ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION Legionella genus includes species that are found in a variety of aquatic environments, but must be incorporated into aerosols and inhaled to produce disease. Although most cases of pneumonia are caused by L. pneumophila, of the 58 species that constitute this genus, 24 were related to human disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of Legionella species in residential reservoirs of drinking water of Resistencia, Chaco. METHODS Forty six water samples taken from different points in the city were studied. Legionella detection In the samples was performed by culture as set out in the ISO standard 11731:1998. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays were applied to isolates obtained by culture and identified as Legionellaspp. according to the ISO standard. The target sequences used corresponded to 23S rRNA gene, for the confirmation of the genus, and mip gene specific for the species L. pneumophila. RESULTS In 16 (34.8%) of the 46 samples studied Legionella spp. was recovered. Molecular technique confirmed the presence of Legionella pneumophila in 15 samples. In addition, 3 of these samples (6.5%) were also positive for anotherspecies of the genus Legionella. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated the presence of L. pneumophila and other species in residential drinking water reservoirs in Resistencia.

RESUMEN INTRODUCCIÓN El género Legionella comprende especies que se encuentran en ambientes acuáticos, pero se deben incorporar a aerosoles e inhalar para producir enfermedad. Si bien la mayoría de los casos de neumonía son causados por L. pneumophila, de las 58 especies que constituyen este género, 24 se relacionaron a enfermedad humana. El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar la presencia de especies de Legionella en reservorios domiciliarios de agua potable de Resistencia, Chaco. MÉTODOS Se estudiaron 46 muestras de agua tomadas en diferentes puntos de la ciudad. La detección de Legionella se realizó por cultivo según lo establecido en la norma ISO 11731:1998. La técnica molecular de reacción en cadena de la polimerasa en tiempo real con colorante intercalante (Syber Green) se aplicó a los aislamientos obtenidos por cultivo e identificados como Legionella spp. Las secuencias diana utilizadas correspondieron a fragmentos conservados del gen 23SrRNA para la confirmación del género y el gen mip específico para la especie L. pneumophila. RESULTADOS En 16 (34,9%) de las 46 muestras estudiadas se recuperaron cepas de Legionella spp. Por la técnica molecular se confirmó la presencia de Legionella pneumophila en 15 de las muestras positivas por cultivo. Además, 3 de estas muestras (6,5%) también resultaron positivas para otras especies del género Legionella. CONCLUSIONES Este trabajo demostró la presencia de L. pneumophila y otras especies en los reservorios domiciliarios de agua potable en Resistencia.

Objectives: High-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV) are strongly associated with cervical cancer (CC), and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), the most frequent sexually transmitted bacterial infection (STBI) worldwide, seems to be a risk factor for HPV infection and for CC. It is also known that both agents are more prevalent in vulnerable communities where lack of adequate primary health care is a cause for concern. The aim of this work was to determine the impact of CT and HPV infections in women belonging to an isolated aboriginal population (Pilaga community) from a poor region in Northern Argentina (province of Formosa). For this purpose, a cross-sectional study was performed in all sexually active Pilaga women, who attended a local community-based gynecological health screening project. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method on a cervical brush specimen was used to detect both agents. Results: A total of 227 women (20% of the total female population of the Pilaga community) were studied and the overall prevalence was 26.4% for CT, 46.7% for HPV and 16.3% for concurrent infection. CT infection was higher in HPV DNA positive (34.2%) than in HPV DNA negative women (19%; OR: 2.22/95% CI = 1.16-4.28 / p = 0.009) and the most prevalent HPV types were HPV-16 (19.4%), 6 and 18 (5.3%), 58 (3.5%) and 33 (3.1%). Conclusions: The prevalence of CT and HPV observed in Pilaga women are among the worst registered in Latin America. Also, data collected suggest that chlamydial infection may play an important role in the natural history of HPV infection. On this respect, we propose that the association between these two agents seems to be more related to a mutual potentiation than to the fact that they share a common route of transmission.

It has been well demonstrated the relationship between the infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPVs) genotypes and cervical cancer. In Northeastern Argentina a high incidence of this pathology has been described and therefore a high prevalence of HPV infection is expected. In order to identify HPV genotypes associated with malignant and pre-malignant cervical lesions present in the area, 53 ecto-endo cervical cell specimens obtained from women with cytohistological alterations were studied by a PCR-RFLP technique. Out of 53 patients, 34 (64.2%) were positive for HPV infection, being HPV-16 (32.3%) the most frequently found genotype, followed by HPV-58 (14.7%), -6, -18 and -45 (5.9%), -33, -52, -53, -54, -56, -66, -MM4 and -LVX100 (2.9%). Also 5 cases of infection caused by multiple genotypes were found, which corresponded to 14.7% of the positive cases. Results indicate that besides HPV-16 and -18, the most prevalent high-risk HPV genotypes worldwide, others like -45 and -58 as well as co-infection cases are frequent between women of Northeastern Argentina, and a particular attention should be paid to this circumstance because it could be an epidemiological feature of regional importance and a useful information for a future vaccination program.

La relación entre la infección por los virus papiloma humanos (HPVs) de alto riesgo y el cáncer de cuello de útero ha sido bien demostrada. En el Nordeste de Argentina se observa una alta incidencia de esta patología y en consecuencia se estima una alta prevalencia de infección por HPV. A fin de identificar los genotipos de HPV presentes en el área, asociados a casos de lesiones malignas y premalignas de cuello de útero, se estudiaron 53 muestras ecto-endo cervicales de mujeres con alteraciones citohistológicas residentes permanentes de las ciudades de Resistencia y Corrientes. De las 53 pacientes estudiadas, 34 resultaron positivas para HPV (64.2%), correspondiendo la mayor frecuencia a HPV-16 (32.3%), seguido por HPV-58 (14.7%), HPV-6, -18 y -45 (5.9%), -33, -52, -53, -54, -56, -66, -MM4 y -LVX100 (2.9%). Además, se encontraron 5 casos de infecciones mixtas causadas por mas de un genotipo, lo que resulta de importancia ya que representan el 14.7% del total de los casos positivos. Los resultados demuestran que, además de HPV-16 y -18 que son los genotipos de alto riesgo de mayor prevalencia a nivel mundial, otros como el HPV-45 y -58 y los casos de infecciones múltiples son frecuentes en mujeres del nordeste argentino, lo que podría constituir un rasgo epidemiológico de importancia regional y ser de utilidad en el futuro en los programas de vacunación.