Exposure to larva migrans syndromes in squares and public parks of cities in Chile.

Between November 2001 and December 2002, 600 dog fecal samples were collected in main squares and public parks of 13 cities in Chile, from the extreme north to the extreme south of the country. The samples were processed in the laboratory by centrifugal sedimentation and the Harada-Mori methods. T.

[Toxic pictures produced spiders bites in Chile: latrodectism and loxoscelism].

Latrodectism, produced by the bite of Latrodectus spiders, is worldwide distributed, occurs in hot seasons, and affects mostly men when carrying out agricultural activities. The main symptoms are muscular pain and tremors, profuse perspiration, increased lacrimal, nasal and salival secretions, and hypertension. Symptoms last one week.

[Malaria in Chile: 1913-2001].

Background: Malaria was restricted to the I Region of Chile, being Anopheles pseudopunctipennis the only vector species. In 1936 the parasitosis affected more than 50% of the population and 62.4% of military recruits, proceeding from Southern regions became infected.

[Current epidemiological situation of trichinosis in Chile. 1991-2000].

Background: Human and animal trichinosis has been recorded in Chile since the late XIX century and is irregularly distributed along the country. From high rates of infection in the early 1900, the frequency of this parasitosis in man has progressively decreased.

Aim: To describe and discuss the epidemiological situation of trichinosis in Chile during the decade 1991-2000.

Evaluation of a Triatoma infestans elimination program by the decrease of Trypanosoma cruzi infection frequency in children younger than 10 years, Chile, 1991-1998.

Chagas disease is widespread in Chile, distributed in rural and periurban areas in the 7 most northern regions of the country. The principal vector of Trypanosoma cruzi is Triatoma infestans. The interruption of the domestic cycle of transmission of T.

[Comparison of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in less than 10 years old children from the V Región, Chile, 1982-1995].

Evaluation of desinsectation programs carried out in the two Health Services from the V Region, was undertaken by comparing serologic prevalences of T. cruzi infection age groups exposed to the risk of infection in rural areas during the antivectorial campaign activities (1982 vs 1995). Thus, were studied 2,193 blood samples from children under 10 years of age, proceeding from six chagasic endemic provinces in which antitriatomic domiciliary insecticide sprayings had been performed.

[Eyelids infestation by Phthirus pubis in a boy].

A clinical case of Phthirus pubis infestation of the eyelids in an eight-year-old boy is presented. He complained of a bilateral eyelids inflammation for the last two weeks which had not healed with a daily application of a collyrium. Physical examination showed the presence of small dark spheres, of approximately 1 mm, attached to the proximal extreme of the eyelashes.

[Comparative study of sensitivity and mortality of Triatoma infestan nymphs III and IV used in the xenodiagnosis of chronic chagasic patients].

Triatoma infestans nymphs have shown a good sensitivity for detecting Trypanosoma cruzi in the blood stream of infected hosts when are used in the xenodiagnosis (XD). This method, with its natural limitations, using seven nymphs III of T. infestans, has been routinely utilized with a satisfactory yield.

Treatment of Trypanosoma cruzi-infected children with nifurtimox: a 3 year follow-up by PCR.

Patients suffering from Chagas' disease, as determined by positive serological results, were tested for further evidence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection by xenodiagnosis and PCR. The patients included 67 children aged from 0 to 10 years and 75 adults. All children were positive by PCR on their pre-therapy sample, while only 69% of the seropositive adults and none of the 78 seronegative control adults were PCR positive.

Congenital Chagas disease of second generation in Santiago, Chile. Report of two cases.

Congenital Chagas disease (CChD) has been reported in different countries, mostly in Latin America. In 1987 a fatal case of CChD of second generation (CChDSG) was published. Within a period of six months--1989-1990--two cases of CChDSG were diagnosed and studied in the city of Santiago.

[Imported myiasis: 7 cases of cutaneous parasitism caused by Dermatobia hominis flie larvas].

Myiasis is the parasitism of organs and tissues of warm-blooded vertebrates by flies larvae. D hominis is a flie geographically restricted to tropical America from Mexico to northern Argentina. The adult flie, which is not hematophagous, needs to put its eggs on the abdominal surface of hematophagous arthropods which serve as carriers of future larvae which are deposited on the skin of the hosts (mammals, birds and accidentally men) when biting.

[Environmental contamination with Toxocara sp. eggs in public squares and parks from Santiago, Chile, 1999].

Most of cases of visceral larva migrans syndrome are caused by Toxocara canis larvae. Man acquires the infection by accidental ingestion of ripe eggs of the helminth. In order to find out the frequency of the presence of Toxocara sp.

[Parasitology and entomology in the 29th century in Latin American narrative].

In the present review of twelve pieces produced by distinguished 20th century Latin American writers--Jorge Luis Borges from Argentina, Jorge Amado and João Ubaldo Ribeiro from Brazil, José Donoso from Chile, Gabriel García Márquez from Colombia, Alejo Carpentier from Cuba, Miguel Angel Asturias from Guatemala, Octavio Paz from Mexico, Mario Vargas Llosa from Perú, Horacio Quiroga and Mario Benedetti from Uruguay and Arturo Uslar-Pietri from Venezuela--paragraphs or parts of paragraphs in which parasitological or entomological situations of the most varied hues are referred to or described, have been extracted in a selective form. Sometimes in these descriptions appear, local or regional expressions, without ignoring colorful folklore representations. For a easier interpretation these or part of these paragraph sentences have been arranged by thematic similarities.

International Commission on Trichinellosis: recommendations on methods for the control of Trichinella in domestic and wild animals intended for human consumption.

This document provides a uniform set of recommendations for the control of Trichinella at all levels (on the farm, at slaughter and in processed meats). These recommendations are based on the best scientific information available and represent the official position of the International Commission on Trichinellosis regarding acceptable control methods. These recommendations are subject to change as new scientific information becomes available.

[Epizootic outbreaks of trichinosis in 2 pig farms from the Metropolitan Region of Chile].

In Chile swine trichinosis has presented a progressive decreasing in the last two decades of XX century. T. spiralis pig infection descended from an average of 0.

[Human hydatidosis in Chile. Seroprevalence and estimate of the number of infected people].

Chile is located in the southwestern border of South America. The country is 4,329 km long and 96-342 wide. From north to south it is divided into five marked different biogeographical zones: deserts, steppes, bushes, forests (cattle raising) and austral (sheep raising).

[Longitudinal study, by xenodiagnosis, of parasitemia in patients with chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection].

A 2-5 years follow-up of parasitemia, by the use of xenodiagnosis (XD) was carried out in nine patients with chronic T. cruzi infection who proceeded from chagasic endemic areas of Chile. The patients (mean age 55 years) were hospitalized in the chronic section of a psychiatry institution sited in a permanent triatomines free urban area.

[Epidemiological status of Chagas disease in the endemic area from Region II of Antofagasta].

During 1997 a seroepidemiological study on Chagas' disease was carried out in 18 localities of three provinces (Tocopilla, El Loa and Antofagasta) of Region II (20 degrees 56'-26 degrees South Lat.; 70 degrees 38'-67 degrees West Long.), in order to assess the impact of the control program against Triatoma infestans launched in 1988, based on insecticide spraying of dwellings.

[Cutaneous loxoscelism with edematous predominance].

Loxoscelism is the clinical condition produced by the venom of spiders belonging to the genus Loxosceles. Human cases of loxoscelism have been observed in diverse countries of different continents in temperate and tropical regions. In Chile loxoscelism is caused by Loxosceles laeta, spider with domestic habits.

[Special program on research and training in tropical diseases].

A description of the six tropical diseases involved in this programme and the achievement of research goals are evaluated. The author points out the important accomplishment of these aims in the impact in the malaria and filiariasis control, in the elimination of leprosy and the future eradication of Chagas disease in the Americas. At the same time the relevance of the manpower training were emphasized in the strengthening on the research infrastructure of the member countries.

[Scorpion stings outbreaks in recently constructed urban dwellings inhabitants].

Scorpion stings are unfrequent in Chile. Most of cases occur in rural areas during the warm season. Clinical manifestations have a low to moderate intensity and consist in local pain and inflammation, sometimes associated with headache and hyperthermia.