Anticorpos anti-trypanosoma cruzi como preditivos de infecção por leishmania infantum

Leishmania infantum and Trypanosoma cruzi are trypanosomatids of medical importance and are, respectively, the etiologic agents of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and Chagas disease (CD) in Brazil. People infected with L. infantum or T. cruzi may develop asymptomatically, enabling the transmission of pathogens through blood transfusion and / or organs. The assessment of the infection by T. cruzi is included among the tests performed for screening blood donors in Brazil, however, there is no availability of tests for Leishmania. Serological tests for T. cruzi are very sensitive, but not specific, and may have cross-reactions with other microorganisms. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Leishmania infection in blood donors and assess whether the serological test for T. cruzi detect L. infantum. Among the 300 blood samples from donors, discarded in 2011, 61 were T. cruzi positive, 203 were from donors with other infections and 36 were from handbags with low blood volume, but without infection. We also assessed 144 samples from donors without infections and able to donate blood, totaling 444 subjects. DNA was extracted from blood samples of all to perform quantitative PCR (qPCR) to detect Leishmania DNA. The buffy coat obtained from all samples was grown in Schneider medium supplemented and NNN. All samples were evaluated for the presence of anti-Leishmania antibody. The serological results indicate a percentage of 22% of Leishmania infection in blood samples obtained from discarded bags. A total of 60% of samples positive in ELISA for T. cruzi were negative by IFI, used as confirmatory test, ie 60% false positive for Chagas. Among these samples false positive for Chagas, 72% were positive by ELISA for Leishmania characterizing the occurrence of cross reaction between serologic assays. Of the 300 cultures performed, 18 grew parasites that were typed by qPCR and specific isoenzymes, found the species Leishmania infantum crops. Among the 18 cultures, 4 were purged from scholarships for low volume and all negative serology blood bank, thus demonstrating that there is a real risk of Leishmania transmission via transfusion. It is concluded that in an area endemic for leishmaniasis in Brazil, serological diagnosis performed to detect infection by T. cruzi among blood donors can identify infection by L. infantum and although cause false positive for Chagas, this cross-reactivity reduces the risk of Leishmania infection via blood transfusion, since tests are not applied specific detection of the parasite. In this way, there remains the need to discuss the implementation of a specific serological screening test for Leishmania in endemic countries such as Brazil

Co-infecção pelo vírus da hepatite G em pacientes infectados pelo Leihsmania chagasi

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior

Influência de fatores ambientais na incidência do vírus da infecção hipodermal e necrose hematopoiética (IHHNV) no camarão Litopenaeus vannamei cultivado em fazendas do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte (RN)

The shrimp farming industry is the most profitable area of the aquaculture at Rio Grande do Norte (RN) state, which is one of the largest producers in Brazil. However the infections that affect the shrimp cause major economic losses. The infection is a result of the interaction between the shrimp, the environment and pathogen. The change of these factors may lead to a condition of stress and susceptibility to opportunistic infections. One of these infections caused by Infectious Hypodermal and Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHHNV) is widely distributed in several countries and affects a wide range of hosts. To optimize conditions for production of Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp, the more species cultivated in Brazil, it is necessary to understand the effects of environmental factors in the susceptibility of this species to infections. The aim of this study was to determine the IHHNV prevalence and to investigate the influence of environmental factors as salinity, temperature, stocking density, dissolved oxygen and rainfall in the IHHNV incidence in L. vannamei grown in farms, in the RN state. To determine the IHHNV prevalence were used 1089 samples of L. vannamei collected in seven farms. To perform the study about the influence of environmental factors, 525 samples of L. vannamei shrimp were collected in eight farms located in regions of low (0-1 ), medium (21-30 ) and high (38-57 ) salinity, using extensive (≤15 shrimp/m2 ), semi-intensive (18-33 shrimp/m2) or intensive (>36 shrimp/m2) stocking density systems. The IHHNV infection was determined in pleopod and hemolymph using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The environmental factors were recorded during the collection of animals, using a refractometer to measure the salinity and a multi-parameter meter to measure the temperature and concentration of dissolved oxygen in the water. The IHHNV prevalence in RN was 43% (468 infected shrimp out of 1089), varying on different farms. On the seven farms studied, IHHNV prevalence ranged from 18.6% to 54.8%. The infection rates in the shrimp cultured in low, medium and high salinity were respectively 43.10% (125/290), 31.2% (15/48) and 24.6% (46/187) and was significantly higher in shrimp grown in low salinity (P<0.001). The infection rates in ponds of extensive, semi-intensive and intensive systems were respectively, 28.7%, 28.28% and 47.84%, and was significantly higher in high stocking densities (P<0.001). This study indicated a high IHHNV prevalence and a significant effect of salinity and stocking density, but not of the temperature, rainfall and dissolved oxygen on the IHHNV infection rate in the L. vannamei shrimp cultured in the northeastern Brazil

Bioecologia da ictiofauna marinha descartada pelo arrasto camaroeiro em praias da Bacia Potiguar, Brasil

The composition of ichthyofauna discarded by trawling shrimping, their reproductive status and feeding ecology were studied on the beaches of Basin Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Fish were collected monthly in the year of 2012. During biometrics, portions of the digestive tract and of gonads were removed, fixed in formalin 10% and Bouin, respectively, for be submitted to histological processing by the techniques of hematoxylin-eosin. Stomach content analyzes were performed using the methods of Frequency of Occurrence and Volumetric and was calculated the repletion index. Throughout the study period were recorded a total of 49 species. The fish assemblages differed between sections monitoring, with the highest abundance, biomass and indices of richness and diversity in sections B, D and C. Already the excerpt A, showed higher values for dominance and equitability. In the cluster analysis according to the faunal similarity was observed the formation of three groups: group I formed by excerpts B and D, group II by excerpt C and group III formed by excerpt A. The assessment of reproductive stage revealed that the fish assemblages discarded by trawling are composed mainly of juveniles. Regarding the feeding ecology, the species Larimus breviceps, Menticirrhus littoralis and Pomadasys corvinaeformis characterized as carnivorous with tendency to carcinofagia. Already Conodon nobilis characterized as carnivorous with tendency to piscivory, but all proved generalist-opportunistic with increase of feeding activity during drought. The dendrogram of grouping of the species developed based on the food items used shows the formation of four groups: Group I consists of species that feed mainly of "gastropod" and "sediment"; group II of "teleost fish"; the group III of "crustacea" and group IV of "echinodermata" and "bivalve". The anatomical and histological characteristics of the digestive tract were consistent with the dietary habits of the analyzed species. In this context, the Costa Branca of Rio Grande do Norte can be considered a feeding site and recruitment for juveniles, which, opportunistically, utilize resources associated with the background

Incidência de fungos em pós-colheita de banana 'Prata anã'(Musa AAB)

Este trabalho teve por objetivo determinar a ocorrência e a freqüência de fungos em banana 'Prata anã' e elucidar o agente causal das podridões em pós-colheita de frutos provenientes do norte de Minas Gerais. Dois métodos de isolamento foram adotados: diluição em placas, a partir da lavagem de frutos verdes, e direto de frutos maduros. Os fungos Colletotrichum musae, Trichoderma harzianum, Fusarium equisetii, Penicillium sp. Aspergillus parasiticus, Trichothecium roseum, Colletotrichum acutatum, Alternaria sp., Cladosporium musae e Curvularia lunata foram os mais freqüentemente associados aos frutos. A patogenicidade desses fungos foi testada pela substituição de discos da casca de frutos verdes por discos de micélio. Colletotrichum musae apresentou área média lesionada em torno do ponto de inoculação igual a 5,8 cm², enquanto para os demais fungos testados não passou de 1,50 cm². Os resultados mostraram que C. musae é o agente primário das podridões dos frutos examinados com 100 % de incidência e os demais fungos limitaram-se a necrosar os ferimentos em torno do ponto de inoculação. O modo de infecção latente, causada por C. musae, parece favorecer, primeiramente, a colonização interna dos tecidos e, posteriormente, a ação dos fungos oportunistas, que aceleram as podridões nos frutos e na coroa.

Eosinófilos sanguíneos e fecais em crianças infectadas por helmintos e protozoários

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico

IgA sérica, secretora, IgE total e estado nutricional em crianças com infecções por enteroparasitas

Infections for intestinal parasites are one of the main morbidade causes in humans and, its relationships with socioeconomic levels and hygiene conditions in countries in development are already very established. Many works, even so, they are being accomplished to elucidate the complex interactions among nutrition, these infections and answer imunológica, because it is seen that malnutrition commits the immunity increasing the susceptibilidade for infectious diseases and these for its time can harm the state human nutricional. It is known that sponge helmínticos they stimulate synthesis of IgE so much policlonal as specific for the same ones and that IgA secretora, main imunoglobulina of defense of the mucous ones, can act against protozoa as the Giardia lamblia and against helmintos as Trichuris tichiura and Strongyloides stercorales. Some studies show that the malnutrition energy protéica influences in the production of these answers, but some authors show results divergentes. In this work it was evaluated the levels of total IgE, IgA sérica and secretora, contagem of sanguine eosinófilos, levels of proteins séricas and state nutricional, in 103 children of low socioeconomic level, to discover a correlation between those and infection for enteroparasitas. They participated in the study children of both sexes, with age of 3 to 6 years, visitors of the same creche and residents in a neighborhood with precarious hygiene conditions and basic saneamento, in the city of Christmas. The obtained results showed that the faulty environmental and socioeconomic conditions favored to a high infection frequency for enteroparasitas, mainly Trichuris trichiura and Ascaris lumbricoides between the helmintos and Endolimax sleep and Giárdia lamblia among the protozoa. Light malnutrition without deficit protéico was observed in 30% of the children, which didn't also present significant deficiencies of IgA sérica and secretora. The sponged children

Digenetic trematodes infection in a Bothrops moojeni (Viperidae) population from a fauna rescue in Porto Primavera, São Paulo State

No presente estudo é descrita a infecção por trematódeos digenéticos parasitas da cavidade oral e esôfago em uma população de serpentes Bothrops moojeni provenientes de resgate de fauna em Porto Primavera, Estado de São Paulo. Foi observada prevalência de infecção de 68%. O grau de infecção (número de trematódeos por serpente) variou de 2 a 51 helmintos. Os trematódeos encontrados foram Ophisthogonimus spp. e Sticholecitha serpentis. A alta prevalência de infecção foi associada com a drástica alteração ambiental e o estresse multi-fatorial aos quais os animais foram submetidos, que poderiam ter favorecido o ciclo dos parasitas.

Influência das mudanças climáticas na estrutura funcional da comunidade fitoplanctônica em um reservatório da região do semiárido

The Brazilian Northeast is the most vulnerable region to climatic variability risks. For the Brazilian semi-arid is expected a reduction in the overall rates of precipitation and an increase in the number of dry days. These changes predicted by the IPCC (2007) will intensify the rainfall and droughts period that could promote the dominance of cyanobacteria, thus affecting the water quality of reservoirs, that are most used for water supply, in the semi-arid. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of increasing temperature combined with nutrient enrichment on the functional structure of the phytoplankton community of a mesotrophic reservoir in the semi-arid, in the worst case scenario of climate change predicted by the IPCC (2007). Two experiments were performed, one in a rainy season and another in the dry season. In the water sampled, nutrients (nitrate and orthophosphate) were added in different concentrations. The microcosms were submitted to two different temperatures, five-year average of air temperature in the reservoir (control) and 4°C above the control temperature (warming). The results of this study showed that warming and nutrient enrichment benefited mainly the functional groups of cyanobacteria. During the rainy season it was verified the increasing biomass of small functional groups of unicellular and opportunists algae such as F (colonial green algae with mucilage) and X1 (nanoplanktonic algae of eutrophic lake systems). It was also observed an increasing in total biomass, in the richness and diversity of the community. In the dry season experiment there was a greater contribution in the relative biomass of filamentous algae, with a replacement of the group S1 (non-filamentous cyanobacteria with heterocytes) for H1 (filamentous cyanobacteria with heterocytes) in nutrient- enriched treatments. Moreover, there was also loss in total biomass, species richness and diversity of the community. The effects of temperature and nutrients manipulation on phytoplankton community of reservoir Ministro João Alves provoked changes in species richness, the diversity of the community and its functional composition, being the dry period which showed the highest susceptibility to the increase in the contribution of potentially toxic cyanobacteria with heterocytes

Biodigestão anaeróbia de dejetos de bovinos leiteiros submetidos a diferentes tempos de retenção hidráulica

Utilizando-se biodigestores contínuos, abastecidos com dejetos de bovinos leiteiros e operados sob três tempos de retenção hidráulica, avaliou-se o efeito do processo de digestão anaeróbia sobre o número de microrganismos indicadores de poluição fecal, sobre a ocorrência de ovos e larvas de helmintos parasitas de ruminantes, analisando-se também os teores de sólidos totais e voláteis do afluente e dos efluentes, bem como a produção e a qualidade do biogás produzido. Verificou-se que vinte dias de retenção hidráulica foram suficientes para reduzir significativamente o número de microorganismos indicadores de poluição fecal e a quantidade de ovos de helmintos parasitas de ruminantes. Os resultados obtidos nas análises de sólidos totais e voláteis, bem como a produção de biogás (m³/dia), permitem concluir que o biodigestor modelo Chinês operado com 20 dias de tempo de retenção hidráulica, apresentou mais eficiência. Vale ressaltar que vinte dias de retenção foram insuficientes para impedir a sobrevivência de larvas de helmintos parasitas de ruminantes.

A novel A2 allele found in Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum chagasi

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

Isolation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains from dental office environments and units in Barretos, state of São Paulo, Brazil, and analysis of their susceptibility to antimicrobial drugs

Uma ampla variedade de patógenos oportunistas tem sido detectadas nos tubos de alimentação de água dos equipos odontológicos, particularmente no biofilme formado na superfície do tubo. Entre os patógenos oportunistas encontrados nos tubos de água, Pseudomonas aeruginosa é reconhecida como uma das principais causadoras de infecções nosocomiais. Foram coletadas 160 amostras de água e 200 amostras de fomites em quarenta clinicas odontológicas na cidade de Barretos, São Paulo, Brasil, durante o período de Janeiro a Julho de 2005. Setenta e seis cepas de P. aeruginosa, isoladas a partir dos fomites (5 cepas) e das amostras de água (71 cepas), foram analisadas quanto à susceptibilidade à seis drogas antimicrobianas freqüentemente utilizadas para o tratamento de infecções provocadas por P. aeruginosa. As principais suscetibilidades observadas foram para a ciprofloxacina, seguida pelo meropenem. A necessidade de um mecanismo efetivo para reduzir a contaminação bacteriana dentro dos tubos de alimentação de água dos equipos odontológicos foi enfatizada, e o risco da exposição ocupacional e infecção cruzada na prática odontológica, em especial quando causada por patógenos oportunistas como a P. aeruginosa foi realçado.

Occurrence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii and anti-Neospora caninum antibodies in cats with outdoor access in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Antenas monopolo planar com patch em anel circular para sistemas UWB

The microstrip antennas are largely used in wireless communication systems due to their low cost, weight, less complex construction and manufacturing, in addition to its versatility. UWB systems have emerged as an alternative to wireless communications over short distances because they offer of higher capacity and lower multipath distortion than other systems with the same purpose. Combining the advantages of microstrip antennas to the characteristics of UWB, it is possible to develop more and more smaller devices, with diverse geometries to operate satisfactorily in these systems. This paper aims to propose alternatives to microstrip antennas for UWB systems operate in the range between 3.1 and 10.6 GHz, with a patch on circular ring. Some techniques are analyzed and employed to increase the bandwidth of proposed antenna: the insertion of a parasitic elements and a rectangular slit in the displaced ground plane. For this, key issues are presented as the basic principles of UWB systems, the fundamental theory of antennas and microstrip antennas. The simulations and experimental characterization of constructed antennas are presented, as well as analysis of parameters such as bandwidth and radiation pattern

Behavior of Leishmania major metacyclic promastigotes during the course of infection and immune response development in resistant versus susceptible hosts

Pouco se conhece sobre os epítopos derivados de promastigotas metacíclicos de Leishmania que são importantes para a regulação ou destruição do parasita, como alvos de ação imunológica no hospedeiro vertebrado. Neste estudo, nós investigamos um método alternativo para obter promastigotas metacíclicos de Leishmania major, pela avaliação do curso da infecção e reação de hipersensibilidade do tipo retardado (HTR) em hospedeiros resistentes e susceptíveis. Promastigotas não-infectantes (procíclicos) de L. major, recentemente isolados de amastigotas, foram selecionados pela adesão a colunas de lã de vidro negativamente carregadas, enquanto que promastigotas metacíclicos não se aderem à coluna e podem ser recuperados com facilidade. Condições ótimas de cromatografia foram validadas por análise estatística. O rendimento médio de parasitas obtidos após separação em colunas de lã de vidro e a viabilidade dos promastigotas foram estimados por microscopia óptica. Os promastigotas metacíclicos tiveram um rendimento médio de 43,5% a 57,5%. Camundongos BALB/c (susceptíveis) e camundongos C57BL/6 (resistentes) apresentaram padrões distintos de lesões cutâneas, os primeiros com lesões mais agressivas, induzidas por promastigotas metacíclicos. As respostas à reação de HTR foram maiores nos grupos de camundongos C57BL/6, submetidos à infecção com promastigotas metacíclicos. Estes resultados indicam que o novo método poderia ser integrado aos protocolos existentes para estudar a metaciclogênese de parasitas do gênero Leishmania in vivo.