Nutritional Status Driving Infection by Trypanosoma cruzi: Lessons from Experimental Animals

This paper reviews the scientific knowledge about protein-energy and micronutrient malnutrition in the context of Chagas disease, especially in experimental models. The search of articles was conducted using the electronic databases of SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online), PubMed and MEDLINE published between 1960 and March 2010. It was possible to verify that nutritional deficiencies (protein-energy malnutrition and micronutrient malnutrition) exert a direct effect on the infection by T. cruzi. However, little is known about the immunological mechanisms involved in the relationship “nutritional deficiencies and infection by T. cruzi”. A hundred years after the discovery of Chagas disease many aspects of this illness still require clarification, including the effects of nutritional deficiencies on immune and pathological mechanisms of T. cruzi infection

Periódicos científicos brasileiros promovem a adesão de pesquisadores em doença de Chagas a princípios éticos internacionais?

The ethical aspects of the Brazilian publications about human Chagas disease (CD) developed between 1996 and 2010 and the policy adopted by Brazilian medical journals were analyzed. Articles were selected on the SciELO Brazil data basis, and the evaluation of ethical aspects was based on the normative contents about ethics in research involving human experimentation according to the Brazilian resolution of the National Health Council no. 196/1996. The editorial policies of the section "Instructions to authors" were analyzed. In the period of 1996-2012, 58.9% of articles involving human Chagas disease did not refer to the fulfillment of the ethical aspects concerning research with human beings. In 80% of the journals, the requirements and confirmation of the information about ethical aspects in the studies of human CD were not observed. Although a failure in this type of service is still observed, awareness has been raised in federal agencies, educational institutions/research and publishing groups to standardize the procedures and ethical requirements for the Brazilian journals, reinforcing the fulfillment of the ethical parameters, according to the resolution of NHC no. 196/1996.Foram analisados os aspectos éticos das publicações brasileiras sobre a doença de Chagas humana desenvolvidas entre 1996 e 2010 e avaliadas as políticas editoriais dos periódicos médicos brasileiros sobre ética em pesquisa. Os artigos foram selecionados do banco de dados da SciELO Brasil. A avaliação dos aspectos éticos foi baseada nos conteúdos normativos sobre ética envolvendo pesquisa com seres humanos, conforme Resolução brasileira do Conselho Nacional de Saúde - CNS 196/1996. A política editorial dos periódicos foi analisada utilizando-se a seção "Instrução aos autores". No período de 1996-2012, 58,9% dos estudos envolvendo DC humana não informaram no texto sobre o cumprimento dos aspectos éticos, em relação à pesquisa com seres humanos. Em 80% dos periódicos avaliados o requerimento e confirmação das informações sobre os aspectos éticos nos estudos sobre a DC humana não foram observados. Apesar de haver ainda lacunas nesse tipo de citação conforme foi observado, tem-se verificado uma conscientização pelos órgãos federais, instituições de ensino/pesquisa e grupos editoriais para padronizar os procedimentos e orientações éticas por parte dos periódicos brasileiros, reforçando o cumprimento dos pressupostos éticos preconizados pela resolução CNS 196/1996

Ethics in the publication of studies on human visceral leishmaniasis in Brazilian periodicals

OBJECTIVE: To analyze ethical aspects of Brazilian articles on human visceral leishmaniasis, published after Resolution CNS 196/1996, and to analyze the policy on Brazilian periodicals on research ethics. METHODS: An explanatory study with a bibliographical and documental nature was conducted. Selection of publications on research involving human beings since 1996 was performed in the SciELO Brazil database. Gaps associated with editorial policies on medical periodicals, based on information obtained from the "Instructions to authors" section of each periodical, were analyzed. RESULTS: While there were no articles on the compliance with ethical aspects in the first four-year period (from 1997 to 2000), 75% fulfilled at least one of the ethical requirements evaluated in the first year (2009) of a subsequent four-year period (from 2009 to 2012). A total of six out of 11 periodicals indicated that the information about ethical aspects should be mentioned in the body of the article. There were three periodicals that required a letter or document, informing about compliance with these aspects and signed by the author(s), to be sent; two that requested a copy of the document used to obtain the free and informed consent; one that clarified the need of a copy to authorize the approval by the Committee on Ethics in Research; and four in which no requirements of ethical aspects were found. CONCLUSIONS: There was an improvement in the description of compliance with ethical aspects found in articles. Standardization of ethical requirements for human research in Brazilian periodicals is suggested. This could promote compliance with the presuppositions of documents regulating human research.OBJETIVO: Analizar los aspectos éticos de los artículos nacionales sobre leishmaniasis visceral humana publicados posterior a la Resolución CNS 196/1996 (Brasil) y analizar la política de periódicos brasileños sobre ética en investigación. MÉTODOS: Estudio exploratorio de naturaleza bibliográfica y documental. La selección de las publicaciones sobre investigaciones envolviendo seres humanos fue realizada en la base SciELO Brasil a partir de 1996. Fueron analizadas lagunas relacionadas con las políticas editoriales de los periódicos médicos a partir de informaciones obtenidas de la sección "Instrucciones a los autores" de cada periódico. RESULTADOS: Se observó que mientras en el primer cuatrienio (1997 a 2000) ningún artículo mencionó el cumplimiento de los aspectos éticos, en el año 2009 del cuatrienio (2009 a 2012), 75% cumplieron por lo menos una de las orientaciones éticas evaluadas. Seis en 11 periódicos indicaron que las informaciones sobre los aspectos éticos deberían ser citadas en el cuerpo del artículo. Tres periódicos hicieron exigencias con relación al envío de carta o documento firmado por el(los) autor(es) informando el cumplimiento de los aspectos; dos solicitaron copia del documento de obtención del termo de consentimiento libre e esclarecido; uno dejó explicita la necesidad de envío de copia de la autorización de la aprobación por el comité de ética en pesquisa y en cuatro periódicos analizados no fue identificada ninguna exigencia sobre aspectos éticos. CONCLUSIONES: Hubo mejoría con relación a la descripción del cumplimiento de los aspectos éticos en los artículos. Se sugiere la estandarización de las orientaciones éticas relacionadas con la investigación con seres humanos en los periódicos brasileños. Esto puede estimular el cumplimiento de las suposiciones de documentos que rigen la experimentación humana.OBJETIVO: Analisar os aspectos éticos dos artigos nacionais sobre leishmaniose visceral humana publicados após a Resolução CNS 196/1996 e analisar a política de periódicos brasileiros sobre ética em pesquisa. MÉTODOS: Estudo exploratório de natureza bibliográfica e documental. A seleção das publicações sobre pesquisas envolvendo seres humanos foi realizada na base SciELO Brasil a partir de 1996. Foram analisadas lacunas relacionadas às políticas editoriais dos periódicos médicos a partir de informações obtidas da seção "Instruções aos autores" de cada periódico. RESULTADOS: Observou-se que, enquanto no primeiro quadriênio (1997 a 2000) nenhum artigo mencionou o cumprimento dos aspectos éticos, no ano de 2009 do quadriênio (2009 a 2012), 75% cumpriram pelo menos uma das orientações éticas avaliadas. Seis em 11 periódicos indicaram que as informações sobre os aspectos éticos deveriam ser citadas no corpo do artigo. Três periódicos fizeram exigências quanto ao envio de carta ou documento assinado pelo(s) autor(es) informando o cumprimento dos aspectos; dois solicitaram cópia do documento de obtenção do termo de consentimento livre e esclarecido; um explicitou a necessidade do envio de cópia da autorização da aprovação pelo comitê de ética em pesquisa; e em quatro periódicos analisados não foi identificada nenhuma exigência sobre aspectos éticos. CONCLUSÕES: Houve melhora em relação à descrição do cumprimento dos aspectos éticos nos artigos. Sugere-se a padronização das orientações éticas relacionadas à pesquisa com seres humanos nos periódicos nacionais. Isso pode estimular o cumprimento dos pressupostos de documentos que regem a experimentação humana

Eosinophil recruitment into sites of delayed‐type hypersensitivity reactions in mice

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/142239/1/jlb0353.pd

The imbalance in the relationship between inflammatory and regulatory cytokines during gestational toxoplasmosis can be harmful to fetuses: A systematic review

ObjectiveTo evaluate the available information on inflammatory and regulatory plasma mediators in pregnant women (PW) diagnosed with toxoplasmosis. Source: The PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Lilacs databases were evaluated until October 2022. Study eligibility criteria: This review was carried out following the PRISMA and registered on the PROSPERO platform (CRD42020203951). Studies that reported inflammatory mediators in PW with toxoplasmosis were considered.Evaluation methodsAfter excluding duplicate articles, two authors independently carried out the process of title and abstract exclusion, and a third resolved disagreements when necessary. The full text was evaluated to detect related articles. The extraction table was built from the following data: Author, year of publication, journal name and impact factors, country, study design, number of gestations and maternal age (years), gestational period, diagnosis of toxoplasmosis, levels of inflammatory markers, laboratory tests, and clinical significance. Methodological quality was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute tools.ResultsOf the 1,024 studies reported, only eight were included. Of the 868 PW included in this review, 20.2% were IgM+/IgG- and 50.8% were IgM-/IgG+ to T. gondii, and 29.0% uninfected. Infected PW presented higher plasma levels ofIL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17, CCL5, and IL-10. Regarding the methodological quality, four studies obtained high quality. Data from this review pointed out the maintenance of the inflammatory pattern during pregnancy with a closely related to the parasite.ConclusionImmune status in PW defined the course of the T. gondii infection, where the equilibrium between inflammatory and regulatory cytokines mitigated the harmful placenta and fetus effects.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD420203951

Therapeutic responses to different anti-Trypanosoma cruzi drugs in experimental infection by benznidazole-resistant parasite stock

This study describes the role of parasite clearance time induced by benznidazole, fexinidazole and posaconazole treatments upon mice infection with a benznidazole-resistant Trypanosoma cruzi strain in the pathological outcomes. Trypanosoma cruzi-infected mice were treated with different drugs and parasite clearance time was detected by blood and tissue qPCR, to determine the dynamic relationship between the efficacy of the treatments and the intensity of heart lesion/serum inflammatory mediators. Our results indicate that anti-T. cruzi treatments were able to reduce parasite replication and consequently induce immunomodulatory effects, where the degree of the immunopathology prevention was related to the time of parasite clearance induced by different treatments. Nevertheless, in benznidazole and posaconazole treatments, parasite rebounding was detected with parasitism reaching levels similar to infected and non-treated mice; the time for parasitic rebound being earlier among benznidazole-treated mice. In parallel, an increase of cardiac lesions and plasma chemokine levels was also detected and was more accentuated in benznidazole-treated animals. Interestingly, in the presence of parasitological cure (fexinidazole treatment), basal levels of these inflammatory mediators were evidenced as well as an absence of cardiac inflammation or fibrosis. Overall, our data indicate that all treatments have positive effects on the clinical evolution of T. cruzi infection, with success in preventing cardiac alterations being drug-dependen

Do Brazilian scientific journals promote the adherence of Chagas disease researchers to international ethical principles?

The ethical aspects of the Brazilian publications about human Chagas disease (CD) developed between 1996 and 2010 and the policy adopted by Brazilian medical journals were analyzed. Articles were selected on the SciELO Brazil data basis, and the evaluation of ethical aspects was based on the normative contents about ethics in research involving human experimentation according to the Brazilian resolution of the National Health Council no. 196/1996. The editorial policies of the section “Instructions to authors” were analyzed. In the period of 1996-2012, 58.9% of articles involving human Chagas disease did not refer to the fulfillment of the ethical aspects concerning research with human beings. In 80% of the journals, the requirements and confirmation of the information about ethical aspects in the studies of human CD were not observed. Although a failure in this type of service is still observed, awareness has been raised in federal agencies, educational institutions/research and publishing groups to standardize the procedures and ethical requirements for the Brazilian journals, reinforcing the fulfillment of the ethical parameters, according to the resolution of NHC no. 196/1996