RESUMEN
In 1999, a single specimen of the Tolai hare, Lepus tolai Pallas, 1778, from the Gobi region of Mongolia was examined and had a new species of eimerian parasite in its intestinal contents. Eimeria gobiensis n. sp. is relatively large; it possesses 2 oocyst walls and a very well-developed oocyst residuum. Oocysts of the new species possess a thick wall with a double layer, a massive 3-layered micropyle, and are ellipsoidal, with average length and width of the oocyst of 38.6 × 24.2 µm, respectively. The range in measurements of these oocysts extends from 27.3 to 49.2 µm in length by 18.8 to 32.5 µm in width, with a length/width ratio = 1.6; the oocyst residuumis is composed of a sub-spheroidal mass of small granules with an average size of 12.0 × 11.0 µm; sporocysts are ovoidal with an average length × width of 15.0 × 7.7 µm, respectively, and a range in length extending from 9.2 to 21.0 µm by 5.0 to 12.0 µm in width. In addition, each sporozoite has a large, medial, refractile body with an average size of 6.0 × 5.0 µm.
Asunto(s)
Coccidiosis/veterinaria , Eimeria/clasificación , Liebres/parasitología , Animales , Coccidiosis/parasitología , Eimeria/aislamiento & purificación , Eimeria/ultraestructura , Femenino , Mongolia , Oocistos/ultraestructuraRESUMEN
An outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome occurred in the province of Los Santos, Panama, in late 1999 and early 2000. Eleven cases were identified; 9 were confirmed by serology. Three cases were fatal; however, no confirmed case-patient died. Case-neighborhood serologic surveys resulted in an overall hantavirus antibody prevalence of 13% among household and neighborhood members from the outbreak foci. Epidemiologic investigations did not suggest person-to-person transmission of hantavirus infection. By use of Sin Nombre virus antigen, hantavirus antibodies were detected in Oligoryzomys fulvescens and Zygodontomys brevicauda cherriei. This outbreak resulted in the first documented cases of human hantavirus infections in Central America.
Asunto(s)
Síndrome Pulmonar por Hantavirus/epidemiología , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Animales , Anticuerpos Antivirales/sangre , Niño , Preescolar , Brotes de Enfermedades , Reservorios de Enfermedades , Femenino , Orthohantavirus/inmunología , Síndrome Pulmonar por Hantavirus/diagnóstico , Encuestas Epidemiológicas , Humanos , Lactante , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Panamá/epidemiología , Vigilancia de la Población , Roedores/virologíaRESUMEN
In late 1999 and early 2000, an outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) occurred in and around Los Santos, on the Azuero Peninsula of southwestern Panamá. This HPS episode, resulting in 22% case fatality, was linked to the Costa Rican pigmy rice rat, Oligoryzomys fulvescens costaricensis, which harbored a then undescribed hantavirus, Choclo virus. In addition, Cherrie's cane rat, Zygodontomys brevicauda cherriei, was identified as carrying a distinct hantavirus, Calabazo virus with no known pathogenicity to humans. Herein we present the ecological results of the outbreak investigations in the Azuero region. A total of 164 animals were captured, of which 126 were potential small, non-volant mammal hosts of a hantavirus: rodents in the family Muridae. There were significant differences in small mammal community structure between case sites and a negative control site. Differences were manifest in ecological measures of species diversity and in species evenness and heterogeneity measures, as indicated by Pairwise Euclidian distances and Morisita indices of community similarity. Our analyses suggest that human activities (i.e., deforestation for cattle ranching) coupled with environmental factors (i.e., increased precipitation) may have synergistically coalesced for an increased risk of HPS to area residents.