Cystic echinococcosis in South America: a call for action.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) or hydatidosis, a parasitic zoonosis caused by a cestode of the family Taeniidae, species Echinococcus granulosus, is endemic in Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, and southern Brazil. This report presents CE figures for these five countries in 2009 - 2014 and proposes indicators to measure national control programs. Nearly 5 000 new CE cases were diagnosed annually in the five countries during the study period.

[Contribution of the PCR assay to the diagnosis of Mansonella ozzardi in endemic areas of Argentina].

Mansonella ozzardi is a tissue-dwelling parasitic nematode, the causative agent of mansonelliasis in almost all Latin American countries. It has been described along the Argentine Yungas region. The microscopic diagnosis can yield false-negative test results at low microfilaremia levels.

Echinococcus granulosus antigen B gene family: further studies of strain polymorphism at the genomic and transcriptional levels.

Echinococcus granulosus AgB gene family is constituted by five gene loci. In a previous study, we analyzed the strain variation of EgAgB2/B4 sequences. Here, we have analyzed, by SSCP and sequencing, 250 genomic clones of EgAgB1/B3/B5 gene cluster from five E.

Patent and pre-patent detection of Echinococcus granulosus genotypes in the definitive host.

The detection of Echinococcus granulosus in dogs is important for epidemiological surveillance and evaluation of cystic hydatic disease control programs. We report the efficacy of two PCR-based methods to detect patent and pre-patent infection in dogs experimentally infected with E. granulosus.

Identification and characterization of an interspersed repetitive DNA fragment in Plasmodium vivax with potential use for specific parasite detection.

We cloned and characterized a Plasmodium vivax repeat element of 7872bp named PvRE7.8. Several internal tandem repeats were found along the sequence.

Cystic echinococcosis in Argentina: evolution of metacestode and clinical expression in various Echinococcus granulosus strains.

Echinococcus granulosus hydatid cysts were examined in 41 patients from Neuquén and Tucumán provinces in Argentina. Sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) revealed in 19 patients common sheep strain (G1), in 6 patients Tasmania sheep strain (G2), in 1 patient cattle strain (G5), and in 15 patients camel strain (G6). In Argentina the only known is the domestic cycle that affects dogs and herbivorous, including ovine, swine, cattle and goats.

Recombinant GRA4 or ROP2 protein combined with alum or the gra4 gene provides partial protection in chronic murine models of toxoplasmosis.

The efficacy of vaccination with Toxoplasma gondii recombinant GRA4 (rGRA4) and ROP2 (rRPO2) proteins and a mix of both combined with alum were evaluated in C57BL/6 and C3H mice. In C57BL/6 mice, rGRA4 and rGRA4-rROP2 immunizations generated similar levels of immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) and IgG2a isotypes against GRA4, whereas immunizations with rROP2 and the mix induced a predominant IgG1 production against ROP2. All groups of C3H vaccinated mice exhibited higher levels of IgG1 than IgG2a.

Identification and characterization of serine proteinase inhibitors from Neospora caninum.

Two cDNA clones obtained from the Neospora caninum Expressed Sequence Tag project were selected by their homology with the Toxoplasma gondii serine proteinase inhibitor (serpin) gene, TgPI-1 and TgPI-2. One of them, named NcPI-H, showed several premature stop codons. The other cDNA, named NcPI-S, encoded a 79 amino acid protein containing a putative signal peptide and only one non-classical Kazal domain.

Evaluation of Toxoplasma gondii recombinant proteins for the diagnosis of recently acquired toxoplasmosis by an immunoglobulin G analysis.

The value of T. gondii recombinant antigens rRop2, rGra4, rGra7 and rSAG1m (mature version) or rSAG1ct (C-terminal version) in differentiating recently acquired from chronic infections was determined by IgG-ELISA. The general highest sensitivity was observed with rRop2 whereas rSAG1m was not recognized by any of the serum samples, suggesting an incorrect folding.

Several strains of Echinococcus granulosus infect livestock and humans in Argentina.

Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) sequencing, Southern blot of a repetitive DNA element and single strand conformation polymorphism of the 5' non-transcribed region of the cytosolic malate dehydrogenase (MDH) gene were used to determine the extent and distribution of Echinococcus granulosus genetic variation in Argentina. Five distinct strains of E. granulosus were shown to exist in the country.