INTRODUCCIÓNLa equinococosis es una enfermedad parasitaria y zoonótica de distribución mundial 1 el agente etiológico descrito en Chile es el Echinococcus granulosus, siendo el perro el hospedador definitivo de mayor importancia epidemiológica 2 . Esta enfermedad tiene una mayor prevalencia en áreas donde la ganadería es la actividad más relevante [3][4] . La prueba de "arecolina" es la técnica utilizada tradicionalmente para determinar la prevalencia de equinococosis. Este método se basa en el empleo de bromhidrato de arecolina, alcaloide derivado de la nuez de areca, con acción parasimpaticomimética 9 , que produce, en el individuo tratado, la evacuación del contenido intestinal 10 . Actúa sobre la musculatura lisa del parásito, provocándole parálisis y causando su desprendimiento de la mucosa entérica 11 . Se describe una alta sensibilidad, cercana al 100%, con valores predictivos positivos altos, a través de todo el rango de posibles prevalencias, mientras que el valor predictivo negativo bordea el 68% 12 . La especificidad depende de la respuesta efectiva del perro a la administración de bromhidrato de arecolina, logrando la evacuación intestinal (10 a 25% de los perros no reaccionan a la droga), y de la técnica en la lectura de la muestra [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] .

We performed postmortem examination on four South American sea lions (Otaria byronia) from an urban colony in Valdivia, Chile. Chronic leptospirosis and suspected morbillivirus-like infection were diagnosed in one individual. Antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii and the zoonotic helminthes Contracaecum sp., Pseudoterranova sp., and Diphyllobothrium sp. were also detected.

Pork has been traditionally considered an important source of human Toxoplasma gondii infection. Pigs, as other meat-producing animals, can become infected by the ingestion of oocysts that are shed in the environment by infected cats or by the consumption of cysts present in tissues of infected mammals, commonly small rodents. The objective of this study was to investigate the level of T. gondii infection in swine from southern Chile that can be associated with the ingestion of oocysts and therefore exposure to a contaminated environment. A total of 340 serum samples from swine were obtained from three commercial slaughterhouses located in the Araucania and Los Rios Regions from southern Chile. Study animals originated from local farms, mainly small commercial producers, and the meat is sold locally. Overall, 8.8% (30/340) of the samples showed T. gondii-specific IgG antibodies. Of these sero-positive animals, 80% (24/30) were also positive for antibodies specific against the oocyst stage of the parasite, indicating that animals had been infected recently by the ingestion of oocysts. The observed results suggest a high level of environmental contamination with oocysts on the farms of origin. In addition to the food safety problems associated with the consumption of meat from infected animals, the high level of environmental contamination on the farm represents a direct health risk for people living and/or working on these farms. Consequently, there is a need to develop on-farm monitoring programmes and identify risk reduction strategies (food storage, water purification, rodent control and contact with cats) that are appropriate and cost-effective for informal and outdoor type of farms.

Primer aislamiento de Cronobacter spp (Enterobacter sakazakii) en fórmula láctea en polvo producida en Chile RESUMEN La familia Enterobacteriaceae contempla agentes comunes en las enfermedades transmitidas por los alimentos. De esta familia Cronobacter spp, es considerado un patógeno que afecta principalmente a recién nacidos, los que pueden adquirirla a través de fórmulas lácteas infantiles en polvo contaminadas. Objetivo: Pesquisar Cronobacter spp, en una fórmula láctea en polvo producida en Chile. Material y método: En julio de 2008, se obtuvieron 80 muestras desde una planta ubicada en la Región de Los Lagos. Para el aislamiento de Cronobacter spp, se utilizó el método descrito en la norma ISO/TS 22964. Las muestras fueron analizadas en el

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