Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Report of 15 injuries caused by lionfish (pterois volitans) in aquarists in Brazil: a critical assessment of the severity of envenomations
Abstract Lionfish are venomous fish that belong to the Scorpaenidae family. Individuals of this family and those of the Synanceiidae family comprise most of the existing venomous fish in the world. Lionfish are originally found in the Indo-Pacific, but they have received special attention in the last years for their dissemination in the Atlantic Ocean, with the emergence of large populations in the USA, Caribbean and South America. Because of its beauty, this fish has always been present in private and commercial aquariums around the world. Herein, we describe 15 envenomations in aquarists registered in a period of eightee...
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - May 16, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

DNA damage in BALB/c mice infected with Lacazia loboi and its relation to nutritional status
Conclusion These results indicate that dietary restriction and L. loboi infection may increase DNA damage levels in mice, as detected by the comet assay. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases)
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - May 16, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

Feeding habits of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in an area of sylvatic transmission of yellow fever in the state of São Paulo, Brazil
Conclusions The human population of the region visits this ecotone frequently, which indicates the need for the periodical assessment of vaccination coverage against yellow fever. The frequency of non-human primate blood source in mosquito species that show minor vector importance in yellow fever virus transmission deserves attention. The eclectic feeding habits and some aspects of the interactions between potential vectors and reservoirs of yellow fever may be associated with the habitat fragmentation characteristic of the region. We recommend that further studies on the capacity and vector competence be performed on seco...
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - May 16, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

Antimycobacterial and cytotoxicity activity of microcystins
Conclusions These preliminary results suggest that [D-Leu1] MC-LR is a promising candidate for the development of a new antimycobacterial agent. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases)
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - March 31, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

Paederus beetles: the agent of human dermatitis
Conclusions Paederus dermatitis is extremely frequent in villages with poor housing facilities and could be avoided via community awareness. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases)
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - March 31, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

Biodegradation of [D-Leu1] microcystin-LR by a bacterium isolated from sediment of Patos Lagoon estuary, Brazil
Conclusions The use of bacteria isolated from sediment for technological applications to remove toxic compounds is viable. Studies have shown that sediment plays an important role as a source of bacteria capable of degrading cyanobacterial toxins. This is the first Brazilian report on a bacterium–of the genus Pseudomonas–that can degrade [D-Leu1] microcystin-LR, the most frequent microcystin variant in Brazilian freshwaters. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases)
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - March 31, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

The red seaweed Plocamium brasiliense shows anti-snake venom toxic effects
Conclusion Seaweeds may be a promising source of inhibitors against toxic effects caused by B. jararacaenvenomation, which may contribute to antivenom treatment. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases)
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - March 1, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

Seroepidemiological analysis of toxoplasmosis in college students
Conclusion In this study, the use of different chromogenic substrates in immunoenzymatic ELISA assays did not display different sensitivity in the detection of T. gondii-reagent serum. The extrapolation of results to this population must be carefully considered, since the investigation was conducted on a reduced sample. However, it allows us to emphasize the importance of careful and well prepared studies to identify risk factors for toxoplasmosis, to adopt preventive measures and to offer guidance to at-risk populations about the disease. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases)
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - March 1, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

Post-exposure treatment of Ebola virus using passive immunotherapy: proposal for a new strategy
Conclusion Hyperimmune equine IgG fragments and purified polyclonal whole IgG deserve further consideration as treatment for exposure to the Ebola virus. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases)
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - March 1, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

Massive attack by honeybees in a German shepherd dog: description of a fatal case and review of the literature
In the present study, a fatal case caused by honeybee (Apis cerana) stings was documented in a female German shepherd dog that was presented at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan. Characteristic clinical signs included hematuria, hematemesis, incoordination and convulsions along with evidence of massive honeybee attack supported the diagnosis of envenomation. The dog was treated with dexamethasone and diphenhydramine, but it did not respond to therapy and died. This outcome could be avoided if we had a bee antivenom available for treating envenomated patients. (Source: Journal ...
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - January 23, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

Envenomation caused by Rhopalurus amazonicus Lourenço, 1986 (Scorpiones, Buthidae) in Pará State, Brazil
This study contributes to develop the knowledge on venomous scorpions, particularly those that may cause envenomations in this region. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases)
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - January 23, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

Does the rattle of Crotalus durissus terrificus reveal its dietary history?
Conclusions Based on the present results, it can be inferred that most C. d. terrificus snakes (60%) fed animals from a C3 environment; birds consist of an alimentary alternative for snakes, as well as rodents, small reptiles and amphibians; different venom compositions among snakes from the same region may be related to the food type; the primary rattle of offspring reflects the maternal diet during gestation; and, finally, the different rattle rings indicate the alimentary history of these animals. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases)
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - January 23, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

Virulence factors and antibiotic resistance of Helicobacter pylori isolated from raw milk and unpasteurized dairy products in Iran
Conclusions High presence of antibiotic-resistant strains of H. pylori suggest that milk and dairy samples may be the sources of bacteria that can cause severe infection. Our findings should raise awareness about antibiotic resistance in H. pylori strains in Iran. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases)
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - January 23, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

Antileishmanial and antitrypanosomal activity of the cutaneous secretion of Siphonops annulatus
Conclusions The present study demonstrated for the first time the antiparasitic activity of the skin secretion of the caecilian S. annulatus against Leishmania and T. cruzi, confirming that skin secretions of these amphibians, similarly to those of anurans and salamanders, are also potential tools for the development of new drug candidates against neglected diseases. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases)
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - January 23, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

Poisoning after ingestion of pufferfish in Brazil: report of 11 cases
In this brief communication the authors report eleven cases of human poisoning caused by ingestion of pufferfish meat. Three patients (two children and one adult) were seriously affected. The circumstances that precipitated the poisoning are discussed as well as the clinical aspects observed. No deaths were registered and the patients did not present sequelae after the episode. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases)
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - January 23, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research