Leptospirosis is one of the main re-emerging zoonotic diseases with a worldwide distribution, mainly in regions with hot or tropical climates. It is caused by the spirochetal bacteria of the genus Leptospira, which, in their pathogenic life forms, causes asymptomatic to severe infections in humans and animals. Animal-to-human transmission occurs most frequently in occupationally exposed groups and in travelers. However, leptospirosis also represents a disease associated with poverty and low sanitation environments, in rural and urban communities, in close contact with companion animals and livestock. A search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google scholar databases using query terms related to Leptospira/leptospirosis, reported during 1990-2020. This review focuses on the description of biologic and socioenvironmental drivers that influence the occurrence of the disease in humans. Leptospirosis is found at the human-animal-environment interfaces, and represents a challenge for public and animal health, and food production; hence, improving the strategies for prevention control and surveillance in Latin-American countries is critical, as one of the regions most affected by the disease.

Introduction: Giardia lamblia, a protozoan intestinal parasite is able to evade or suppress defense mechanisms, such as innate response. Antigen presenting cells (APC) like dendritic cells may orchestrate an immune response and support a more effective adaptive defense. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a dietary lipid, has shown biological activity on APC. The aim was to evaluate the effect of CLA in intestinal innate response measuring the frequency of mucosal APC populations in Giardia lamblia murine infection.Method: The giardiasis infection model was established in C3H/HeN mice (n=32), and parasite load was followed at 0, 2, 6 and 8 days post infection (dpi). APC obtained from small intestine by enzymatic digestion were assessed by flow cytometry. Oral supplementation with CLA (50:50 of cis-9, trans-11-CLA and trans-10, cis-12-CLA isomers) and placebo control begun three days before infection and continued during first week post infection.Results: Infection kinetics showed a peak of trophozoites at 6 dpi in acute phase. Parasite load was lower in CLA group in comparison with control infected group (p<0.05). Conjugated linoleic acid stimulates innate immune response, percentage of intestinal CD11chiMHC-IIhi increases after 2 dpi, meanwhile CD11chiMHC-IIhiCD103+ APC was higher after three days of CLA supplementation than control (p<0.05). Also, the CD11c+ F4/80+ population shown a percentage increases after 6 and 8 dpi by the effect of treatment and time of infection (p<0.05).Conclusion: In conclusion CLA increased percentages of small intestine APC phenotypes CD11chiMHCIIhi, CD11chiMHCIIhiCD103+ and CD11c+ F4/80+, and reduced G. lamblia parasitic load. Further studies are needed to elucidate potential mechanisms involved in CLA immunomodulatory effect and its contribution in adaptive immune response. 

Se empleó la técnica molecular de Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa (PCR, por sus siglas en inglés), comparada con la técnica serológica de referencia para la detección de Leptospira spp., para evaluar su aplicación como método de diagnóstico de leptospirosis en muestras de pacientes sintomáticos de reciente infección, atendidos por el sector salud del noroeste de México. Se analizaron muestras de 34 pacientes tanto por PCR como por la técnica de microaglutinación (MAT, por sus siglas en inglés). Los resultados obtenidos mediante PCR mostraron completa concordancia con las determinaciones de pacientes positivos o indeterminados mediante MAT. De 31 muestras negativas o no confirmadas por MAT, 7 resultaron positivas mediante la prueba de PCR (20%). La técnica de PCR implementada en este estudio mostró ser una herramienta útil en el diagnóstico de la enfermedad combinada con la prueba serológica MAT, destacando su ventaja en la detección temprana de la leptospirosis.