Effect of Helicobacter pylori infection on IL-8, IL-1 and COX-2 expression in patients with chronic gastritis and gastric cancer

Objective. Helicobacter pylori infection is related to gastric cancer development, and chronic inflammation is presumed to be the main cause. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of H. pylori cagA, vacA, iceA, and babA genotypes on COX-2, IL-1, and IL-8 expression. Material and methods. of the 217 patients included in the study, 26 were uninfected, 127 had chronic gastritis and were H. pylori-positive, and 64 had gastric cancer. Bacterial genotypes were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the expression values were determined by quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. Results. An association was found between the infection with cagA, vacA s1m1 strains and gastric cancer development. Regarding the 3' region of the cagA gene, we also found an association between the infection with cagA EPIYA-ABCCC strains and clinical outcome. Higher levels of IL-8, IL-1, and COX-2 were detected in gastric mucosa from infected patients with chronic gastritis, and they were also associated with the infection by cagA, vacA s1m1 strains. The IL-8 and IL-1 levels decrease significantly from chronic gastritis to gastric cancer, while the relative expression remained unaltered when COX-2 expression was analyzed among patients with gastritis and cancer. Conclusions. Since inflammatory response to H. pylori infection plays an important role in cellular proliferation and gastric mucosal damage, the up-regulation of IL-1, IL-8, and COX-2 in patients with chronic gastritis has an important clinical implication in gastric carcinogenesis.

Effects of Helicobacter pylori Infection on the Expressions of Bax and Bcl-2 in Patients with Chronic Gastritis and Gastric Cancer

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

Paracoccidioidomycosis: an unusual presentation in a young girl disclosing an unnoted HIV-infection

The association of paracoccidioidomycosis with AIDS is apparently less frequent than expected. The authors present an unusual case of paracoccidioidomycosis in a 13-year-old female student which was later found to be the first opportunistic infection in the course of the patient's HIV-infection. The clinical presentation followed an accidental incised wound on the palmar region initially described as a 'sporotrichotic-chancre'. After good response under sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprin, the patient relapsed and presented an associated oral candidiasis. HIV-infection was documented and additional investigation showed CD4(+) T-cells=22/mm(3), CD8(+)=280 cell/mm(3) and viral load=4,043 log. This case report presents an uncommon dermatological-clinical picture in the youngest patient in which such association has been reported to date.

Identification of Staphylococcus saprophyticus isolated from patients with urinary tract infection using a simple set of biochemical tests correlating with 16S-23S interspace region molecular weight patterns

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

Experimental infection with Leishmania chagasi in immunosuppressed Balb/c mice: cytokines and parasite burdens

The immune response in leishmaniasis may result in a polarization of the T lymphocyte subpopulation, altering cell phenotype and resulting in immune protection or disease exacerbation. Leishmania may persist in the body either during asymptomatic infections or after treatment, which represents high risk under immunosuppression. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of infection with immunosuppression by dexamethasone associated with pentoxifylline on animal weight, spleen weight, spleen and hepatic parasitic load and immunopathology, as well as the IFN-gamma and IL-10 production in spleen cell culture of Balb/c mice infected with Leishmania chagasi. The infection did not cause body weight gain in animals, but both the weight and size of the spleen were increased. The immunosuppression using dexamethasone associated with pentoxifylline affected body weight gain and spleen weight and size in both infected and non-infected animals. The immunosuppression did not significantly alter the course of the splenic or hepatic parasite burden. Dexamethasone and pentoxifylline significantly affected cytokine production, but did not influence the Th1/Th2 ratio in infected animals.

PP65 antigenemia in the diagnosis of cytomegalovirus infection in AIDS patients

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

DNA damage and nitric oxide production in mice following infection with L. chagasi

Leishmania chagasi, which causes visceral leishmaniasis in South America, is an obligate intracellular protozoan. Production of nitric oxide by macrophages during the inflammatory response is one of the main microbicidal mechanisms against this parasite. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether L. chagasi infection causes DNA damage in peripheral blood and spleen cells of Balb/c mice and whether such damage may be related to NO production. Balb/c mice were either infected with L chagasi or maintained as controls. The single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay was used to measure DNA damage in peripheral blood and spleen cells, and the Griess reaction was used to measure NO production in the spleen. L chagasi infection induced DNA damage in peripheral blood and spleen cells of infected mice. Macrophages from the control group, challenged with L. chagasi, showed significantly (p < 0.05) greater NO production, compared to non-challenged cells. Treatment of spleen cells with N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (LNMMA) caused a significant reduction of NO production and DNA damage (p < 0.05). Our results indicate that L. chagasi induces DNA damage in the peripheral blood and spleen cells and that NO not only causes killing of the parasite but also induces DNA damage in adjacent cells. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Canine trypanosomiasis: etiology of infection and implications for public health

Canine trypanosomiasis, caused by protozoans of the genus Trypanosoma, is divided into two primary types: the American form (Chagas disease), due to Trypanosoma cruzi infection, and the African form (sleeping sickness or surra), provoked by Trypanosoma evansi. This disease was originally enzootic and affected only wild animals, including mammals and birds, which served as reservoirs. Later, it spread to domestic animals such as horses, cattle and dogs. The disease became a zoonosis when contact between rural inhabitants and natural Trypanosoma foci occurred, due to ecological imbalances and increasing migration. Dogs are significantly involved in this context, because they are the main domestic animals and participate in the transmission and maintenance cycles of these parasites. This article reports etiological, epidemiological and public health aspects of canine trypanosomiasis, and the most important peculiarities of this zoonosis in dogs.

Organ tropism during the acute and chronic phases of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in BALB/c mice

The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of Trypanosoma cruzi in the heart, liver, lung, and kidneys, using hemoculture and PCR analysis, of mice infected with different parasite strains during the acute and chronic phases of infection. Parasitemia curves revealed strain-specific biological behaviors. For the Y and JLP strains, the acute phase of infection started at days six and ten post-infection, parasitemia peaked at days seven and 15 post-infection, the chronic phase started at days nine and 28 post-infection, and animals started dying at days 19 and 120 post-infection, respectively. When the two strains were compared, the JLP strain exhibited reduced and slower replication rates associated with a delayed peak of parasitism and reduced parasite burdens. However, parasites were detected in all studied organs using PCR analysis. The capacity of both strains to infect different organs likely influences disease pathogenesis.

Experimental infection of Leishmania chagasi in immunosuppressed balb/c mice: cellular immune response and parasite burden

The immune response to leishmaniasis can result in a polarization of a subpopulation of T lymphocytes, which leads to a different cell phenotype and results in immune protection or exacerbation of the disease. Leishmanias persist in the body both in asymptomatic infections and after treatment, representing risks in terms of immunosuppression. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of infection and immunosuppression by dexamethasone associated with pentoxifylline on animal weight, spleen weight, the parasitic load in the spleen and liver, as well as the production of IFN-gamma and IL-10 in spleen cell culture of Balb/c mice infected with Leishmania chagasi. The infection did not alter animal weight gain, but spleen weight and size increased. The immunosuppression, induced by dexamethasone associated with pentoxifylline, affected animal weight gain and weight and size of the spleen (in infected and not infected animals). The immunosuppression did not significantly alter the course of the parasite burden in the spleen and liver. Dexamethasone and pentoxifylline affected the studied cytokine production, but not influenced on Th1/Th2 response in infected animals.

Immunovirological parameters and cytokines in HIV infection

Enquanto modernas terapias antirretrovirais (TARV) têm resultado em menores índices de morbidade e mortalidade e na melhora visível dos parâmetros clínicos e laboratoriais em infectados pelo HIV, sabe-se que seu uso em longo prazo contribui com aparecimento dos vários eventos não associados à aids como doenças cardiovasculares, cânceres e osteoporose, comorbidades as quais têm sido propostas como algumas das mais importantes que privam a maioria dos infectados pelo vírus a apresentarem prognóstico ainda melhor. Isso ocorre porque, mesmo com diminuição da inflamação e ativação imune após intervenção medicamentosa ao paciente, tais parâmetros continuam maiores que os apresentados por indivíduos saudáveis e o desequilíbrio dos perfis de citocinas também persiste. Por isso, avaliações de outros biomarcadores na prática clínica são necessárias para complementar os exames já realizados rotineiramente e permitir o monitoramento mais eficaz dos portadores do HIV. Esta revisão tem o intuito de investigar o papel das citocinas como potenciais marcadores, relacionando estudos sobre o comportamento de várias delas em diversas fases da infecção por HIV, na presença ou não de TARV.

Chlamydial infection in a high risk population: association with vaginal flora patterns

This study aimed to determine the frequency of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection among high risk Brazilian women and evaluate its association with vaginal flora patterns.This was a cross-sectional study, performed in an outpatient clinic of Bauru State Hospital, So Paulo, Brazil. A total of 142 women were included from 2006 to 2008. Inclusion criteria was dyspareunia, pain during bimanual exam, presence of excessive cervical mucus, cervical ectopy or with three or more episodes of abnormal vaginal flora (AVF) in the previous year before enrollment. Endocervical CT testing was performed by PCR. Vaginal swabs were collected for microscopic assessment of the microbial flora pattern. Gram-stained smears were classified in normal, intermediate or bacterial vaginosis (BV), and recognition of Candida sp. morphotypes. Wet mount smears were used for detection of Trichomonas vaginalis and aerobic vaginitis (AV).Thirty-four of 142 women (23.9%) tested positive for CT. AVF was found in 50 (35.2%) cases. The most frequent type of AVF was BV (17.6%). CT was strongly associated with the presence of AV (n = 7, 4.9%, P = 0.018), but not BV (n = 25, 17.6%, P = 0.80) or intermediate flora (n = 18, 12.7%, P = 0.28).A high rate of chlamydial infection was found in this population. Chlamydia infection is associated with aerobic vaginitis.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Chlamydia trachomatis Cervicitis in Pregnant Women at the Genital Tract Infection in Obstetrics Unit Care at Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University - UNESP, Brazil

Objective. To evaluate the prevalence of and risk factors for Chlamydia trachomatis cervicitis in pregnant women seen at the Genital Tract Infection in Obstetrics Unit Care in Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University - UNESP.Materials and Methods. Between June 2006 and February 2008, 101 pregnant women were included in this study. During the gynecologic examination, cervical secretions were collected using cytobrush Plus GT (CooperSurgical Inc) to assess C. trachomatis using polymerase chain reaction. Vaginal flora were examined by Gram stain, and socio-demographic data were extracted from medical records.Results. of the 101 patients, 26 (25.7%) were positive for C. trachomatis. The median age of the infected group was 24 years (range = 13-40 y), and 48.5% of them had abnormal vaginal flora. The presence of chlamydial infection was associated with smoking (odds ratio [OR] = 2.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01-7.19), residing in a city with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants (OR = 2.86, 95% CI = 1.03-7.94), presence of condyloma acuminatum (p = .03), and presence of discreet inflammation on Pap smear (p = .02).Conclusions. The prevalence of C. trachomatis is high in pregnant women seen at the Genital Infection Unit Care, UNESP, and is related to many risk factors. Therefore, its screening is extremely important in reducing obstetrical and neonatal complications.

The relationship between the degree of thrombocytopenia and infection with Ehrlichia canis in an endemic area

Ehrlichia canis is the causative agent of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis. In order to evaluate platelet counts as a screening test for E. canis in an endemic area, 217 whole blood samples from dogs were divided into three groups: 71 non-thrombocytopenic samples (group A, platelet counts greater than 200000/muL) and 146 thrombocytopenic samples (less than 200000/muL). The thrombocytopenic group was further divided into 62 with platelet counts between 100000-200000/muL (Group B) and 84 samples with less than 100000 platelets/muL (Group C). All samples were examined for the presence of a segment of the Ehrlichia canis 16S rRNA gene using a nested polymerase chain reaction. Sixty-seven of the 217 samples (30.9%) were positive for the presence of the E. canis 16S rRNA gene; 53 (63.1%) of the group C samples and 13 (21%) of group B. Only one (1.4%) of the non-thrombocytopenic samples (Group A) was positive. These data support the concept that platelet counts may be a good screening test for canine monocytic ehrlichiosis, and that the magnitude of thrombocytopenia may increase the reliability of diagnosis.