Difilobotriasis humana en la Patagonia, Argentina

Abstract

Resumen ObjetivoEl objetivo del trabajo fué detectar hospedadores humanos en la zona andino patagónica argentina, teniendo en cuenta las prácticas de pesca desportiva y la importancia de los salmónidos dentro de la zona. Material y MetodoEntre 1986 y 1995 se implementaron Campañas de Información en los laboratorios de Análisis Clínicos de la región andinopatagónica argentina, destinadas a lograr una detección más eficiente de la difilobotriasis, a través de análisis coproparasitológicos. ResultadosAdicionalmente, se confeccionaron planillas destinadas a recoger información sobre las características de la infección, del tratamiento y del paciente. Durante este período se detectaron 13 nuevos casos humanos, por identificación directa del parásito o por la presencia de huevos en materia fecal. Las características de las infecciones responden a las descriptas para el género Diphyllobothrium. ConclusionesEn la región, los salmónidos son los peces predilectos en la pesca deportiva. Estos peces, frecuentemente parasitados con larvas, constituyen la principal fuente de contagio para el hombre al ser consumidos insuficientemente cocidos o ahumados en frío. Difilobotriasis, epidemiología. Abstract ObjectiveIn view of the amateur fishing practices and the importance of salmonids in the region the study sets out to detect human hosts in the Andean-Patagonian zone. Material and Method Information campaigns were carried out by Clinical Analysis Laboratories of Andean Patagonia between 1986 and 1995 to detect diphyllobothriasis more efficiently by means of coproparasitological analysis. Results Further, forms were prepared for the collection of information about infection

Possible influence of the ENSO phenomenon on the pathoecology of diphyllobothriasis and anisakiasis in ancient Chinchorro populations

“…In South America, only Chile and Argentina have reported autochthonous human cases of diphyllobothriasis caused by D. latum (Semenas et al 2001). The D. latum and D. dendriticum parasite species were not originally from South America and were originally introduced to the continent by European immigrants (Semenas & Úbeda 1997).…”

New cases of human diphyllobothriosis in Patagonia, Argentine

“…D. latum continues to be the only etiological agent of human diphyllobothriosis in Patagonia. These data combined other collected information 5 increase the number of autochthonous cases of diphyllobothriosis reported in Argentina to 18. Other two cases were suspected but, as parasitological material was not available for analysis, they cannot be included as positive ones.…”

“…3 Of all known species of Diphyllobothrium only 3 are found in South America: D. pacificum with marine cycle and D. latum and D. dendriticum with freshwater cycle, these latter two were brought to South America via European immigrants. 5 The first case of human diphyllobothriosis was registered in Argentina in 1911, in a young Russian immigrant who had just arrived in the country. 1 Seventy years passed until the first autochthonous case was identified in 1982.…”

“…4 D. latum is recognized as the only etiological agent of diphyllobothriosis in Argentina and the disease is restricted to the Andean Patagonia. 5 The purpose of this study is to describe 4 new cases of diphyllobothriosis in Patagonia (Argentina).…”

“…4,5 Presence of plerocercoids of D. latum and D. dendriticum in Salmo trutta, Salvelinus fontinalis, S. salar and Oncorhynchus mykiss of numerous water bodies between lake Huechulaufquen (39º46'S) and lake Rosario (43º15'S), including the provinces of Neuquén, Río Negro and Chubut, 4 let one presume their presence in the majority of waterbeds of the region. The great development of fishing sport in Patagonia and the prevalence of plerocercosis in different species of salmonids 4,5 would indicate that this illness is probably underdiagnosed in humans in that region.…”