Lactotransferrin gene functional polymorphisms do not influence susceptibility to human immunodeficiency virus-1 mother-to-child transmission in different ethnic groups

Lactotransferrin, also known as lactoferrin, is an iron binding glycoprotein that displays antiviral activity against many different infectious agents, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1. Lactotransferrin is present in the breast milk and in the female genitourinary mucosa and it has been hypothesised as a possible candidate to prevent mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission. To verify if two functional polymorphisms, Thr29Ala and Arg47Lys, in the lactotransferrin encoding gene (LTF) could affect HIV-1 infection and vertical transmission, a preliminary association study was performed in 238 HIV-1 positive and 99 HIV-1 negative children from Brazil, Italy, Africa and India. No statistically significant association for the Thr29Ala and Arg47Lys LTF polymorphisms and HIV-1 susceptibility in the studied populations was found. Additionally LTF polymorphisms frequencies were compared between the four different ethnic groups.

New scenarios of Trypanosoma cruzi transmission in the Orinoco region of Colombia

Rhodnius prolixus, a blood-sucking triatomine with domiciliary anthropophilic habits, is the main vector of Chagas disease. The current paradigm of Trypanosoma cruzi transmission in Columbia includes a sylvatic and domiciliary cycle co-existing with domestic and sylvatic populations of reservoirs. The aim of this study is to evaluate the population densities and relative abundance of triatomines and mammals that may be involved in the sylvatic cycle of Chagas disease to clarify the epidemiological scenario in an endemic area in the province of Casanare. Insect vectors on Attalea butyracea palms were captured using both manual searches and bait traps. The capture of mammals was performed using Sherman and Tomahawk traps. We report an infestation index of 88.5% in 148 palms and an index of T. cruzi natural infection of 60.2% in 269 dissected insects and 11.9% in 160 captured mammals. High population densities of triatomines were observed in the sylvatic environment and there was a high relative abundance of reservoirs in the area, suggesting a stable enzootic cycle. We found no evidence of insect domiciliation. Taken together, these observations suggest that eco-epidemiological factors shape the transmission dynamics of T. cruzi, creating diverse scenarios of disease transmission.

Atlas of Mexican Triatominae (Reduviidae: Hemiptera) and vector transmission of Chagas disease

Chagas disease is one of the most important yet neglected parasitic diseases in Mexico and is transmitted by Triatominae. Nineteen of the 31 Mexican triatomine species have been consistently found to invade human houses and all have been found to be naturally infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. The present paper aims to produce a state-of-knowledge atlas of Mexican triatomines and analyse their geographic associations with T. cruzi, human demographics and landscape modification. Ecological niche models (ENMs) were constructed for the 19 species with more than 10 records in North America, as well as for T. cruzi. The 2010 Mexican national census and the 2007 National Forestry Inventory were used to analyse overlap patterns with ENMs. Niche breadth was greatest in species from the semiarid Nearctic Region, whereas species richness was associated with topographic heterogeneity in the Neotropical Region, particularly along the Pacific Coast. Three species,Triatoma longipennis, Triatoma mexicana and Triatoma barberi, overlapped with the greatest numbers of human communities, but these communities had the lowest rural/urban population ratios. Triatomine vectors have urbanised in most regions, demonstrating a high tolerance to human-modified habitats and broadened historical ranges, exposing more than 88% of the Mexican population and leaving few areas in Mexico without the potential for T. cruzitransmission.

Congenital transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in central Brazil. A study of 1,211 individuals born to infected mothers

Transmission of Trypanosoma cruziduring pregnancy is estimated to occur in less than 20% of infected mothers; however, the etiopathogenesis is not completely understood. The Centre for Studies on Chagas Disease provides confirmation of T. cruziinfection for individuals living in central Brazil. In this retrospective hospital-based study, all requests for diagnosis of T. cruziinfection in individuals less than 21 years old from 1994-2014 were searched. We end with 1,211 individuals and their respective infected mothers. Congenital transmission of infection was confirmed in 24 individuals (2%) in central Brazil, an area where the main T. cruzi lineage circulating in humans is TcII. This low prevalence of congenital Chagas disease is discussed in relation to recent findings in the south region of Brazil, where TcV is the main lineage and congenital transmission has a higher prevalence (approximately 5%), similar to frequencies reported in Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia. This is the first report to show geographical differences in the rates of congenital transmission of T. cruziand the relationship between the prevalence of congenital transmission and the type of Tc prevalent in each region.

First report of autochthonous transmission of Zika virus in Brazil

In the early 2015, several cases of patients presenting symptoms of mild fever, rash, conjunctivitis and arthralgia were reported in the northeastern Brazil. Although all patients lived in a dengue endemic area, molecular and serological diagnosis for dengue resulted negative. Chikungunya virus infection was also discarded. Subsequently, Zika virus (ZIKV) was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction from the sera of eight patients and the result was confirmed by DNA sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the ZIKV identified belongs to the Asian clade. This is the first report of ZIKV infection in Brazil.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection in molluscs in the municipality of São Gonçalo, a metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: role of the invasive species Achatina fulica in parasite transmission dynamics

The aim of this study was to analyse the infection dynamics ofAngiostrongylus cantonensisin its possible intermediate hosts over two years in an urban area in the state of Rio de Janeiro where the presence ofA. cantonensis had been previously recorded in molluscs. Four of the seven mollusc species found in the study were exotic.Bradybaena similariswas the most abundant, followed byAchatina fulica, Streptaxissp., Subulina octona, Bulimulus tenuissimus, Sarasinula linguaeformisand Leptinaria unilamellata. Only A. fulicaand B. similariswere parasitised by A. cantonensis and both presented co-infection with other helminths. The prevalence of A. cantonensisin A. fulicawas more than 50% throughout the study. There was an inverse correlation between the population size ofA. fulicaand the prevalence of A. cantonensisand abundance of the latter was negatively related to rainfall. The overall prevalence of A. cantonensisin B. similariswas 24.6%. A. fulicawas the most important intermediary host of A. cantonensisin the studied area andB. similariswas secondary in importance for A. cantonensistransmission dynamics.

Abundance of Lutzomyia longipalpis in urban households as risk factor of transmission of visceral leishmaniasis

Urban occurrence of human and canine visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is linked to households with characteristics conducive to the presence of sand flies. This study proposes an ad hoc classification of households according to the environmental characteristics of receptivity to phlebotominae and an entomological study to validate the proposal. Here we describe the phlebotominae population found in intra- and peridomiciliary environments and analyse the spatiotemporal distribution of the VL vector Lutzomyia longipalpis of households receptive to VL. In the region, 153 households were classified into levels of receptivity to VL followed by entomological surveys in 40 of those properties. Kruskal-Wallis verified the relationship between the households’ classification and sand fly abundance and Kernel analysis evaluated L. longipalpis spatial distribution: of the 740 sand flies were captured, 91% were L. longipalpis; 82% were found peridomiciliary whilst the remaining 18% were found intradomiciliary. No statistically significant association was found between sandflies and households levels. L. longipalpis counts were concentrated in areas of high vulnerability and some specific households were responsible for the persistence of the infestation. L. longipalpis prevails over other sand fly species for urban VL transmission. The entomological study may help target the surveillance and vector control strategies to domiciles initiating and/or maintaining VL outbreaks.

Tampão genital de Actinote Hübner, como caráter taxonômico (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Acraeinae)

The sphragis morphology of seven species of Actinote Hübner, [1819] from south Brazil are presented and discussed comparatively. Their significant differences and scales were revealed with SEM photographs. They can be usable as characters to identify species.

Detection and transmission of Drechslera avenae from oat seed

Detection, symptoms and symptomless transmission of Drechslera avenae (teleomorph Pyrenophora avenae) from seed were investigated. The present study reported that the D. avenae is frequently found in oat (Avena sativa) seed in Argentina. The prevalence of the seed lot infected was 54%. The incidence of seeds infected by D. avenae in the various seed lots from different regions ranged from 0 to 52% (overall mean of 7%). Besides conidia on conidiophore and immature pseudothecia, D. avenae produced small, spherical to pear-shape picnidia containing tiny conidia, on the seed surface. The pathogen was efficiently transmitted at a rate of 55% from seed to coleoptile tips in symptomless seedlings and at 12.5% to plumules. The importance of the infected seed and its epidemiological role are discussed.

Detection, transmission, pathogenicity and chemical treatment of fungi in Ceiba speciosa seeds

The aim of this work was to evaluate fungus association, transmission and pathogenicity, besides chemical seed treatment in Ceiba speciosa seeds from different regions of southern Brazil. Seven seed samples were used to do the germination test, fungus detection by blotter test and potato-dextrose-agar (PDA), fungus transmission and pathogenicity tests; besides, chemical seed treatments were tested. Germination ranged from 0 to 59,5%. The following fungi were associated in the seeds: Fusarium sp., Alternaria sp., Colletotrichum sp., Curvularia sp. and Pestalotia sp.; in addition, Fusarium sp. was found in all the samples. Alternaria sp. and Fusarium sp. were transmitted by seeds. The isolates of Alternaria sp., Colletotrichum sp. and Fusarium sp., were pathogenic to seedlings and seeds. The seed treatment with methyl tiophanate and the combination captan + methyl tiophanate reduced Fusarium sp. incidence.

Fatores de risco para recidiva após tratamento de lesões provocadas pelo HPV no trato genital feminino

Objetivos: avaliação de fatores de risco [grau da lesão e associação com o vírus da imunodeficiência adquirida tipo 1 (HIV-1) e gestação] para recidiva após tratamento de lesões provocadas pelo papilomavírus humano (HPV) no trato genital feminino. Material e métodos: foram avaliadas 70 pacientes com diagnóstico clínico, colposcópico e citológico de infecção pelo HPV. O seguimento clínico foi de no mínimo 6 meses após o tratamento inicial, possibilitando avaliar os resultados terapêuticos. Neste grupo, 26 pacientes eram grávidas, sendo 12 com sorologia positiva para o HIV-1. As 44 pacientes restantes encontravam-se fora do período gravídico-puerperal, sendo que destas, 14 eram contaminadas pelo HIV-1. Segundo os critérios citológicos as lesões de colo foram classificadas em alterações associadas ao HPV ou neoplasia intra-epitelial cervical (NIC) graus I (lesões de baixo grau) ou NIC II/III (lesões de alto grau). A análise estatística foi realizada pelo teste exato de Fisher com nível de significância para p< 0.05. O esquema terapêutico para lesões restritas ao colo do útero foi crio ou eletrocautério (EC), já a presença de lesões difusas pelos fórnices vaginais implicou o uso de 5-fluoruracil tópico; nas lesões da região vulvo-perineal utilizou-se o ácido tricloroacético 80% e caso fossem lesões volumosas realizava-se o EC. Nas gestantes foi utilizado o criocautério para lesões restritas ao colo e EC para lesões difusas. Resultados: das pacientes grávidas HIV-1 negativas, tivemos 87,5% de recidiva quando a lesão estava em colo-vagina, e nenhum caso quando de lesões vulvo-perineais. Já as pacientes grávidas com sorologia positiva apresentaram 100% de recidiva independente do sítio de lesão. Nos casos de pacientes não-grávidas, HIV negativas, tivemos 24 e 20% de recidiva nos sítios colo-vagina e vulvo-perineais, respectivamente, ao passo que nas pacientes HIV positivas, as recidivas foram de 87,5 e 100% respectivamente para estes mesmos sítios. As lesões associadas a NIC apresentaram uma maior freqüência de recidivas com o aumento do grau da NIC e um efeito sinérgico com a associação com o HIV-1 e gravidez. Conclusões: a taxa de recidiva de lesões induzidas por HPV em mulheres tratadas é alta; a associação com a gravidez, com o HIV e o aumento do grau das lesões intra-epiteliais são fatores sinérgicos no determinismo da falha terapêutica. O sítio de implantação das lesões induzidas por HPV só tem significado prognóstico fora da associação com HIV.

Lesões induzidas por papilomavírus humano em parceiros de mulheres com neoplasia intra-epitelial do trato genital inferior

RESUMO Objetivos: pesquisar a presença de lesões induzidas por papilomavírus (HPV) e os fatores associados em parceiros de mulheres com neoplasia intra-epitelial genital. Métodos: foram avaliados 337 homens por meio de citologia uretral, peniscopia e biópsia, quando necessário. Analisou-se a presença de lesão induzida por HPV correlacionando-a com a idade, escolaridade, tabagismo, estabilidade conjugal, início da atividade sexual, número de parceiras, antecedente de doença sexualmente transmissível (DST), postectomia, imagens peniscópicas e grau das lesões nas mulheres. Resultados: a peniscopia foi positiva em 144 homens (42,7%) e 105 (31,2%) apresentaram lesões induzidas por HPV. Somente o tabagismo, a estabilidade conjugal menor ou igual a seis meses e o antecedente de mais de uma parceira sexual estiveram associados com a presença de lesão induzida por HPV (p<0,05). A citologia uretral foi suspeita para HPV em 4,2% dos casos, sendo este achado significativamente associado com tabagismo, peniscopia ou biópsias positivas e com parceiros de mulheres com lesão de alto grau. Das 229 biópsias realizadas, 72,1% foram positivas para HPV, independentemente da imagem peniscópica e do grau de lesão na mulher. Conclusões: as lesões induzidas por HPV foram diagnosticadas em 31,2% dos casos e estiveram associadas com o tabagismo, tempo de união conjugal menor ou igual a seis meses e mais de uma parceira sexual. O grau de lesão na mulher, escolaridade, antecedente de DST, postectomia e imagem peniscópica não se mostraram correlacionados com a presença de lesão induzida por HPV.