Endemic Venezuelan equine encephalitis in northern Peru.

Since Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) was isolated in Peru in 1942, >70 isolates have been obtained from mosquitoes, humans, and sylvatic mammals primarily in the Amazon region. To investigate genetic relationships among the Peru VEEV isolates and between the Peru isolates and other VEEV strains, a fragment of the PE2 gene was amplified and analyzed by single-stranded conformation polymorphism. Representatives of seven genotypes underwent sequencing and phylogenetic analysis.

A new species of Polylopadium Brennan & Jones, 1961 (Acari: Trombiculidae) from cricetid rodents, Peru with description of a new character for the genus and a key to the species.

peruensis is described as new from specimens collected from Oryzomys yunganus, Proechimys quadruplicatus, and Oryzomys megacephalus taken in Peru. A new character of a nude tactile seta on femur III is noted for the genus and a key to the species of Polylopadium is presented.

Geographical distribution of rodent-associated hantaviruses in Texas.

The purpose of this study was to increase our knowledge of the geographic distribution and natural host range of hantaviruses in Texas, southeastern New Mexico, and Mexico. Blood samples from 3,225 wild rodents, representing 34 species, were tested for hantavirus antibody (IgG), using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Hantavirus antibody was found in one or more rodents from each of 13 counties in Texas, Otero County in southeastern New Mexico, and Mexico State (central Mexico).

Detection of pathogenic Leptospira spp. infections among mammals captured in the Peruvian Amazon basin region.

To identify potential zoonotic reservoirs of pathogenic leptospires in the Peruvian Amazon basin, wild mammals were trapped from July 1997 to December 1998 near the city of Iquitos. After extraction of nucleic acids from animal kidneys, DNA of pathogenic leptospires was identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays using one of two primer sets, one amplifying a region of the 23S rRNA gene, and the other amplifying a gene fragment specific for Leptospira spp (G1/G2 primers). Overall, 29% (40 of 136) of the mammals tested showed evidence of renal infection by Leptospira spp.

Allpahuayo virus: a newly recognized arenavirus (arenaviridae) from arboreal rice rats (oecomys bicolor and oecomys paricola) in northeastern peru.

Allpahuayo virus was initially isolated from arboreal rice rats (Oecomys bicolor and Oecomys paricola) collected during 1997 at the Allpahuayo Biological Station in northeastern Peru. Serological and genetic studies identified the virus as a new member of the Tacaribe complex of the genus Arenavirus. The small (S) segment of the Allpahuayo virus prototype strain CLHP-2098 (Accession No.

Mayaro virus disease: an emerging mosquito-borne zoonosis in tropical South America.

This report describes the clinical, laboratory, and epidemiological findings on 27 cases of Mayaro virus (MV) disease, an emerging mosquito-borne viral illness that is endemic in rural areas of tropical South America. MV disease is a nonfatal, dengue-like illness characterized by fever, chills, headache, eye pain, generalized myalgia, arthralgia, diarrhea, vomiting, and rash of 3-5 days' duration. Severe joint pain is a prominent feature of this illness; the arthralgia sometimes persists for months and can be quite incapacitating.

Hazard of a ruptured exhalation mushroom diaphragm.

In most breathing circuits, ventilation of a patient requires some device to occlude the expiratory limb during inflation. Usually one or another modification of a mushroom exhalation valve is employed. Such valves are found in the Bourns Bear 1 ventilator, the Bennett MA-1 and MA-2 ventilators, and the Emerson postoperative ventilator, as well as in the Frumen valve for manual ventilation.