Browsing by Autor "Ariel Loza Vega"

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Antibody Response to an Anti‐rabies Vaccine in a Dog Population under Field Conditions in Bolivia
(Wiley, 2008) K. Suzuki; Ester Teresa González; G. Ascarrunz; Ariel Loza Vega; M. Pérez; Gonzalo Ruíz-Filippi; L. Rojas; Kristen Clancy Mancilla; J. A. C. Pereira; J. A. Guzmán
Rabies remains an important public health issue in Bolivia, South America. Public concern and fears are most focussed on dogs as the source of rabies. The objective of the present study was to assess immunity of an inactivated suckling mouse brain vaccine against canine rabies used for the official vaccination campaigns under field conditions in an endemic area of rabies in Bolivia. A total of 236 vaccinated and 44 unvaccinated dogs in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, selected using stratified random sampling, were investigated in order to obtain owned dog characteristics and antibody titres against rabies in April 2007. The proportion of vaccinated dogs with an antibody titre exceeded the protection threshold value of 0.5 EU/ml was 58% [95% confidence intervals (CI): 52-65], indicating that vaccination is likely to elicit an antibody response (odds ratio 6.3, 95% CI: 1.2-11.5). The range of geometric mean of antibody titre for vaccinated dogs (0.89 EU/ml; 95% CI: 0.75-1.04) was considered to meet the minimal acceptable level indicating an adequate immune response to the vaccine. However, the titre level was not satisfactory in comparison with the results from other field investigations with inactivated tissue culture vaccines. It is recommended for public health authorities to (1) consider modernizing their vaccine manufacturing method because the level of immunity induced by the current vaccine is comparably low, (2) conduct frequent vaccination campaigns to maintain high levels of vaccination coverage, and (3) actively manage the domestic dog population in the study area, which is largely responsible for rabies maintenance.
Antibody seroprevalences against rabies in dogs vaccinated under field conditions in Bolivia
(Springer Science+Business Media, 2008) K. Suzuki; Marcelo Ricardo Ítalo Pecoraro; Ariel Loza Vega; M. Pérez; Gonzalo Ruíz-Filippi; G. Ascarrunz; L. Rojas; Anabely Estevez; J. A. Guzmán; J. A. C. Pereira
Bovine trypanosomosis in the Bolivian Pantanal
(Elsevier BV, 2007) José L. Gonzáles; E. Chacon; Miguel Ángel Miranda Chueca; Ariel Loza Vega; L.M. Siles
Canine rabies and risk of dog aggression in the city of Santa Cruz. A temporal-spatial perspective
(Selva Andina Research Society, 2025) Gladys Carolina Herbas-Perez; Alvaro Guibarra Urquieta; Nestor Gomez Salvatierra; Saul Jhonny Ruiz Justiniano; Ariel Loza Vega
Canine rabies and dog attacks represent a significant challenge to public health, particularly in endemic regions such as Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. This study analyzed factors associated with dog bites and canine rabies cases in the city between 2019 and 2022, using georeferencing tools to identify key epidemiological patterns and provide relevant information for control strategies. In 2022, a total of 2900 animal attack cases were recorded, 81.6 % of which were caused by dogs. The victims were predominantly men (54 %) and adults aged 20 to 64 years (47 %). Most attacks occurred on the lower limbs (44.6 %) and were caused by known dogs (77.2 %). Additionally, the circumstances of the attacks varied, with accidental incidents being the most common. However, attacks without apparent cause were more likely when the aggressor was an unknown dog (OR 1.88, p < .001). Spatial analysis, conducted using the Kernel density method, identified clusters of attacks around the health centers included in the study, while canine rabies cases were concentrated in peri-urban areas of the city, particularly in the eastern regions. Of the 855 suspected canine rabies cases analyzed during the study period, 1.5 % (n=13) tested positive, primarily in unvaccinated male mixed-breed dogs. The proportion of positive cases decreased progressively since 2019, reflecting progress in vaccination campaigns and canine population control. This study highlights the need for comprehensive public health strategies, including mass vaccination programs, educational campaigns, and the promotion of responsible pet ownership. It also underscores the importance of improving epidemiological surveillance and access to medical services to reduce rabies transmission and respond more effectively to dog bites. The findings provide essential evidence for designing targeted interventions for vulnerable communities in endemic areas.
Detección de micotoxinas en alimentos balanceados secos para caninos. Un riesgo para la salud animal en Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
(Selva Andina Research Society, 2025) Miguel Alfredo Vargas-Gómez; Ariel Loza Vega
La presencia de micotoxinas representa un riesgo grave para la salud ya que son metabolitos fúngicos secundarios, que causan enfermedades tanto agudas como crónicas en humanos y animales. Los cereales, que son componentes principales en la formulación de alimentos secos para mascotas, son especialmente susceptibles a la contaminación por micotoxinas. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar la contaminación por aflatoxinas, fumonisinas y zearalenona en alimentos balanceados secos para perros, que servirá como base para estimar el riesgo del desarrollo de patologías hepáticas y renales en caninos de Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Para ello se analizaron 45 muestras de alimentos balanceados secos para perros obtenidas del Distrito Municipal 1 de la ciudad de Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. Los resultados revelaron que las aflatoxinas fueron, la micotoxina más frecuente (67 %), fumonisinas (47 %) y zearale-nona (2 %). En función al lugar de adquisición de las muestras, en los mercados se obtuvo un porcentaje de muestras positivas del 63 % aflatoxinas, 26 % fumonisinas y 5 % zearalenona. En contraste, las tiendas 69, 62 y 0 % para las mismas micotoxinas, respectivamente. Los alimentos a granel, la mayor contaminación por aflatoxinas (100 %), 53 % en bolsa cerrada y 47 % envasados artesanalmente. Por el contrario, los alimentos con mayor contaminación por fumonisinas fueron en bolsa cerrada (73 %), a granel (40 %) y artesanal (27 %). Además, un 35% de las muestras presentaron contaminación simultánea por aflatoxinas y fumonisinas, lo que subraya la importancia de continuar investigando el riesgo potencial de una exposición simultánea a estas micotoxinas. Estos hallazgos resaltan la necesidad de implementar controles estrictos en la selección de materias primas, la forma de manipulación y en las condiciones de almacenamiento, así como de continuar investigando el impacto de las micotoxinas en la salud de las mascotas.
Detection of Bovine Leukemia Virus in Argentine, Bolivian, Paraguayan and Cuban Native Cattle Using a Quantitative Real-Time PCR Assay-BLV-CoCoMo-qPCR-2
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2025) Guillermo Giovambattista; Aronggaowa Bao; Olivia Marcuzzi; Ariel Loza Vega; J. A. C. Pereira; María Florencia Ortega Masagué; L Castro; Rubén D. Martínez; Odalys Uffo; Yoko Aida
Bovine leukemia virus (BLV), an oncogenic retrovirus of the genus Deltaretrovirus, causes enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL), the most prevalent neoplastic disease in cattle and a major source of economic loss. While BLV prevalence has been studied in commercial breeds, data on native Latin American cattle remain limited. This study assessed BLV infection and proviral load in 244 animals from six native breeds: Argentine Creole (CrAr), Patagonian Argentine Creole (CrArPat), Pampa Chaqueño Creole (CrPaCh), Bolivian Creole from Cochabamba (CrCoch), Saavedreño Creole (CrSaa), and Siboney (Sib), sampled across Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Cuba. BLV-CoCoMo-qPCR-2 assay detected BLV provirus in 76 animals (31.1%), with a mean load of 9923 copies per 105 cells (range: 1-79,740). Infection rates varied significantly by breed (9.8% in CrAr to 83.8% in CrPaCh) and country (15.6% in Argentina to 83.8% in Paraguay) (p = 9.999 × 10-5). Among positives, 57.9% exhibited low proviral load (≤1000 copies), and 13.2% showed moderate levels (1001-9999), suggesting potential resistance to EBL progression. This is the first comprehensive report of BLV proviral load in Creole cattle across Latin America, offering novel epidemiological insights and highlighting the importance of native breeds in BLV surveillance.
Detection of mycotoxins in dry dog food. A risk for animal health in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
(Selva Andina Research Society, 2025) Miguel Alfredo Vargas-Gómez; Ariel Loza Vega
The presence of mycotoxins represents a serious health risk as they are secondary fungal metabolites, which cause both acute and chronic diseases in humans and animals. Cereals, which are major components in dry pet food formulation, are particularly susceptible to mycotoxin contamination. This study aimed to investigate aflatoxin, fumonisin and zearalenone contamination in dry balanced dog foods, which will serve as a basis for estimating the risk of developing liver and kidney pathologies in canines in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. For this purpose, 45 samples of dry balanced dog food obtained from Municipal District 1 of the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, were analyzed. The results revealed that aflatoxins were the most frequent mycotoxin (67 %), fumonisin (47 %) and zearalenone (2 %). According to the place of purchase of the samples, markets showed a percentage of positive samples of 63 % aflatoxins, 26 % fumonisin and 5 % zearalenone. In contrast, shops 69, 62 and 0 % for the same mycotoxins, respectively. Bulk foods had the highest aflatoxin contamination (100 %), 53 % in closed bags and 47 % hand-packed. On the contrary, the foods with the highest fumonisin contamination were in closed bag (73 %), bulk (40 %) and handmade (27 %). In addition, 35% of the samples showed simultaneous contamination by aflatoxins and fumonisin, which underlines the importance of further investigating the potential risk of simultaneous exposure to these mycotoxins. These findings highlight the need to implement strict controls on raw material selection, handling and storage conditions, as well as to further investigate the impact of mycotoxins on pet health.
Divergent adaptation to highland and tropical environments in Bolivian Creole cattle
(Elsevier BV, 2025) Olivia Marcuzzi; Paulo Álvarez Cecco; Leónidas H. Olivera; J. A. C. Pereira; Francisco Calcaterra; Ariel Loza Vega; Pilar Peral García; María Elena Fernández; A. Rogberg‐Muñoz; Guillermo Giovambattista
Divergent adaptation to highland and tropical environments in Bolivian Creole cattle
(2024) Guillermo Giovambattista; Olivia Marcuzzi; Paulo Álvarez Cecco; Leónidas H. Olivera; Juan Pereira Rico; Francisco Calcaterra; Ariel Loza Vega; Pilar Peral García; María Baro Fernández; A. Rogberg‐Muñoz
<title>Abstract</title> Bolivian Creole cattle populations evolved under low levels of breeding management and, during more than 500 years of natural selection, became adapted to various environments such as the contrasting highland and subtropical environments. Recently, highland Creole cattle were crossbred with Holstein to improve dairy production. The aim of this research was to evaluate the divergent adaptation through selection footprints of Bolivian Creole cattle from Andean highland and tropical lowlands, and to evaluate the effect of Holstein introgression in highland Creole. For this purpose, 130 Creole cattle (75 highland, 55 lowland) and 88 Holstein were genotyped using a microarray. The database was used to determine population structure and admixture and detect selection sweeps using FST, Rsb, XP-EHH and ROH. Ancestry inference suggested that selection peaks were not due to Holstein introgression. The NCBI database was used to retrieve genes from the common regions and then perform gene ontology analysis. The most prominent selection peaks were on BTA20 and BTA23 and included the <italic>PRLR </italic>(slick phenotype) and<italic> Class I</italic> and <italic>IIa BoLA</italic> genes. Other windows contained candidate genes for hypoxia (<italic>ANXA2</italic>, <italic>NDUFA4L2</italic>), angiogenesis, immune response (<italic>IL7R</italic>, <italic>IL6ST</italic>, <italic>IL31RA</italic>, <italic>C6</italic>, <italic>C7,</italic> <italic>STAT6</italic>, <italic>NKG2A</italic>, <italic>IRAK4</italic>, <italic>KLR, CLEC</italic>), oxidative stress (<italic>GSTA, HSD17B6</italic>) and morphological traits (<italic>PLAG1, CHCHD7</italic>, <italic>CAP2,</italic> <italic>ARL15)</italic>. GO analysis revealed enrichment terms and pathways related to immune response, glutathione and retinol metabolism and reported QTLs for coat characteristics, immune response, and tick resistance. The results suggest the complex mechanism in the adaptation of Bolivian Creole cattle to the contrasting highland and subtropical environments.
Diverse mosquito-specific flaviviruses in the Bolivian Amazon basin
(Microbiology Society, 2021) Yasuko Orba; Keita Matsuno; Ryo Nakao; Kirill Kryukov; Yumi Saito; Fumihiko Kawamori; Ariel Loza Vega; Tokiko Watanabe; Tadashi Maemura; Michihito Sasaki
The genus Flavivirus includes a range of mosquito-specific viruses in addition to well-known medically important arboviruses. Isolation and comprehensive genomic analyses of viruses in mosquitoes collected in Bolivia resulted in the identification of three novel flavivirus species. Psorophora flavivirus (PSFV) was isolated from Psorophora albigenu. The coding sequence of the PSFV polyprotein shares 60 % identity with that of the Aedes-associated lineage II insect-specific flavivirus (ISF), Marisma virus. Isolated PSFV replicates in both Aedes albopictus- and Aedes aegypti-derived cells, but not in mammalian Vero or BHK-21 cell lines. Two other flaviviruses, Ochlerotatus scapularis flavivirus (OSFV) and Mansonia flavivirus (MAFV), which were identified from Ochlerotatus scapularis and Mansonia titillans, respectively, group with the classical lineage I ISFs. The protein coding sequences of these viruses share only 60 and 40 % identity with the most closely related of known lineage I ISFs, including Xishuangbanna aedes flavivirus and Sabethes flavivirus, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that MAFV is clearly distinct from the groups of the current known Culicinae-associated lineage I ISFs. Interestingly, the predicted amino acid sequence of the MAFV capsid protein is approximately two times longer than that of any of the other known flaviviruses. Our results indicate that flaviviruses with distinct features can be found at the edge of the Bolivian Amazon basin at sites that are also home to dense populations of human-biting mosquitoes.
Evolución del parvovirus canino y la emergencia de la variante 2c en Sudamérica: Perspectivas virológicas y epidemiológicas
(Selva Andina Research Society, 2025) Ariel Loza Vega
Since its emergence in the late 1970´s, canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) has undergone significant evolution, giving rise to successive antigenic variants CPV-2a, CPV-2b, and more recently, CPV-2c, which have modified both the pathogenicity and the infection spectrum. This editorial addresses the evolution of CPV from virological and epidemiological perspectives, with a special emphasis on South America, and analyzes aspects of immune responses and vaccination strategies against variant 2c. CPV-2 emerged in 1978 as a highly virulent canine pathogen originating from a feline virus, the feline panleukopenia virus, through a species-jump event. It rapidly disseminated worldwide, causing devastating epidemics in puppies1,2. The genomic evolution of CPV-2 was remarkably swift, partly due to a mutation rate approximating 10-4 per site per year, comparable to some RNA viruses, potentially explaining the generation of new variants with substantial antigenic differences3-5. These variants, designated CPV-2a and CPV-2b, emerged in the early 1980´s, progressively displacing the original virus, increasing infectivity and broadening the host range6-9. With the appearance of the CPV-2c variant in 2000, a key modification occurred at residue 426 of the VP2 protein (from Asp to Glu), affecting neutralizing antibody recognition and presenting new challenges for epidemiological control and vaccine efficacy3,10,11.
Evolution of canine parvovirus and the emergence of variant 2c in South America: Virological and epidemiological perspectives
(Selva Andina Research Society, 2025) Ariel Loza Vega
Genetic diversity of BoLA-DRB3 in Latin American Creole cattle: an update of the state of the art
(Springer Science+Business Media, 2025) Olivia Marcuzzi; Guillermo Giovambattista; Ariel Loza Vega; J. A. C. Pereira; María Florencia Ortega Masagué; L Castro; Rubén D. Martínez; Odalys Uffo Reinosa; Aronggaowa Bao; Sonoko Watanuki
Genetic diversity of the bovine leukocyte antigen BoLA-DRB3 gene has been reported in cattle breeds due to its central role in immune response. However, the gene has been characterized in only a few Latin American native cattle breeds. In this study, we aimed to investigate the genetic diversity of this gene in other native bovine breeds from Argentina, Bolivia, Cuba, and Paraguay, thereby contributing to the global knowledge regarding BoLA-DRB3 diversity. The gene was genotyped using PCR-sequence-based typing; 60 reported alleles and one novel variant were identified. The observed and expected heterozygosity values were higher than 0.81, and only two populations showed deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The Slatkin neutrality test indicated even allele distribution in one population. Nucleotide diversity and the number of pairwise differences ranged from 0.073 to 0.081 and 17.88 to 20.19, respectively. The mean number of non-synonymous and synonymous nucleotide substitutions was estimated for the entire sequence and the antigen-binding site (ABS), with higher values observed in the latter. Amino acid motifs varied in their frequencies, and the diversifying selection index (ω) at each amino acid was high in more than 25 sites, with the most prominent peaks located in the ABS. A distribution of native cattle according to their historical and geographical origin and degree of Zebu gene introgression demonstrated that the Latin American native populations exhibit high variability in the BoLA-DRB3 gene, including private alleles, and a distinct genetic profile, making them a valuable genetic resource and emphasizing the importance of their conservation.
Genetic diversity of Calpain 1 gene in Creole, Nellore and Brahman bovine breeds in Bolivia
(Asociación Latinoamericana de Producción Animal, 2022) J. A. C. Pereira; A.H. Falomir-Lockhart; Ariel Loza Vega; Egle E. Villegas‐Castagnasso; Pedro Rojas; M.H. Carino; Rodrigo Alberto Hoyos Sánchez; A. Rogberg‐Muñoz; Guillermo Giovambattista
In Bolivia, beef production is mainly based on two genotypes, Bos taurus (Creole cattle) and B. indicus (zebu), being weight gain the main selection criteria used by farmers. However, meat quality and especially tenderness must be incorporated in the selection process. Meat tenderness is partly determined by the calpain CAPN1)/ calpastatin (CAST) protein system. Thus, the objective of the present work was to determine and (compare the genetic variability of the CAPN1 gene in Creole (CreBo), Brahman (BraBo) and Nellore (NelBo) breeds in Bolivia. DNA was extracted from blood samples from 147 CreBo, 59 BraBo and 93 NelBo, and three polymorphisms were genotyped using ARMSPCR (CAPN1316 and CAPN14751) and PCRRFLP (CAPN1530). Furthermore, CAPN1316 and CAPN14751 SNPs were analyzed with Axiom™ Bos 1 Genotyping Array r3 and the Axiom™ ArBos 1 Genotyping Array. Allele frequencies associated with higher tenderness in CreBo, BraBo and NelBo were 0.22, 0 and 0.09 (CAPN1316 C; P < 0.001), 0.76, 0.16 and 0.08 (CAPN14751 C; P < 0.001), and 0.77, 0.92 and 0.94 (CAPN1530 G; P < 0.001). Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis revealed the presence of two LD blocks. Our results evidence that CreBo has a higher frequency of alleles associated with higher meat tenderness than the cebuine breeds. These markers could be used in breeding programs to improve Bolivian cattle herd meat quality either by selection within Creole breeds or crosses with cebuine cattle
Genomic analysis of inbreeding level, kinship and breed relationships in Creole cattle from South America
(Wiley, 2024) Olivia Marcuzzi; Francisco Calcaterra; Ariel Loza Vega; María Florencia Ortega Masagué; Eileen Armstrong; J. A. C. Pereira; Eugenio Jara; Leónidas H. Olivera; Pilar Peral García; Guillermo Giovambattista
The conservation of animal genetic resources refers to measures taken to prevent the loss of genetic diversity in livestock populations, including the protection of breeds from extinction. Creole cattle populations have suffered a drastic reduction in recent decades owing to absorbent crosses or replacement with commercial breeds of European or Indian origin. Genetic characterization can serve as a source of information for conservation strategies to maintain genetic variation. The objective of this work was to evaluate the levels of inbreeding and kinship through the use of genomic information. A total of 903 DNAs from 13 cattle populations from Argentina, Bolivia and Uruguay were genotyped using an SNP panel of 48 K. Also, a dataset of 76 K SNPs from Peruvian Creole was included. Two inbreeding indices (FROH and Fhat2) and kinship relationships were calculated. In addition, effective population size (Ne), linkage disequilibrium, population composition and phylogenetic relationships were estimated. In Creole cattle, FROH ranged from 0.14 to 0.03, and Fhat2 was close to zero. The inferred Ne trends exhibited a decline toward the present for all populations, whereas Creole cattle presented a lower magnitude of Ne than foreign breeds. Cluster analysis clearly differentiated the taurine and Zebu components (K2) and showed that Bolivian Creole cattle presented Zebu gene introgression. Despite the population reduction, Creole populations did not present extreme values of consanguinity and kinship and maintain high levels of genetic diversity. The information obtained in this work may be useful for planning conservation programmes for these valuable local animal genetic resources.
Molecular Survey of Babesia and Anaplasma Infection in Cattle in Bolivia
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2021) Shohei Ogata; J. A. C. Pereira; Ariel Loza Vega; Herbas Perez Gladys Carolina; Keita Matsuno; Yasuko Orba; Hirofumi Sawa; Fumihiko Kawamori; Nariaki Nonaka; Ryo Nakao
Latin American countries produce more than a quarter of the world's beef and are a major global supplier of livestock protein. Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are a major constraint to the livestock industry worldwide, including in Latin America. The aim of this study was to detect and characterise tick-borne pathogens in cattle from Santa Cruz, Bolivia, where no detailed epidemiological data are available. Blood samples were collected from 104 cattle. Apicomplexan parasites were detected by nested PCR amplification of the 18S ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA), and Anaplasmataceae was screened by the PCR amplification of 16S rDNA, followed by characterisation based on the heat shock protein and citrate synthase gene sequences. Babesia infection was observed in nine cattle (one Babesia bovis and eight Babesia bigemina), while Anaplasmataceae infection was detected in thirty-two cattle. A sequencing analysis confirmed the presence of Anaplasma marginale and Anaplasma platys-like. These results provide the first molecular evidence for the four above-mentioned tick-borne pathogens in cattle in Bolivia. This information improves our understanding of the epidemiology of TBDs and will help in formulating appropriate and improved pathogen control strategies.
Prevalencia de Leucosis Bovina en la cuenca lechera de la provincia, Cercado de Trinidad, Beni.
(2023) Francis Ferrier Abidar; Ariel Loza Vega
Introducción: Este estudio determinó la prevalencia de rebaño y predial de anticuerpos contra el virus de la Leucosis Bovina en ganado lechero en la provincia Cercado del departamento del Beni. Método: Se visitaron treinta lecherías en cuatro zonas geográficas para estudiar 390 cabezas de ganado lechero. En cada lechería se realizaron cuestionarios, muestreos de sangre. Los sueros de bovinos individuales se analizaron utilizando el método de diagnóstico de inmunodifusión en agar gel (AGID) para la detección de anticuerpos contra el virus de la leucosis bovina, la comparación estadística se realizó mediante el método de Chi Cuadrado, con un nivel de significancia de 0,95 y un valor alfa de 0.05. Resultados: Los resultados obtenidos revelaron una seroprevalencia de 18.20 % (IC.95 %: 14,25-22,16 %) La zona V presentó un 23.07 %, la zona III un 19.23 %, la zona VI un 17.94 %, y la zona IV un 15.38 %. Sin embargo, no se observó diferencias estadísticas significativas entre las zonas estudiadas (P<0.05), develando una diseminación natural de la enfermedad en toda la cuenca lechera. Respecto a la prevalencia por raza, se observó 20.79 % para la raza Criolla, 20.51 % para Gyr Holando, 16.66 % para Mestizas Holando, 18.64% para Pardo Suizo y 12.96 % para Nelore. No se identificaron diferencias estadísticas significativas (P<0.05) entre las razas. El análisis por grupos de edad reveló que las vacas de 5 a 6 años presentaron la mayor prevalencia (21.21 %), seguidas por las de 6 a 7 años (19.51 %), las de más de 7 años (16.66 %), las de 4 a 5 años (12.50 %) y las de 3 a 4 años sin positivos. Conclusión: Estos hallazgos sugieren una distribución homogénea de la leucosis bovina en la población estudiada, independientemente de la procedencia de las vacas.
Rabia canina y riesgo de agresión por perros en la ciudad de Santa Cruz.Una mirada temporo-espacial
(Selva Andina Research Society, 2025) Gladys Carolina Herbas-Perez; Alvaro Guibarra Urquieta; Nestor Gomez Salvatierra; Saul Jhonny Ruiz Justiniano; Ariel Loza Vega
La rabia canina y las agresiones por perros representan un desafío significativo para la salud pública, especialmente en regiones endémicas como Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. Este estudio analizó los factores asociados a las mordeduras de perros y los casos de rabia canina en la ciudad entre 2019 y 2022, empleando herramientas de georreferenciación para identificar patrones epidemiológicos clave y proporcionar información relevante para estrategias de control. Durante el año 2022, se registraron 2900 casos de agresiones por animales, de los cuales el 81.6 % fueron causados por perros. Las víctimas fueron predominantemente hombres (54 %) y adultos de entre 20 y 64 años (47 %). La mayoría de las agresiones ocurrieron en los miembros inferiores (44.6 %) y fueron provocadas por perros conocidos (77.2 %). Asimismo, las circunstancias de las agresiones variaron, siendo las accidentales las más comunes, aunque los ataques sin causa aparente fueron más probables cuando el agresor era un perro desconocido (OR 1.88, p < .000). El análisis espacial, realizado mediante el método de densidad Kernel, identificó focos de agre-siones alrededor de los centros de salud incluidos en el estudio, mientras que los casos de rabia canina se concentraron en zonas periurbanas de la ciudad, particularmente en las áreas al Este de la ciudad. De los 855 casos sospechosos de rabia canina analizados durante el periodo de estudio, el 1.5 % (n=13) resultaron positivos, principalmente en perros mestizos machos no vacuna-dos. La proporción de casos positivos disminuyó progresivamente desde 2019, lo que refleja los avances en las campañas de vacunación y control de la población canina. Este estudio resalta la necesidad de estrategias integrales de salud pública que incluyan programas de vacunación masiva, campañas educativas y la promoción de la tenencia responsable de mascotas. Asimismo, subraya la importancia de mejorar la vigilancia epidemiológica y la accesibilidad a servicios de atención médica para reducir la transmisión de la rabia y responder de manera más efectiva a las mordeduras de perros. Los hallazgos proporcionan evidencia fundamental para el diseño de intervenciones dirigidas a comunidades vulnerables en áreas endémicas.
<scp>BoLA‐DRB3</scp> genetic diversity in Highland Creole cattle from Bolivia
(Wiley, 2020) Guillermo Giovambattista; Shin‐nosuke Takeshima; Kyaw Kyaw Moe; J. A. C. Pereira; Meripet Polat; Ariel Loza Vega; Orlando N. Arce Cabrera; Yoko Aida
The genetic diversity of the BoLA-DRB3 gene has been reported in different cattle breeds owing to its central role in the immune response. However, it is still unknown in hundreds of cattle breeds, especially native populations. Here, we studied BoLA-DRB3 genetic diversity in Highland Creole cattle (CrAl) from Western Bolivia, raised at altitudes between 3800 and 4200 m. DNAs from 48 CrAl cattle were genotyped for BoLA-DRB3 exon 2 alleles using polymerase chain reaction-sequence-based typing (PCR-SBT). The results were compared with 1341 previously reported data from Tropical Creole cattle and other breeds raised in the region. Twenty-three BoLA-DRB3 alleles were identified in CrAl, including the BoLA-DRB3*029:02 variant previously detected in other Creole cattle. Observed and expected heterozygosity were 0.87 and 0.93, respectively. Nucleotide diversity and the number of pairwise difference values were 0.078 and 19.46, respectively. The average number of nonsynonymous and synonymous substitutions were 0.037 and 0.097 for the entire BoLA-DRB3 exon 2, and 0.129 and 0.388 for the antigen-binding site, respectively. Venn analysis and the review of the IPD-MHC database and the literature showed that 2 of 64 alleles were only detected in CrAl, including BoLA-DRB3*029:01 previously reported in African cattle and *048:01 detected in Philippine cattle. Two additional alleles, BoLA-DRB3*007:02 and *029:02, were only present in CrAl and Lowland Creole cattle. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that Bolivian Creole cattle breeds were closely located but they were distant from the Colombian Hartón del Valle Creole. FST analysis showed a low degree of genetic differentiation between Highland and Lowland Bolivian Creole cattle (FST = 0.015). The present results contribute to increasing our knowledge of BoLA-DRB3 genetic diversity in cattle breeds.
Seroprevalence Against Bovine Leukaemia Virus in Dairy Cattle in Bolivia
(2010) Ramón López; K. Suzuki; Ester Teresa González; Gotzone Ruiz; Ariel Loza Vega; C. Coca; J. A. C. Pereira; Marcelo Ricardo Ítalo Pecoraro
This study determined seroprevalence against bovine leukaemia virus and investigated the risk factors with the seropositivity of the virus in daily cattle in Bolivia. Ninety-eight farms in five different provinces in Santa Cruz Department were visited to study 1823 daily cattle. Questionnaire interviews, blood sampling and inspection of skin were performed at each study farm. Individual-cattle sera were analysed using the agarose gel immunodiffusion (AGID) diagnostic method for the detection of antibody against bovine leukaemia virus. The overall percentage of test positive against bovine leukaemia virus was 29% (95% confidence interval: 27-31%). One percent of the study daily cattle had the subcutaneous lesions. There were statistical differences for percentage of test positive against bovine leukaemia virus in daily cattle between provinces (p<0.001). The seropositivity in relation to the existence of subcutaneous lesions indicated statistical significance (p = 0.023). Knowledge of the provincial difference of seropositivity against bovine leukaemia virus in daily cattle would be used to determine the resource allocation for preventive measures in the study area. In the preventive measures, serological tests against bovine leukaemia virus for the cattle with subcutaneous lesions, which would be a potential indicator of the infection of bovine leukaemia, should be prioritised.