Publications by authors named "Torres-Castro M"

The occurrence of in mammals is an indicator for assessing potential health risks, particularly in tropical regions. Understanding their hosts' habitat characteristics and spatial occurrence is essential to surveil them. This study aimed to determine the characteristics of the peridomiciles associated with the spatial occurrence of hosts.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Mosquito-borne viruses, such as DENV, ZIKV, and CHIKV, pose a serious public health risk globally, but the role of bats in their transmission to humans is not well-studied.
  • Researchers captured 144 bats from various habitats in Yucatan, Mexico, and tested them for these viruses using blood samples and swabs, finding a significant prevalence of RNA genomes associated with DENV, ZIKV, and CHIKV.
  • The study revealed a higher detection rate of these viruses during the dry season, suggesting that bats may play a role in the transmission cycle of these viruses and that climatic conditions could influence viral activity patterns.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The monthly fluctuation of adult Ixodes keiransi in dogs from two cattle farms in southeastern Mexico was determined. In ranch 1 (R1), 6-7 mixed breed dogs from six months to five years of age; while in ranch 2 (R2), 7-8 mixed breed dogs from one to four years of age, were followed. All dogs were monthly inspected for tick infestation through one year.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In this survey, we inventoried the helminths of heteromyid and cricetid rodents captured in the Yucatan Peninsula from 2017 to 2019. Helminths were identified using morphological techniques (clearing, staining, and scanning electron microscopy). Also, the 28S rRNA gene of individuals from several helminth taxa was successfully amplified and sequenced.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Bats are one of the groups of mammals with the highest number of associated Trypanosoma taxa. There are 50 Trypanosoma species and genotypes infecting more than 75 species of bats across five continents. However, in Mexico, the inventory of species of the genus Trypanosoma associated with bats is limited to only two species (Trypanosoma vespertilionis and Trypanosoma cruzi) even though 140 species of bats inhabit this country.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigates the presence of Leptospira bacteria in small mammals (bats and rodents) captured in Yucatan, Mexico, and examines how the environment at capture sites affects this occurrence.
  • - A total of 82 bats and 78 rodents were studied, revealing a combined Leptospira infection rate of 21.2%, with slightly higher rates in bats (21.9%) compared to rodents (20.5%).
  • - The research identified the main Leptospira species as L. borgpetersenii and L. noguchii, and found that sites with tropical deciduous forests had more infected rodents, while those with tropical sub-deciduous forests had greater diversity in infected bats.*
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Trypanosoma cruzi, the causal agent of American trypanosomiasis, and Leishmania spp., the causal agents of Leishmaniasis, are prevalent in more than 20 American countries, including Mexico. Dogs have been reported as incidental hosts for both parasites and may be helpful as transmission sentinels.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Rickettsia parkeri belongs to the spotted fever group (SFG) of the Rickettsia genus. This bacterium causes mild rickettsiosis in humans and is mainly transmitted by Amblyomma ticks. Its medical importance is emerging in the Americas, including Mexico.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This paper aims to describe the natural infection with in (white-nosed coati) from Yucatán, Mexico. Two carcasses of were collected on a highway that crosses through a dense forest with patches used for agriculture and livestock activities. We performed necropsies, and two female adult nematode parasites from the heart of one specimen were collected and preserved for their molecular identification using a conventional PCR directed at a fragment of the small subunit (18S) ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - Loxoscelism is a condition caused by the venom of violin spiders (Loxosceles), which leads to significant skin damage after a bite.
  • - In Mexico, cases of loxoscelism are often underreported due to difficulties in diagnosis and lack of laboratory tests.
  • - The paper presents a case study of a mild form of cutaneous loxoscelism from a Loxosceles yucatana bite in Yucatan, marking the first documented instance of this condition with a positive outcome in the region.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Environmental changes triggered by deforestation, urban expansion and climate change are present-day drivers of the emergence and reemergence of leishmaniasis. This review describes the current epidemiological scenario and the feasible influence of environmental changes on disease occurrence in the state of Yucatan, Mexico. Relevant literature was accessed through different databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Google, and Mexican official morbidity databases.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Helminth species of Neotropical bats are poorly known. In Mexico, few studies have been conducted on helminths of bats, especially in regions such as the Yucatan Peninsula where Chiroptera is the mammalian order with the greatest number of species. In this study, we characterized morphologically and molecularly the helminth species of bats and explored their infection levels and parasite–host interactions in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * Results revealed 23.9% of dogs tested positive for TG DNA, with factors like mixed-breed status and antiparasitic treatment linked to lower infection risks.
  • * The study highlighted that adult dogs with limited outdoor activity had reduced infection risks compared to puppies, and emphasized the need for further prevention strategies to control TG transmission and protect against potential zoonotic risks.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The genus Rickettsia includes species in two main clusters: Typhus and Transitional, the latter featuring Rickettsia felis, which is found in various arthropods and has uncertain effects on humans.
  • This study aimed to investigate the potential vertical (transovarial) transmission of R. felis using genetic analysis of specific genes and comparing them with host genetics.
  • Findings indicate that while there’s no evidence supporting only vertical transmission, complex relationships suggest that other transmission methods, particularly horizontal transmission, may also occur, warranting further research.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Human tick-borne rickettsioses are caused by Rickettsia africae, Rickettsia massiliae, Rickettsia parkeri, Rickettsia philipi and Rickettsia rickettsii in the American continent. Rickettsia parkeri represents the second most important agent of eschar-associated spotted fever throughout the American continent. In Mexico, the presence of three strains of this bacterium (Black Gap, Maculatum and Atlantic Rainforest) has recently been reported in four species of ticks from five states (Baja California, Campeche, Sonora, Tabasco and Veracruz) and rickettsaemia was demonstrated in a dog from the state of Yucatán.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The tayra is a Neotropical mustelid considered as an endangered species by Mexican environmental authorities. Despite the considerable information available on the biology and ecology of , little is known about its helminth fauna. Here, we provided new records of nematodes from a road-killed tayra in Calakmul, Campeche, Mexico.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

After the tropical storm Cristobal, we performed special adult entomological collections in the peri-domicile of 35 houses from 25 neighborhoods of Mérida, Yucatan, Mexico in response to complaints from the community about an increased nuisance due to an abundance of mosquitoes. A total of 1,275 specimens from four genera and 13 species were collected: (92%), (72%), (72%), (36%), (32%), (24%), s (24%), (8%), (4%), (4%), (4%), (4%), (4%). From these collections, the increased mosquito nuisance was mainly the result of invasive species such as and .

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study focuses on at least 12 species of hard ticks found in the Palearctic and Afrotropical regions, which are significant for veterinary and public health.
  • The taxonomy of these ticks is complex, with ongoing debates related to their geographic spread, morphological differences, and ability to transmit pathogens.
  • Research revealed two main genetic lineages, Tropical and Temperate, with findings suggesting that Mexico hosts these ticks, showing high genetic diversity and potential implications for disease transmission.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * The study was conducted from March to November 2017, capturing bats in states like Campeche and Yucatán, using mist nets to extract DNA samples and test for T. cruzi infection via PCR.
  • * Results showed that 30.2% of the 86 bats tested were infected, with several species being identified as hosts, indicating the need for further research on their role in the disease's transmission cycle.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Infections with viruses of the Flavivirus genus were explored in 22 bats (Artibeus jamaicensis) from Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. The detection of the viral genus was performed by RT-PCR, and infections with dengue (DENV 1-4), West Nile (WNV) and Zika (ZIKV) viruses were subsequently explored. Sequences from positive products were analysed using the BLAST algorithm to determine identity.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The vector-borne diseases program in Mexico enhanced surveillance of Aedes mosquitoes, focusing on Aedes albopictus due to its reported presence near Mérida, Yucatán.
  • A study conducted in October 2019 found that 32% of neighborhoods had Ae. albopictus, while all neighborhoods had Aedes aegypti, with a total of 28 Ae. albopictus adults collected.
  • The findings indicated that Ae. albopictus coexists with Ae. aegypti in Mérida, but its low abundance suggests it is in the early stages of invasion.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Surveys on parasites of bats from the Americas have been conducted, but information on helminths is still scarce, especially in the Neotropical region. In Mexico, there are species of bats that lack of a record for helminth species, such as members of the family Noctilionidae. The present study describes for the first time the helminths of Noctilio leporinus in Campeche, Mexico.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The genus Rickettsia encompasses 35 valid species of intracellular, coccobacilli bacteria that can infect several eukaryotic taxa, causing multiple emerging and re-emerging diseases worldwide. This work aimed to gather and summarise the current knowledge about the genus Rickettsia in Mexico, updating the taxonomy of the bacteria and their hosts by including all the records available until 2020, to elucidate host-parasite relationships and determine the geographical distribution of each Rickettsia species present in the country. Until now, 14 species of Rickettsia belonging to four groups have been recorded in Mexico.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF