Involvement of major components from sporothrix schenckii cell wall in the caspase-1 activation, nitric oxide and cytokines production during experimental sporotrichosis

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Prevalence of anogenital warts in Men with HIV/AIDS and associated factors

Infection with human papilloma virus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the world. Among the 630 million new cases of HPV that occur each year, 30 million develop anogenital warts. Although subclinical infection with HPV is the most common cause, genital warts are also associated with immunosuppression caused by HIV. In view of the high prevalence of HPV/HIV co-infection particularly among men who have sex with men, the objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of anogenital warts in men with HIV/AIDS and to identify associated factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 159 men with HIV/AIDS consecutively selected at a referral service in Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil, in which the association between sociodemographic, behavioral and clinical variables and the presence of anogenital warts was evaluated. After hierarchical analysis of the data, variables presenting a p value ≤ 0.2 were entered into an unconditional multivariate logistic regression model. Forty-nine (31%) of the HIV-positive patients had anogenital warts. The mean age was 44.6 ± 9.6 years. The main factors associated with the presence of anogenital warts were irregular antiretroviral treatment and genital herpes(HSV). The present study demonstrate that anogenital warts occur in almost one-third of the male population infected with HIV and factors associated with a higher risk of being diagnosed with anogenital warts were irregular cART use and co-infection with HSV, other variables could not be associated.

Behavioral measures to reduce non-adherence in renal transplant recipients: a prospective randomized controlled trial

Solid-organ transplant recipients present a high rate of non-adherence to drug treatment. Few interventional studies have included approaches aimed at increasing adherence. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of an educational and behavioral strategy on treatment adherence of kidney transplant recipients. In a randomized prospective study, incident renal transplant patients (n = 111) were divided into two groups: control group (received usual transplant patient education) and treatment group (usual transplant patient education plus ten additional weekly 30-min education/counseling sessions about immunosuppressive drugs and behavioral changes). Treatment adherence was assessed using ITAS adherence questionnaire after 3 months. Renal function at 3, 6, and 12 months, and the incidence of transplant rejection were evaluated. The non-adherence rates were 46.4 and 14.5 % in the control and treatment groups (p = 0.001), respectively. The relative risk for non-adherence was 2.59 times (CI 1.38-4.88) higher in the control group. Multivariate analysis demonstrated a 5.84 times (CI 1.8-18.8, p = 0.003) higher risk of non-adherence in the control group. There were no differences in renal function and rejection rates between groups. A behavioral and educational strategy addressing the patient's perceptions and knowledge about the anti-rejection drugs significantly improved the short-term adherence to immunosuppressive therapy.

Spontaneous poisoning by Hovenia dulcis in dairy cattle in Southwest Parana, Brazil

Livestock poisoning by plants is a frequent occurrence which determines severe losses, such as the fall in the milk and meat production, the cost of expensive treatments, the state of immunosuppression, or even the animal's death. Cattle ingest toxic plants only when there is food shortage, when they cannot select what they eat, or when they ingest food for preference, which is the case of Hovenia dulcis fruits, very rich in sucrose. This plant is widely distributed in the southern and southeastern Brazilian regions. In literature, there are some cases of severe human liver injury associated with a long-term of H. dulcis leaf and fruit tea intake, and only one report regarding spontaneous poisoning of goats caused by this plant ingestion. However, its toxic effects associated with spontaneous ingestion by cattle have never been reported. This paper reports the first case of spontaneous poisoning in cattle by H. dulcis, which occurred in a dairy farm in southwest Paraná, Brazil. Three cattle individuals showed anorexia, ruminal atony, severe diarrhea and neurological tournament, head pressing, blindness, ataxia, and circling. The necropsy of the animals was done, and the remaining alterations were restricted to the digestive system and brain. The clinical signs presented by the animals are characteristic of polioencephalomalacia (PEM), caused by changes in the thiamine metabolism. Furthermore, clinical signs, gross, and microscopic lesions as well as the large amount of the plant throughout the digestive segment led to a diagnosis.

Isolation and molecular characterization of Brazilian turkey reovirus from immunosuppressed young poults

In this study, we investigated turkey reovirus (TReoV) in tissue samples from young birds, aged 15 days. RT-PCR for TReoV detected 3.3 % positive samples and TReoV was successfully isolated in Vero cells. Histological analysis of positive bursa of Fabricius (BF) revealed atrophied follicles and lymphocyte depletion. The number of CD8+, CD4+ and IgM+ cells was lower in infected BF. Phylogenetic analysis based on S3 gene showed that the Brazilian TReoV isolates clustered in a single group with 98-100 % similarity to TReoV strains circulating in the United States. This is the first indication that TReoV infection may be a contributing factor to immunosuppression in young birds.

Efeito do plasma rico em glicose na apoptose de neutrófilos de cães

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Manifestación bucal de paracoccidiodomicosis asociada a aspergilosis: presentación de caso

Paracoccidioidomycosis and aspergillosis are, respectively, mycosis caused by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and Aspergillus fumigatus fungi, which, most frequently, attack the lungs and later spread to other body regions. The association between both mycosis is rare in patients that do not present immunosuppression. A 49-year-old man presented with oral lesion, besides lesions on palatum, retromolar and oropharyngeal regions. Histopathological and microbiological exams confirmed the diagnosis of paracoccidioidomycosis associated to aspergillosis. Historically, fungi have been considered as the cause of relatively important infections, but, in the last years, a significant increase of diseases caused by fungi is evidenced. The recognition of the etiological agent in culture is important for the suitable treatment, once these fungi can cause irreversible damages or even death. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate, through the case of a patient who presented both mycosis associated, the need of complementary exams for the diagnosis of oral diseases, when routine laboratorial exams indicate the presence of another disease associated.

Infecção experimental para avaliar a excreção do vírus da diarreia viral bovina por leitões desmamados e transmissão viral por via aerógena

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effects of primovaccination and booster vaccination on serum cortisol and humoral immune response in cattle

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of one or two doses of the anti-rabies vaccination on the serum concentration of cortisol and the humoral immune response in cattle as well as the correlation between serum cortisol concentrations and the titers of rabies-neutralizing antibodies. Nelore cattle were randomly assigned to one of three groups, which were vaccinated with one dose of rabies vaccine (group GVSR, N = 15), two doses of rabies vaccine (group GVR, N = 15) or were not vaccinated (group Gc, N = 15). A commercial liquid inactivated rabies vaccine was used. The stressors imposed on the cattle were vaccination, corral handling and the presence of people. Blood samples were collected on days 0, 30 and 60 post-vaccination. Serum cortisol concentrations were determined using a solid-phase radioimmunoassay, and rabies antibody titers were determined using a serum neutralization test with BHK21 cells (RFFIT). Both serum cortisol concentrations and antibody titers increased after the second (booster) vaccination (P < 0.05). In all the groups, the serum cortisol concentrations increased after the cattle were handled in the corral (P < 0.05). No correlation was observed between the serum cortisol concentrations and the antibody titers with any treatment or on any observation day. In conclusion, booster vaccination is indispensable for primovaccinated cattle in achieving high and protective levels of rabies antibodies. Although booster vaccination and frequent cattle handling in corrals are stressors, the response is not strong enough to cause immunosuppression in cattle.

Modulação da imunidade adaptativa por produtos solúveis de células de carcinoma espinoceular de cabeça e pescoço (HNSCC): um papel da galanina derivada do tumor?

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Efeitos da luz visível associada à ftalocianina de cloro-alumínio na inativação da Borrelia anserina

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)