We describe the eleventh major outbreak of foodborne Trypanosoma cruzi transmission in urban Venezuela, including evidence for vertical transmission from the index case to her fetus. After confirming fetal death at 24 weeks of gestation, pregnancy interruption was performed. On direct examination of the amniotic fluid, trypomastigotes were detected. T. cruzi specific-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) also proved positive when examining autopsied fetal organs. Finally, microscopic fetal heart examination revealed amastigote nests. Acute orally transmitted Chagas disease can be life threatening or even fatal for pregnant women and unborn fetuses owing to vertical transmission. There is therefore an urgent need to improve national epidemiologic control measures.

Las muertes por violencias en Venezuela han aumentado gradualmente hasta convertirse en un problema de salud pública, de acuerdo a los datos de epidemiología y estadística vital del Ministerio de Salud y Desarrollo Social, entre 1950 y 2005, el reporte de un mayor número de traumas por armas de fuego atendidos en centros hospitalarios nacionales y el aumento de biopsias vasculares traumáticas, en población masculina joven. Las tasas de mortalidad por agresiones aumentaron un 93,7 % entre 1995 y 2005. De acuerdo a la forma de ataque en las agresiones, el ataque por arma de fuego aumentó de un 53,4 % en 1980 a 87,2 % en 2005. Entre 1990 y 2002, en 1 307 biopsias analizadas en el Instituto Anatomopatológico “Dr. José Antonio O’ Daly, de la Universidad Central de Venezuela, 300 fueron vasculares y 70 de ellas traumáticas. El 90 % ocurrió en varones, el 74,3 % fueron producidas por armas de fuego y el 57 % era menor de 30 años. El 78,6 % de las lesiones vasculares traumáticas estuvieron localizadas en arterias de las extremidades.

Deaths by violence in Venezuela had increased gradually becoming a public health problem, according to epidemiological and vital statistics data from the National Public Health Service, between 1950 and 2005, reports on more number of gun fire arms lesions attended in national care centres and an increase of traumatic vascular biopsies in the young male population. Aggression death rates increased 93,7 % between 1995 and 2005. According to the aggression type of attack, gun fire arms attack increased from 53,4 % in 1980 to 87,2 % in 2005. From 1990 to 2002, out of 1 307 biopsies analyzed at the “Dr. José Antonio O’ Daly”, anatomopathological institute in the Central University, 300 were vascular and 70 of them traumatic. The 90 % occurred in males, 74,3 % were produced by gun fire arms and 57 % were younger than 30 years old. The 78,6 % of the traumatic vascular lesions were located in the extremities.

El cáncer esofágico es una neoplasia gastrointestinal con un insidioso curso y pobre pronostico. La enfermedad afecta predominantemente a personas de edad avanzada con un pico de incidencia entre los 60 y 70 años. Desafortunadamente, muchos síntomas experimentados por los pacientes ocurren en estadios avanzados de la enfermedad, lo cual resulta en un mal pronóstico. La diseminación más común es en sentido ascendente por extensión en la mucosa y fácilmente se extiende a través de la pared esofágica a estructuras adyacentes, debido a la ausencia de serosa. Las mayores complicaciones son atribuidas a la obstrucción luminal y la invasión local. Presentamos un caso de un paciente de 69 años de edad. La endoscopia digestiva superior evidenció dos lesiones separadas en esófago distal y fundus gástrico. Los cambios histológicos determinaron que ambas lesiones eran carcinoma epidermoide.

Esophageal cancer is a gastrointestinal malignancy with an insidious onset and a poor prognosis. The disease predominantly affects the elderly with a peak incidence among those between 60 and 70 years of age. Unfortunately, many of the symptoms experienced by patients with esophageal cancer occur late in the course of the disease, at which time it is already at an advanced stage, resulting in a very poor prognosis. The most common dissemination is in an ascending path through mucosal extension; extending easily through the thin esophageal wall due to the absence of a serosa to invade adjacent structures. Most complications due to esophageal cancer are attributed to luminal obstruction and local invasion. A case of a 69-year-old male patient is presented. Upper digestive endoscopy showed two separated lesions at the distal esophagus and gastric fundus. Histological changes showed both lesions were squamous cell carcinomas.