State University of Santa Cruz

About: State University of Santa Cruz is a education organization based out in Ilhéus, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Species richness. The organization has 3266 authors who have published 4642 publications receiving 51876 citations. The organization is also known as: Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz.

[Zoonotic parasites in dog feces at public squares in the municipality of Itabuna, Bahia, Brazil].

Abstract: The contamination of public squares by zoonotic potential parasites was evaluated at the urban areas in the municipality of Itabuna Brasil. For such, 119 fecal samples of dogs were collected at 10 public squares. After that, these feces samples were transported to the Parasitology Laboratory in the UESC and they were analyzed by Mariano and Carvalho's method. Of the total analized samples, 56.3% show some parasitic evolutive form. Ancylostoma sp. was the most frequently (47.9%), followed by Strongyloides stercortalis (6.7%), Toxocara canis and Trichuris vulpis eggs (4.2%) each, Endolimax nana cysts (2.5%), and Giardia intestinalis and Entamoeba coli cysts (0.8%) each.

An annotated catalogue of the leafcutter and mason bees (genus Megachile ) of the Neotropics

Abstract: Megachile is treated here as a single genus combining Megachile with Chalicodoma. In the Americas the genus occurs from Alaska and Canada to southern Chile and Argentina, and is well represented in the tropics. Despite their economic and ecological importance as pollinators, the biology of few species has been studied in detail largely because they are difficult to identify. The 419 species in the catalogue are allocated to 28 subgenera (including 10 Old World species introduced to the region and one species dubiously recorded from the New World). Summaries of information on each species’ classification, biology and geographical distribution are given.

HTLV-1 in pregnant women from the Southern Bahia, Brazil: a neglected condition despite the high prevalence.

Abstract: Background: As the most frequent pathway of vertical transmission of HTLV-1 is breast-feeding, and considering the higher prevalence in women, it is very important to perform screening examinations for anti-HTLV-1 antibodies as part of routine prenatal care. So far, no studies of HTLV-1 seroprevalence in pregnant women in the Southern region of Bahia, Brazil, have been described. Methods: Pregnant women were selected at the two regional reference centers for health care from Southern Bahia. A total of 2766 pregnant women attending the antenatal unit between November 2008 and May 2010 have been analyzed. An extra blood sample was drawn during their routine antenatal testing. A standardized questionnaire was applied and all positive plasma samples were tested by ELISA and were confirmed by Western Blot and PCR. Besides that, positive women were contacted and visited. The family members that were present during the visit were asked to be serologically screened to the virus. A prospective study was also carried out and newborns were followed up to two years for evaluation of vertical transmission. Results: HTLV prevalence was 1.05% (CI 95%: 0.70-1.50). There was no association of HTLV-1 infection with age, education, income and ethnic differences. The association with marital status was borderline (OR = 7.99; 95% CI 1.07-59.3; p = 0.042). In addition, 43 family members of the HTLV-1 seropositive women have been analyzed and specific reactivity was observed in 32.56%, including two children from previous pregnancy. Conclusion: It is very important to emphasize that the lack of HTLV-1 screening in pregnant women can promote HTLV transmission especially in endemic areas. HTLV screening in this vulnerable population and the promotion of bottle-feeding for children of seropositive mothers could be important cost-effective methods to limit the vertical transmission. Besides that, our data reinforce the need to establish strategies of active surveillance in household and family contacts as important epidemiological surveillance actions for the early detection of virus infection and the prevention of transmission by sexual or and parenteral contact.