Introducción. Los accidentes causados por animales venenosos ocurren con mucha frecuencia en comunidades pobres con acceso limitado a los servicios de salud. Se les consideran enfermedades desatendidas y son una de las causas importantes de morbimortalidad en varias naciones del mundo, incluida Venezuela.Objetivo. Evaluar la mortalidad por contacto traumático con animales venenosos (serie X20-X29) en Venezuela en el periodo de 2000 a 2009.Materiales y métodos. Los datos se obtuvieron de los anuarios de mortalidad del Ministerio de Salud.Resultados. Se registraron 759 decesos, la mayoría de ellos en el 2009. La primera causa fue la mordedura de serpientes (n=323; 42,6 %), seguida por la picadura de himenópteros (n=170; 22,4 %), la mordedura de centípedos (n=106; 14,0 %) y la picadura de escorpiones (n=76; 10,0 %). La mediana de la tasa de mortalidad general para el periodo fue de 0,285 fallecidos por 100.000 habitantes, en tanto que, por grupo específico, fue de 0,120 para ofidios, de 0,065 para himenópteros, de 0,035 para centípedos y de 0,025 para escorpiones.Conclusión. Al comparar estos datos con los antecedentes históricos, se evidenció la modificación del patrón de mortalidad en el país caracterizada por un aumento significativo de los decesos por centípedos, tercera causa de muerte, lo que reubica la picadura de escorpiones como la cuarta causa de mortalidad.

Early embryonic loss is a significant cause of reproductive inefficiency and economic loss in cattle, largely due to inadequate maternal recognition of pregnancy and premature luteolysis. Interferon tau (IFN-τ), a trophoblast-derived signaling molecule, is essential for maintaining corpus luteum function and embryo survival in ruminants, but its rapid degradation and short half-life have limited its practical use. This study developed a novel delivery system for bovine recombinant IFN-τ (brIFN-τ) produced in Pichia pastoris, utilizing chitosan-based microencapsulation and starch-chitosan hydrogels for sustained intrauterine release. The recombinant protein was successfully expressed, purified, and structurally validated, confirming its interaction with bovine interferon receptors. Encapsulated IFN-τ showed controlled, prolonged in vitro release and retained biological activity, demonstrated by increased viability and antiviral response in bovine cells exposed to Mengo virus. In vivo, the microencapsulated formulation was safe and effectively inhibited luteolysis, as shown by sustained progesterone levels and reduced corpus luteum regression compared to controls. These results indicate that hydrogel-delivered, microencapsulated brIFN-τ is a promising biotechnological strategy to modulate luteolysis, enhance maternal recognition of pregnancy, and reduce early embryonic loss in cattle, potentially improving reproductive efficiency and supporting more sustainable livestock management.

Early embryonic loss is a major cause of reproductive inefficiency in cattle, primarily due to premature luteolysis. Interferon tau (IFN-τ), secreted by the trophoblast, plays a critical role in maternal recognition of pregnancy by maintaining corpus luteum function. However, its practical application has been limited by its rapid degradation and short half-life in vivo. Here, we developed a novel formulation of recombinant bovine IFN-τ, combining chitosan-based microencapsulation with starch–chitosan hydrogel delivery, enabling sustained intrauterine release. This dual-delivery strategy offers a significant improvement over conventional IFN-τ administration methods that rely on repeated intrauterine infusions of soluble protein. The rbIFN-τ was expressed in Pichia pastoris, purified to 90.1% homogeneity, and structurally validated via homology modeling and molecular docking, confirming its interaction with type I interferon receptors. The encapsulated formulation retained antiviral activity, stimulated transcription of interferon-stimulated genes (PKR, OAS1, OAS2), and showed sustained release in vitro for up to 26 days. In vivo evaluation demonstrated safety and biological efficacy, with treated cattle showing inhibited luteolysis, sustained serum progesterone levels, and preserved corpus luteum integrity. This formulation represents a promising biotechnological approach to improve reproductive efficiency through a long-acting, species-specific IFN-τ delivery system.