Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is a disease of viral etiology that affects humans causing severe acute respiratory symptoms. In Patagonia the disease is caused by the Andes Virus (AND) and transmitted by the rodent Oligoryzomys longicaudatus. The aim of this study was to identify those human activities that increase the risk of exposure to rodents, what we call "contagious scenarios".
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSince 1995 more than 1000 cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) were reported in Argentina, a severe disease and often fatal to humans. Most cases were associated with Andes virus (AND) that caused few events of person-to-person transmission. Several lineages of pathogenic AND viruses have been described, including AND South, hosted by the rodent Oligoryzomys longicaudatus which affects the Patagonian region of Argentina and Chile.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn Río Negro Province, Argentina, human cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) appeared in the region of subantarctic forests. The Andes virus (ANDV) has been identified in the region both in Oligoryzomys longicaudatus rodents and in humans, with the main transmission being from rodents to humans but also showing the possibility of human to human transmission. Between 1996 and 2004, in 40 campaigns, 29.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPerson-to-person transmission of a hantavirus was first confirmed during a 1996 outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in southern Argentina, where Andes virus is endemic. To identify other episodes of secondary transmission, we reviewed reports of 51 cases of hantavirus infection from this region (November 1993-June 2005). Nine clusters involving 20 cases (39.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe surveillance of infection for Echinococcus granulosus in the Province of Rio Negro during 1980-2002 included serological and ultrasonographic screening in humans and arecoline test in dogs. In lieu of the limitations of the arecoline test the proposal was to supplant that test for the copro ELISA-copro/Western Blot complex applied to feces collected from the environment. The objective was to compare the pros and cons of the two tests and to evaluate the human and the canine infection prevalence.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn 2000 Guarnera et al. proposed using ELISA in canine faeces collected from the ground to detect dogs infected with Echinococcus granulosus, thus determining sheep farms with active transmission. The objective was to evaluate the prevalence of E.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA total of 39 outbreaks of foodborne diseases affecting 958 people in the province of Rio Negro, Argentina between 1993 and 2001 are described and evaluated. The main causal agents were identified involving food, sites of occurrence, risk factors and notification system used. Salmonella spp (38%), Trichinella spiralis (15%), Escherichia coli (13%) and Staphylococcus aureus (15%) were the most frequent agents present in outbreaks.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHydatidosis or cystic echinococcosis (CE) caused by Echinococcus granulosus is endemic in the Province of Río Negro, Argentina. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the results of a program carried out in endemic areas of the Province of Río Negro, Argentina, in the years 1997-2002. Abdominal ultrasonography was used, classifying the cases detected according to WHO guidelines.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF