No abstract

This study compared the serum levels of IL-6, TNF-and IFN-, in children under 1 year of age with and without dengue. Sera were collected from a total of 41 children living in the Department of Antioquia, Colombia (27 patients with dengue and 14 controls). The results showed higher cytokine levels in children with dengue than without dengue, with statistically significant differences for IL-6 and IFN-. No statistically significant differences were found between clinical forms, although IL-6 and IFN-levels were higher in dengue fever cases than in dengue hemorrhagic fever cases. On the other hand, TNF-levels were higher in dengue hemorrhagic fever than in dengue fever. The levels of IL-6 and TNF-were higher in secondary infection than in primary infection, although IFN-levels were higher in primary infection. These results suggest that IL-6, TNF-and IFN-are involved in dengue infection independently of the clinical form.

En 1997 se realiz-un estudio descriptivo con Žnfasis cualitativo con objeto de documentar los conocimientos y las pr ‡cticas relacionados con la leishmaniasis cut ‡nea, segoen el sexo, en los habitantes de 14 a-os en adelante de siete comunidades del departamento del RESUMENLa leishmaniasis es una zoonosis de amplia distribuci-n mundial que representa un problema de salud poeblica en muchos pa'ses del Tercer Mundo. En Colombia, la enfermedad es endŽmica y se encuentra en 91% de todo el territorio ubicado bajo los 1 750 m sobre el nivel del mar. Durante 1995, se registraron casos de la enfermedad en 45% de los municipios del pa's. La leishmaniasis es una dolencia cr-nica, lo que hace dif'cil distinguir

No abstract

Leishmania species of the subgenus Viannia account for 88% of all cases of leishmaniasis recorded in Colombia. Correct diagnosis is essential as infection with members of this subgenus can produce disfiguring destruction of the mucosa. Several methods are available to diagnose leishmaniasis in clinical samples. More recently, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been used, with varying sensitivities and specificities depending on the primers used. In this paper we report on the sensitivity and specificity of PCR primers B1/B2 used on clinical samples and compare their use to the conventional parasitological methods. PCR alone is more sensitive than any single conventional method used, but a combination of conventional methods produced comparable sensitivity. PCR is well suited for use in selected cases and as a test for mucosal leishmaniasis.