All Articles in july, 2026

While canine pets offer significant psychological and physical benefits to their owners, especially children, there are well-documented health risks associated with pathogens that can be transmitted to humans.To determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites, with an emphasis on zoonotic ones, in children and their dogs, and to identify risk factors associated with infection, a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in children from primary schools in the Cerro municipality, province of Havana. One hundred and three children (36 with dogs and 67 without pets) from fifth and sixth grades were selected. Three stool samples were collected on alternate days, and one stool sample was collected from their pets using conventional coproparasitological techniques between September and December 2023. The results showed a prevalence of 38.8% of intestinal parasites in the children studied. Blastocystis spp. (30.1%) and Giardia duodenalis (17.5%) were the most prevalent zoonotic species. Ancylostoma caninum (8.3%) was the most frequent zoonotic parasite in dogs. Male sex was the only variable that showed statistical significance, associated with a higher risk of infection. There were no significant differences in the prevalence of intestinal parasites in the group of children with dogs compared to those without pets, and no statistical association in the analyzed epidemiological variablesIt is important to develop a One Health approach for the control of these zoonoses, as dogs can act as important sentinels of public health.

Psychiatric disorders represent some of the most biologically complex challenges in medicine, arising from intricate interactions among genetic, epigenetic, environmental, developmental, and social factors. Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have improved our ability to analyze large-scale biological datasets, identify biomarkers, and support precision medicine initiatives. However, the growing volume and complexity of genomic and multi-omic information increasingly challenge the capabilities of even the most advanced conventional supercomputers. Quantum computing offers a potential next step in biomedical discovery by enabling rapid analysis of multidimensional datasets, molecular simulations, and optimization problems relevant to genetic medicine and gene therapy. Extending these findings conceptually, we propose the forward-looking hypothesis that continued advances in quantum computing may eventually complement artificial intelligence and human expertise to facilitate increasingly sophisticated analyses relevant to psychiatric genetics and precision medicine. At present, no direct evidence of which we are aware demonstrates clinical implementation of quantum computing in psychiatric genomics. Accordingly, the concepts discussed in this Opinion should be viewed as a forward-looking scientific perspective that builds upon current advances in computational science and biomedicine while awaiting future experimental and clinical validation. Importantly, these advances should complement rather than replace human expertise. Human-in-the-loop systems remain essential for ensuring scientific rigor, ethical oversight, clinical judgment, and patient-centered care. The convergence of quantum computing, AI, genetic medicine, and human expertise may ultimately establish a transformative framework for future precision psychiatry and mental health therapeutics.