Universidad de la Salle

Las siguientes son publicaciones realizadas por los investigadores de la Universidad de La Salle en Salud y Bienestar Animal.

The role of animal reservoirs in social-environmental landscapes: remarks on the control of avian influenza and preparedness for pandemics

Influenza viruses are well known for their ability to infect and cause disease in a broad range of hosts. Modern advances in reverse genetics have enabled scientists to probe the mutations that allow influenza viruses to perform host switching. Despite this detailed understanding of the molecular modifications that allow host switching and adaptation, there is a gap in knowledge regarding the factors external to the virus and their interactions that act as triggers leading to a pandemic. Studies on the ecology of zoonotic pathogens should be the new paradigm for understanding not only influenza viruses but any other infectious disease that can be a threat to animal and human health. The literature regarding influenza pandemics and influenza virus reservoirs was reviewed to analyse how social and economic changes can influence the appearance of new outbreaks of influenza. In addition, the importance of new research in a dynamic environment driven by the expansion of human territories and animal production systems is highlighted. A new paradigm is proposed for novel research approaches to infectious diseases such as influenza.

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Assessment of the spatial accessibility to the rabies vaccination campaign in Bogota, Colombia

Introduction: The access of Bogota's population to health services is unknown, and this hinders the planning of health prevention strategies. Objective: To estimate the spatial accessibility to the vaccination sites of the 2011 campaign against rabies in Bogota, Colombia, and to compare its efficiency with two other spatial coverage methodologies. Materials and methods: Spatial accessibility was determined using the two-step floating catchment area model (2SFCA). We calculated spatial coverage by establishing circular buffer zones using Euclidean distances, and irregular zones around the vaccination sites using Dijkstra's algorithm on the city's street network. Results: The spatial coverage of the program was 78.4% using the circular buffer zones, and 60.2% using Dijsktra's algorithm. The spatial accessibility analysis revealed that the periphery of the city had the lowest accessibility to the program. This peripheral area is a very critical zone because it is an urban-rural interface, which represents a risk for the re-introduction of rabies in the city. Conclusions: The 2SFCA spatial accessibility model is an effective tool to identify isolated areas, evaluate health services use more precisely, and provide basis for their strategic location. We concluded that this approach had the potential to improve resource efficiency when planning rabies control programs in urban environments such as Bogota. The findings emphasize the need for surveillance and intervention in isolated areas with low access to services.

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Prioritization of zoonotic viral diseases in feral pigs, domestic pigs and humans interface

Introduction: Understanding the ecology of diseases requires the comprehension of pathogens in wild life-livestock interface. Feral pigs (Sus scrofa) are a health problem when countries work to prevent and control zoonotic diseases, as their populations raise environmental and health concerns due to infectious agents transmissible to domestic pigs and other animal species, including humans. Objective: To prioritize zoonotic diseases in the feral pigs, domestic animals and humans interface. Materials and methods: The semi-quantitative prioritization method based on evidence included 27 criteria founded in recent publications. According to viral etiology we classified them in five categories: epidemiology (eight), prevention/control (three), economy/trade (four), public health (nine) and society (three). Each criterion had a coefficient of 0 to 7 according to their impact based on evidence (maximum sum of 189). Evidence on the criteria for the nine viral diseases analyzed came from the review of 81 sources published between 1977 and 2015. Results: The top three diseases with the highest score and zoonotic potential were swine influenza (133), hepatitis E (123), and hantavirus infection (103), whose highest scores were observed on epidemiology and public health criteria. Conclusion: The semi-quantitative methods of prioritization impartially contribute to decision-making based on evidence; however, they are seldom used in developing countries due to the lack of data from public health surveillance. Control of shared diseases requires the development of strategies to reduce transmission of pathogens between wildlife and domestic animals and humans.

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Chronic Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Treatment Variably Affects Cellular Repolarization in a Healed Post-MI Arrhythmia Model

Introduction: Over the last 40 years omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been shown to be anti-arrhythmic or pro-arrhythmic depending on the method and duration of administration and model studied. We previously reported that omega-3 PUFAs do not confer anti-arrhythmic properties and are pro-arrhythmic in canine model of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Here, we evaluated the effects of chronic omega-3 PUFA treatment in post-MI animals susceptible (VF+) or resistant (VF-) to ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Methods: Perforated patch clamp techniques were used to measure cardiomyocyte action potential durations (APD) at 50 and 90% repolarization and short term variability of repolarization. The early repolarizing transient outward potassium current I-to was also studied. Results: Omega-3 PUFAs prolonged the action potential in VF- myocytes at both 50 and 90% repolarization. Short term variability of repolarization was increased in both untreated and treated VF- myocytes vs. controls. Ito was unaffected by omega-3 PUFA treatment. Omega-3 PUFA treatment attenuated the action potential prolongation in VF+ myocytes, but did not return repolarization to control values. Conclusions: Omega-3 PUFAs do not confer anti arrhythmic properties in the setting of healed myocardial infarction in a canine model of SCD. In canines previously resistant to ventricular fibrillation (VF-), omega-3 PUFA treatment prolonged the action potential in VF- myocytes, and may contribute to pro-arrhythmic responses.

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