Bacteriophages: The Good Side of the Viruses

Bacteriophages or phages are bacterial viruses that are known to invade bacterial cells and, in the case of the lytic phages, impair bacterial metabolism, causing them to lyse. Since the discovery of these microorganisms by Felix d’Herelle, a French-Canadian microbiologist who worked at Institut Pasteur in Paris, Bacteriophages begin to be used in the treatment of human diseases, like dysentery and staphylococcal skin disease. However, due to the controversial efficacy of phage preparations, and with the advent of antibiotics, commercial production of therapeutic phage preparations ceased in most of the Western world. Nevertheless, phages continued to be used as therapeutic agents (together with or instead of antibiotics) in Eastern Europe and in the former Soviet Union. Therefore, there is a sufficient body of data that incite the accomplishment of further studies in the field of phage therapy

CÂNCER DE COLO DO ÚTERO, GENOTIPAGEM DO PAPILOMA VÍRUS HUMANO (HPV) EM MULHERES QUILOMBOLAS DE UM MUNICÍPIO BRASILEIRO: ACEITABILIDADE DA VACINA

O câncer de colo uterino é o segundo câncer feminino mais comum no Brasil. O papilomavírus humano (HPV) é causa necessária para seu desenvolvimento. A vacina surge como uma arma contra a infecção por HPV e, consequentemente, contra o câncer. Mas existem mais de 100 genótipos diferentes de HPV, que são divididos em baixo risco e alto risco, de acordo com o potencial oncogênico. Analisam-se os aspectos epidemiológicos e biomoleculares da infecção por HPV na mucosa genital de mulheres qui-lombolas, verificando a associação os achados citológicos e biomoleculares e observando a frequência do papilomavírus nessa população e de seus tipos, para avaliar a aplicabilidade da vacina na população em estudo. A população deste estudo é de 101 mulheres pertencentes à comunidade quilombola de Ju-çatuba, no estado do Maranhão. Foram coletadas amostras de mucosa genital, submetidas à pesquisa para a presença do HPV pela técnica de PCR Nested. As amostras positivas foram sequenciadas para fins de genotipagem viral. Em uma população predominante de mulheres em idade fértil, com parceiro fixo e baixo nível de escolaridade, verificou-se que 10 amostras da cérvice uterina foram positivas paraHPV, sendo 7 positivas para os tipos de alto risco. Mediante a presença dos tipos virais de alta oncoge-nicidade, observa-se a necessidade de implementação de condutas gestoras para redução do risco de aparecimento de câncer do colo do útero.Palavras-chave: Papilomavírus humano. Câncer. Colo uterino. Reação em cadeia da polimerase.CANCER OF THE CERVIX, GENOTYPING OF HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV) IN QUILOMBOLA WOMEN IN A BRAZILIAN CITY: ACCEPTABILITY OF THE VACCINE.ABSTRACT: Cervical cancer is the second most common female cancer in Brazil. The human papilloma-virus (HPV) is a need cause for its development. The vaccine appears as a weapon against HPV infection and therefore against cancer. But there are more than 100 different HPV genotypes, which are divided into low risk and high risk according to the oncogenic potential. To analyze the epidemiological and biomolecu-lar aspects of HPV infection in the genital mucosa of women Maroons, verifying the association cytological and molecular biological findings and noting the frequency of this population papillomavirus and its types, to evaluate the applicability of the vaccine in the study population. The study population was 101 women belonging to the maroon community of Juçatuba in the state of Maranhão. Genital mucosa samples were collected and submitted to search for the presence of HPV by PCR Nested. The positive samples were sequenced for the purpose of viral genotyping. In a predominant population of women of childbearing age, with a steady partner, and low level of education, it was found that 10 samples of uterine cervix were positive for HPV, with 7 positive for high-risk types. Through the presence of viral types of high tumorige-nicity, there is a need to implement management practices for reducing the risk of developing cancer of the cervix.KEYWORDS: Human Papillomavirus. Cancer. Cervix. Polymerase Chain Reaction.EL CÁNCER DEL CUELLO UTERINO, LA GENOTIPIFICACIÓN DEL VIRUS DEL PAPILOMA HUMANO (VPH) EN MUJERES QUILOMBOLAS EN UNA CIUDAD BRASILEÑA: LA ACEPTABILIDAD DE LA VACUNA.RESUMEN: El cáncer cervical es el segundo cáncer femenino más común en Brasil. El virus del papiloma humano (VPH) es la causa necesaria para su desarrollo. La vacuna se presenta como un arma contra la infección por VPH y, por tanto, contra el cáncer. Pero hay más de 100 genotipos diferentes de VPH, que se dividen en bajo riesgo y de alto riesgo de acuerdo con el potencial oncogénico. Analizar los aspectos epidemiológicos y biomoleculares de la infección por el VPH en la mucosa genital de la mujer cimarrones, la verificación de la citología asociación y hallazgos de biología molecular y tomando nota de la frecuen-cia de este virus del papiloma de la población y sus tipos, para evaluar la aplicabilidad de la vacuna en la población de estudio. La populación de estudio fue de 101 mujeres pertenecientes a la comunidad marrón de Juçatuba en el Estado de Maranhão. Se recogieron muestras de mucosa genital presentados para buscar la presencia de VPH por PCR anidada. Las muestras positivas se secuenciaron con el propósito de determinación del genotipo viral . RESULTADOS: En una población predominante de las mujeres en edad fértil, con una pareja estable, y el bajo nivel de la educación, se encontró que 10 muestras fueron positivas para el VPH cervical, 7 siendo positivo para los tipos de alto riesgo. A través de la presencia de tipos virales de alta tumorigenicidad, hay una necesidad de aplicar prácticas de gestión para reducir el riesgo de desarrollar cáncer de la cérvix.PALABRAS CLAVE: Virus del papiloma humano. Cáncer. Cérvix. Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa

Eco-epidemiologic study of emerging fungi related to the work of babaçu coconut breakers in the State of Maranhão, Brazil

Introduction: There are more than 300,000 extractors using the babaçu coconut as a source of income in the States of Maranhão, Pará, Tocantins and Piauí, and this activity is associated with fungal infections. The objective of this study was to examine the occurrence of emergent fungi in the conjunctiva, nails and surface and subcutaneous injuries of female coconut breakers in Esperantinópolis, Maranhão. Additionally, soil samples and palm structures were collected. Methods: The obtained samples were cultured in Petri dishes containing potato-dextrose-agar and chloramphenicol. The etiological agent was confirmed by a direct mycological exam and growth in culture. Results: In total, 150 domiciles were visited, and samples were collected from 80 patients. From the ground, the most frequently isolated fungus was Aspergillus niger (53. 8%). the most frequently detected fungus in babaçu coconut was Aspergillus niger (66.7%). Conjunctival fungal growth occurred in 76.3% of the women. The ocular fungal microbiota consisted of filamentous fungi (80.6%), and yeasts were present in 19.4% of cases. Onychomycosis was diagnosed in 44% (11/25) of the women. Conclusions: The identification of the genera Neosartorya, Rhizopus and Curvularia in onychomycoses shows that emergent filamentous fungi can be isolated. Aspergillus sp., Penicillium sp. and Scedosporium sp. were the predominant genera found in the babaçu coconut. From ocular conjunctiva, Candida spp. were the most prevalent species isolated, and Fusarium sp. was present only in one woman. The nearly permanent exposure of coconut breakers to the external environment and to the soil is most likely the reason for the existence of a mycotic flora and fungal infections, varying according to the individual's practices and occupation