Mapeamento Epidemiológico das Parasitoses Intestinais em Seis Bairros do Município de Araraquara/SP

No Brasil, grandes inquéritos coproparasitológicos foram realizados até a década de 70. Nos últimos anos, contamos apenas com trabalhos isolados, que nem sempre podem ser comparados. Entretanto, nas regiões com infra-estrutura urbana deficiente, os inquéritos mostram que grande parte da população residente encontra-se parasitada (Gross et al., 1994: Santana et al., 1994). O estudo epidemiológico de quaisquer parasitas intestinais proporciona diversas informações, especialmente quanto à insalubridade do meio, nível e extensão do saneamento básico de uma região e também quanto aos hábitos higiênicos da população em estudo. Desta forma, neste estudo tivemos como objetivo caracterizar a incidência de parasitoses intestinais em moradores de seis bairros do município de Araraquara/SP. Nossos resultados demonstraram a grande incidência de parasitas intestinais. A Endolimax nana foi o parasita intestinal mais encontrado. Embora não sendo patogênico, sua existência revela a exposição destas pessoas a contaminantes fecais. A Giardia lamblia foi o parasita intestinal patogênico mais encontrado. Houve similaridade de acometimento das parasitoses tanto no sexo feminino quanto no masculino. O bairro Selmi Dei obteve o maior índice dessas parasitoses, caracterizando-se como o bairro de maior preocupação para saúde pública do município de Araraquara/SP

Incidência da Contaminação Parasitária em Alfaces nos Municípios de Araraquara (SP) e São Carlos (SP)

Os alimentos, principalmente as hortaliças, constituem uma importante fonte de parasitas intestinais para o Homem, sendo que, aquelas que são adubadas por esterco, formam um grupo de maior risco para a contaminação do Homem. No presente, tivemos como objetivo avaliar a incidência de parasitas intestinais em alfaces coletadas de 10 distribuidores de Araraquara (SP) e 10 de São Carlos (SP). Estas verduras foram picadas e lavadas na mesma água, depois esta água foi coada em peneiras limpas e deixada em repouso por 6 horas; após o repouso, o sedimento foi analisado. Nossos resultados demonstraram que, das vinte amostras analisadas, 17 foram positivas para, pelo menos, um parasita. Dentre os parasitas encontrados, 4 eram patogênicos e 2 comensais. Entretanto, apenas uma amostra de São Carlos (SP) apresentou as 6 espécies de parasitas. E dentre estes parasitas encontrados, as 4 espécies que são patogênicas causam problemas de saúde. Desta forma, podemos alertar que alfaces que estão sendo distribuídas em Araraquara (SP) e São Carlos (SP) são de qualidade higiênicosanitária suspeita, tornando necessária a orientação aos produtores e manipuladores quanto à importância da correta higienização, minimizando desta forma a transmissão de doenças parasitárias veiculadas por alimentos que são consumidos crus

Cytotoxic Effects Caused by Functionalized Carbon Nanotube in Murine Macrophages

Background/Aims: The development of new nanomaterials has been growing in recent decades to bring benefits in several areas, especially carbon-based nanoparticles, which have unique physical-chemical properties and allow to take on several applications. Consequently, the use of new nanomaterials without previous toxicological studies raises concern about possible harmful health effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic profile of a new multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) functionalized with tetraethylenepentamine called OCNT-TEPA using in vitro assays in murine macrophage cells linage J774 A.1. Methods: OCNT-TEPA was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high resolution TEM (HR-TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), zeta potential and dynamic light scattering (DLS), and its cytotoxic effects were evaluated at 24 and 48 hours by cell viability assays (MTT and NR), morphology and cell recovery (optic microscopy and clonogenic assay), formation of reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) species, inflammatory profile (IL-6 and TNF cytokines), mitochondrial membrane potential analysis (MMP), activation of the caspase 3 pathway and cell death (flow cytometry). Results: The data showed a significant decrease in cell viability, increased production of ROS and NO, alteration of mitochondrial membrane potential, increased levels of inflammatory cytokines, alteration of cell morphology, activation of the Caspase 3 pathway and consequently cell death, in the highest concentrations of OCNT-TEPA tested in the periods of 24 and 48 hours. Conclusion: The analyses showed that OCNT-TEPA has a dose-dependent cytotoxic profile, which may be harmful to murine macrophages (J774 A.1) and may represent a health risk

Morphological characteristics of Schistosoma mansoni PZQ-resistant and -susceptible strains are different in presence of Praziquantel

Schistosomiasis is one of the most common human parasitic diseases whose socioeconomic impact is only surpassed by malaria. Praziquantel (PZQ) is the only drug commercially available for the treatment of all schistosome species causing disease in humans. However, there has been stronger evidences of PZQ-resistance on Schistosoma mansoni and thus it is very important to study the phenotypic characteristics associated with it. The aim of this study was to evaluate morphological alterations in S. mansoni PZQ-resistant adult worms and eggs, by comparing a PZQ- resistant strain obtained under PZQ drug pressure with a PZQ-susceptible strain. For this, scanning electronic microscopy was used to assess tegumental responsiveness of both strains under PZQ exposure, and optical microscopy allowed the monitoring of worms and eggs in the presence of the drug. Those assays showed that PZQ-susceptible worms exposed to the drug had more severe tegumental damages than the resistant one, which had only minor alterations. Moreover, contrary to what occurred in the susceptible strain, resistant worms were viable after PZQ exposure and gradually regaining full motility after removal of the drug. Eggs from resistant strain parasites are considerably smaller than those from susceptible strain. Our results suggest that there might be a difference in the tegument composition of the resistant strain and that worms are less responsive to PZQ. Changes observed in egg morphology might imply alterations in the biology of schistosomes associated to PZQ-resistance, which could impact on transmission and pathology of the disease. Moreover, we propose a hypothetical scenario where there is a different egg tropism of the S. mansoni resistant strain. This study is the first comparing two strains that only differ in their resistance characteristics, which makes it a relevant step in the search for resistance determinants.publishersversionpublishe

Schiff bases complexed with iron and their relation with the life cycle and infection by Schistosoma mansoni

Funding Information: This work was supported by the Support Foundation of São Paulo (FAPESP) [No. 2014/12568-4] and National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq) [No. 100763/2015-4] received by JV da Silva. Acknowledgments Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2022 da Silva, Moreira, Montija, Feitosa, Correia, Domingues, Soares, Allegretti, Afonso and Anibal.Introduction: The trematode Schistosoma mansoni causes schistosomiasis, and this parasite’s life cycle depends on the mollusk Biomphalaria glabrata. The most effective treatment for infected people is administering a single dose of Praziquantel. However, there are naturally resistant to treatment. This work has developed, considering this parasite’s complex life cycle. Methods: The synthetics compound were evaluated: i) during the infection of B. glabrata, ii) during the infection of BALB/c mice, and iii) during the treatment of mice infected with S. mansoni. Results and Discussion: For the first objective, snails infected with miracidia treated with compounds C1 and C3 at concentrations of 25% IC50 and 50% IC50, after 80 days of infection, released fewer cercariae than the infected group without treatment. For the second objective, compounds C1 and C3 did not show significant results in the infected group without treatment. For the third objective, the mice treated with C3 and C1 reduced the global and differential cell count. The results suggest that although the evaluated compounds do not present schistosomicidal properties when placed in cercariae suspension, they can stimulate an immune reaction in snails and decrease mice’s inflammatory response. In general, we can conclude that compound C1 and C3 has an anti-schistosomicidal effect both in the larval phase (miracidia) and in the adult form of the parasite.publishersversionpublishe

Immunization with purine salvation pathway recombinant enzymes induces the production of anti- Schistosoma mansoni immunoglobulines

Schistosomiasis, a disease caused by the trematodes of the Schistosoma genus, affects about 240 million people worldwide. The Praziquantel (PZQ) is the drug used to treat this disease. However, reports of resistant strains reinforce the need to develop a new schistosomicidal drug. The study of new drugs and vaccines that can contribute to the control of this pathology becomes urgent. A new approach can be held by the study of the following Schistosoma mansoni enzymes: purine nucleoside phosphorilase 1 (PNP), hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) and adenylate kinase 1 (ADK). The parasite, incapable of synthetizing purine nucleotides through the de novo pathway, has multiple mechanisms to incorporate purine bases through the purine salvage pathway. Our goal was to assess, through immunoenzimatic assay (ELISA-indirect), the production of total IgG, IgE and IgG2a in the plasma after immunization with the PNP, HGPRT and ADK enzymes, using the S. mansoni cercariae - infected murine model. Our results showed that the immunization in Balb/c mice with the enzymes mentioned above induced production of the immunoglobulines at the 48th and 85th days, post-infection. Thereby, new assays must be made for a better assessment on how these enzymes modulate an immune response.CNPqFAPES

Exercise and Omentin: Their Role in the Crosstalk Between Muscle and Adipose Tissues in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Rat Models

This study aims to analyze the effects of resisted, aerobic, and combined exercises on omentin levels in visceral adipose tissue and muscle of rats with experimental diabetes to verify whether these adipokines are related to the glucose pathway and inflammation process in this model. Male Wistar rats received a high-fat diet for 4 weeks and a low dose of streptozotocin (35 mg/kg) to induce experimental diabetes. After inducing diabetes, the animals were divided into 4 experimental groups (n = 10): diabetic control (C); resistance training (RT); aerobic training (AT); and combined training (CT). The groups were exercised for 12 weeks, 3 times/week, where: RT means the stair climbing protocol until exhaustion; AT is the 30 min/day reaching 20 m/min protocol, and CT is the combination of RT and AT. The AT group showed reduced retroperitoneal and mesenteric adipose tissue and abdominal fat deposits. Our study also showed a possible control of blood glucose, as well as decreased Interleukin 6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein, increased circulating adiponectin and increased omentin in visceral adipose tissue. In addition, the AT group affected the glucose pathway by stimulating phosphorylation of Akt in muscle tissue. Omentin also showed a strong positive correlation with adiponectin and a moderate negative correlation with IL-6. Thus, our findings indicated that omentin in type 2 diabetes is changed by AT. Furthermore, increased omentin levels had a close association with the glucose pathway by stimulating phosphorylation of Akt in muscle tissue and with IL-6 in serum, suggesting that omentin is likely to have anti-inflammatory and protective action in experimental diabetes