Molecular ecology of Triatoma dimidiata in southern Belize reveals risk for human infection and the local differentiation of Trypanosoma cruzi parasites.

Objective: In Belize, the main vector for Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease, is Triatoma dimidiata, but transmission cycles and the risk for human infection are unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify T. dimidiata blood feeding sources and its parasite and microbial diversity, in order to reconstruct T.

Dynamics and distribution of house infestation by Triatoma dimidiata in central and southern Belize.

Chagas disease is a major public health problem from South America to Mexico, with approximately 10 million infected people. Chagas disease is known to occur in Belize, but little is known about the prevalence of Trypansoma cruzi infection in the Belizean population or the Chagas vector in this region. An entomologic survey of triatomines in the central and southern region of Belize was thus performed.

Using pegylated interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin to treat chronic hepatitis patients infected with hepatitis c virus genotype 1: are nonresponders and relapsers different populations?

The combination of pegylated interferon (PEG-INF) and ribavirin is currently the best treatment for chronic hepatitis C, providing a sustained virological response (SVR) in 54%-63% of patients. In patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1, the SVR rate is 42%-52%. To evaluate the treatment efficacy of this drug combination, we conducted an open, prospective study of 58 consecutive treatment-naïve patients infected with HCV genotype 1 and treated at a university hospital, comparing those presenting an SVR (SVRs), nonresponders (NRs), and relapsers (RELs).

Eradication of biofilm-forming Staphylococcus epidermidis (RP62A) by a combination of sodium salicylate and vancomycin.

Staphylococcus epidermidis is a major cause of infections associated with indwelling medical devices. Biofilm production is an important virulence attribute in the pathogenesis of device-related infections. Therefore, elimination of these biofilms is an ideal treatment.

An in vitro assay to measure phagocytosis in striped bass hybrids (Morone saxatilis x Morone chrysops).

An in vitro phagocytosis assay was developed for hybrid striped bass (Morone saxatilis x Morone chrysops), using cells collected from the peritoneal cavity of this fish. The findings indicated that: (1) 10 days following a single intraperitoneal injection (1 ml) of Freund's incomplete adjuvant (FIA) was an appropriate time for collecting suitable working concentrations (5.3+/-4.