Waterborne Toxoplasmosis, Brazil, from Field to Gene

Water was the suspected vehicle of Toxoplasma gondii dissemination in a toxoplasmosis outbreak in Brazil. A case-control study and geographic mapping of cases were performed. T. gondii was isolated directly from the implicated water and genotyped as SAG 2 type I

Further genetic characterization of the two Trypanosoma cruzi Berenice strains (Be-62 and Be-78) isolated from the first human case of Chagas disease (Chagas, 1909)

We describe here an extension of a previous genetic characterization of Trypanosoma cruzi strains (Be-62 and Be-78) isolated from the patient Berenice, the first human case of Chagas disease [Chagas, C., 1909. Nova Tripanomiase humana. Estudos sobre morfologia e o ciclo evolutivo do Schizotrypanum cruzi, n. gen., n. sp., agente etiolojico da nova entidade morbida do homem. Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz 1, 159-218]. We wanted to verify the composition of T. Cruzi Populations originated from these two isolates. In the present work, 22 enzymatic loci (MLEE), nine RAPID primers and 7 microsatellite loci were analyzed. Clones from both strains were also characterized to verify whether these strains are mono or polyclonal. Be-62 and Be-78 strains were different in 3 Out of 22 enzymatic systems, in 3 Out of 9 RAPD primers tested and in all microsatellite loci investigated. However, our data suggests that both strains are phylogenetically closely related, belonging to genetic group 32 front Tibayrenc and Ayala [Tibayrenc, M., Ayala, F J., 1988. Isoenzinne variability in Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas' disease: genetical, taxonomical, and epidemiological significance. Evolution 42, 277-292], equivalent to zymodeme 2 and T. cruzi 11 major lineage which, in Brazil, comprises parasites from the domestic cycle of the disease. Microsatellite analyses showed differences between the parental strains but suggested that both populations are monoclonal since each strain and their respective clones showed the same amplification products. (c) 2005 Published by Elsevier B.V

Performance of the visual analogue scale of happiness and of the Cornell scale for depression in dementia in the tremembé epidemiological study, Brazil [Desempenho Na Escala Analógica Visual De Felicidade E Na Escala Cornell De Depressão Em Demência No Estudo Epidemiológico De Tremembé, Brasil]

Made available in DSpace on 2019-09-12T16:26:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2014Depression is a major growing public health problem. Many population studies have found a significant relationship between depression and the presence of cognitive disorders. Objective: To establish the correlation between the Visual Analogue Scale of Happiness and the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia in the population aged 60 years or over in the city of Tremembé, state of São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: An epidemiological survey involving home visits was carried out in the city of Tremembé. The sample was randomly selected by drawing 20% of the population aged 60 years or older from each of the city’s census sectors. In this single-phase study, the assessment included clinical history, physical and neurological examination, cognitive evaluation, and application of both the Cornell Scale and the Analogue Scale of Happiness for psychiatric symptoms. The presence of depressive symptoms was defined as scores greater than or equal to 8 points on the Cornell Scale. Results: A total of 623 subjects were evaluated and of these 251 (40.3%) had clinically significant depressive symptoms on the Cornell Scale, with a significant association with female gender (p<0.001) and with lower education (p=0.012). One hundred and thirty-six participants (21.8%) chose the unhappiness faces, with a significant association with age (p<0.001), female gender (p=0.020) and low socioeconomic status (p=0.012). Although there was a statistically significant association on the correlation test, the correlation was not high (rho=0.47).  Conclusion: The prevalence of depressive symptoms was high in this sample and the Visual Analogue Scale of Happiness and Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia should not be used as similar alternatives for evaluating the presence of depressive symptoms, at least in populations with low educational level. © 2014, Academia Brasileira de Neurologia. All rights reserved.César, K.G., Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, Brazil, University of Taubaté, BrazilBrucki, S.M., Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilTakada, L.T., Epidemiologic Study (TES) Group, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilNascimento, L.F.C., University of Taubaté, BrazilGomes, C.M., Epidemiologic Study (TES) Group, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilAlmeida, M.C., Epidemiologic Study (TES) Group, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilOliveira, M.O., Epidemiologic Study (TES) Group, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilPorto, F.H., Epidemiologic Study (TES) Group, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilSenaha, M.L., Epidemiologic Study (TES) Group, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilBahia, V.S., Epidemiologic Study (TES) Group, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilSilva, T.B.L., Epidemiologic Study (TES) Group, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilIanof, J.N., Epidemiologic Study (TES) Group, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilSpíndola, L., Epidemiologic Study (TES) Group, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilSchmidt, M.T., Epidemiologic Study (TES) Group, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilJorge, M.S., Epidemiologic Study (TES) Group, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilVale, P.H., Epidemiologic Study (TES) Group, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilCecchini, M.A., Epidemiologic Study (TES) Group, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilCassimiro, L., Epidemiologic Study (TES) Group, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilSoares, R.T., Epidemiologic Study (TES) Group, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilGonçalves, M.R., Epidemiologic Study (TES) Group, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilSmid, J., Epidemiologic Study (TES) Group, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilPorto, C.S., Epidemiologic Study (TES) Group, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilCarthery-Goulart, M.T., Epidemiologic Study (TES) Group, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilYassuda, M.S., Epidemiologic Study (TES) Group, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilMansur, L.L., Epidemiologic Study (TES) Group, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, BrazilNitrini, R., University of São Paulo Medical School, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, Brazi

In vitro and in vivo experimental models for drug screening and development for Chagas disease

Chagas disease, a neglected illness, affects nearly 12-14 million people in endemic areas of Latin America. Although the occurrence of acute cases sharply has declined due to Southern Cone Initiative efforts to control vector transmission, there still remain serious challenges, including the maintenance of sustainable public policies for Chagas disease control and the urgent need for better drugs to treat chagasic patients. Since the introduction of benznidazole and nifurtimox approximately 40 years ago, many natural and synthetic compounds have been assayed against Trypanosoma cruzi, yet only a few compounds have advanced to clinical trials. This reflects, at least in part, the lack of consensus regarding appropriate in vitro and in vivo screening protocols as well as the lack of biomarkers for treating parasitaemia. The development of more effective drugs requires (i) the identification and validation of parasite targets, (ii) compounds to be screened against the targets or the whole parasite and (iii) a panel of minimum standardised procedures to advance leading compounds to clinical trials. This third aim was the topic of the workshop entitled Experimental Models in Drug Screening and Development for Chagas Disease, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on the 25th and 26th of November 2008 by the Fiocruz Program for Research and Technological Development on Chagas Disease and Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative. During the meeting, the minimum steps, requirements and decision gates for the determination of the efficacy of novel drugs for T. cruzi control were evaluated by interdisciplinary experts and an in vitro and in vivo flowchart was designed to serve as a general and standardised protocol for screening potential drugs for the treatment of Chagas disease