Acclimatization to 4100 m does not change capillary density or mRNA expression of potential angiogenesis regulatory factors in human skeletal muscle.
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Increased skeletal muscle capillary density would be a logical adaptive mechanism to chronic hypoxic exposure. However, animal studies have yielded conflicting results, and human studies are sparse. Neoformation of capillaries is dependent on endothelial growth factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a known target gene for hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF-1). We hypothesised that prolonged exposure to high altitude increases muscle capillary density and that this can be explained by an enhanced HIF-1alpha expression inducing an increase in VEGF expression. We measured mRNA levels and capillary density in muscle biopsies from vastus lateralis obtained in sea level residents (SLR; N=8) before and after 2 and 8 weeks of exposure to 4100 m altitude and in Bolivian Aymara high-altitude natives exposed to approximately 4100 m altitude (HAN; N=7). The expression of HIF-1alpha or VEGF mRNA was not changed with prolonged hypoxic exposure in SLR, and both genes were similarly expressed in SLR and HAN. In SLR, whole body mass, mean muscle fibre area and capillary to muscle fibre ratio remained unchanged during acclimatization. The capillary to fibre ratio was lower in HAN than in SLR (2.4+/-0.1 vs 3.6+/-0.2; P<0.05). In conclusion, human muscle VEGF mRNA expression and capillary density are not significantly increased by 8 weeks of exposure to high altitude and are not increased in Aymara high-altitude natives compared with sea level residents. (+info)
Yellow fever virus infectivity for Bolivian Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
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The absence of urban yellow fever virus (YFV) in Bolivian cities has been attributed to the lack of competent urban mosquito vectors. Experiments with Aedes aegypti from Santa Cruz, Bolivia, demonstrated infection (100%), dissemination (20%), and transmission of a Bolivian YFV strain (CENETROP-322). (+info)
Chromohalobacter sarecensis sp. nov., a psychrotolerant moderate halophile isolated from the saline Andean region of Bolivia.
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A moderately halophilic, aerobic, motile, Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium (strain LV4(T)) was isolated from saline soil around the lake Laguna Verde in the Bolivian Andes. The organism is a heterotroph, able to utilize various carbohydrates as a carbon source. It showed tryptophan deaminase, oxidase and catalase activity, but was unable to produce indole or H(2)S; nitrate was not reduced. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 56.1 mol%. The pH range for growth was 5-10, temperature range was 0-45 degrees C and the range of NaCl concentrations was 0-25 % (w/v). On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain LV4(T) was found to be closely related to Chromohalobacter canadensis DSM 6769(T) and Pseudomonas beijerinckii DSM 7218(T); however, its DNA-DNA relatedness with these type strains was low. Strain LV4(T) resembled other Chromohalobacter species with respect to various physiological, biochemical and nutritional characteristics but also exhibited differences. Thus, a novel species, Chromohalobacter sarecensis sp. nov., is proposed, with LV4(T) (=CCUG 47987(T)=ATCC BAA-761(T)) as the type strain. (+info)
Parental pregnancy intention and early childhood stunting: findings from Bolivia.
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BACKGROUND: This study examined the impact of maternally reported pregnancy intention, differentiating unwanted and mistimed pregnancies, on the prevalence of early childhood stunting. Additionally, it examined the influence of paternal pregnancy intention status. METHODS: Data were collected from a nationally representative sample of women and men interviewed in the 1998 Bolivia Demographic and Health Survey. The sample was restricted to lastborn, singleton children younger than 36 months who had complete anthropometric information. Multivariable logistic regression examined the association between pregnancy intention and stunting. RESULTS: Children from unwanted and mistimed pregnancies comprised 33% and 21% of the sample, respectively. Approximately 29% of the maternally unwanted children were stunted as compared to 19% among intended and 19% among mistimed children. Children 12-35 months (toddlers) from mistimed pregnancies (adjusted prevalence risk ratio [PR(adj)] 1.33, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-1.72) and unwanted pregnancies (PR(adj) 1.28, 95% CI: 1.04-1.56) were at about a 30% greater risk for stunting than children from intended pregnancies. Infants and toddlers with both parents reporting them as unwanted had an increased risk of being stunted as compared with children both of whose parents intended the pregnancy. No association was found for infants less than 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Reducing unintended pregnancies in Bolivia may decrease the prevalence of childhood growth stunting. Children born to parents reporting mistimed or unwanted pregnancies should be monitored for growth stunting, and appropriate interventions should be developed. Measurement of paternal pregnancy intention status is valuable in pregnancy intention studies. (+info)
Detection of CTX-M-type beta-lactamase genes in fecal Escherichia coli isolates from healthy children in Bolivia and Peru.
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A survey was carried out from August to November 2002 to evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibilities of fecal Escherichia coli isolates from 3,208 healthy children from four different urban areas of Latin America, two in Bolivia (Camiri and Villa Montes) and two in Peru (Yurimaguas and Moyobamba). Ceftriaxone-resistant E. coli isolates were detected in four children, one from each of the areas sampled. The isolates exhibited a multidrug-resistant phenotype, including resistance to oxyimino-cephalosporins and aztreonam, and the MICs of ceftazidime for the isolates were lower than those of cefotaxime. By PCR and sequencing, the bla(CTX-M-2) determinant was detected in three isolates and the bla(CTX-M-15) determinant was detected in one isolate (from Peru). The CTX-M-2-producing isolates belonged to three different phylogenetic groups (groups A, B2, and D), while the CTX-M-15-producing isolate belonged to phylogenetic group D. The bla(CTX-M-2) determinants were transferable to E. coli by conjugation, while conjugative transfer of the bla(CTX-M-15) determinant was not detectable. Plasmids harboring the bla(CTX-M-2) determinant exhibited similar restriction profiles, and in all of them the gene was located on a 2.2-kb PstI fragment, suggesting a genetic environment similar to that present in In35 and InS21. The findings of the present study confirm the widespread distribution of CTX-M-type beta-lactamases and underscore the role that commensal E. coli isolates could play as a potential reservoir of these clinically relevant resistance determinants. This is the first report of CTX-M-type enzymes in Bolivia and Peru and also the first report of the detection of CTX-M-15 in Latin America. (+info)
Comparison of generic to branded pentavalent antimony for treatment of new world cutaneous leishmaniasis.
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The cost of generic pentavalent antimony (generic stibogluconate) is approximately one-sixth that of branded pentavalent antimony (stibogluconate in the form of Pentostam or meglumine antimoniate in the form of Glucantime. We compared generic stibogluconate to Pentostam and Glucantime for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis patients in Bolivia and Colombia. For all 114 patients, the per-protocol cure rates were 83-91% and the intent-to-treat cure rates were 75-83%. The highest values were in the generic stibogluconate group. The incidence of pancreatic enzyme abnormalities was 48-88% and the incidence of liver enzyme abnormalities was 48-87%. The lowest incidences were in the generic stibogluconate group. The efficacy and tolerance of inexpensive generic stibogluconate appears comparable to branded formulations for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis in these endemic regions. (+info)
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Central Bolivia: relationships between reservoir hosts, habitats, and viral genotypes.
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In August 2002, two cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) were confirmed in Mineros and Concepcion, within the Santa Cruz Department of Bolivia. Extensive alteration of the native ecosystem, from dense forest to pasture or sugarcane, had occurred in both regions. An ecologic assessment of reservoir species associated with the human disease identified a single hantavirus antibody-positive Oligoryzomys microtis from Mineros and three hantavirus antibody-positive Calomys callosus from Concepcion. In Mineros, the virus from the O. microtis was 90% similar to sequences published for Rio Mamore virus. Viral nucleotide sequences from two C. callosus were 87-88% similar to the sequence of Laguna Negra virus. The viral sequence from the C. callosus was 99% identical to viral sequences obtained from the HPS patient in this area, implicating C. callosus as the host and Laguna Negra virus as the agent responsible for the HPS case near Concepcion. (+info)
Collaboration between private pharmacies and national tuberculosis programme: an intervention in Bolivia.
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BACKGROUND: Public-private partnerships are felt to be necessary for tuberculosis (TB) control in some developing countries. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the potential of a collaboration between the National TB Programme (NTP) and private pharmacies in Bolivia, the country with the highest TB incidence in Latin America. METHODS: We contacted the local Pharmacists' Association in the city of Cochabamba, and designed a two phase intervention. The objectives of the first phase were to decrease the availability of TB drugs in private pharmacies on a voluntary basis, and to improve referral of clients seeking TB drugs to the NTP. A survey of all pharmacies allowed for a before-after comparison with a baseline survey. The objectives of the second phase were to obtain referral of pharmacy clients with chronic cough for TB screening in the NTP. This phase was started in 70 pharmacies and evaluated after 2 months using the referral slips issued by the pharmacists. RESULTS: The proportion of pharmacies selling TB drugs decreased (rifampicin: 23-11.5%; isoniazid: 16-3.1%; P<0.001) and the proportion of pharmacies referring to the NTP clients seeking TB drugs increased (22-58%; P<0.0001). In the second phase, 26 of 70 pharmacies (38%) referred a total of 41 clients for screening in the NTP (i.e. an average of 0.29 clients per pharmacy and per month); 11 of 41 (27%) were screened and three of 11 (27%) diagnosed with smear-positive TB. CONCLUSION: The first phase of the intervention proved effective in reducing the availability of the main TB drugs in pharmacies, and in improving referral of clients seeking TB drugs. Key factors in this success were not specific to Bolivia, and collaboration between private pharmacies and public services appears possible in that respect. However, collaboration with pharmacies does not seem an efficient way to increase the number of patients screened for TB, and to shorten delays to TB diagnosis and treatment. (+info)