Detection of Paracoccidioides spp. in environmental aerosol samples

Taking into account that paracoccidioidomycosis infection occurs by inhalation of the asexual conidia produced by Paracoccidioides spp. in its saprobic phase, this work presents the collection of aerosol samples as an option for environmental detection of this pathogen, by positioning a cyclonic air sampler at the entrance of armadillo burrows. Methods included direct culture, extinction technique culture and Nested PCR of the rRNA coding sequence, comprising the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region. In addition, we evaluated one armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) as a positive control for the studied area. Although the pathogen could not be isolated by the culturing strategies, the aerosol sampling associated with molecular detection through Nested PCR proved the best method for discovering Paracoccidioides spp. in the environment. Most of the ITS sequences obtained in this investigation proved to be highly similar with the homologous sequences of Paracoccidioides lutzii from the GenBank database, suggesting that this Paracoccidioides species may not be exclusive to mid-western Brazil as proposed so far. © 2013 ISHAM.

Intensified peginterferon α-2a dosing increases sustained virologic response rates in heavy, high viral load hepatitis c genotype 1 patients with high low-density lipoprotein

BACKGROUND AND GOAL: Patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) with elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels achieve higher sustained virologic response (SVR) rates after peginterferon (PegIFN)/ribavirin treatment versus patients with lower LDL. Our aim was to determine whether SVR rates in patients with low/elevated LDL can be improved by dose intensification. STUDY: In PROGRESS, genotype 1 patients with baseline HCV RNA≥400,000 IU/mL and body weight ≥85 kg were randomized to 48 weeks of 180 μg/wk PegIFN α-2a (40 kDa) plus ribavirin (A: 1200 mg/d; B: 1400/1600 mg/d) or 12 weeks of 360 μg/wk PegIFN α-2a followed by 36 weeks of 180 μg/wk, plus ribavirin (C: 1200 mg/d; D: 1400/1600 mg/d). This retrospective analysis assessed SVR rates among patients with low (<100 mg/dL) or elevated (≥100 mg/dL) LDL. Patients with high LDL (n=256) had higher baseline HCV RNA (5.86×10 IU/mL) versus patients with low LDL (n=262; 4.02×10 IU/mL; P=0.0003). RESULTS: Multiple logistic regression analysis identified a significant interaction between PegIFN α-2a dose and LDL levels on SVR (P=0.0193). The only treatment-related SVR predictor in the nested multiple logistic regression was PegIFN α-2a dose among patients with elevated LDL (P=0.0074); therefore, data from the standard (A+B) and induction (C+D) dose arms were pooled. Among patients with low LDL, SVR rates were 40% and 35% in the standard and induction-dose groups, respectively; SVR rates in patients with high LDL were 44% and 60% (P=0.014), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Intensified dosing of PegIFN α-2a increases SVR rates in patients with elevated LDL even with the difficult-to-cure characteristics of genotype 1, high baseline viral load, and high body weight. Copyright © 2013 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Frequency and genetic diversity of the MAT1 locus of Histoplasma capsulatum isolates in Mexico and Brazil

The MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 idiomorphs associated with the MAT1 locus of Histoplasma capsulatum were identified by PCR. A total of 28 fungal isolates, 6 isolates from human clinical samples and 22 isolates from environmental (infected bat and contaminated soil) samples, were studied. Among the 14 isolates from Mexico, 71.4% (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 48.3% to 94.5%) were of the MAT1-2 genotype, whereas 100% of the isolates from Brazil were of the MAT1-1 genotype. Each MAT1 idiomorphic region was sequenced and aligned, using the sequences of the G-217B (+mating type) and G-186AR (-mating type) strains as references. BLASTn analyses of the MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 sequences studied correlated with their respective+ and-mating type genotypes. Trees were generated by the maximum likelihood (ML) method to search for similarity among isolates of each MAT1 idiomorph. All MAT1-1 isolates originated from Brazilian bats formed a well-defined group; three isolates from Mexico, the G-217B strain, and a subgroup encompassing all soil-derived isolates and two clinical isolates from Brazil formed a second group; last, one isolate (EH-696P) from a migratory bat captured in Mexico formed a third group of the MAT1-1 genotype. The MAT1-2 idiomorph formed two groups, one of which included two H. capsulatum isolates from infected bats that were closely related to the G-186AR strain. The other group was formed by two human isolates and six isolates from infected bats. Concatenated ML trees, with internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) -5.8S-ITS2 and MAT1-1 or MAT1-2 sequences, support the relatedness of MAT1-1 or MAT1-2 isolates. H. capsulatum mating types were associated with the geographical origin of the isolates, and all isolates from Brazil correlated with their environmental sources. © 2013, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Detecção de Paracoccidioides sp. em amostras ambientais aerossóis

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Análise por técnica de RDA (Representational Difference Analysis) da expressão gênica diferencial, para a identificação de fatores genéticos associados à produção de etanol em linhagem de Saccharomyces cerevisae

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Análise filogenética entre Citrus spp. e Guignardia spp

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

Caracterização molecular e patogênica de isolados de Colletotrichum spp. associados a sintomas de antracnose em mangueiras

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Caracterização morfométrica, patogênica e genética de isolados de Colletrotrichum gloeosporioides, agente causal da antracnose em manga (Mangifera indica L.)

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Produção Vegetal) - FCAV

Variabilidade genética de Fusarium spp. isolados de solos e de bananeiras com sintomas do Mal-do-Panamá

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

Caracterização e controle de colletotrichum spp. em seringueira (Hevea brasiliensis)

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Proteção de Plantas) - FCA

Mancha areolada da seringueira (Hevea brasiliensis) na Amazônia: evolução do patógeno (Thanatephorus cucumeris/Rhizoctonia solani grupo de anastomose AG 2-2 Hb) num patossistema tropical

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

A complexa etiologia da mancha areolada de Thanatephorus sp. e/ou Ceratobasidium sp. em espécies cultivadas ou nativas da Amazônia

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Estudo filogenético de populações de Ceratobasidium noxium, agente causal do mal-do-fio do caqui (Diospyrus kaki) e do chá (Camellia sinensis) no Estado de São Paulo, patogenicidade cruzada e reação de variedades de caqui ao patógeno

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Seleção de leveduras isoladas de uvas e mostos com atividade enzimáticas para melhoramento de vinhos

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

Biodiversidade do gênero Trichoderma (Hypocreales - fungi) mediante técnicas moleculares e análise ecofisiográfica

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