Zoonotic spillover: understanding basic aspects for better prevention

The transmission of pathogens from wild animals to humans is called “zoonotic spillover”. Most human infectious diseases (60-75%) are derived from pathogens that originally circulated in non-human animal species. This demonstrates that spillover has a fundamental role in the emergence of new human infectious diseases. Understanding the factors that facilitate the transmission of pathogens from wild animals to humans is essential to establish strategies focused on the reduction of the frequency of spillover events. In this context, this article describes the basic aspects of zoonotic spillover and the main factors involved in spillover events, considering the role of the inter-species interactions, phylogenetic distance between host species, environmental drivers, and specific characteristics of the pathogens, animals, and humans. As an example, the factors involved in the emergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic are discussed, indicating what can be learned from this public health emergency, and what can be applied to the Brazilian scenario. Finally, this article discusses actions to prevent or reduce the frequency of zoonotic spillover events

Saúde Única (One Health): uma abordagem para entender, prevenir e controlar as doenças infecciosas e parasitárias

Muitos patógenos, incluindo vírus, bactérias, fungos e parasitas, podem ser transmitidos entre animais e humanos, causando doenças chamadas de zoonoses. Raiva, leptospirose, leishmaniose e toxoplasmose são exemplos de zoonoses clássicas. Algumas outras doenças infecciosas, apesar de tradicionalmente não serem reconhecidas como zoonoses, como a AIDS e a COVID-19, apresentam origem zoonótica. De fato, estas doenças surgiram em populações animais e atualmente afetam basicamente humanos. O meio ambiente (solo, alimentos, entre outros componentes ambientais) também pode abrigar patógenos com capacidade de causar doenças em humanos, como os geo-helmintos e o vírus da hepatite E. Alterações ambientais derivadas da atividade humana (por exemplo: desmatamento, mudanças climáticas, poluição, urbanização desordenada) modificam a distribuição, diversidade e abundância de mosquitos e outros animais vetores de diferentes patógenos, consequentemente afetando o risco de doenças como dengue, zika, doença de Chagas, entre muitas outras. Os exemplos citados anteriormente demonstram que as condições de “saúde” do meio ambiente, das populações humanas e dos animais estão fortemente conectadas. O conceito de Saúde Única (One Health) unifica as conexões entre a tríade “humanos, animais e ambiente”. Este artigo descreve aspectos básicos do conceito de Saúde Única e traz uma série de exemplos de doenças provocadas por desequilíbrios entre a saúde humana, animal e ambiental. O artigo também discute como a Saúde Única pode ser usada para entender, prevenir e controlar o complexo conjunto de doenças infecciosas e parasitárias (patocenose) observado atualmente nas populações humanas. Many pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites, can be transmitted between animals and humans, causing diseases called zoonoses. Rabies, leptospirosis, leishmaniasis and toxoplasmosis are examples of classic zoonoses. Some other infectious diseases, although traditionally not recognized as zoonoses, such as AIDS and COVID-19, have a zoonotic origin. Indeed, such diseases emerged in animal populations but currently primarily affect humans. The environment (soil, food, among other environmental components) can also harbor pathogens capable of causing diseases in humans, such as soil-transmitted helminths and the hepatitis E virus. Environmental changes derived from human activities (for example, deforestation, climate change, pollution, unplanned urbanization) modify the distribution, diversity and abundance of mosquitoes and other animals which act as vectors of various pathogens, consequently affecting the risk of diseases such as dengue, zika, and Chagas disease. The examples cited above demonstrate that the “health” conditions of the environment, human populations and animals are strongly connected. The One Health concept unifies the connections between the triad “humans, animals and environment”. This article describes basic aspects of the One Health concept and shows a variety of examples of diseases caused by imbalances between human, animal and environmental health. This article also discusses how One Health can be used to understand, prevent and control the complex set of infectious and parasitic diseases (pathocenosis) currently observed in human populations

PROFESSOR JUAREZ ALAOR SCHMIDT: UMA TRAJETÓRIA ACADÊMICA DEDICADA À UNISC

Atividades desenvolvidas pelo professor Juarez Alaor Schmidt enquanto professor da Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul - UNISC

Geo-helmintíases no Rio Grande do Sul: uma análise a partir da perspectiva de Saúde Única

Os helmintos intestinais Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura e os ancilostomídeos Ancylostoma duodenale e Necator americanus apresentam importante relevância em termos de saúde pública no Brasil, sendo associados com deficiências nutricionais, problemas gastrointestinais e déficits no desenvolvimento infantil. Essas espécies são conhecidas conjuntamente como geo-helmintos, pois o solo (geo) exerce papel importante na transmissão e no desenvolvimento desses parasitas. A contaminação ambiental por ovos e larvas de geo-helmintos é particularmente comum em áreas com problemas de distribuição de água potável e no tratamento de esgoto. Humanos infectados por A. lumbricoides, T. trichiura e ancilostomídeos podem liberar uma grande quantidade de ovos dos parasitas nas fezes, facilitando a contaminação ambiental. Outros geo-helmintos, como Toxocara canis, Toxocara cati e A. caninum, possuem animais domésticos como hospedeiros definitivos e a contaminação ambiental por fezes de cães e gatos facilita a ocorrência de zoonoses, como a larva migrans. As geo-helmintíases são endêmicas no Brasil, mas as informações sobre geo-helmintos no estado do Rio Grande do Sul são escassas e geralmente estão descritas na literatura de forma fragmentada. Dessa forma, este artigo revisa, integra e discute dados e informações sobre geo-helmintos no Rio Grande do Sul, com base em estudos realizados com amostras humanas, animais e ambientais, em uma estratégia alinhada à perspectiva de Saúde Única. Os potenciais impactos das alterações ambientais observadas no Rio Grande do Sul sobre a ocorrência das geo-helmintíases também são abordados neste artigo. The intestinal helminths Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and the hookworms Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus have strong public health relevance in Brazil, being associated with nutritional deficiencies, gastrointestinal problems and deficits in child development. These species are collectively known as soil-transmitted helminths, as the soil plays an important role in the transmission and development of these parasites. Environmental contamination by soil-transmitted helminth eggs and larvae is particularly common in areas with problems in potable water distribution and/or in sewage treatment systems. Humans infected with A. lumbricoides, T. trichiura and hookworms can release a large amount of parasite eggs in their feces, facilitating environmental contamination. Other soil-transmitted helminths, such as Toxocara canis, Toxocara cati and A. caninum, have domestic animals as definitive hosts. Therefore, environmental contamination by feces of dogs and cats facilitates the occurrence of zoonoses, such as larva migrans. Soil-transmitted helminth infections are endemic in Brazil, but information on soil-transmitted helminths in the Rio Grande do Sul State is scarce and is usually described in the literature in a fragmented way. Thus, this article reviews, integrates and discusses data and information on soil-transmitted helminths in the Rio Grande do Sul, based on studies carried out with human, animal and environmental samples, in a strategy aligned with the One Health perspective. The potential impacts of environmental changes observed in the Rio Grande do Sul on the occurrence of soil-transmitted helminths are also addressed in this article

Increased systemic IL-6 levels point to inflammation as a determinant of renal cell carcinoma development

Introduction: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most prevalent kidney tumors. Inflammation is believed to be a key factor in its progression and spread since inflammatory markers are generally associated with poor prognosis in RCC patients. Cytokines are cell communication molecules involved in both healthy and pathological processes, including tumor growth and progression. Recent findings suggest that cytokine level measurements could be used for cancer monitoring and prognosis. Methods: This study characterized and compared the levels of different cytokines associated with the classical Th1, Th2, and Th17 immune responses in plasma samples from RCC patients (n = 25) and healthy controls (n = 29). Cytokine levels (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-17A) were evaluated by flow cytometry using a BD Cytometric Bead Array (CBA) kit. Results: No statistical differences in systemic IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-17A, TNF, and INF-γ levels were observed between RCC patients and controls (p > 0.05). However, higher systemic IL-6 levels were observed in RCC patients (p = 0.0034). Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of assessing the impact of IL-6 on RCC pathogenesis and its potential role as a biomarker of disease progression

Control and prevention of infectious diseases from a One Health perspective

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caught the attention of the global community and rekindled the debate about our ability to prevent and manage outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics. Many alternatives are suggested to address these urgent issues. Some of them are quite interesting, but with little practical application in the short or medium term. To realistically control infectious diseases, human, animal, and environmental factors need to be considered together, based on the One Health perspective. In this article, we highlight the most effective initiatives for the control and prevention of infectious diseases: vaccination; environmental sanitation; vector control; social programs that encourage a reduction in the population growth; control of urbanization; safe sex stimulation; testing; treatment of sexually and vertically transmitted infections; promotion of personal hygiene practices; food safety and proper nutrition; reduction of the human contact with wildlife and livestock; reduction of social inequalities; infectious disease surveillance; and biodiversity preservation. Subsequently, this article highlights the impacts of human genetics on susceptibility to infections and disease progression, using the SARS-CoV-2 infection as a study model. Finally, actions focused on mitigation of outbreaks and epidemics and the importance of conservation of ecosystems and translational ecology as public health strategies are also discussed

Exploring potential impacts of pregnancy-related maternal immune activation and extracellular vesicles on immune alterations observed in autism spectrum disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a set of neurodevelopmental disorders usually observed in early life, with impacts on behavioral and social skills. Incidence of ASD has been dramatically increasing worldwide, possibly due to increase in awareness/diagnosis as well as to genetic and environmental triggers. Currently, it is estimated that ~1% of the world population presents ASD symptoms. In addition to its genetic background, environmental and immune-related factors also influence the ASD etiology. In this context, maternal immune activation (MIA) has recently been suggested as a component potentially involved in ASD development. In addition, extracellular vesicles (EVs) are abundant at the maternal-fetal interface and are actively involved in the immunoregulation required for a healthy pregnancy. Considering that alterations in concentration and content of EVs have also been associated with ASD, this article raises a debate about the potential roles of EVs in the processes surrounding MIA. This represents the major differential of the present review compared to other ASD studies. To support the suggested correlations and hypotheses, findings regarding the roles of EVs during pregnancy and potential influences on ASD are discussed, along with a review and update concerning the participation of infections, cytokine unbalances, overweight and obesity, maternal anti-fetal brain antibodies, maternal fever, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, labor type and microbiota unbalances in MIA and ASD

ANÁLISE GENOTÓXICA DE EFLUENTE DE LAVANDERIA HOSPITALAR: ENSAIO COMETA COM Daphnia magna STRAUS, 1820

Considerando que os efluentes hospitalares possuem carga poluidora potencialmente tóxica e genotóxica, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi desenvolver a metodologia do Ensaio Cometa com um organismo-teste amplamente utilizados em teste de toxicidade, Daphnia magna, a fim de avaliar a genotoxicidade de efluente provindo do setor de lavanderia de um hospital do Vale do Rio Pardo, RS. Foram realizadas coletas mensais do efluente entre os meses de maio e julho de 2011. Após a padronização do Ensaio Cometa, os organismos foram expostos a concentrações subletais do efluente (0,195; 0,39; 0,78; 1,56%) por um período de 48 h. O ensaio foi realizado com modificações. Os resultados mostraram diferenças significativas (