Bioactives Peptides from Plasma of Acanthoscurria rondoniae.

Peptídeos antimicrobianos (AMP) são importantes componentes do sistema imune de todos os organismos vivos. No plasma de Acanthoscurria rondoniae isolamos 15 AMP com similaridade com a hemocianina. As sete subunidades da hemocianina foram sequenciadas e sua estrutura tridimensional determinada. A rondonina, processada a partir de uma enzima do plasma em condições ácidas apresentou melhor atividade em pH ácido, sinergismo com gomesina, não citotóxico, não interagiu com membranas artificiais lipídicas, protegeu as células da infecção por vírus humanos de RNA e seu mecanismo de ação em leveduras está associado com material genético. Nossos resultados nos ajudam a entender porque aracnídeos sobreviveram por um longo tempo na escala evolutiva. E como as doenças infecciosas estão entre as principais causas de morte da população humana torna-se vital investir na busca de substâncias naturais ou sintéticas que exibam atividades antimicrobianas específicas e, acima de tudo, que as exerçam através de mecanismos de ação alternativos daqueles dos antibióticos disponíveis.Antimicrobial peptides (AMP) are important components of the immune system of all living organisms. In the plasma of Acanthoscurria rondoniae we isolated 15 AMP with similarity to hemocyanin. The seven subunits hemocyanin were sequenced and determined its three-dimensional structure. The rondonin, processed from a plasma enzyme under acidic conditions showed best activity at acid pH, synergism with gomesin, non-cytotoxic, does not interacted with lipid artificial membrane, protected the cells from infection by human virus RNA and its mechanism of action in yeast is associated with genetic material. Our results help us understand why arachnids have survived for a long time on the evolutionary scale. And how infectious diseases are among the leading causes of death in human population becomes vital to invest in the search for natural or synthetic substances that exhibit specific antimicrobial activities and, above all, that engage through alternative mechanisms of action of these antibiotics available

Significance of Aspergillus spp. isolation in defining cases of COVID-19 Associated Pulmonary Aspergillosis – CAPA

COVID-19-Associated Pulmonary Aspergillosis (CAPA) is a relatively common complication in patients with severe forms of the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Diagnosing and confirming CAPA is challenging. In this study, Aspergillus spp. isolation in respiratory specimens from patients with COVID-19 was evaluated for identifying cases of CAPA. In 2020‒2021, 17 Aspergillus spp. were isolated from 15 COVID-19 patients admitted to a university hospital in Brazil. Patient records were retrospectively reviewed to obtain clinical-epidemiological data and other markers of Aspergillus spp. infection and then compared with the ECMM/ISHAM criteria for defining CAPA. Probable CAPA was defined in 5/10 patients, who had Aspergillus spp. isolated from Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL) or a positive galactomannan blood test. Additionally, anti-Aspergillus antibodies were detected in two of these patients, during active or follow-up phases of CAPA. In another seven patients with Aspergillus spp. isolated from tracheobronchial aspirate or sputum, CAPA was presumed, mainly due to deterioration of clinical conditions and new lung imaging suggestive of fungal infection. Antifungal agents to control CAPA, particularly voriconazole, were used in 9/15 cases. In cases of probable CAPA and remaining patients, clinical conditions and comorbidities were similar, with lethality being high, at 60% and 71%, respectively. The number of CAPA cases defined by scientific criteria was lower than that assumed in the clinical context. This was largely due to the lack of BAL collection for fungal culture and the non-intensive use of other markers of invasive aspergillosis. The isolation of Aspergillus spp. in different respiratory specimens should alert clinicians to the diagnosis of CAPA