Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

Los murciélagos constituyen uno de los grupos de mamíferos más beneficiosos para los ecosistemas,ya que contribuyen con la dispersión de semillas, polinización de plantas y control de insectosplaga y portadores de microorganismos transmisores de enfermedades. En otros países, algunosmurciélagos han sido detectados con diversos agentes infecciosos por lo que es importante conocersi alojan parásitos de Leishmania spp. y Trypanosoma cruzi, agentes endémicos en nuestro país. Elobjetivo de este estudio fue detectar Leishmania spp. y Trypanosoma spp., en murciélagos generalistas,al describir características del huésped, factores macroambientales de sitios de captura e identificarmolecularmente los hemoparásitos para estudiar las relaciones huésped, agente, ambiente y posiblesrelaciones filogenéticas.Se realizó un estudio transversal en 11 localidades de Costa Rica, donde se capturó un total de 98murciélagos. De cada individuo se anotó el peso, sexo, grupo etario y condición reproductiva y se tomómuestras de sangre. Mediante PCR se amplificó una región del gen 18S para determinar la presencia deLeishmania spp. y Trypanosoma spp. Se realizó un análisis de las características macroambientales delos sitios de captura mediante el uso de capas vectoriales del Atlas de Costa Rica, 2014 y se analizaronrelaciones filogenéticas con secuencias de otros tripanosomátidos descritas anteriormente. Se determinópresencia de Leishmania spp. y Trypanosoma spp. en murciélagos Glossophaga soricina, Carolliasowelli, C. perspicillata y Artibeus jamaicensis. El peso y la precipitación se muestran como posiblesvariables relacionadas con la presencia de estos tripanosomátidos. Se comprueba, por primera vez ennuestro país, Leishmania spp., Trypanosoma cruzi y T. minasense sin evidencia de afectación de losmurciélagos. El análisis filogenético apoya la separación de T. minasense de T. rangeli, y T. cruzi y unaposible relación con tripanosomátidos suramericanos. Esta investigación contribuye al entendimientode las relaciones filogenéticas de los hemoflagelados asociados a quirópteros del continente americano.

La información clínica y los hallazgos anatomopatológicos sugirieron desde 1918 la presencia de la deficiencia de vitamina E y selenio en rumiantes y suinos de Costa Rica. En el présente trabajo fueron estudiados un total de 39 casos, de ellos 14 se analizaron clínica y anatomohistopatológicamente, los restantes 25 casos se examinaron exclusivamente en forma anatomohistopatológica.Se recolectaron (en matadero) 67 muestras de músculo, utilizándose en todos los casos como técnica de tinción básica la Hematoxilina-Eosina, recurriéndose a otras coloraciones tales como von Giesson y Mallory para evidenciar ciertas alteraciones. El estudio demostró los efectos de la deficiencia de vitamina E y selenio en rumiantes y suinos en diferentes zonas de nuestro país. En bovinos las alteraciones clínicas y patológicas más importantes fueron: dificultad de incorporación, atrofia muscular, hi-potonía lingual, extrasístoles y taquicardia. Elexamen anatomohistopatológico evidenció músculos de aspecto blanco, edema interfacial, fibrosis, ondulación de fibras, focos de regeneración y necrosis masiva.En suinos, el examen clínico mostró ''paso militar", dificultad locomotora, hipotonía muscular y los resultados anatomohistopatológioos más característicos fueron músculo de aspectoblanco, edema en pared de vesícula biliar y gástrica, así como necrosis y fibrosis hepática; fragmentación, aumento de tamaño y ondulación de fibras musculares.

The reproductive behavior of the mite Varroa destructor in worker and drone brood cells was studied from January to August. The study was conducted using 10 colonies of Africanized honeybees (A. mellifera) from the Tropical Beekeeping Research Center (CINAT), Lagunilla of Heredia, Costa Rica. The research was divided in two phases: a) artificial mites varroa infestation of worker brood cells (n= 732) and b) artificial infestation of drone brood cells with mites taken from the worker cells (n= 362). In addition, the reproductive ability of varroa was compared between worker and drone brood cells (n= 362) and a detail analysis was conducted of the mites that did not reproduce in worker cells and were transferred into drone cells (n= 85). Each cell was examined for mite reproduction 10 days after infestation. The following parameters were measured for foundress female mites: fertility, fecundity, production of fertile females, production of immature offspring, only female or only male production and no reproduction at all. In worker brood cells, fertility rate was 76.9%; however, only 16.5% of the mites produced fertile females with an average of 1.3 ± 0.5 viable daughters. On the other hand, in drone brood cells, fertility rate was 79.3%, and 38.1% of the mites produced fertile females, with an average of 2.1 ± 0.9 viable daughters. Comparing reproductive ability of the mites showed that the fertility rate was similar in both types of brood; however, a considerable amount of the mites produced fertile offspring in the drone cells, while only 13.8% were produced in the worker cells. Furthermore, the production of immature offspring was significantly higher (over 40%) in the worker brood. One of the most relevant findings was that 74.1% of the mites that did not reproduce in worker cells were able to reproduce when transferred to drone cells, which indicates that drone brood is essential to the development and growth of varroa population in Africanized honeybees under tropical conditions.

Ultrasonographic measurement of the fetal vitreous body length to predict parturition date in horses has shown substantial differences between breeds. PRE (Pura Raza Española or Purebred Spanish Horse) is an important breed in the equine industry of Costa Rica. No data for prediction of parturition exists for PRE using fetal ocular measurements. Between-observer agreement has never been evaluated for fetal ocular measurements on horses. A total of 86 ocular diameters were measured by a veterinarian in twelve PRE mares from day 240 of gestation until parturition. Forty measurements were repeated by a senior veterinary student to determine between-observer agreement. Transrectal ultrasonography was performed in each occasion, and a mean was calculated of the three measurements obtained. Two nonlinear regression equations were derived using days before parturition and age of gestation as dependent variables and vitreous body length as the independent variable. The model obtained for days before parturition was y = 1123.8 -55.5*x+0.689*x2, where “y” represents days before parturition and “x” represents fetal ocular diameter (r2= 0.79; P<0.001); and y = -710.6+51.8*x -0.644*x2, where “y” represents age of gestation and “x” represents ocular diameter (r2= 0.75; P<0.001). Pearson correlation coefficient and paired t-test were performed to assess the between-observer agreement. No significant differences (p=0.86) were detected between-observers, indicating high reproducibility. This study concluded that ocular diameter measurement can be reproduced with high precision by different veterinarians, and either model using days before parturition or age of gestation can be used to predict parturition in PRE mares when breeding dates are unknown.

Regenerative medicine aims at restoring or improving lost or affected functions of the body by stimulating the inherent healing capacity of tissues. The central paradigm of tissue engineering is that such repair is facilitated and enhanced using several approaches that may range from application of biologically active products (such as growth factor containing platelet rich plasma (PRP) or stem cells from a variety of sources) to the use of biofabricated implants. In all cases the aim is that in the end the body’s own healing capacity will result in the production of tissues that are identical to or at least functionally equivalent to the original tissues of which the function has been (partially) lost. In the case of the use of biofabricated implants, these are meant as temporary scaffolds that will stimulate the body’s own cells through a variety of cues but are destined to finally degrade and be replaced by newly made tissue. Ideally, this is a well-balanced gradual process in which there is a match between the disappearance (and loss of biological effect) of the engineered tissues and the formation (and increased biological effect) of the native tissues that replace the implant.There are many examples of successful applications of this theory, e.g. in the areas of bladder reconstruction (Londono & Badylak 2015). However, recently, it has become clear that this concept (and hence the paradigm) does not hold for articular cartilage because the collagen network, which is crucial for the biomechanical functions of articular cartilage, will, once damaged, not be reconstituted to any degree in mature individuals (Heinemeier et al. 2016). For this reason, a paradigm shift is necessary in the field of regenerative medicine of articular cartilage and attempts at tissue engineering in this field will have to be redirected. There are in principle two ways to achieve such a paradigm shift: either by recreating the tissue homeostatic and (epi)genetic environment as present in fetuses and young, growing, individuals in which remodeling of the collagen network is still possible, or by adopting Nature’s approach in the mature individual, i.e. by creating a life-long persisting, immutable structural component of articular cartilage. Both ways face considerable challenges before they can become reality.

Amazona aestiva xanthopteryx commonly known as Chaco chatter parrot, yellow-winged amazon or Argentine amazon. Its population is distributed in Argentina from the phytogeographic district of the Selva Pedemontana of the Yungas phytogeographic region and the areas near the districts of Western Chaco, Arid and Serrano. In that country it is one of the parrots most illegally trafficked. The basic aspects of clinical pathology, which include hematology, have been commonly used in the diagnosis of diseased birds; however, it is necessary to know the physiological parameters taking into account the variables relevant to each region and their respective conditions. The aim of the present study was to describe the values ​​obtained for erythrocytes, Hematocrit (Hct), Hemoglobin (Hb), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Middle Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH), Concentration of Middle Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH), absolute and differential counting of leukocytes and absolute platelet count of an apparently healthy population of 27 captive individuals belonging to this subspecies, located in the Center of Rescue, Rehabilitation and Relocation of La Esmeralda Fauna of the Province of Santa Fe in Argentina. The data obtained were tabulated and analyzed by descriptive statistics. The results for the different parameters were mostly similar to those reported for other Psittaciformes birds, with minimal differences associated with the different environmental and management conditions of each study. The values obtained from the talking parrot of the Chaco will be a guide for the application in the clinic and rescue programs, conservation.

The paper provides results published or to be published of long-term in vivo equine studies to evaluate techniques of possible regenerative matrices of cartilage and bone, by means of cell-free implants or stimulation of the bone marrow. From the fixation techniques analyzed, it can be concluded that the best alternatives are the pressure technique for subchondral defects and a novel hydrogel with self-adhesive capacity for chondral defects. The equine coxal tuberosity was used for the first time as a model for regeneration studies of bone defects, analyzing scaffolds based on tricalcium phosphate, polymers and nanoparticles, by means of 3-D printing. Osteoconductivity, osteoinductivity, and the importance of microporosity were documented.Given that decellularized materials do not always give significant desired results in the regeneration of cartilage, it is important to conduct long-term studies. The technique of nanofracture and a novel self-adhesive hydrogel in the knee of the equine showed promising preliminary results in the regeneration of cartilage.The knee and the coxal tuberosity of the horse represent models of studying cartilage and bone regeneration in a true translational sense as a source of highly valuable information for clinical studies, for both horses and humans.

The aim of this study was to determine the presence of gastrointestinal helminths in black vultures (Coragyps atratus) from an area in Livingston, Izabal, Guatemala, using coproparasitological analysis. Thirty-two fecal samples from these birds were analyzed by the direct smear method and the saturated sugar solution flotation method. Out of the 32 analyzed fecal samples, 21 (65.6%) tested positive for gastrointestinal helminth ova and, out of these, 20 (95.2%) presented trematode ova, 3 (14.3%) nematode ova, and 1 (4.8%) acanthocephalan ova. Eggs of a trematode of the superfamily Diplostomoidea were the most commonly observed, being detected in 20 (62.5%) out of the 32 samples analyzed. Furthermore, samples contained trematode eggs from the family Echinostomatidae, nematode eggs from the genus Heterakis and the families Ascarididae and Trichostrongylidae, as well as eggs of Acanthocephala. Based on the coproparasitological analysis, the evaluated black vultures had gastrointestinal helminths, with the predominance of a trematode species of the superfamily Diplostomoidea. The findings of this research constitute the first approach to learning about the gastrointestinal helminthological fauna of Coragyps atratus in Guatemala.

The articular cartilage of joints serves diverse functions, including absorbing shock, transmitting force, and enabling low-friction joint motion. Regeneration of articular cartilage defects remains, however, a significant challenge in both human and veterinary orthopaedic practice. Ex vivo and in vivo models play a crucial role in translating novel potential regenerative treatments from bench to bedside. However, in view of the predictive power of these models and the One Medicine concept that proclaim that there should be no dividing lines between human and animal medicine to learn, it is important to understand the similarities as well as differences in the cartilage tissue between species. To this aim, osteochondral cores of the femoral condyles were studied in 58 different mammalian species ranging from mouse to elephant. Interestingly, while biochemical composition remained relatively constant, cartilage thickness and cellularity were similar underscoring the importance of the equine species as a model for human orthopaedic interventions. Nevertheless, political ambition and societal pressure are now asking for a drastically reduction of animal experimentation and have further spiked the development of more predictive in vitro and ex vivo models. In addition to a range of more sophisticated in vitro assays, this has now also provided an ex vivo osteochondral defect model that can be generated based on equine donor tissue. Although such models better represent the situation in the native tissue and can be used to assess (osteo)chondral repair strategies, they still lack some important aspects of the in vivo (patho)physiological (inflammatory) environment, as well as the exposure to mechanical loading. This illustrates the challenges that we still face in translating these novel approaches from bench to bedside.

Histoplasmosis occurs occasionally in cats with and without predisposing factors. A 3-year-old domestic male cat was referred to the Small and Wild Animal Hospital at the School of Veterinary Medicine of the National University of Costa Rica with hypothermia, weight loss, anorexia, and progressive chronic bilateral suppurative rhinitis. The patient died during clinical stabilization. A complete necropsy and histopathology were performed revealing granulomatous inflammation with multiple intracellular yeast-like structures compatible with Histoplasma spp. in several organs. Mycological culture of lung tissue was positive for Histoplasma capsulatum. Possible factors involved in this case are discussed.