First Identification of Culex flavivirus (Flaviviridae) in Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Perfil eletroforético e concentração de imunoglobulinas G (IgG) do soro sanguíneo de cabras Saanen com mastite experimental induzida por Staphylococcus aureus suplementadas com vitamina E

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

Estudo epidemiológico da Toxoplasmose em gestantes atendidas na Maternidade Escola Januário Cicco, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte

Congenital Toxoplasmosis results in severe systemic disease. If mother is infected for the first time during gestation, she can infect the fetus causing substantial damage. However, relatively little is known about the seroprevalence and epidemiological and economic factors of Toxoplasmosis infection in pregnancy in the most state in northeastern Brazil and knowledge about this can be essential in determining effective and acceptable prevention strategies. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of Toxoplasmosis in pregnant woman consulted by reference Maternity Escola Januário Cicco in Natal, a city in Northeastern Brazil, which belongs to the public health system, correlating to the risk factors involved in the infection and to accomplish active Search in the Hospital of Pediatrics Profº Heriberto Bezerra of the damages caused by the Toxoplasmic infection in children up to 12 years of age. The study was conducted from March to December 2007 and sera obtained from 190 pregnant women were tested for IgM and IgG antibodies avidity to Toxoplasma by Microparticle enzyme immunoassay (Abbott AxSYM system - Abbott Laboratories, Chicago, IL, USA). Data were examined with univariate analysis. Chi-squared (x2) and Odds ratio was calculated (IC 95% p 0,05). Of these women, 126 (66,3%) had only IgG antibodies high-avidity against T. gondii; 01 (0,52%) had a IgM and IgG high-avidity antibodies against T. gondii and 63 (33,1%) have neither IgM nor IgG against T. gondii. Our studies shown that the direct contact with cats or dogs was highly associated with the Toxoplasma gondii infection (OR, 2.72, p<0.001, 95% CI 1.46 5.02). The years school (p<0,001), socioeconomic status and knowledge about the disease (both p value 0.05) also were associated with Toxoplasmosis. The pattern of risk factors for infection presents regional variations, however our data corroborate others studies in Brazil. In children up to 12 years, one case of Congenital Toxoplasmosis was just registered in seven years (2000 - 2006). There were several suggestive cases, with signs and characteristic symptoms, but that the infection was not confirmed due to lack in the researches through laboratorial and images exams that addressed that it zoonosis

Influência da soropositividade ao vírus da artrite encefalite caprina no hemograma de cabras em lactação

Objetivou-se estudar a influência da artrite encefalite caprina no hemograma de cabras durante a lactação. Para tanto, 38 matrizes F1 Anglo-Nubiana x Saanen, com idade entre 14 e 38 meses e escore corporal entre dois e três, foram previamente testadas por IDGA e Western Blot para a divisão em grupo soropositivo (n = 19) e soronegativo (n = 19). Os grupos foram mantidos em piquetes distintos, sem contato físico, recebendo o mesmo manejo nutricional e sanitário. O sangue foi coletado por venipunção da jugular, mensalmente, desde o parto até o fim da lactação. Foram determinados os valores do eritrograma e do leucograma. em dados momentos, os soropositivos apresentaram alterações morfológicas nas hemácias, com diminuição significativa do VCM, aumento significativo do HCM e CHCM. Não houve diferença significativa entre grupos na contagem de hemácias e volume globular. Os valores absolutos de monócitos e eosinófilos dos soropositivos, em algumas ocasiões, encontraram-se significativamente superiores aos dos soronegativos e acima da faixa de normalidade para a espécie caprina.

Spatial distribution of arboviral mosquito vectors (Diptera, Culicidae) in Vale do Ribeira in the South-eastern Brazilian Atlantic Forest

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

Effect of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus on subsequent Pasteurella multocida challenge in pigs

This trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv) on a subsequent challenge with Pasteurella multocida in pigs. Sixteen, 3-4 week-old piglets, from a PRRSv and Aujeszky disease virus (ADV) free herd were used. Animals were equally and randomly allocated in four groups which were treated according the following schedule: Group I: negative controls; Group II: inoculation with only PRRSV; Group III: inoculation with PRRSV and P. multocida; Group IV: inoculation with ADV and multocida (positive controls), PRRSV and ADV were inoculated intranasally, at the doses of 10(4.6) and 10(4.5) TCID50/ml, respectively. Five days later, pigs from groups III and IV were inoculated intranasally, with two ml of a 10(9) CFU/mL suspension of equal parts of P. multocida, strains A52 and A24. No lesions were observed in piglets of group I. Microscopically, interstitial pneumonia was identified in all piglets of groups II and III and 3/4 piglets from group IV. Bronchopneumonia was detected in 3/4 of the piglets from group III and in all animals of group TV which, additionally, showed meningo-encephalitis and purulent rhinitis. Macroscopically, only piglets of groups III and IV had lung consolidation. However, much lower pneumonic scores (2.3%) were observed in group III, where 3 of 4 piglets were affected. on the other hand, all piglets of group IV showed some degree of pulmonary consolidation, with a mean score of 13.7%. Based on these results, it appears that the role of PRRSV as a initiator of secondary diseases is still undefined, but is probably mild, There was no clear interaction between PRRSV and Pasteurella multocida under the conditions and strains tested here. (C) 1997 Elsevier B.V. B.V.

In vitro study of antiviral activity of mycophenolic acid on Brazilian orthobunyaviruses

Objective: Oropouche, Caraparu, Guama, Guaroa and Tacaiuma are ssRNA viruses that belong to the genus Orthobunyavirus and have been associated with human febrile illnesses and/or encephalitis. In this study, we evaluated the antiviral action of mycophenolic acid (MPA) on these orthobunyaviruses to achieve a therapeutic agent to treat the diseases caused by these viruses. Methods: the in vitro antiviral evaluation to MPA was done by using plaque assay at different periods of treatment. Results: Results showed that MPA at a concentration of 10 mu g/ml has significant antiviral activity on Tacaiuma virus when treatment was initiated either 24 h before or 2 h after viral infection. Moreover, MPA has an inhibitory effect on Guama virus replication, but only when treatment was initiated before cell infection. Addition of guanosine in the culture reverted the inhibitory effect of MPA on Tacaiuma and Guama viruses, suggesting that the antiviral activity of this substance was via depletion of the intracellular guanosine pool. Conclusion: Our results suggest that MPA would not be a good therapeutic agent to treat the diseases caused by Oropouche, Caraparu, Guama, Guaroa, and Tacaiuma viruses.

Uso de la inmunohistoquímica como herramienta epidemiológica para el diagnóstico de rabia bovina a partir de casos no conclusivos

Objective. Identify the rabies virus in cases of nervous disease archived in the laboratory with diagnosis of nonspecific encephalitis. Materials and methods. Twelve samples of bovine brain suspected of rabies, were processed by indirect immunoperoxidase technique using polyclonal antibodies against the viral agent. Results. Was demonstrated the presence of viral antigens in three cases in the form of small aggregates in the cytoplasm of neurons, with a pattern of round or oval and a variable number of viral inclusion bodies. We discussed the importance of the results in Colombia, the usefulness of the technique in the difficult conditions for sending samples to the laboratory, plus the possible relationship of the negative cases with bovine herpesvirus 5. Conclusions. The use of immunohistochemical technique to demonstrate rabies virus antigens in formalin fixed bovines tissues can help in the construction of an epidemiological map of rabies disease in Colombia and may reduce the high under-diagnosis of diseases of the nervous system of cattle, reported in some regions.

Herpes Virus Bovino tipo 1 (BoHV-1) como posible causa de encefalitis en bovinos de la región del Magdalena Medio Colombiano. Estudio serológico y análisis epidemiológico

The bovine Herpesvirus type 1 and type 5 (BoHV-1 and BoHV-5), causing diseases and significant economic losses in farms of worldwide. Both affect the nervous system of cattle, although BoHV-5 has been the most associated with this type of pathogenesis. Given the death of animals with nervous symptoms and negative diagnoses for rabies virus in the area of study, this research focused on the detection of positive reactors to bovine herpes virus serum neutralization. We collected 518 blood samples from animals without Herpesvirus vaccine, in the municipalities of Caparrapi, Cimitarra, Honda and Victoria, in the Middle Magdalena River Region. In addition, epidemiological information useful to discuss neurological disease was collected through primary and secondary sources. For the analysis of data was used chi-square test by identification of relationship between evidence of viral infection and the variables recorded. The results revealed that 286 cases were positive for Herpesvirus infection, corresponding to a prevalence of 55.5%, however, there was no statistical relationship (p < 0.05) between the presence of antibodies and the variables analyzed. In conclusion, some cases of neurological disease in cattle in this region could be due to infection with herpes viruses. We discussed about the presence of BoHV-1 and BoHV-5 in the ambient, diagnosis and monitoring plans, as well as economic losses, which may cause in herds in this area.

Viral infections in workers in hospital and research laboratory settings: a comparative review of infection modes and respective biosafety aspects

Objectives: To compare modes and sources of infection and clinical and biosafety aspects of accidental viral infections in hospital workers and research laboratory staff reported in scientific articles. Methods: PubMed, Google Scholar, ISI Web of Knowledge, Scirus, and Scielo were searched (to December 2008) for reports of accidental viral infections, written in English, Portuguese, Spanish, or German; the authors' personal file of scientific articles and references from the articles retrieved in the initial search were also used. Systematic review was carried out with inclusion criteria of presence of accidental viral infection's cases information, and exclusion criteria of absence of information about the viral etiology, and at least probable mode of infection.Results: One hundred and forty-one scientific articles were obtained, 66 of which were included in the analysis. For arboviruses, 84% of the laboratory infections had aerosol as the source; for alphaviruses alone, aerosol exposure accounted for 94% of accidental infections. of laboratory arboviral infections, 15.7% were acquired percutaneously, whereas 41.6% of hospital infections were percutaneous. For airborne viruses, 81% of the infections occurred in laboratories, with hantavirus the leading causative agent. Aerosol inhalation was implicated in 96% of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infections, 99% of hantavirus infections, and 50% of coxsackievirus infections, but infective droplet inhalation was the leading mode of infection for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and the mucocutaneous mode of infection was involved in the case of infection with influenza B. For blood-borne viruses, 92% of infections occurred in hospitals and 93% of these had percutaneous mode of infection, while among laboratory infections 77% were due to infective aerosol inhalation. Among blood-borne virus infections there were six cases of particular note: three cases of acute hepatitis following hepatitis C virus infection with a short period of incubation, one laboratory case of human immunodeficiency virus infection through aerosol inhalation, one case of hepatitis following hepatitis G virus infection, and one case of fulminant hepatitis with hepatitis B virus infection following exposure of the worker's conjunctiva to hepatitis B virus e antigen-negative patient saliva. of the 12 infections with viruses with preferential mucocutaneous transmission, seven occurred percutaneously, aerosol was implicated as a possible source of infection in two cases, and one atypical infection with Macacine herpesvirus 1 with fatal encephalitis as the outcome occurred through a louse bite. One outbreak of norovirus infection among hospital staff had as its probable mode of infection the ingestion of inocula spread in the environment by fomites.Conclusions: The currently accepted and practiced risk analysis of accidental viral infections based on the conventional dynamics of infection of the etiological agents is insufficient to cope with accidental viral infections in laboratories and to a lesser extent in hospitals, where unconventional modes of infection are less frequently present but still have relevant clinical and potential epidemiological consequences. Unconventional modes of infection, atypical clinical development, or extremely severe cases are frequently present together with high viral loads and high virulence of the agents manipulated in laboratories. In hospitals by contrast, the only possible association of atypical cases is with the individual resistance of the worker. Current standard precaution practices are insufficient to prevent most of the unconventional infections in hospitals analyzed in this study; it is recommended that special attention be given to flaviviruses in these settings. (C) 2011 International Society for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Melanoma de coróide: Relato de caso insuspeito

The choroidal melanoma is the most frequent intraocular tumor in elderly, occurring mainly in the 60th. This paper shows a misdiagnosis tumor affecting a female aging 36 years-old, misdiagnosed and initially treated as a toxoplasmic uveitis. The tumor had orbit and neck metastasis. The authors call attention to the necessity of early diagnosis to improve the outcome.

Toxoplasma gondii in semen of experimentally infected swine

Eight reproductive boars were divided into three groups and inoculated with Toxoplasma gondii [GI (n=3) 1.5×104 oocysts strain P; GII (n=3) 1.0×106 tachyzoites strain RH; and GIII (n=2) non-inoculated control]. Clinical, hematological, parasitemia and serological tests and studies of the parasite in the semen through bioassay and PCR, and in reproductive organs (Bioassay and immunohistochemical analyses) were conducted to evaluate the toxoplasmic infection. Blood and semen were collected on day -2, -1, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 14 and weekly up to 84 days post-inoculation (DPI). No clinical or hematimetric alteration was observed in the boars. Parasitemia was detected in one boar inoculated with oocysts at the 7th DPI and in another boar infected with tachyzoites (GII) at the 3rd and 49 th DPI. Serological tests revealed antibodies against T. gondii in animals inoculated with oocysts or tachyzoites at the 7th DPI with dilutions of 1:256 and 1:64, which reached peaks of 1:4096 at day 11 and 9, respectively. The bioassays revealed the presence of the parasite in semen samples of a boar inoculated with oocysts (GI) at 3, 49 and 56 DPI and from two boars infected with tachyzoites (GII), one animal at 5 and two animals at 49 days DPI. Mice inoculated with semen from the control group (GIII) remained serologically negative. PCR analysis showed T. gondii DNA in the semen of Boar 1 and Boar 3 inoculated with tachyzoites and oocysts, respectively. The immunohistochemical tests showed T. gondii in the reproductive organs of Boar 1 and Boar 2, inoculated with tachyzoites and oocysts, respectively. These findings suggest the possible occurrence of venereal transmission of T. gondii in swine.

Descripción inmunohistoquímica de la encefalitis en bovinos brasileños naturalmente infectados con el herpesvirus bovino tipo 5 (HVB-5)

Twelve cases of viral meningoencephalitis in Brazilian cattle were submitted to immunohistochemical analysis for inflammatory response description. All the cases showed severe neurological signs followed by death. Mild to moderate histological inflammatory changes in the brain and cerebellum characterized the neurological infection showing meningitis, mononuclear perivascular cuffing, gliosis, haemorrhage, and macrophages (gitter cells) accompanying great areas of malacia. None of the cases showed intranuclear inclusion bodies. However, in five of them it was possible to isolate the BoHV-5. In order to collect data to allow the description of the inflammatory response in these cases, brain samples from all of the cases were analyzed by immunohistochemistry using polyclonal antibodies against CD3 to detect T cells, and against GFAP to detect astrocytes. On the other hand, monoclonal antibodies were used against BLA to detect B cells and, against MAC 387 to detect macrophages. The results indicate different degrees of prominent astrocytic response, and at the same time, T lymphocytes constituted a high percentage of the mononuclear cells which characterized the inflammatory response.

Ações de vigilância continuada, papel do cão como animal sentinela para toxoplasmose.

Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii and its definitive host is the domestic and wild felids infecting human beings and other warmblooded animals. Dogs are considered a potential risk on the transmission due they can mechanically transmit oocysts to man. In this study, a retrospective analysis of toxoplasmic infection in dog serum samples sent to Serviço de Diagnóstico de Zoonoses/FMVZ-UNESP/Botucatu, SP, in the period of 1998 to 2007 was performed. During this period 1097 serum samples were analyzed by the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), with 299 (27.25%) positive. The most frequent titer was 16 (42.80%), followed by 64 (37.79%). The results indicate that T.gondii is distributed in the environment showing the role of the dog as sentinel animal to toxoplasmosis to monitor public health actions to the control of this zoonosis.

Semen variables of sheep (Ovis aries) experimentally infected with Toxoplasma gondii

The influence of Toxoplasma gondii on semen variables and sperm morphology of sheep was evaluated in eight reproductive males distributed into three experimental groups: GI, three sheep inoculated with 2.0 × 105 of P strain oocytes; GII, three sheep infected with 1.0 × 106 of RH strain tachyzoites and; GIII two control sheep. Clinical (rectal temperature, cardiac and respiratory frequencies), parasite and serology exams (IIF) were realized. Sperm variables (volume, motility, vigor and concentration) and semen morphology for each sheep were also evaluated. Thus, semen and blood collections were assessed on post-inoculation days (PIDs)-1,3,5,7,11,14 and weekly thereafter up to PID 70. Clinical alterations were observed (hypothermia and anorexia) in infected sheep from groups GI and GII. Parasitic outbreaks were detected in five sheep. All the infected sheep produced antibodies against T. gondii from PID 5 onwards, reaching a peak of 4096 and 8192 for group GI and GII sheep, respectively. Differences (P < 0.05) were observed regarding the ejaculate volume between the inoculated groups (oocytes and tachyzoites) and control. Even though experimental toxoplasmic infection resulted in clinical symptomology in the inoculated sheep, the minimal alterations in sperm pathologies could not be directly attributed to T. gondii. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.