Experimental foot-and-mouth disease virus infection in white tailed deer

White tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were inoculated with foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) O UKG 11/2001 and monitored for the development of clinical signs, histopathological changes and levels of virus replication. All FMDV-infected deer developed clinical signs starting at 2 days post inoculation and characterized by an increase in body temperature, increased salivation and lesions in the mouth and on the feet. Virus spread to various tissues was determined by quantifying the amount of FMDV RNA using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Virus or viral antigen was also detected in tissues using traditional isolation techniques, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and immunohistochemistry. Deer-to-cattle transmission of the virus was observed in this experimental setting; however, inoculated deer were not found to become carriers of FMDV.

Upregulation of soluble and membrane-bound human leukocyte antigen G expression is primarily observed in the milder histopathological stages of chronic hepatitis C virus infection

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a worldwide health problem that may evolve to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Incompletely understood immune system mechanisms have been associated with impaired viral clearance. The nonclassical class I human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G) molecule may downregulate immune system cell functions exhibiting well-recognized tolerogenic properties. HCV genotype was analyzed in chronic HCV-infected patients. Because HLA-G expression may be induced by certain viruses, we evaluated the presence of HLA-G in the liver microenvironment obtained from 89 biopsies of patients harboring chronic HCV infection and stratified according to clinical and histopathological features. Overall, data indicated that HCV genotype 1 was predominant, especially subgenotype 1a, with a prevalence of 87%. HLA-G expression was observed in 45(51%) liver specimens, and it was more frequent in milder stages of chronic hepatitis (67.4%) than in moderate (27.8%; p = 0.009) and severe (36.0%; p = 0.021) stages of the disease. Altogether, these results suggest that the expression of HLA-G in the context of HCV is a complex process modulated by many factors, which may contribute to an immunologic environment favoring viral persistence. However, because the milder forms predominantly expressed HLA-G, a protective role of this molecule may not be excluded. (C) 2012 American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lack of Epstein-Barr virus infection in cervical carcinomas

Context.-The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a ubiquitous microorganism strongly associated with lymphoproliferative disorders and a large number of human neoplasms, mainly undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma and Burkitt lymphoma. The viral DNA has been detected in other tumors, such as carcinomas from tonsil, salivary glands, and thymus, and malignancies of the female genital tract. Some authors have proposed that EBV could play a role in the carcinogenesis of cervical tumors; however, other studies do not support this hypothesis.Objective.-To assess whether EBV is associated with female genital tract neoplasms.Design.-Sixty-five biopsy specimens (5 in situ carcinomas, 24 invasive squamous cell carcinomas, 6 lymphoepithelioma-like carcinomas, and 30 endocervical adenocarcinomas) were used to perform EBV detection through RNA in situ hybridization.Results.-None of the cervical carcinoma cases studied was positive for EBV infection.Conclusions.-The results suggest that it is still premature to incriminate EBV in the carcinogenesis of cervical carcinoma.

Epstein-Barr virus infection and gastric carcinoma in São Paulo State, Brazil

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a ubiquitous herpesvirus, and most people have serological evidence of previous viral infection at adult age. EBV is associated with infectious mononucleosis and human cancers, including some lymphomas and gastric carcinomas. Although EBV was first reported in lymphoepithelioma-like gastric carcinoma, the virus was also found in conventional adenocarcinomas. In the present study, 53 gastric carcinomas diagnosed in São Paulo State, Brazil, were evaluated for EBV infection by non-isotopic in situ hybridization with a biotinylated probe (Biotin-AGACACCGTCCTCACCACCC GGGACTTGTA) directed to the viral transcript EBER-I, which is actively expressed in EBV latently infected cells. EBV infection was found in 6 of 53 (11.32%) gastric carcinomas, mostly from male patients (66.7%), with a mean age of 59 years old. Most EBV-positive tumors were in gastric antrum. Two EBV-positive tumors (33.3%) were conventional adenocarcinomas, whereas four (66.7%) were classified as lymphoepithelioma-like carcinomas. EBV infection in gastric carcinomas was reported elsewhere in frequencies that range from 5.6% (Korea) up to 18% (Germany). In Brazil, a previous work found EBV infection in 4 of 80 (5%) gastric carcinomas, whereas another study found 4.7 and 11.2% of EBV-positive gastric carcinomas of Brazilians of Japanese origin or not, respectively. In the present study, the frequency of EBV-positive gastric carcinomas is similar to that reported in other series, and the clinicopathologic characteristics of these EBV-positive tumors are in agreement with the data in the literature.

Canine distemper virus infection in a lesser grison (Galictis cuja): first report and virus phylogeny

Doenças infecciosas em animais selvagens têm aumentado devido às alterações em seu habitat e ao maior contato com animais domésticos. A cinomose já foi descrita em diversas espécies de carnívoros selvagens, representando uma ameaça à conservação da vida selvagem. Nesse estudo é descrito o primeiro caso de infecção pelo vírus da cinomose em um furão (Galictis cuja). Um indivíduo de vida livre, sem sinais clínicos aparentes, apresentou morte súbita após um dia em cativeiro. Foi realizado o diagnóstico molecular para detecção do vírus da cinomose canina, sendo o resultado positivo. A filogenia do vírus indicou que cães domésticos foram a provável fonte de infecção.

Occurrence of feline immunodeficiency virus infection in cats

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

A label-free immunosensor based on recordable compact disk chip for early diagnostic of the dengue virus infection

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Comparative susceptibility and pathogeny of Nelore and Holstein-Friesian calves to the experimental infection of Haemonchus placei (Place, 1893)

Two groups of Holstein-Friesian and Nelore calves, five animals each, about nine months old, received, by oral route, 1,000 infective larvae (L-3) per kg of body weight of Haemonchus placei. Blood samples were collected by venipuncture, at weekly intervals, from one week before, to eight weeks after infection. Hematological studies comprised the hematocrit, differential leukocyte counts, hemoglobin, fibrinogen and plasma protein determinations. Parasitological examinations covered weekly fecal egg counts (EPG) and worm burden counts at necropsy. Samples of the abomasal mucosa were submitted to gross examination and histopathological studies. Both groups had increasing EPG after the fifth week, with Holstein calves showing higher counts than the Nelore. Holstein calves had anemia and hipoproteinemia from the third week post-infection to the end of the experiment, whereas Nelore calves showed no significant differences in those, parameters. Holstein calves had significantly larger worm counts than the Nelore. The gross and histopathological lesions in the abomasum at necropsy were very similar, although macroscopically they look more apparent in the Holstein group. These results showed that Holstein calves are more susceptible to the infection and pathogenic effects of H. placei than Nelore calves.

Epstein-barr virus infection and single nucleotide Polymorphisms in the promoter region of interleukin 10 gene in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma

Context. - Hodgkin lymphoma is a neoplastic disease in which the immune system plays a major role in its pathogenesis. Interleukin 10 ( IL-10), an immunosuppressive cytokine actively produced in patients with Hodgkin lymphomas, favors the survival of the Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg cells. Individual variations in IL-10 levels may be due, in part, to the presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the IL10 gene promoter.Objective. - To evaluate whether particular single nucleotide polymorphisms in the IL10 gene are found more frequently in Hodgkin lymphoma cases associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection.Design. - the identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms at positions -1082 and -819/-592 in the IL10 gene was performed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction length fragment polymorphisms analysis in 65 cases of Hodgkin lymphoma and 50 cases of reactive benign follicular lymphoid hyperplasia ( non-Hodgkin lymphoma control group).Results. - the frequency of the genotype GG at position -1082 was found to be significantly higher in patients with Epstein-Barr virus-positive Hodgkin lymphoma compared with Epstein-Barr virus-negative cases.Conclusions. - the results suggest that the presence of specific single nucleotide polymorphisms in the IL10 gene, notably those associated with high IL-10 production, may play a role in the susceptibility to Epstein-Barr virus -positive Hodgkin lymphoma development.

Liver HLA-G expression is associated with multiple clinical and histopathological forms of chronic hepatitis B virus infection

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Protective Effect of HLA-DRB1*11 and Predisposition of HLA-C*04 in the Development of Severe Liver Damage in Brazilian Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection

The objective of this study was to investigate human leucocyte antigen (HLA) genes in patients chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and to analyse the possible role of these genes in the progression of chronic hepatitis C. One hundred and forty-five (145) Brazilian patients infected only with HCV genotype 1 were evaluated. HLA class I (A*, B*, C*) and class II (DRB1*, DQA1*, DQB1*) typing were carried out by PCR-SSO, through Luminex technology. Associations were found with protection against development of liver damage by both DRB1*11 (5.0% versus 18.2%, P = 0.0016, OR = 0.23, CI 95% = 0.090.58; Pc=0.0208) and DRB1*11-DQA1*05-DQB1*03 haplotype (4.2% versus 15.3%, P = 0.0032; OR = 0.24, CI 95% = 0.08-0.64). Liver damage was associated with HLA-C*04 in patients with <20 years of infection (38.4% versus 9.1%, P = 0.002, OR = 6.25, CI 95% = 1.9719.7; Pc=0.0238). It is concluded that HLA alleles can influence the development of liver damage in HCV type-1 chronically infected Brazilian patients.

Hodgkin disease in adult and juvenile groups from two different geographic regions in Brazil: Characterization of clinicopathologic aspects and relationship with Epstein-Barr virus infection

We analyzed clinicopathologic data, immunophenotype, and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) status in 96 cases of Hodgkin disease (HD) in juveniles (younger than 20 years) and adults (20 years or older) from 2 distinctive states in Brazil. We studied 34 juvenile (group 1) and 16 adult (group 2) cases from Ceara and 31 juvenile (group 3) and 15 adult (group 4) cases from São Paulo. Ceara has a socioeconomic profile similar to a developing country; São Paulo is in better economic condition. Mixed cellularity (MC) was the major histologic subtype among groups 1 (22 [65%]), 3 (21 [68%]), and 4 (7 [47%]); nodular sclerosis (NS) was more frequent in group 2 (8 [50%]). EBV infection was observed in 61 cases (64%), including the following (among others): group 1, MC, 22 (65%) and NS, 4 (12%); group 2, NS, 3 (19%) and MC, 2 (12%); group 3, MC, 16 (52%) and NS, 1 (3%); and group 4, MC, 7 (47%). There was predominance of EBV+ HD cases in group 1 compared with group 3. HD in Brazilian patients is highly associated with EBV infection, but geographic differences reflect histologic subtypes and age distribution.

Human papillomavirus and Epstein-Barr virus infection, p53 expression, and cellular proliferation in laryngeal carcinoma

Laryngeal carcinomas are aggressive neoplasms with controversial association with the human papillomavirus (HPV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). So far, the impairment of p53 protein function and its impact on cellular proliferation has not been studied adequately in these tumors. In this work, molecular biologic techniques were used to assess the frequency of HPV and EBV in 110 squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx. In addition, accumulation of p53 and Ki-67 cell proliferation antigen expression in malignant cells was assessed by immunohistochemical analysis. High-grade HPV was found in 37.3% of cases, and none had demonstrable EBV infection. Accumulation of p53 was found in 78.2% of the cases, and it was related to a high Ki-67 labeling index and higher histologic grade. The results demonstrate association of HPV with more than one third of laryngeal carcinomas studied, mainly glottic tumors. Tumors with increased cell proliferation were more frequently high grade, with p53 accumulation and lymph node metastasis. © American Society for Clinical Pathology.

Photodynamic inactivation of biofilm: Taking a lightly colored approach to stubborn infection

Microbial biofilms are responsible for a variety of microbial infections in different parts of the body, such as urinary tract infections, catheter infections, middle-ear infections, gingivitis, caries, periodontitis, orthopedic implants, and so on. The microbial biofilm cells have properties and gene expression patterns distinct from planktonic cells, including phenotypic variations in enzymic activity, cell wall composition and surface structure, which increase the resistance to antibiotics and other antimicrobial treatments. There is consequently an urgent need for new approaches to attack biofilm-associated microorganisms, and antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) may be a promising candidate. aPDT involves the combination of a nontoxic dye and low-intensity visible light which, in the presence of oxygen, produces cytotoxic reactive oxygen species. It has been demonstrated that many biofilms are susceptible to aPDT, particularly in dental disease. This review will focus on aspects of aPDT that are designed to increase efficiency against biofilms modalities to enhance penetration of photosensitizer into biofilm, and a combination of aPDT with biofilm-disrupting agents. © 2013 Informa UK Ltd.

A immunosensor for the diagnosis of canine distemper virus infection using SPR and EIS

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a viral disease that affects dogs and many other carnivores. Clinical diagnosis of CDV is difficult due to the broad spectrum of signs that may be confounded with other respiratory and enteric diseases of dogs. Laboratory analysis is required to diagnose suspected cases. In this study, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) methodologies were developed for the detection of canine distemper virus simultaneously. The assay exhibited high specificity, as all the negative controls were not mistakenly detected. The CDV concentration was determined from successive injections into the apparatus, with a linear range from 1.1 to 116.0 ng mL-1. The system exhibited good reproducibility with 4.5% variation between runs after regeneration of the coated surface with a solution of 0.1 M glycine-HCL (pH 3.0). The capacitance and resistance values of the modified interface were calculated from EIS data using an equivalent circuit. It was possible to measure CDV in highly concentrated viruses with good specificity and reproducibility. © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.