This paper reports the first finding of Diphyllobothrium sp. eggs in Canis familiaris (domestic dog) from Puerto Iguazú, a subtropical city of Misiones province, Argentina. In 2013, two positive cases of Diphyllobothrium sp. eggs were detected during an annual parasitological survey of dogs. Dog feces were collected in vials containing 10 % formalin and processed using Telemann's sedimentation and Sheather's flotation techniques. The two cases were detected in rural areas of the municipality. Since Misiones is not a part of the endemic area of diphyllobothriasis and given the fact that it is located in the three-border area of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, we consider this finding of great importance to public health. We stress the need for updating the current knowledge about the life cycle of these parasites considering the range of intermediate and definitive hosts, their zoonotic potential, and the epidemiological situation in non-endemic areas.

En este trabajo se informa el hallazgo de huevos de Diphyllobothrium sp. en ejemplares de Canis familiaris (perro doméstico) de Puerto Iguazú, una ciudad subtropical de la provincia de Misiones, Argentina. Durante 2013, en el marco de un relevamiento de la fauna parasitológica de los perros de Puerto Iguazú, se detectaron dos casos positivos en la búsqueda de huevos de Diphyllobothrium sp. La materia fecal de los perros fue recolectada en frascos con formol al 10 % y procesada mediante las técnicas de sedimentación de Telemann y de flotación de Sheather. Dado que Misiones no forma parte de la zona endémica de difilobotriasis y considerando, además, su ubicación fronteriza, este hallazgo reviste gran importancia para la salud pública. Se señala la necesidad de actualizar el estado de conocimiento sobre el ciclo de vida de estos parásitos identificando el rango de hospederos intermediarios y definitivos, su potencial zoonótico y la situación epidemiológica en áreas no endémicas.

Among the human pathologies produced by venomous animals, bee stings constitute the largest number of accidents in several countries, exceeding the mortality rate caused by other venomous animals such as snakes, spiders or scorpions. The clinical picture after the bee sting may include anaphylaxis or poisoning. The latter is produced by massive attacks and is a serious problem that may put the patient's life at risk. People that are poisoned display hemolysis, rhabdomiolysis and acute renal failure that together with other systemic failures can bring about death. The knowledge of the physiopathological mechanisms involved in the massive attack of bees is crucial for health care professionals as to date we do not ha ve antivenoms with proven clinical efficacy. In this review we include the bee's biological aspects, venom composition and its relation with the occurrence and severity of accidents as well as epidemiological data that can be useful for this type of accidents

Dentro de las patologías humanas producidas por animales con la capacidad de inocular veneno, las picaduras de abeja producen el mayor número de accidentes por animales en muchos países, superando a menudo en mortalidad a los producidos por serpientes, escorpiones y arañas. El cuadro clínico por la picadura de estos himenópteros puede consistir en fenómenos alérgicos o en cuadros de envenenamiento. Estos últimos se producen por el ataque de enjambres constituyendo un hecho grave que puede comprometer la vida. En el sujeto envenenado pueden observarse hemólisis, rabdomiólisis e insuficiencia renal, que junto a otras alteraciones sistémicas pueden conducir a la muerte. El conocimiento de los acontecimientos fisiopatológicos que se producen ante los ataques masivos de abejas es de suma importancia para el personal de salud dado que hasta la fecha no existen antivenenos que hayan demostrado tener eficacia clínica comprobada. En esta revisión se consideran los aspectos biológicos de las abejas y de la composición de su veneno relacionado con la ocurrencia y severidad de los accidentes, así como datos epidemiológicos de utilidad para enfrentarse a este tipo de cuadro.

This study was intended to explore the conditions under which prenatal care is delivered in the border city of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, and to assess the possible associations between that care and neonatal results in terms of birthweight, health of the neonate, and prematurity. Seven hospitals serving persons from different socioeconomic strata were chosen, and between December 1993 and March 1994 interviews were conducted with 279 women who were in the first 24 to 48 hours of puerperium. During the interviews data were collected on socioeconomic level; the mothers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning obstetric health; the mothers' perceptions of access to prenatal care; the quality of prenatal care visits (evaluated in terms of having blood and urine tested and weight and blood pressure measured); and the gynecological and obstetric and health history of the mother. A database was created using the SPSS statistics software package. Possible associations were explored, with prenatal care as the independent variable and various dependent variables, by means of contingency tables and a two-tailed Fisher's exact test. None of the neonates was premature, ill, or had a birthweight of <= 2 500 g. For this reason it was decided to divide the variable corresponding to birthweight into two groupings, <= 3 000 g and > 3 000 g. A significant (P < 0.00038) relationship was found between a lack of prenatal care and low birthweight. In addition, a lack of prenatal care was associated with: low family income; the mother's financial dependence on the father; the mother being in an unmarried relationship; little communication with the partner; having no medical insurance; an unwanted pregnancy; and giving delivery at the General Hospital. Out of the total sample of 279 women, 15 (5.4%) had received no prenatal care. None of these 15 women reported they had encountered difficulties that prevented them from obtaining prenatal care, but only 7 of those women answered that question. The prenatal care was of good quality in 190 of the cases (68%). Both the number and the timing of the prenatal visits were adequate in 142 of the cases (50%). The mother's having worked during pregnancy or before had a positive predictive value in terms of utilization of prenatal care services. Additional studies are needed to evaluate the possible relationship between domestic violence and the lack of prenatal care or a delay in seeking such care.

El presente estudio se diseñó con el fin de conocer las condiciones en las que se realiza el control prenatal en la ciudad fronteriza de Tijuana, Baja California, México y de estudiar las posibles asociaciones entre ese tipo de atención y el resultado neonatal en términos de peso al nacer, estado de salud del neonato y prematuridad. Se seleccionaron siete hospitales que atienden a personas de diferentes estratos socioeconómicos y entre diciembre de 1993 y marzo de 1994 se entrevistó en ellos a 279 mujeres que cursaban las primeras 24 a 48 horas del puerperio. En la entrevista se recogieron datos sobre nivel socioeconómico; conceptos, actitudes y prácticas de las madres respecto de la salud obstétrica; percepción materna de acceso a los servicios de atención prenatal; calidad de las consultas de control prenatal (evaluada según la realización de pruebas de sangre y orina y la medición de la tensión arterial y del peso); y antecedentes ginecobstétricos y de salud de la madre. Se elaboró una base de datos con el paquete estadístico SPSS y se exploraron posibles asociaciones entre la atención prenatal como variable independiente y las diferentes variables dependientes mediante tablas de contingencia y la prueba de Fisher de dos colas.