8 and IL-10, in previously collected DNA samples from IBS patients and controls, with or without Blastocystis infection. IL-8+396(G) and IL-10-1082 (A) alleles (p=0.

Blastocystis infection is associated with irritable bowel syndrome in a Mexican patient population.

In recent times, some common "non-pathogenic" parasites, such as Blastocystis and Dientamoeba fragilis, have been associated to the aetiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), while host pro-inflammatory cytokine gene polymorphisms might have a role in the pathophysiology of the disease. Therefore, Blastocystis subtypes (ST), D. fragilis and gene promoter single nucleotide polymorphisms of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in IBS patients and controls were studied.

Development of Taenia pisiformis in golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus).

The life cycle of Taenia pisiformis includes canines as definitive hosts and rabbits as intermediate hosts. Golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) is a rodent that has been successfully used as experimental model of Taenia solium taeniosis. In the present study we describe the course of T.

Chinchilla laniger can be used as an experimental model for Taenia solium taeniasis.

Chinchilla laniger has been reported as an experimental definitive host for Taenia solium; however no information about its suitability and yield of gravid tapeworm proglottids containing viable and infective eggs has been published. In total 55 outbred female chinchillas were infected with 4 cysticerci each; hosts were immunodeppressed with 6 or 8 mg of methyl-prednisolone acetate every 14 days starting the day of infection and their discomfort was followed. Kinetics of coproantigen ELISA or expelled proglottids was used to define the infection status.

What happened after the initial global spread of pandemic human influenza virus A (H1N1)? A population genetics approach.

Viral population evolution dynamics of influenza A is crucial for surveillance and control. In this paper we analyzed viral genetic features during the recent pandemic caused by the new influenza human virus A H1N1, using a conventional population genetics approach based on 4689 hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) sequences available in GenBank submitted between March and December of 2009. This analysis showed several relevant aspects: a) a scarce initial genetic variability within the viral isolates from some countries that increased along 2009 when influenza was dispersed around the world; b) a worldwide virus polarized behavior identified when comparing paired countries, low differentiation and high gene flow were found in some pairs and high differentiation and moderate or scarce gene flow in others, independently of their geographical closeness, c) lack of positive selection in HA and NA due to increase of the population size of virus variants, d) HA and NA variants spread in a few months all over the world being identified in the same countries in different months along 2009, and e) containment of viral variants in Mexico at the beginning of the outbreak, probably due to the control measures applied by the government.

Geographical widespread of two lineages of Taenia solium due to human migrations: can population genetic analysis strengthen this hypothesis?

In this paper we discuss, with a new analysis of published data, the phylogenetic hypothesis of two genotypes of Taenia solium previously suggested. Sequences of mitochondrial (co1, cob, nad) and nuclear (18S+ITS1+5.8S, LMWA1 and LMWA2) T.