In vitro activities of caspofungin, amphotericin B and azoles against Coccidioides posadasii strains from Northeast, Brazil

Coccidioidomycosis is a systemic infection caused by the soil-dwelling dimorphic fungi Coccidioides spp. the disease is endemic in semiarid Northeast Brazil, where it is caused by C. posadasii. the aim of this study was to perform antifungal susceptibility tests of clinical and environmental strains of C. posadasii from Northeast Brazil. the in vitro activities of caspofungin, amphotericin B and azoles against clinical and environment isolates of C. posadasii were determined in accordance with the NCLLS M-38P macrodilution method. the antifungal susceptibility analysis showed that all the strains of C. posadasii (n = 10) were sensitive to caspofungin (16 mu g/ml <= MIC <= 32 mu g/ml), amphotericin B (0.0625 mu g/ml <= MIC <= 0.125 mu g/ml), ketoconazole (0.039 mu g/ml <= MIC <= 0.156 mu g/ml), itraconazole (0.125 mu g/ml <= MIC <= 0.5 mu g/ml), fluconazole (3.125 mu g/ml <= MIC <= 6.25 mu g/ml), and voriconazole (0.125 mu g/ml). This study is the first description of in vitro antifungal susceptibility pattern of Brazilian strains of C. posadasii.Univ Fed Ceara, Med Mycol Specialized Ctr, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilUniv Fed Ceara, Postgrad Program Med Sci, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilUniv Estadual Ceara, Dept Biol Sci, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilUniv Estadual Ceara, Postgrad Program Vet Sci, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilUniv Fed Ceara, Postgrad Program Med Clin, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilUniv Fed Ceara, Dept Biol Sci, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Antifungal and marker effects of Talisia esculenta lectin on Microsporum canis in vitro

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Aims: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the usefulness of lectin obtained from Talisia esculenta (TEL) seeds as a tool to recognize and study Microsporum canis. For this purpose, we investigated the antifungal and marker action of this lectin and the relationship of these effects with the presence of carbohydrates on the structure of this fungus. Methods and Results: The in vitro antifungal activity of TEL was analysed by broth microdilution assay. In addition, TEL was assessed against the arthroconidia present on hairs obtained from infected dogs and cats. The affinity of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labelled TEL for macroconidia and arthroconidia of M. canis was also tested. The effects of TEL on the growth of the M. canis strains began with 0 center dot 125 mg ml-1, and 100% inhibition was obtained with a concentration of 2 mg ml-1. The addition of carbohydrates, especially N-acetyl-glucosamine and d-mannose, inhibited these antifungal effects. TEL was able to inhibit the growth of arthroconidial chitin-rich forms of M. canis obtained from hairs of infected animals and strains cultured in Sabouraud agar. FITC-labelled TEL efficiently marked macroconidial and arthroconidial forms of M. canis, as shown by fluorescent microscopy. Conclusions: These results show that the inhibitory effects of TEL on M. canis growth may be related to the interaction of lectin with the carbohydrates present at the micro-organism's surface, mainly d-mannose and N-acetyl-glucosamine. Significance and Impact of the Study: Talisia esculenta can be used as an important tool in the biochemical study of M. canis or as a molecule to recognize this dermatophyte in infected tissue.107620632069Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)FUNCAP (Ceara State Research Support Foundation) [9836/06]Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)CNPq [475724/2006-2]FUNCAP (Ceara State Research Support Foundation) [9836/06

The global epidemiology of emerging Histoplasma species in recent years

Histoplasmosis is a serious infectious disease in humans caused by Histoplasma spp. (Onygenales), whose natural reservoirs are thought to be soil enriched with bird and bat guano. The true global burden of histoplasmosis is underestimated and frequently the pulmonary manifestations are misdiagnosed as tuberculosis. Molecular data on epidemiology of Histoplasma are still scarce, even though there is increasing recognition of histoplasmosis in recent years in areas distant from the traditional endemic regions in the Americas. We used multi-locus sequence data from protein coding loci (ADP-ribosylation factor, H antigen precursor, and delta-9 fatty acid desaturase), DNA barcoding (ITS1/2+5.8s), AFLP markers and mating type analysis to determine the genetic diversity, population structure and recognise the existence of different phylogenetic species among 436 isolates of Histoplasma obtained globally. Our study describes new phylogenetic species and the molecular characteristics of Histoplasma lineages causing outbreaks with a high number of severe outcomes in Northeast Brazil between 2011 and 2015. Genetic diversity levels provide evidence for recombination, common ancestry and clustering of Brazilian isolates at different geographic scales with the emergence of LAm C, a new genotype assigned to a separate population cluster in Northeast Brazil that exhibited low diversity indicative of isolation. The global survey revealed that the high genetic variability among Brazilian isolates along with the presence of divergent cryptic species and/or genotypes may support the hypothesis of Brazil being the center of dispersion of Histoplasma in South America, possibly with the contribution of migratory hosts such as birds and bats. Outside Brazil, the predominant species depends on the region. We confirm that histoplasmosis has significantly broadened its area of occurrence, an important feature of emerging pathogens. From a practical point of view, our data point to the emergence of histoplasmosis caused by a plethora of genotypes, and will enable epidemiological analysis focused on understanding the processes that lead to histoplasmosis. Further, the description of this diversity opens avenues for comparative genomic studies, which will allow progress toward a consensus taxonomy, improve understanding of the presence of hybrids in natural populations of medically relevant fungi, test reproductive barriers and to explore the significance of this variation

Demência como fator de risco para fraturas graves em idosos Dementia as risk factor for severe bone fractures among the elderly

INTRODUÇÃO: As quedas entre pessoas idosas constituem importante problema de saúde pública devido à sua alta incidência, às complicações para a saúde e aos altos custos assistenciais. O estudo realizado visa a estimar a associação entre demência e ocorrência de quedas e fraturas entre idosos. MÉTODOS: Foi conduzido estudo caso-controle de 404 indivíduos com 60 ou mais anos de idade, da cidade do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Casos e controles foram pareados por idade, sexo e hospital. Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevista estruturada com os idosos. Foram considerados portadores de quadro demencial idosos cuja pontuação no questionário BOAS fosse superior a dois. Foram obtidos odds ratios (OR) ajustados por fatores potenciais de confusão, utilizando-se regressão logística condicional. RESULTADOS: As quedas distribuíram-se igualmente entre os períodos da manhã, tarde e noite, havendo uma redução em sua freqüência durante a madrugada. Acidentaram-se dentro de casa 78% dos idosos com demência, contra 55% daqueles sem essa doença. O OR não-ajustado para a associação entre demência e fratura grave foi de 2,0 (IC95%, 1,23-3,25). Após o ajuste por fatores de confusão, houve uma pequena redução dessa associação (OR=1,82, 1,03-3,23). CONCLUSÃO: Idosos com quadro demencial apresentam maior risco de caírem e ser hospitalizados por fratura do que idosos sem demência. Tal fato implica a necessidade de cuidados especiais com esses indivíduos, visando a minimizar o risco desses acidentes.<br>INTRODUCTION: Falls among elderly represent an important public health concern due to its high incidence, health implications, and medical care costs. The study aims to assess the association between dementia and bone fracture risk after falls among the elderly. METHODS: A case-control of 404 subjects aged 60 years old or more living in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was carried out. Cases and controls were matched by age, sex, and hospital. Data were collected using structured interviews. Elderly people who scored 2 or more points in the BOAS (Brazil Old Age Schedule) scale were considered as having dementia. Odds ratios (OR) adjusted for potential confoundings were calculated using conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: Falls occurred at the same frequency in the morning, afternoon and night, but they were less common at dawn. Among those who fell at home, 78% had dementia against 55% with no dementia. The crude OR for the association between dementia and severe bone fracture was 2.0 (95% CI: 1.23-3.25). After adjustment for confounders there was a small reduction in the strength of this association (OR=1.82; 1.03-3.23). CONCLUSIONS: Dementia elderly people showed a higher risk of falling and being hospitalized due to bone fracture. This stresses the importance of special care for those individuals to reduce the occurrence of these accidents

Especificidades do patenteamento no setor farmacêutico: modalidades e aspectos da proteção intelectual Specificities of patent protection in the pharmaceutical industry: modalities and traits of intellectual property

As formas de proteção das invenções no setor farmacêutico apontam para estratégias de perpetuação da proteção patentária. Com base em uma revisão bibliográfica mostrou-se as especificidades do patenteamento no setor, perpassando por um breve histórico sobre a concessão de patentes farmacêuticas no Brasil, uma abordagem sobre invenções patenteáveis e não-patenteáveis, e pelas modalidades e aspectos da proteção patentária que visam à extensão do monopólio temporário conferido pela patente. Dentre essas estratégias estão as patentes direcionadas a polimorfos e isômeros ópticos de fármacos; combinações de fármacos e segundo uso médico, cada vez mais presentes nas reivindicações dos pedidos de privilégio de invenção das indústrias farmacêuticas. O objetivo do trabalho é mostrar algumas especificidades dos pedidos de patente farmacêuticas, de modo a contribuir para a formação de expertise na área e para a discussão sobre o impacto da ampliação dos escopos de proteção das patentes. Conclui-se que se por um lado a tendência de escopos de proteção mais permissivos pode desvelar oportunidades para os inventores nacionais, por outro, pode ser danosa para uma política de acesso a medicamentos.<br>Different forms of protection for inventions in the pharmaceutical industry point to strategies for the perpetuation of patent protection. Based on a literature review showing the specificities of patenting in the industry, the article provides a brief history of drug patents in Brazil, a discussion of patentable and non-patentable inventions, and the modalities and traits of patent protection that aim to extend the temporary monopoly granted under the patent. Such strategies include patents targeting polimorphs and optical isomers of drugs and drug combinations and specific clinical preparations, increasingly present in the drug patent claims filed by pharmaceutical companies. The study's objective is to discuss the specificities of drug patent claims in order to help develop expertise in the area and discuss the impact of expanding the scope of patent protection. In conclusion, while the tendency to expand towards more a permissive protective scope could produce opportunities for Brazilian national inventors, it could also be harmful to a policy for access to medicines