Flora vaginal e correlação com aspectos citológicos

This work is an attempt to throw more light on the pathogenicity of microorganisms of the vaginal flora, specially those of the so-called nonspecific vaginitis. An attempt is made to determine the value of cytology as a method for the identification of vaginal flora, by the study of microbiologic cultures, fresh and Gram stain direct exam and citology of the cervico-vaginal specimens of 97 patients. Among microorganisms with clinical significance, Gardnerella vaginalis was the most frequently isolated organism, 48,4%, followed by Trichomonas vaginalis, 10.3%, Candida albicans, 7.2% and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, 1.1%. Cytologic changes typical of cervicitis and/or vaginitis were seen in the majority of cases of G. vaginalis, C. albicans, and in all cases of T.vaginalis. The importance of a semi-quantitative evaluation of the vaginal flora on the culture plates was stressed. In the evaluation of cytology as a diagnostic method of the vaginal microflora, we observed that it was the best of the two methods used in the identification of T.vaginalis and that it was capable of detecting the presence of about 50% of C.albicans. In the diagnosis of G. vaginalis cytology was positive in 48.9% of cases. It is of note that of 31 cases of positive cytologic smear, eight had negative culture for G. vaginalis, even though organisms such as Haemophilus sp or Corynebacterium sp had been isolated in these cases.Com a finalidade de esclarecer a patogenicidade de microorganismos que compõem a microflora vaginal, particularmente nas chamadas vaginites inespecíficas e de determinar o valor da citologia como método para identificação da flora vaginal, foram estudadas 97 pacientes, realizando cultura, exame direto a fresco, Gram e citologia do material cérvico-vaginal. Entre os microorganismos de importância clínica reconhecida, Gardnerella vaginalis foi o mais freqüentemente isolado, 48,4%, seguido de Trichomonas vaginalis, 10,3%, Candida albicans, 7,2% e Neisseria gonorrhoeae, 1,1%. Alterações citológicas indicativas de cervicite e/ou vaginite estiveram presentes na maioria dos casos de G.vaginalis, C.albicans e em todos os casos de T.vaginalis. Foi ressaltada a importância da avaliação semi-quantitativa dos microorganismos nos meios de cultura. Na avaliação da citologia como método diagnóstico para a microflora vaginal, foi observada que este foi o melhor dos métodos utilizados na identificação de T.vaginalis, tendo sido detectado cerca de 50% dos casos de C.albicans. No diagnóstico de G.vaginalis a citologia foi positiva em 48,9% dos casos, destacando-se que dos 31 casos positivos ao exame citológico, oito tiveram culturas negativas para G.vaginalis, embora tenham sido isolados nestes últimos: Haemophilus sp. ou Corynebacterium sp

Revista de Saúde Pública

p.415-420,v.20,n.6Com a finalidade de esclarecer a patogenicidade de microorganismos que compõem a microflora vaginal, particularmente nas chamadas vaginites inespecíficas e de determinar o valor da citologia como método para identificação da flora vaginal, foram estudadas 97 pacientes, realizando cultura, exame direto a fresco, Gram e citologia do material cérvico-vaginal. Entre os microorganismos de importância clínica reconhecida, Gardnerella vaginalis foi o mais freqüentemente isolado, 48,4%, seguido de Trichomonas vaginalis, 10,3%, Candida albicans, 7,2% e Neisseria gonorrhoeae, 1,1%. Alterações citológicas indicativas de cervicite e/ou vaginite estiveram presentes na maioria dos casos de G.vaginalis, C.albicans e em todos os casos de T.vaginalis. Foi ressaltada a importância da avaliação semi-quantitativa dos microorganismos nos meios de cultura. Na avaliação da citologia como método diagnóstico para a microflora vaginal, foi observada que este foi o melhor dos métodos utilizados na identificação de T.vaginalis, tendo sido detectado cerca de 50% dos casos de C.albicans. No diagnóstico de G.vaginalis a citologia foi positiva em 48,9% dos casos, destacando-se que dos 31 casos positivos ao exame citológico, oito tiveram culturas negativas para G.vaginalis, embora tenham sido isolados nestes últimos: Haemophilus sp. ou Corynebacterium sp.São Paul

Journal of Clinical Mircobiology

Texto completo: acesso restrito. p. 3303-3310There is an urgent need for development of new serodiagnostic strategies for leptospirosis, an emerging zoonosis with worldwide distribution. We have evaluated the diagnostic utility of five recombinant antigens in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for serodiagnosis of leptospirosis. Sera from 50 healthy residents of a high-incidence region were used to determine cutoff values for 96% specificity. In paired sera from 50 cases of leptospirosis confirmed by the microscopic agglutination test, immunoglobulin G (IgG) but not IgM reacted with the recombinant leptospiral proteins. The recombinant LipL32 IgG ELISA had the highest sensitivities in the acute (56%) and convalescent (94%) phases of leptospirosis. ELISAs based on recombinant OmpL1, LipL41, and Hsp58 had sensitivities of 16, 24, and 18% during the acute phase and 72, 44, and 32% during convalescence, respectively. Compared to sera from healthy individuals, patient sera did not react significantly with recombinant LipL36 (P > 0.05). Recombinant LipL32 IgG ELISA demonstrated 95% specificity among 100 healthy individuals, and specificities ranging from 90 to 97% among 30 dengue patients, 30 hepatitis patients, and 16 patients with diseases initially thought to be leptospirosis. Among 39 Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test-positive individuals and 30 Lyme disease patients, 13 and 23% of sera, respectively, reacted positively with the rLipL32 antigen. These findings indicate that rLipL32 may be an useful antigen for the serodiagnosis of leptospirosis

Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia

P. 355-360,Jun./Jul.Com o aumento da resistência bacteriana aos antibióticos disponíveis, tornou-se imprescindível a busca por novos fármacos ou protótipos. Os metabólitos secundários produzidos por alguns vegetais como cumarinas, alcaloides e terpenoides podem apresentar várias atividades biológicas, dentre elas, atividade antibiótiotica. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a atividade antimicrobiana in vitro, pelo método de difusão em disco, das diferentes partes de duas espécies pertencentes à família Rutaceae coletadas na Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brasil: Spiranthera odoratissima A. St.-Hil. e Zanthoxylum stelligerum Turcz., bem como do alcaloide diidroqueleritrina, isolado do extrato metanólico de Z. stelligerum frente a cepas padrão de microrganismos e isolados clínicos. Os resultados apresentados indicam que o extrato da raiz da espécie Z. stelligerum e o alcaloide extraído desta apresentaram propriedades antimicrobianas contra as cepas Gram positivas e leveduras. A E. coli foi a única cepa Gram negativa que se mostrou sensível ao extrato e ao alcaloide.Curitib

Infection and Immunity

Texto completo: acesso restrito. p. 4958–4968Leptospirosis is an emerging zoonosis caused by pathogenic spirochetes belonging to the genus Leptospira. An understanding of leptospiral protein expression regulation is needed to develop new immunoprotective and serodiagnostic strategies. We used the humoral immune response during human leptospirosis as a reporter of protein antigens expressed during infection. Qualitative and quantitative immunoblot analysis was performed using sera from 105 patients from Brazil and Barbados. Sera from patients with other diseases and healthy individuals were evaluated as controls. Seven proteins, p76, p62, p48, p45, p41, p37, and p32, were identified as targets of the humoral response during natural infection. In both acute and convalescent phases of illness, antibodies to lipopolysaccharide were predominantly immunoglobulin M (IgM) while antibodies to proteins were exclusively IgG. Anti-p32 reactivity had the greatest sensitivity and specificity: positive reactions were observed in 37 and 84% of acute- and convalescent-phase sera, respectively, while only 5% of community control individuals demonstrated positive reactions. Six immunodominant antigens were expressed by all pathogenic leptospiral strains tested; only p37 was inconsistently expressed. Two-dimensional immunoblots identified four of the seven infection-associated antigens as being previously characterized proteins: LipL32 (the major outer membrane lipoprotein), LipL41 (a surface-exposed outer membrane lipoprotein), and heat shock proteins GroEL and DnaK. Fractionation studies demonstrated LipL32 and LipL41 reactivity in the outer membrane fraction and GroEL and DnaK in the cytoplasmic fraction, while p37 appeared to be a soluble periplasmic protein. Most of the other immunodominant proteins, including p48 and p45, were localized to the inner membrane. These findings indicate that leptospiral proteins recognized during natural infection are potentially useful for serodiagnosis and may serve as targets for vaccine design