Effect of Helicobacter pylori and Helminth Coinfection on the Immune Response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis remains one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide despite decades of efforts to eradicate the disease. Although the immune response controls the infection in most infected individuals (90%), the ability of the bacterium to persist throughout the host's life leads to a risk of reactivation. Underlying conditions including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, organ transplantation, and immunosuppressive therapies are considered risk factors for progression to active disease.

Detection of pathogenic Leptospira in ornamental water fountains from urban sites in Cali, Colombia.

Leptospirosis is a disease endemic to both rural and urban areas of tropical countries and resource-poor communities. Little information is available on the presence of Leptospira spp. in urban water sources.

Seroprevalence and factors associated with Leptospira infection in an urban district of Cali, Colombia.

Few studies have addressed Leptospira seroprevalence and risk factors in urban populations in Colombia. This study aimed to determine seroprevalence and factors associated with Leptospira infection in inhabitants of an urban district of Cali, Colombia. We collected sociodemographic and environmental data, as well as blood samples, from 353 subjects selected through a multistage cluster sampling design.

Synanthropic Cockroaches (Blattidae: Periplaneta spp.) Harbor Pathogenic Leptospira in Colombia.

Leptospirosis cases in Colombia are typically linked to peridomestic rodents; however, empirical data suggest that Leptospira-infected patients with no apparent exposure to these reservoirs are common. Cockroaches (Periplaneta spp.) have equal or greater interaction with humans than rodents, yet their potential role as carriers of Leptospira has not been assessed.

Comparative seroprevalence of Leptospira interrogans in Colombian mammals along a climatic gradient.

Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonotic disease with well-established impacts on human health in tropical and subtropical regions. Although Leptospira spp. are known to readily infect many wildlife species, the understanding of interspecies and climatic variability in patterns of infection in Neotropical mammals is limited.