Browsing by Author "Reiter-Owona, Ingrid"
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Item Is there a risk of filarial infection during long-term missions in Haiti?(Elsevier, 2016) Weitzel, Thomas; Rosas, Reinaldo; Fica, Alberto; Dabanch, Jeannette; Polanco, Myriam; Egaña, Alicia; Triantafilo, Vjera; Pfarr, Kenneth; Hoerauf, Achim; Reiter-Owona, IngridBACKGROUND: Haiti has the highest prevalence of lymphatic filariasis (Wuchereria bancrofti) in the Western Hemisphere. Still, the risk of filarial infection for long-term visitors such as humanitarian aid workers or military personnel is uncertain. The presented study analyzed the exposure to W. bancrofti in Chilean participants of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) in 2011. METHODS: Blood samples collected from 531 participants were screened for antifilarial antibodies by IgG ELISA, and, if positive, analyzed by immunofluorescence assay (IFA), IgG4 ELISA, Real-Time PCR, and circulating filarial antigen (CFA) card test. RESULTS: ELISA screening was positive in 10 cases. Seroconversion occurred in only two cases (0.38%) based on ELISA values determined in samples taken before and after deployment. Positive IgG ELISA values could not be confirmed by IFA and IgG4 ELISA. Real-Time PCR and CFA testing did not reveal the presence of filaria. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that in the examined cohort of MINUSTAH participants in 2011, the risk of filarial exposure or infection was low.Item Prevalence and risk Factors for echinococcal infection in a rural area of northern Chile: A household-based cross-sectional study(Public Library of Medical Science, 2014) Acosta-Jamett, Gerardo; Weitzel, Thomas; Boufana, Belgees; Adones, Claudia; Bahamonde, Andrea; Abarca, Katia; Craig, Philip; Reiter-Owona, IngridHydatidosis is a hyperendemic zoonotic disease in Chile caused by the dog tapeworm, Echinococcus granulosus. In Chile as in many other countries in South America, this disease has been largely neglected with few exceptions. Chile’s growing economy and the interest of health authorities has lead to an increase in the number of studies investigating the epidemiology of echinococcosis and the factors related to infections of the main definitive host, the domestic dog and humans. In this study, we determined the prevalence of human and canine echinococcosis as well as the associated risk factors in a rural area of the Limarı´ province in northern Chile. We undertook a household questionnaire survey in rural areas of the five municipalities of the Limarı´ province in Coquimbo region. For each household serum of an adult family member and fecal samples from a dog were taken. Results of our study indicate that infection occurs in 2.6% of humans and 28% of dogs and is primarily due to feeding of dogs with contaminated offal and high dog-human contact. As a result of this study, the Chilean Ministry of Health instigated a control program aimed to control the infection in dogs and avoid new infections to humans.