Lupus nephritis in colombians: Contrasts and comparisons with other populations

Lupus nephritis (LN) is one of the most serious complications of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) since it is the major predictor of poor prognosis. The purpose of this study was to examine the clinical and immunological characteristics associated with LN development during the course of SLE in Colombians. Therefore, patients with SLE followed at five different referral centers in Medellin, Bogota, and Cali were included in this cross-sectional and multicenter study. Factors influencing LN were assessed by conditional logistic regression analysis, adjusting by gender, age at onset, duration of disease, and city of origin. The entire sample population included 467 patients, of whom 51% presented with LN. The presence of anti-dsDNA antibodies (adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 2.06; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.16–3.65), pleuritis (AOR, 3.82; 95% CI, 1.38–10.54), and hypertension (AOR, 2.63; 95% CI, 1.23–5.62) were positively associated with LN, whereas the presence of anti-La antibodies was a protective factor against LN development (AOR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.19–0.85). A review of literature on LN in different populations is made. The identified clinical- and laboratory-associated factors would assist earlier diagnosis and guide decisions on therapeutic interventions on this critical and frequent complication of SLE.

Pleuris associada à criptococose em cão: relato de caso

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

Characterization of Aqx and its operon: the hemolytic RTX determinant of Actinobacillus equuli

Actinobacillus equuli, a member of the family Pasteurellaceae is the etiologic agent of a frequently lethal septicemia in neonatal foals as well as other more chronic diseases like arthritis, pleuritis, pneumonia or peritonitis. It may also be isolated from the oral cavity of healthy horses. Hemolytic isolates of A. equuli are known but so far no virulence determinants have been described for this bacterial species. By screening hemolytic A. equuli strains with specific gene probes, a hemolysin, designated Aqx (A. equuli RTX (repeats in the structural toxin)) was identified. This hemolysin was shown to be an RTX type of toxin by characterization of the aqxCABD operon. All hemolytic A. equuli isolates contained a functional aqxCABD operon and expressed the Aqx hemolysin as shown by genetic and phenotypic assays. The structural toxin AqxA is the hemolysin of A. equuli as shown by expression of recombinant aqx constructs in E. coli. Its hemolytic activity can be inhibited by specific antibodies raised against AqxA. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene (rrs) of the taxonomically diffuse group of A. equuli and related strains defined two phylogenetically distinct groups. The presence of the Aqx operon is not correlated with this phylogenetic grouping. The operon is found in both groups of A. equuli strains where it specifies the hemolytic activity and is supposedly to be a determinative virulence factor. The aqx operon was not found in closely related members of the Pasteurellaceae family. The description of the Aqx hemolysin will open new ways for studying the pathogenesis of A. equuli.

[Lung and pleural lesions before and after implementation of a national eradication program against enzootic pneumonia and actinobacillosis as well as changes of slaughter carcass organs in slaughter pigs in Switzerland].

In a representative cross-sectional study during 12 months of the years 2008/2009 in four abattoirs in Switzerland, lung and pleura lesions as well as lesions of slaughter carcasses and organs of 34 706 pigs were studied for frequency and type of macroscopic lesions. Of the 24276 examined pigs, 91.2% of the lungs, 94.4% of the heart and 95.5% of the livers showed no macroscopically visible lesions. Pigs that were produced for a label program had significantly less bronchopneumonia and pneumonia residuals, pleuritis and liver lesions due to echinococcosis. Pigs supervised by the Swiss Pig Health Service (SGD), showed significantly less bronchopneumonia and pneumonia residuals, diffuse pleuritis, pleuritis/pericarditis and milkspots compared to the non-SGD supervised farms. Thanks to the national eradication program for enzootic pneumonia (EP) and actinobacillosis, the health-status of lungs has been considerably improved and the prevalence of pleurisy decreased considerably. The results of this study indicate a good herd health in Swiss pig production.

Características clínicas e inmunológicas de los pacientes diagnosticados de Lupus eritematoso sistémico, atendidos en los servicios de medicina interna y reumatología de los hospitales Vicente Corral Moscoso y José Carrasco Arteaga de la ciudad de Cuenca, durante el período comprendido entre octubre de 1993 a octubre de 2003

Investigación clínica descrptiva para determinar cuáles son las principales características clínicas e inmunológicas que se presentan en pacientes diagnosticados de Lupus Eritematoso Sistémico (LES)en los hospitales: Vicente Corral Moscoso y José Carrasco Arteaga, áreas de medicina interna y reumatología, en el período comprendido entre octubre de 1993 a octubre de 2003, a quiénes se les aplica un formulario (Anexo Nª 1), el que contiene información acerca de datos de filiación epidemiológicos antecedentes patológicos y los Criterios para el diagnóstico de LES según la Asociación Americana de Reumatoloría (ARA) 1982. Resultados: 96 pacientes con diagnóstico de LES; el 34.4sexo femenino, y el 15.6sexo masculino, manteniendo una relación mujer-hombre de 5.4 a 1, la edad de presentación más frecuente estuvo entre los 20 a 29 años, la ocupación principal de este grupo fueron los quehaceres domésticos y el mayor porcentaje de pacientes procedían de la provincia del Azuay. Según los criterios diagnosticados de LES, (ARA 1982) del total de pacientes, el 78.1presentaron artritis, el 97-9anticuerpos (ANA) y complemento (C4) disminuido en el 82.3anemia hemolítica en el 12.5; proteinuria en 81.3; VSG acelerada en un 85depresión 50, y pleuritis en 31.3de los pacientes. La prevalencia hospitalaria del LES fue de 3.87X 1000 pacientes. Esta investigación reune el mayor número de pacientes diagnosticados de LES en el medio tomando como centros de referencia y concentración las dos principales casas de salud de la Provincia del Azuay, para pacientes de otras provincias principalmente a la provincia de El Oro y la provincia de Loja, constituyendo una base de datos sólida para investigaciones futuras, puesto que hasta el día de hoy no se disponían de estadísticas reales de esta enfermedad, y únicamente se regla a literaturas extranjeras. El estudio dice demostrar que cada día se detectan más casos de LES, porque se han mejorado las técnicas diagnosticadas y se conoce mejor la enfermedad, de esta investigación se logró establecer un algoritmo para el diagnóstico de LES, que traerá como consecuencia, la instauración rápida del tratamiento y obviamente un pronóstico aceptable