HIV-1 heterosexual transmission and association with sexually transmitted infections in the era of treatment as prevention

Objectives: HIV-1 heterosexual transmission among individuals on antiretroviral treatment (ART) with undetectable viremia is extremely rare. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of sexual HIV-1 transmission and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in HIV-1 serodifferent couples while the index partner is on ART. Methods: HIV transmission was evaluated in 200 HIV-1 heterosexual serodifferent couples in a stable relationship (≥3 months). All HIV-positive individuals had been on ART for ≥3 months and had been followed up for a median preceding time of 4.5 years (range 0.3–16 years) at the HIV couples clinic at Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Following written informed consent, participants responded to demographic/behavioral questionnaires. Quantitative PCR for HIV RNA, T-cell subsets, and STI testing (syphilis, herpes, human papillomavirus, gonorrhea, and bacterial vaginosis) were performed. Self-collected vaginal swabs were obtained for quantitative HIV genital viral load testing. Results: Among 200 couples, 70% of index partners were female. Five seroconversions were observed; the HIV infection incidence was 2.5% (95% confidence interval 0.8% to 5.7%). Mean plasma viral load results were higher in HIV transmitters compared to non-transmitters (p = 0.02). The presence of STIs was significantly greater in couples who seroconverted (60.0% vs. 13.3%; odds ratio 9.75, 95% confidence interval 1.55–61.2; p = 0.023). The duration of undetectable HIV viremia and presence of STIs were associated with HIV transmission. Conclusions: Undetectable viremia was the main factor associated with non-transmissibility of HIV in this setting

Antiretroviral adherence and virologic suppression in partnered and unpartnered HIV-positive individuals in southern Brazil

Background: An undetectable serum HIV-1 load is key to effectiveness of antiretroviral (ARV) therapy, which depends on adherence to treatment. We evaluated factors possibly associated with ARV adherence and virologic response in HIV-infected heterosexual individuals. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 200 HIV-1 serodiscordant couples and 100 unpartnered individuals receiving ARV treatment at a tertiary hospital in southern Brazil. All subjects provided written informed consent, answered demographic/behavioral questionnaires through audio computer-assisted self-interviews (ACASI), and collected blood and vaginal samples for biological markers and assessment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). HIV-negative partners were counseled and tested for HIV-1. Results: The study population mean age was 39.9 years, 53.6% were female, 62.5% were Caucasian, 52.6% had incomplete or complete elementary education, 63.1% resided in Porto Alegre. Demographic, behavioral and biological marker characteristics were similar between couples and single individuals. There was an association between adherence reported on ACASI and an undetectable serum viral load (P<0.0001). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that single-tablet ARV-regimens were independently associated with adherence (OR = 2.3; 95CI%: 1.2–4.4; P = 0.011) after controlling for age, gender, education, marital status, personal income, ARV regimen, and median time of ARV use. A positive correlation between genital secretion PCR results and serum viral load was significant in the presence of STIs (r = 0.359; P = 0.017). Although HIV PCR detection in vaginal secretions was more frequent in women with detectable viremia (9/51, 17.6%), it was also present in 7 of 157 women with undetectable serum viral loads (4.5%), p = 0.005. Conclusions: ARV single tablet regimens are associated with adherence. Detectable HIV-1 may be present in the genital secretions of women with undetectable viremia which means there is potential for HIV transmission in adherent individuals with serologic suppression

Cytochemical characterization of microvillar and perimicrovillar membranes in the posterior midgut epithelium of Rhodnius prolixus

14 p.: il.Perimicrovillar membranes (PMM) are structures present on the surface of midgut epithelial cells of the hematophagous insect, Rhodnius prolixus. They cover the microvilli and are especially evident 10 days after blood meal, providing the compartmentalization of the enzymatic processes in the intestinal microenvironment. Using an enzyme cytochemical approach, Mg2þ-ATPase and ouabain-sensitive NaþKþ-ATPase activities were observed in the plasma (or microvillar) membrane (MM) of midgut cells and in the PMM. In contrast, alkaline phosphatase was only detected in MM. Using cationized ferritin and colloidal iron hydroxide particles, anionic sites were found only on the luminal surface of the PMM. Using fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled lectins, residues of a-D-galactose, mannose, N-acetylneuraminic acid, N-acetyl-D-galactosamine and N-acetyl-galactosamine-a-1,3-galactose were detected on the apical surface of posterior midgut epithelial cells. On the other hand, using FITC-labeled neoglycoproteins (NGP) it was possible to detect the presence of carbohydrate binding molecules (CBM) recognizing N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, a-D-mannose, a-L-fucose and a-D-glucose in the posterior midgut epithelium. The use of digitonin showed the presence of sterols in the MM and PMM. These results have led the authors to suggest that for some components the PMM resembles the MM lining the midgut cells of R. prolixus, composing a system which covers the microvilli and stretches to the luminal space

Trypanosoma cruzi: involvement of glycoinositolphospholipids in the attachment to the luminal midgut surface of Rhodnius prolixus

9 p. : il.Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes adhere in vivo to the luminal surface of their triatomid vector digestive tract by molecular mechanisms, as yet, unknown. Here, we show that the administration of 0.5 lM epimastigote major surface glycoinositolphospholipids (GIPLs) to the infected bloodmeal inhibits up to 90% parasite infection in Rhodnius prolixus. The parasite behavior was investigated in vitro using fragments of the insect midgut. The addition of GIPLs in concentration as low as 50–100 nM impaired 95% the attachment of epimastigotes. Previous treatment of GIPLs with trifluoroacetic acid to remove the terminal b-galactofuranosyl residues reversed 50% the epimastigote in vitro attachment. The binding sites of purified GIPLs on the luminal surface of the posterior midgut were exposed by immunofluorescence microscopy. These observations indicate that GIPLs are one of the components involved in the adhesion of T. cruzi to the luminal insect midgut surface and possibly one of the determinants of parasite infection in the insect vector

Insights into the organization of dorsal spinal cord pathways from an evolutionarily conserved raldh2 intronic enhancer

Comparative studies of the tetrapod raldh2 (aldh1a2) gene, which encodes a retinoic acid (RA) synthesis enzyme, have led to the identification of a dorsal spinal cord enhancer. Enhancer activity is directed dorsally to the roof plate and dorsal-most (dl1) interneurons through predicted Tcf- and Cdx-homeodomain binding sites and is repressed ventrally via predicted Tgif homeobox and ventral Lim-homeodomain binding sites. Raldh2 and Math1/Cath1 expression in mouse and chicken highlights a novel, transient, endogenous Raldh2 expression domain in dl1 interneurons, which give rise to ascending circuits and intraspinal commissural interneurons, suggesting roles for RA in the ontogeny of spinocerebellar and intraspinal proprioceptive circuits. Consistent with expression of raldh2 in the dorsal interneurons of tetrapods, we also found that raldh2 is expressed in dorsal interneurons throughout the agnathan spinal cord, suggesting ancestral roles for RA signaling in the ontogenesis of intraspinal proprioception.FAPESP[02/11340-2]FAPESP[04/11569-5]FAPESP[04/15704-4]FAPESP[05/60637-6]FAPESP[06/50843-0]FAPESP[06/61317-8]CNPq[305260/2007-3]Company of Biologist

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia in Brazil: A retrospective analysis of 1903 cases

Univ Fed São Paulo, UNIFESP, EPM, São Paulo, BrazilHosp Sirio Libanes, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Estadual Campinas, Campinas, BrazilHemope, Hemoctr Pernambuco, Recife, PE, BrazilSanta Casa de Misericordia São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilHosp Samaritano, São Paulo, BrazilHosp Brigadeiro, Hosp Transplantes Euryclides de Jesus Zerbini, São Paulo, BrazilHosp Amaral Carvalho, Jau, BrazilUniv Fed Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, BrazilHosp Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, BrazilHosp Servidor Publ Estadual, São Paulo, BrazilCasa Saude Santa Marcelina, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Goias, Goiania, Go, BrazilUniv Fed Ceara, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilInst Canc São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Parana, Curitiba, Parana, BrazilHosp Sao Vicente de Paulo, Passo Fundo, BrazilUniv Fed São Paulo, UNIFESP, EPM, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia in Brazil: A retrospective analysis of 1903 cases

Univ Fed São Paulo, UNIFESP, EPM, São Paulo, BrazilHosp Sirio Libanes, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Estadual Campinas, Campinas, BrazilHemope, Hemoctr Pernambuco, Recife, PE, BrazilSanta Casa de Misericordia São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilHosp Samaritano, São Paulo, BrazilHosp Brigadeiro, Hosp Transplantes Euryclides de Jesus Zerbini, São Paulo, BrazilHosp Amaral Carvalho, Jau, BrazilUniv Fed Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, BrazilHosp Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, BrazilHosp Servidor Publ Estadual, São Paulo, BrazilCasa Saude Santa Marcelina, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Goias, Goiania, Go, BrazilUniv Fed Ceara, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilInst Canc São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Parana, Curitiba, Parana, BrazilHosp Sao Vicente de Paulo, Passo Fundo, BrazilUniv Fed São Paulo, UNIFESP, EPM, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Trypanosoma cruzi TcSMUG L-surface Mucins Promote Development and Infectivity in the Triatomine Vector Rhodnius prolixus

Made available in DSpace on 2015-08-19T13:49:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license.txt: 1914 bytes, checksum: 7d48279ffeed55da8dfe2f8e81f3b81f (MD5) eloi_garcia_etal_IOC_2013.pdf: 6467561 bytes, checksum: 3d08464f54865b8fee87e5456fed719c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013Universidade Federal Fluminense. Instituto de Biologia. Departamento de Biologia Geral. Laboratório de Biologia de Insetos. Niterói, RJ, Brasil / Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM, CNPq). Brasil.Universidade Federal Fluminense. Instituto de Biologia. Departamento de Biologia Geral. Laboratório de Biologia de Insetos. Niterói, RJ, Brasil.Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM, CNPq). Brasil / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense - Horto. Centro de Biocieˆncias e Biotecnologia. Laborato´ rio de Biologia Celular e Tecidual. Campos dos Goytacases, RJ, Brasil.Universidade Federal Fluminense. Instituto de Biologia. Departamento de Biologia Geral. Laboratório de Biologia de Insetos. Niterói, RJ, Brasil / Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM, CNPq). Brasil.Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET). Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas ‘‘Dr Rodolfo Ugalde’’. Campus UNSAM. Buenos Aires, Argentina.Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET). Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas ‘‘Dr Rodolfo Ugalde’’. Campus UNSAM. Buenos Aires, Argentina.nstituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM, CNPq). Brasil / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET). Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas ‘‘Dr Rodolfo Ugalde’’. Campus UNSAM. Buenos Aires, Argentina.Background: TcSMUG L products were recently identified as novel mucin-type glycoconjugates restricted to the surface of insect-dwelling epimastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease. The remarkable conservation of their predicted mature N-terminal region, which is exposed to the extracellular milieu, suggests that TcSMUG L products may be involved in structural and/or functional aspects of the interaction with the insect vector. Methodology and Principal Findings: Here, we investigated the putative roles of TcSMUG L mucins in both in vivo development and ex vivo attachment of epimastigotes to the luminal surface of the digestive tract of Rhodnius prolixus. Our results indicate that the exogenous addition of TcSMUG L N-terminal peptide, but not control T. cruzi mucin peptides, to the infected bloodmeal inhibited the development of parasites in R. prolixus in a dose-dependent manner. Pre-incubation of insect midguts with the TcSMUG L peptide impaired the ex vivo attachment of epimastigotes to the luminal surface epithelium, likely by competing out TcSMUG L binding sites on the luminal surface of the posterior midgut, as revealed by fluorescence microscopy. Conclusion and Significance: Together, these observations indicate that TcSMUG L mucins are a determinant of both adhesion of T. cruzto the posterior midgut epithelial cells of the triatomine, and the infection of the insect vector, R. prolixus