First report of the genus Retortamonas (Sarcomastigophora: Retortamonadidae) in birds

In studies carried out on the parasites infecting ostriches (Struthio camelus) in Spain, trophozoites of Retortamonas sp. have been found in the intestinal contents of 28 out of 146 slaughtered ostriches. The species infecting ostriches could not be determined from the morphological data available. However, these findings are important as they constitute the first report of the genus Retortamonas in birds.

Infection by Schistosoma mansoni sambon 1907 in the first four months of life of Biomphalaria straminea (Dunker, 1848) in Brazil

Compatibility between Schistosoma mansoni and Biomphalaria straminea when exposed to the parasite on the first four months of age was assessed for five parasitological aspects: indices of infection and mortality, duration of precercarial and cercarial periods, and rate of cercarial emission. Infections were made on molluscs from laboratory colonies, at the following ages: 8, 13, 18, 21, 53, 83 and 114 days. Two B. straminea colonies were used (Camorim, PE and Picos, PI), and one B. glabrata colony (Ressaca, MG) was used as control. The main results are as follows: (I) infection was significantly associated with mollusc age, being proportionally higher in sexually immature than in mature molluscs for the three colonies; (II) for B. straminea from Camorim, mortality did not differ significantly between infected and non-infected snails; for B. straminea from Picos significantly more deaths occurred among infected than among non-infected snails, while the opposite was observed for B. glabrata from Ressaca; (III) for the three colonies, the precercarial period was significantly shorter for immature molluscs than for mature ones; (IV) the duration of the cercarial period was extremely variable for the three colonies; (V) sexual maturity did not influence cercarial emission for the three colonies.

First Report of Lappetascaris lutjani Rasheed, 1965 (Nematoda, Ascaridoidea, Anisakidae) Parasitizing Trachipterus arawatae (Pisces, Lampridiformes) on the Atlantic Coast of Brazil

New host and geographical records are reported for the nematode Lappetascaris lutjani Rasheed, 1965, parasitizing the marine fish Trachipterus arawatae Clark, 1881 in Brazilian waters. Morphometric data and illustrations of the parasites are included.

A First Record of Phlebotominae from Argentinean Patagonia (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae)

A species of the Lutzomyia oswaldoi group is recorded from the Valcheta stream basin, Somuncura plateau, Patagonia. It represents the World southermost record of a species of Phlebotominae, apparently supporting the hypothesis about the relictual character of several components of the Somuncura plateau biota, particularly for those species belonging to the Paranaense lineages.

First characterization of Candida albicans by random amplified polymorphic DNA method in Nicaragua and comparison of the diagnosis methods for vaginal candidiasis in Nicaraguan women

A total of 106 women with vaginitis in Nicaragua were studied. The positive rate for the identification of Candida species was 41% (44 positive cultures out of 106 women with vaginitis). The sensitivity of microscopic examination of wet mount with the potassium hydroxide (KOH) was 61% and 70% with Gram's stain when using the culture of vaginal fluid as gold standard for diagnosis of candidiasis. Among the 44 positives cultures, isolated species of yeast from vaginal swabs were C. albicans (59%), C. tropicalis (23%), C. glabrata (14%) and C. krusei (4%). This study reports the first characterization of 26 C. albicans stocks from Nicaragua by the random amplified polymorphic DNA method. The genetic analysis in this small C. albicans population showed the existence of linkage disequilibrium, which is consistent with the hypothesis that C. albicans undergoes a clonal propagation.

First report on the presence of Biomphalaria straminea in the municipality of Jaboticatubas, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

This is the first report on occurrence of Biomphalaria straminea in the district of São José de Almeida (municipality of Jaboticatubas) State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The presence of B. glabrata and B. tenagophila had already been reported in this area. Such municipality is part of the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte and comprises 60% of the Tourist Complex of Serra do Cipó. Since the 1950s throughout the 1990s, a schistosomiasis prevalence ranging from 15 to 40% has been observed. Although no B. straminea specimen has been found naturally infected in the region, descendants of these snails collected in the area, showed to be experimentally susceptible to Schistosoma mansoni infection reaching rates from 14.6 to 28.6%. Even not being found naturally infected, in the State of Minas Gerais, the possibility that the species B. straminea may keep endemicity foci of schistosomiasis should be regarded, as in the Northeastern region of Brazil where the high density of this planorbid and the social-economic and sanitary conditions enable to the transmission.

Evaluation of indirect susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to the first- and second-line, and alternative drugs by the newer MB/BacT system

In order to evaluate the Organon Teknika MB/BacT system used for testing indirect susceptibility to the alternative drugs ofloxacin (OFLO), amikacin (AMI), and rifabutin (RIF), and to the usual drugs of standard treatment regimes such as rifampin (RMP), isoniazid (INH), pyrazinamide (PZA), streptomycin (SM), ethambutol (EMB), and ethionamide (ETH), cultures of clinical specimens from 117 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis under multidrug-resistant investigation, admitted sequentially for examination from 2001 to 2002, were studied. Fifty of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis cultures were inoculated into the gold-standard BACTEC 460 TB (Becton Dickinson) for studying resistance to AMI, RIF, and OFLO, and the remaining 67 were inoculated into Lowenstein Jensen (LJ) medium (the gold standard currently used in Brazil) for studying resistance to RMP, INH, PZA, SM, EMB, and ETH. We observed 100% sensitivity for AMI (80.8-100), RIF (80.8-100), and OFLO (78.1-100); and 100% specificity for AMI (85.4-100), RIF (85.4-100), and OFLO (86.7-100) compared to the BACTEC system. Comparing the results obtained in LJ we observed 100% sensitivity for RMP (80-100), followed by INH - 95% (81.8-99.1), EMB - 94.7% (71.9-99.7), and 100% specificity for all drugs tested except for PZA - 98.3 (89.5-99.9) at 95% confidence interval. The results showed a high level of accuracy and demonstrated that the fully automated, non-radiometric MB/BacT system is indicated for routine use in susceptibility testing in public health laboratories.

Leishmanial infection: analysis of its first steps. A review

The first steps in leishmaniasis are critical in determining the evolution of the disease. Major advances have recently been done in understanding this crucial moment. Fundamental research in parasite-vector interaction, parasite biology, insect saliva, and vertebrate host response have shed new light and uncovered a most fascinating and complex moment in leishmaniasis. We review here some of these aspects and we try to connect them in a logical framework.

First report of Lymnaea columella Say, 1817 (Pulmonata: Lymnaeidae) naturally infected with Fasciola hepatica (Linnaeus,1758) (Trematoda: Digenea) in Argentina

We report the first evidence of natural infection of Lymnaea columella with Fasciola hepatica in Argentina. A sample of 601 snails was collected in May 2003 in northeastern Corrientes, a province bounded on the north by Paraguay, on the east by Brazil and on the southeast by Uruguay. Among 500 examined snails, 44 (8.8%) were exclusively infected with F. hepatica. Parasite identification was based on morphological features of cercariae from snails, and of eggs and adult flukes from Wistar rats. We discuss the events suggesting that an enzootic transmission cycle of F. hepatica has been recently established in northeastern Corrientes.

First paleoparasitological study of an embalming rejects jar found in Saqqara, Egypt

For the first time, a jar of embalming rejects was studied in search for helminth parasite eggs. This kind of jar was used to put discarded material by Egyptian embalmers during mummification process. Ascaris lumbricoides and Tænia saginata eggs were found in the linen and strip fragment contents of the jar, dated of 2,715-2,656 years ago.

First record of Lutzomyia evansi (Nuñez-Tovar 1924) in Mexico (Diptera: Psychodidae, Phlebotominae)

The phlebotomine sand fly Lutzomyia evansi is recorded in Mexico for the first time. This species is a suspected vector of Leishmania infantum in other parts of its geographical range and was captured in a focus of American visceral leishmaniasis where the principal vector, Lu. longipalpis sensu lato, was also found. The relative public health importance of the two species in the study area (Chiapas state, Southern Mexico) is discussed.

Analysis of the first and second internal transcribed spacer sequences of the ribosomal DNA in Biomphalaria tenagophila complex (Mollusca: Planorbidae)

The first and second internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS1 and ITS2) of the ribosomal DNA of Biomphalaria tenagophila complex (B. tenagophila, B. occidentalis, and B. t. guaibensis) were sequenced and compared. The alignment lengths of these regions were about 655 bp and 481 bp, respectively. Phylogenetic relationships among the Biomphalaria species were inferred by Maximum Parsimony and Neighbor-joining methods. The phylogenetic trees produced, in most of the cases, were in accordance with morphological systematics and other molecular data previously obtained by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. The present results provide support for the proposal that B. tenagophila represents a complex comprising B. tenagophila, B. occidentalis and B. t. guaibensis.

Lymnaea cousini Jousseaume, 1887 (Gastropoda: Lymnaeidae): first record for Venezuela

Lymnaea cousini Jousseaume, 1887 was collected in Mucubaji, Merida State, Venezuela, from a permanent pond located at a very high altitude (3760 m). Identification of the collected specimens was made by comparison with the original description of the shell by Jousseaume and the description of the renal organ and reproductive system of topotypic specimens by Paraense.

Biology of the first generation of a laboratory colony of Nyssomyia intermedia (Lutz & Neiva, 1912) and Nyssomyia neivai (Pinto, 1926) (Diptera: Psychodidae)

The phlebotomine sand flies Nyssomyia intermedia (Lutz & Neiva, 1912) and Nyssomyia neivai (Pinto, 1926) are very close and may be involved in the transmission of Leishmania spp. Ross, 1903 in Brazil. The biology of the first laboratory-reared generations of these species, descended from insects captured in Além Paraíba (N. intermedia) and Corinto (N. neivai) in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, is described here. The captured females were fed on hamsters and maintained individually in rearing pots. Laboratory temperature and relative humidity were maintained at 25-26ºC and 80% respectively. The productivity of the first generation of N. intermedia was greater than that of N. neivai, and its development time clearly shorter, particularly for the second and third larval instars.

First record of human trichinosis in Chile associated with consumption of wild boar (Sus scrofa)

The first South American case of human trichinosis, resulting from the consumption of roast wild boar (Sus scrofa) is reported in Chile. The patient presented fever, diarrhea, myalgias, facial edema, sub-conjunctival reddening, photophobia, eosinophilia, and elevated glutamic oxalacetic transaminase. The diagnosis was confirmed by two immunoenzymatic tests (ELISA) using somatic and excretion-secretion antigens.