We report identification of an Oropouche virus strain in a febrile patient from Ecuador by using metagenomic sequencing and real-time reverse transcription PCR. Virus was isolated from patient serum by using Vero cells. Phylogenetic analysis of the whole-genome sequence showed the virus to be similar to a strain from Peru.

Indigenous beers (chicha) are part of the indigenous culture in Ecuador. The fermentation process of these beers probably relies on microorganisms from fermented substrates, environment and human microbiota. We analyzed the microbiota of artisanal beers (including a type of beer produced after chewing boiled cassava) using bacterial culture and 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene-based tag-encoded FLX amplicon pyrosequencing (bTEFAP). Surprisingly, we found that Streptococcus salivarius and Streptococcus mutans (part of the human oral microbiota) were among the most abundant bacteria in chewed cassava and in non-chewed cassava beers. We also demonstrated that S. salivarius and S. mutans (isolated from these beers) could proliferate in cassava mush. Lactobacillus sp. was predominantly present in most types of Ecuadorian chicha.

Fast and accurate identification of biting midges is crucial in the study of Culicoides -borne diseases. In this work, we propose a two-stage method for automatically analyzing Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) species. First, an image preprocessing task composed of median and Wiener filters followed by equalization and morphological operations is used to improve the quality of the wing image in order to allow an adequate segmentation of particles of interest. Then, the segmentation of the zones of interest inside the biting midge wing is made using the watershed transform. The proposed method is able to produce optimal feature vectors that help to identify Culicoides species. A database containing wing images of C. obsoletus , C. pusillus , C. foxi , and C. insignis species was used to test its performance. Feature relevance analysis indicated that the mean of hydraulic radius and eccentricity were relevant for the decision boundary between C. obsoletus and C. pusillus species. In contrast, the number of particles and the mean of the hydraulic radius was relevant for deciding between C. foxi and C. insignis species. Meanwhile, for distinguishing among the four species, the number of particles and zones, and the mean of circularity were the most relevant features. The linear discriminant analysis classifier was the best model for the three experimental classification scenarios previously described, achieving averaged areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.98, 0.90, and 0.96, respectively.

Indigenous beers (chicha) are part of the indigenous culture in Ecuador. The fermentation process of these beers relay probably on microorganisms from: fermenting substrates, environment and human microbiota. We analyzed the microbiota of artisanal beers (including a type of beer produced after chewing boiled cassava) using bacterial culture and 16S-based tag-encoded FLX amplicon pyrosequencing (bTEFAP). Surprisingly, we found that Streptococcus salivarius and Streptococcus mutans (part of the human oral microbiota) where among the most abundant bacteria in chewed cassava and in non-chewed cassava beers. We also demonstrated that S. salivarius and S. mutans (isolated from these beers) could proliferate in cassava mush. Lactobacillus sp. was predominantly present in most types of Ecuadorian chicha.

Estudio preliminar de la diversidad genética de Ilex guayusa ecuatoriana mediante marcadores inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) ResumenEvaluamos el grado de diversidad genética de Ilex guayusa, una especie de importancia etnobotánica y comercial para las comunidades indígenas de la Amazonía ecuatoriana. Caracterizamos genéticamente a 157 individuos, provenientes de chacras ubicadas a lo largo de seis provincias, con nueve marcadores ISSR (Inter Simple Sequence Repeats). Se detectó en total 91 bandas polimórficas, pero el índice de heterocigosidad estimada (H e =0.19) de la población reveló un nivel reducido de variabilidad genética para la especie. Los índices de distancias genéticas de Nei (0.013 ≤ Ds ≤ 0.086) revelaron un nivel reducido de divergencia genética entre individuos provenientes de provincias diferentes. De manera similar, el análisis de varianza molecular (AMOVA) demostró que solamente el 18% de la variación observada para I. guayusa ocurre entre poblaciones. El bajo grado de diversidad genética encontrado para I.guayusa puede ser atribuido al hecho de que esta especie es cultivada exclusivamente mediante propagación clonal; una actividad cultural que probablemente ha homogenizado el acervo genético de la especie a lo largo de su rango geográfico de cultivo. El análisis de coordenadas principales (PCoA) demostró que el germoplasma colectado puede estructurarse en tres grupos distintos caracterizados por un leve contraste genético en gradiente direccional, de norte a sur. La inclusión de un mayor número de muestras de provincias sub-representadas (ej. Sucumbíos) y poblaciones silvestres, si existen, ayudaría a esclarecer el nivel de diversidad genética y estructura poblacional de la especie, y la historia de su cultivo en la región.Palabras Clave. Aquifoliaceae, Guayusa, propagación clonal, baja diversidad genética. AbstractWe assessed the degree of genetic diversity of llex guayusa, a species of ethnobotanic and commercial relevance for indigenous communities of the Ecuadorian Amazon. We characterized 157 individuals, from small cultivation sites across six provinces, using nine Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers. A total of 91 polymorphic bands were detected in, but estimated heterozygosity (He = 0.19) revealed a reduced level of genetic variability. Pairwise-Nei genetic distance indices (0.013 ≤ Ds ≤ 0.086) implied a reduced level of genetic divergence between individuals from different provinces. Accordingly, partitioning of genetic diversity (AMOVA) indicated that only 18% of variation observed for I. guayusa occurred between populations. The low degree of genetic diversity found for I. guayusa could be ascribed to the fact that the species is exclusively cultivated via clonal propagation; a cultural activity which has probably homogenized the species' genetic pool across its geographic range of cultivation. However, PCoA analysis resolved collected germplasm into three distinct groups displaying a subtle genetic contrast in a directional gradient, from north to south. The inclusion o...

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An updated list of biting midges of the genus Culicoides inhabiting Ecuador is provided. Entomological investigations were carried out from July 2010 to May 2019 using CDC light traps in three Ecuadorian regions (Amazon basin, Andean (foothills and highlands) and Pacific Coast). A total of 12,073 Culicoides specimens from seven subgenera and nine species groups were collected. More species and higher variation were found in the Amazon basin than in either of the Andes regions or coastal sites. A total of 53 species were identified. Of these, 15 are herein reported as new species records for Ecuador: Culicoides acotylus Lutz, C. aitkeni Wirth & Blanton, C. benarrochi Ortiz & Mirsa, C. carvalhoi Wirth & Blanton, C. freitasi Wirth & Blanton, C. ginesi Ortíz, C. lopesi Barretto, C. lyrinotatus Wirth & Blanton, C. profundus Santarém, Felippe-Bauer & Trindade, C. pseudoreticulatus Santarém, Felippe-Bauer & Castellón, C. quasiparaensis Clastrier, C. vernoni Wirth & Blanton, C. youngi Wirth & Barreto and two new species. Our results show that the updated list of the Ecuadorian Culicoides fauna comprises 70 species. This inventory highlights the presence of species that have been incriminated as vectors of disease elsewhere in animals and humans, mainly C. insignis and C. paraensis.

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic intracellular parasite of particular concern in the conservation of wildlife due to its ability to infect all homeotherms and potentially cause acute fatal disease in naive species. In the Galapagos (Ecuador), an archipelago composed of more than a hundred islets and islands, the presence of T. gondii can be attributed to human-introduced domestic cats, but little is known about its transmission in wildlife populations. We compared the prevalence of antibodies against T. gondii in sympatric Galapagos wild bird species that differ in diet and contact with oocyst-contaminated soil to determine the relative importance of trophic habits as an exposure factor. Plasma samples were obtained from 163 land birds inhabiting Santa Cruz, one of the cat-inhabited islands, and from 187 seabirds breeding in cat-free surrounding islands (Daphne Major, North Seymour, and South Plaza). These samples were tested for the presence of T. gondii antibodies using the modified agglutination test (MAT ≥ 1:10). All seven species of land birds and 4/6 species of seabirds presented seropositive results. All great frigatebirds (Fregata minor) (N = 25) and swallow-tailed gulls (Creagrus furcatus) (N = 23) were seronegative. Prevalence ranged from 13% in Nazca boobies (Sula granti) to 100% in Galapagos mockingbirds (Mimus parvulus). It decreased from occasional carnivores (63.43%) to granivores-insectivores (26.22%), and strict piscivores (14.62%). These results indicate that the consumption of tissue cysts poses the highest risk of exposure to T. gondii for Galapagos birds, followed by the ingestion of plants and insects contaminated by oocysts as important transmission pathways.