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Porras-Silesky C, Solano-Barquero A, Jiménez-Rocha A, Alvarado-Hidalgo I, Valverde-Altamirano É, Rojas A. Social media as a tool for detecting underdiagnosed parasitic infections: the case of spirocercosis. Parasitol Res 2023; 123:29. [PMID: 38082034 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-08054-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Spirocercosis is a parasitic disease caused by the nematode Spirocerca lupi that affects several canids around the world. In Costa Rica, few spirocercosis cases have been reported; however, it is suspected that the infection is currently underdiagnosed. As seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, social media has sped up the spread of scientific knowledge, raising practioner's awareness of the epidemiology and signs and manifestations of infections. The aim of this work was to use social media as a tool for increasing awareness of spirocercosis among veterinarians and investigate the frequency of cases occurring in Costa Rica. Infographic material about the infection was disseminated by Whatsapp, Facebook, and Instagram from January 2021 to July 2022 using a public account of the Laboratory of Helminthology of the University of Costa Rica. In addition, Google Forms questionnaires were completed by veterinarians to report the number of spirocercosis cases in their clinics, associated manifestations, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of the disease. Remarkably, since 2020, a six-fold increase in the number of cases per year was noted. Clinical manifestations matched those reported elsewhere, and one of every three dogs infected with S. lupi died spontaneously or required euthanasia because of the infection. This work suggests that S. lupi infection in Costa Rica may have been underdiagnosed in the last decade, and the knowledge and awareness of clinical personnel play a major role in the detection of this and other infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catalina Porras-Silesky
- Laboratory of Helminthology, Faculty of Microbiology, University of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Alberto Solano-Barquero
- Laboratory of Helminthology, Faculty of Microbiology, University of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, University of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Ana Jiménez-Rocha
- Laboratory of Parasitology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | | | | | - Alicia Rojas
- Laboratory of Helminthology, Faculty of Microbiology, University of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, University of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
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Rojas-Sánchez E, Umaña-Blanco F, Jiménez-Rocha A, Vega-Benavides K, Medaglia A, Solano-Barquero A, Rojas A, Jiménez M. Cryptic diversity in a gastrointestinal acanthocephalan of New World primates from Costa Rica. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2402. [PMID: 36765145 PMCID: PMC9918474 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28585-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Prosthenorchis elegans is a worm of the family Archiacanthocephala that infects non-human primates in the Americas, producing an intestinal pathology that may compromise the life of its hosts. Squirrel monkeys, Saimiri oerstedii citrinellus, were found with P. elegans in Costa Rica. Histopathological analysis revealed a severe pyogranulomatous response composed by macrophages, neutrophils, eosinophils, fibroblasts and lymphocytes. Morphological worm analyses revealed 36 hooks in the proboscis distributed in six rows; and total body, hook and lemnisci length were compatible to the original descriptions of P. elegans. In addition, phylogenetic, haplotype network and genetic distance analyses were done on cytochrome oxidase subunit 1, cox1, sequences obtained from the collected specimens. Sequences obtained herein clustered separately with high posterior probabilities in a Bayesian Inference tree and showed 8.12% nucleotide differences when compared to P. elegans from Colombia. This high divergence was confirmed in the TCS network that separated Colombian and Costa Rican sequences by 32 mutational steps, a genetic distance PCA which separated sequences from both geographical locations by 89.5% and an FST value of 0.655, indicating the presence of cryptic diversity in P. elegans. Additional studies from specimens collected from other definitive hosts and geographical locations are required to better understand the biodiversity of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernesto Rojas-Sánchez
- Hospital de Especies Menores y Silvestres, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - Fabián Umaña-Blanco
- Laboratorio de Helmintología, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Ana Jiménez-Rocha
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - Karen Vega-Benavides
- Hospital de Especies Menores y Silvestres, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - Alejandro Medaglia
- Laboratorio Institucional de Microscopía, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Cartago, Costa Rica.,Escuela de Biología, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Cartago, Costa Rica
| | - Alberto Solano-Barquero
- Laboratorio de Helmintología, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.,Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Alicia Rojas
- Laboratorio de Helmintología, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica. .,Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
| | - Mauricio Jiménez
- Hospital de Especies Menores y Silvestres, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, Heredia, Costa Rica.
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García-Quesada A, Jiménez-Rocha A, Romero-Zuñiga JJ, Dolz G. Seroprevalence and prevalence of Babesia vogeli in clinically healthy dogs and their ticks in Costa Rica. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:468. [PMID: 34521453 PMCID: PMC8438975 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04936-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Canine babesiosis is a disease caused by a parasite of the genus Babesia which destroys red blood cells. Previous studies have shown the presence of Babesia vogeli in rural areas in Costa Rica using molecular techniques. The objective of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence and prevalence of B. vogeli in clinically healthy dogs and their ticks at the national level, both within and outside the Central Valley. Blood samples and ticks from 482 dogs were collected between June 2011 and May 2014, and analyzed by immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR); two protocols of endpoint PCR and sequencing were used to confirm qPCR-positive samples. Seroprevalence of canine babesiosis of 5.3% (24/453) was determined at the national level, specifically 2.0% (5/253) within and 9.5% (19/200) outside the Central Valley, respectively. Real-time PCR determined a global prevalence of B. vogeli of 31.3% (125/400): 21.4% (47/220) within the Central Valley and 43.3% (78/180) outside the Central Valley. The endpoint PCR amplified only 10 of the 125 blood samples identified as positive in qPCR. One sample amplified by endpoint PCR was sequenced and identified as B. vogeli. Twelve canines were identified with past infections, seven canines with active infection, and 111 canines with early infection. Two species of ticks were found with B. vogeli: Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (n = 40) and Amblyomma ovale (n = 1). The prevalence of canine babesiosis at the national level, both within and outside the Central Valley, is reported here for the first time, determining the presence of the piroplasmid throughout the country, with a higher circulation of the agent outside the Central Valley. Only one species, B. vogeli, was detected in the blood of dogs and their ticks. Therefore, veterinarians should consider using qPCR to determine the presence of the parasite in blood donors and before starting treatment of vector-borne disease in dogs. ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea García-Quesada
- Laboratorio de Entomología, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica.
| | - Ana Jiménez-Rocha
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | | | - Gaby Dolz
- Laboratorio de Entomología, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica.,Programa en Medicina Poblacional, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica
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