The Intersectionality approach to studying tuberculosis (TB) is a complex one. While historical data and indicators consistently suggest a positive correlation between social determinants, such as poverty, and TB mortality, the strength of this association varies across different regions and countries. Overcrowding and population density are also recognized as risk factors for TB transmission. Methods In this study, we conducted a descriptive and observational statistical analysis of TB mortality in Ecuador using the most recent public data from 2010. We examined the association between TB mortality and poverty, as well as territorial distribution, population density, and overcrowding. Results Our univariate analysis results indicate that the rural parishes or canton capitals in the first quintile of poverty (Q1) had the highest average mortality rates (14.23 per 100,000 inhabitants). Furthermore, the average TB mortality ratio was substantially higher in rural areas compared to urban ones (12.72 vs. 7.5 per 100,000 inhabitants). Interestingly, zones with the highest population density had a significantly lower average TB mortality ratio than those with the lowest density (4.82 vs. 15.19 per 100,000 inhabitants). Likewise, overcrowding analysis reveals a significant difference between the group with the highest level (O1) vs. the lowest one (O5; 14.3 vs. 6.8 per 100,000 inhabitants). On the other hand, a multivariate linear regression model agrees that three of the four independent variables evaluated had statistically significant associations with tuberculosis mortality rate. The percentage of poverty, living in a rural area, and population density were significant predictors of higher mortality. In contrast, the level of overcrowding, as determined by multivariate analysis, did not show a significant association when the other independent variables were taken into account. Discussion These findings reinforce the strong link between TB mortality and poverty, rurality, a discreet relationship with overcrowding, and an inverse relationship with population density in the Ecuadorian context, highlighting the need for targeted public health interventions in rural underserved communities. Future research should explore how changes in socioeconomic conditions and healthcare access have influenced TB incidence.

Abstract Modern hyperprolific sows must deal with large litters (16–20 piglets) which reduce piglet birthweight with a concomitant increase in the proportion of small and intrauterine growth retarded piglets. However, larger litters do not only have a greater variation of piglet weights, but also a greater variation in colostrum and milk consumption within the litter. To further understand the impact that body weight has on piglets, the present study aimed to evaluate the degree of physiological weakness of the smallest piglets at birth and during the suckling period (20 d) compared to their middle-weight littermates through their jejunal gene expression. At birth, light piglets showed a downregulation of genes related to immune response (FAXDC2, HSPB1, PPARGC1α), antioxidant enzymes (SOD2m), digestive enzymes (ANPEP, IDO1, SI), and nutrient transporter (SLC39A4) (P < 0.05) but also a tendency for a higher mRNA expression of GBP1 (inflammatory regulator) and HSD11β1 (stress hormone) genes compared to their heavier littermates (P < 0.10). Excluding HSD11β1 gene, all these intestinal gene expression differences initially observed at birth between light and middle-weight piglets were stabilized at the end of the suckling period, when others appeared. Genes involved in barrier function (CLDN1), pro-inflammatory response (CXCL2, IL6, IDO1), and stress hormone signaling (HSD11β1) over-expressed compared to their middle-weight littermates (P < 0.05). In conclusion, at birth and at the end of suckling period, light body weight piglets seem to have a compromised gene expression and therefore impaired nutrient absorption, immune and stress responses compared to their heavier littermates.

The cachama or pacu (Piaractus brachypomus), a fish species native to Ecuador, has faced limitations in its production. In this context, the focus is on improving breeding methods and increasing survival during larviculture. This research aimed to evaluate and compare the effect of initial diets on the rearing of cachama post-larvae in controlled environments at a fish station in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Cachama post-larvae, obtained through induced breeding using carp pituitary extract, were fed specific diets to meet the minimum nutritional requirements, ensuring survival and growth. The diets evaluated were: T0-zooplankton, T1-spirulina, T2-commercial feed, and T3-Artemia salina nauplii. Statistical analyses, ANOVA, and Tukey's test were applied to identify and compare the differences between treatments. A completely randomized experimental design was used with four treatments, and three replications, over 72h (with samples taken every 6h). The absolute growth rate was highest in treatment T3 (0.36 ± 0.03mg/day) compared to treatments T0, T1, and T2, which showed 0.31 ± 0.01mg/day, 0.27 ± 0.004mg/day, and 0.13 ± 0.003mg/day, respectively. The best results were obtained using A. salina nauplii as the initial feed. This diet, along with zooplankton, demonstrated superior performance in growth, mortality, and survival indicators, promoting the development of the post-larvae.

Holstein-Friesian cattle are the most important dairy breed worldwide. The main objective was to carry out a detailed pedigree evaluation of the Ecuadorian Holstein-Friesian cattle to investigate the demographic structure, inbreeding evolution, and genetic diversity of the official paternal lineages to determine the potential GD loss after the inclusion of modern Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs). Official pedigree information from 28,893 Holstein-Friesian sires born between 1950 and 2021 and enrolled with the Ecuadorian Holstein-Friesian Association (AHFE, Ecuador) were recorded and evaluated from USA and Canada genetic official databases. After multiple-trait across-country genetic analyses the total population was divided into four subpopulations; i) 1950–1969: natural mating (NM) period; ii) 1970–1989: NM +  artificial insemination (AI) period; iii) 1990–2009: AI +  embryo transfer (ET) period; and iv) 2010–2021: AI +  ET +  genomic selection (GS) period. Demographic parameters [number of males, pedigree integrity (PI), and generation interval (GI)] were analysed. PI was analysed using known ancestors up to 4 generations considering the number of complete (GCom), maximum (GMax) and equivalent (GEqu) generations. Moreover, Inbreeding parameters [inbreeding coefficient (F), average relatedness (AR), coancestry (C), effective size (Ne), genetic conservation index (GCI)] and parameters related to the gene origin probability (number of founders (f), effective number of founders (fe), genetic conservation index (GCI), among others] were also analysed, together with the fe/f ratio, fge/fe ratio, genetic contributions, and genetic diversity loss (GD-loss) derived parameters. The results indicated that nearly all imported sires used in Ecuador born in the beginning of 1990s could be traced to just three countries, who together account for > 90% of paternal lineages. This fact indicates that GD has undergone a dramatic decrease during the past 30 years. The PCI for the three last periods were > 55%, and the trend was enhanced in the fourth chronological period till > 92%. The estimated proportion of random genetic drift in GD loss increased over time as well as the Ne that decreased by the time. In conclusion, the occurrence of AI +  ET +  GS period led to the major GD loss. Therefore, due to the extremely limited number of paternal lineages the strategy for recovering the minimal GD on the current and future Ecuadorian Holstein-Friesian cattle should reduce the inbreeding values by increasing the Ne using alternately the foreign genetic material and the national breeding stock.

En el presente estudio se analizó el efecto de la tintura de propóleo (TP) vs clorhexidina (C) en el tratamiento de la enfermedad periodontal en la especie canina (EPC). Para ello se llevó a cabo la aplicación terapéutica en 30 pacientes con diferentes grados de enfermedad periodontal (leve, media y grave). Se tomaron muestras de la cavidad bucal para el cultivo posterior e identificación de los microorganismos patógenos implicados en el proceso patológico. Se identificaron 4 géneros de patógenos: Staphylococcus spp., Corynebacterium spp., Lactobacillus spp. y Enterobacterias. El porcentaje de casos que respondieron al tratamiento fue 80 y 3,4 % para TP y C, respectivamente. C no demostró tener ninguna acción eficiente en el tratamiento de EPC. Sin embargo, TP mostró ser el tratamiento de elección, independientemente del patógeno, asociación de éstos o el grado de progresión de la EPC.

Bariatric surgery has become the preferred treatment for individuals with morbid obesity. Nutrition is key in optimizing surgical outcomes by reducing risks and enhancing recovery. Preoperative strategies, such as reducing body fat, decreasing liver size, and improving metabolic profiles, have been shown to facilitate safer surgical procedures with fewer complications. This narrative review aims to provide an analysis of the fundamental role of preoperative nutritional management in improving bariatric surgery outcomes, emphasizing the importance of addressing specific nutritional challenges to enhance surgical safety, recovery, and overall health. Preoperative nutritional interventions focus on correcting comorbidities and nutritional deficiencies, particularly hypovitaminosis and micronutrient imbalances, through a multidisciplinary approach involving nutritionists and other healthcare professionals. These interventions not only prepare patients for the physiological demands of surgery but also initiate a period of adaptation to new dietary habits, aiming to improve long-term compliance and mitigate risks such as postoperative weight regain and dumping syndrome. Adopting dietary changes, such as very low-calorie or ketogenic diets 6–12 weeks before surgery, enhances adherence to postoperative restrictions and overall surgical success. Future research should focus on developing comprehensive guidelines for preoperative nutritional care to improve patient outcomes globally.

Antimicrobial resistance is currently considered a public health threat. Carbapenems are antimicrobials for hospital use, and Enterobacterales resistant to these β-lactams have spread alarmingly in recent years, especially those that cause health care-associated infections. The blaKPC gene is considered one of the most important genetic determinants disseminated by plasmids, promoting horizontal gene transfer. This study describes, for the first time in Ecuador, and worldwide, the presence of a blaKPC-2 gene in an isolate of Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis from a clinical sample. Through whole-genome sequencing, we characterized the genetic determinants of antimicrobial resistance in this Salmonella ST-32 strain. Our results showed the presence of several resistance genes, including blaCTX-M-65, and a conjugative plasmid Kpn-WC17-007-03 that may be responsible for the horizontal transference of these resistance mechanisms.

The present study investigates the impact of supplementing diets with a synergistic blend of short- and medium-chain fatty acids (SCFAs-MCFAs) during the peripartum and lactation phases on early microbial colonization and the subsequent growth performance of newborn pigs. The experiment involved 72 sows and their litters, with a follow-up on 528 weaned pigs. Sows were fed either a control diet or a diet supplemented with SCFAs-MCFAs and the pigs were monitored for their growth performance and microbial populations. Subsequently, selected weaned pigs were allotted to an SCFAs-MCFAs diet according to the maternal diet. Results showed that SCFAs-MCFAs supplementation led to reduced backfat loss in sows and improved pig weight and uniformity at weaning (p < 0.05). Additionally, suckling pigs exhibited significant shifts in gut microbiota, including increased lactic acid bacteria and reduced Streptococcus suis populations (p < 0.05). Although there was no influence of maternal diet on pig growth after weaning, there was a modulation on bacterial populations at 7 and 35 days post-weaning. Pigs fed SCFAs-MCFAs demonstrated improved feed efficiency with notable reductions in E. coli and Streptococcus suis counts. The findings suggest that maternal dietary supplementation with SCFAs-MCFAs can positively influence both sow and pig performance, offering a potential strategy to enhance productivity and health in the commercial swine production.

This study investigated the effects of xylanase and stimbiotic (fiber fermentation enhancer) on the response of broiler chickens fed different corn varieties and determine correlations between variables of interest. Four corn genetic varieties were selected based on their range in nutrient composition. Diets containing 600 g/kg of each corn were supplemented with 0 or 100 g/ton of xylanase or stimbiotic. A total of 1,152 one-day-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were divided into 12 treatments, each with 8 pens and 12 birds per pen, for a 21-day study. On d 21, performance parameters were measured, and the ileal energy and organic matter (OM) digestibility and cecal xylanase activity determined. Stimbiotic supplementation improved mFCR compared with all other treatments. There was a treatment by corn variety interaction for body weight (BW), BW gain and coefficient of variation (CV) of BW (P ≤ 0.05). Birds fed corn Variety 1 (highest neutral dietary fiber, protein and soluble arabinoxylan content) supplemented with stimbiotic had the highest BW, while Variety 2 control diet had the lowest. The BW CV in corn Variety 2 was the highest, which improved with stimbiotic supplementation. The BW CV in corn Variety 1 responded better to stimbiotic than xylanase. There were no treatment differences on BW CV in corn Varieties 3 and 4. The lowest OM digestibility was observed in birds fed corn Variety 1 with xylanase, and the highest value was associated with corn Variety 3 with xylanase (highest total arabinoxylan). Xylanase and stimbiotic supplementation increased the endogenous xylanase activity regardless of the corn variety (P ≤ 0.05). Positive correlations between corn fiber contents and phytic acid and the arabinose:xylose ratio were seen, while nonstarch polysaccharide content was negatively correlated with apparent metabolizable energy. In conclusion, corn variety influenced nutrient digestibility and broiler chicken growth. The response to supplementation with xylanase or stimbiotic varied based on the nutritional profile of corn with regards to improvements in digestibility and performance in broiler chickens.