Synthetic Peptides as an Alternative Tool for the Diagnosis of Cryptococcosis

Cryptococcosis is an important systemic mycosis that threatens the lives of humans and animals. The disease is caused by two species of the genus Cryptococcus: Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. The diagnosis of cryptococcosis is made through microscopy, fungal culture followed by biochemical tests, and detection of the cryptococcal capsular antigen (CrAg). Despite the existence of an established diagnostic protocol, the search for new diagnostic tests is necessary due to the high incidence of the disease, with estimates of approximately 1 million cases of cryptococcal meningitis per year and more than 600,000 deaths in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the potential for C. gattii to cause the disease in immunocompetent individuals, and the disease’s rapid worldwide dissemination. With the development of biotechnology, synthetic peptides have opened up new possibilities as a source of pure epitopes and molecules for the diagnosis of various diseases, based on the detection of circulating antibodies. Synthetic peptides can also be used for the development of vaccines. Studies on Leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, paracoccidioidomycosis, tuberculosis, and, more recently, on cryptococcosis, among others, have shown that this approach shows potential for the early diagnosis of the disease, thus reducing the morbi-lethality of individuals affected by this infection and ultimately changing their prognosis

Molecular identification of Coccidioides spp. in soil samples from Brazil

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Since 1991 several outbreaks of acute coccidioidomycosis (CM) were diagnosed in the semi-arid Northeast of Brazil, mainly related to disturbance of armadillo burrows caused by hunters while digging them for the capture of these animals. This activity causes dust contaminated with arthroconidia of <it>Coccidioides posadasii</it>, which, once inhaled, cause the mycosis. We report on the identification of <it>C. posadasii </it>in soil samples related to outbreaks of CM.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Twenty four soil samples had their DNA extracted and subsequently submitted to a semi-nested PCR technique using specific primers. While only 6 (25%) soil samples were positive for <it>C. posadasii </it>by mice inoculation, all (100%) were positive by the molecular tool.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This methodology represents a simple, sensitive and specific molecular technique to determine the environmental distribution of <it>Coccidioides </it>spp. in endemic areas, but cannot distinguish the species. Moreover, it may be useful to identify culture isolates. Key-words: 1. Coccidioidomycosis. 2. <it>Coccidioides </it>spp. 3. <it>C. posadasii</it>. 4. Semi-arid. 5. Semi-nested PCR</p

Adesão aos bundles de Cateteres Venosos Centrais por funcionários de Unidade de Terapia Intensiva de Hospital de Urgência de Teresina / Adherence to Central Venous Catheter bundles by employees of an Intensive Care Unit of an Emergency Hospital in Teresina

OBJETIVO: Avaliar se as medidas baseadas em evidências científicas preconizadas pelo Ministério da Saúde para reduzir o risco das infecções relacionadas ao uso de cateter venoso central estão sendo cumpridas. METODOLOGIA: Tratou-se de um estudo transversal, de caráter exploratório e descritivo, realizado na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva de um hospital de urgência de Teresina, por meio de um questionário realizado com 65 profissionais, incluindo médicos, enfermeiros e técnicos de enfermagem. RESULTADOS E DISCUSSÃO: Observaram-se várias dificuldades enfrentadas pelos profissionais para adotar as medidas analisadas, como a falta de infraestrutura adequada e de capacitação dos funcionários. CONCLUSÃO: Diante disso, nota-se a necessidade da educação continuada dos profissionais no tema, bem como a implementação de protocolos mais eficientes de fiscalização e o fornecimento dos materiais adequados para o cumprimento das normas recomendadas.

Processo e kit para imunodiagnóstico da criptococose utilizando peptídeos sintéticos imunorreativos

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do SulUniversidade Federal de Minas GeraisUniversidade Federal do PiauíCiências BiológicasDepositad

Histoplasmose no Nordeste do Brasil: Relato de três casos Histoplasmosis in the northeast of Brazil: Report of three cases

A histoplasmose é uma micose endémica em certas áreas dos EUA e América Latina, causada pelo fungo dimórfico geofílico H. capsulatum. A descrição de casos no Nordeste do Brasil, embora não sendo área endémica, é de rara ocorrência, indicando a existência de microfocos em várias regiões. Razões precisas para esse padrão de distribuição são desconhecidas. Actividades relacionadas com a remoção do solo em tais locais estão associadas a exposição ao H. capsulatum. O objectivo desse trabalho é descrever três casos isolados de histoplasmose ocorridos na região Nordeste do Brasil, em indivíduos expostos a distintas actividades (demolição de domicílios, escavação de poços e exposição a morcegos).Histoplasmosis is an endemic mycosis in specific areas of the U.S. and Latin America, caused by dimorphic geophilic fungus H. capsulatum. The description of cases in Brazil’s northeast, considering that this region isn’t an endemic area, indicates the existence of small outbreaks in several regions. Precise reasons for this pattern of distribution are still unknown. Activities related to the removal of soil in these places are associated with exposure to H. capsulatum. The objective of this work is to describe three isolated cases of histoplasmosis wich occurred in Brazil’s northeast region in individuals exposed to different activities (demolition of houses, wells diggers and exposure to bats)

Contaminação fúngica em sucos de cana-de-açúcar comercializados em Teresina, Piauí, Brasil

Objetivo: verificar la presencia de hongos en los jugos de la caña de azúcar comercializados en las cafeterías de Teresina-PI y probar métodos alternativos de saneamiento para eliminar estos microorganismos en los culmos de la caña de azúcar. Métodos: Se obtuvieron 30 jugos de caña de azúcar y 28 culmos de caña de azúcar de 30 barras de bocadillos elegidas al azar. La higienización de los culmos se realizó por inmersión en soluciones de vinagre al 50% o hipoclorito de sodio al 1% durante 5 y 15 min. Las muestras recolectadas de jugos y culmos se inocularon en agar Sabouraud con cloranfenicol y las especies se identificaron por métodos fenotípicos. Resultados: En total, se aislaron 102 hongos de todos los jugos investigados, siendo Candida guilliermondii, Candida tropicalis y Candida albicans las especies más frecuentes. La desinfección con hipoclorito de sodio al 1% demostro ser eficaz en la eliminación de hongos de los culmos. Conclusión: Todos los hongos identificados eran patógenos oportunistas y presentan un alto riesgo para la salud pública. La desinfección del culmo de la caña de azúcar mediante inmersión en hipoclorito de sodio al 1% fue eficaz para eliminar esta contaminación.Objetivo: verificar a presença de fungos em sucos de cana-de-açúcar vendidos em lanchonetes de Teresina-PI e testar métodos de sanitização alternativos para eliminar estes microrganismos nos colmos da cana-de-açúcar. Métodos: Trinta sucos de cana-de-açúcar e 28 colmos de cana-de-açúcar foram obtidos de 30 lanchonetes escolhidas randomicamente. A sanitização dos colmos foi realizada por imersão em soluções de vinagre 50% ou hipoclorito de sódio 1% durante 5 e 15 min. As amostras coletadas dos sucos e dos colmos foram inoculadas em ágar Sabouraud com cloranfenicol e as espécies foram identificadas por métodos fenotípicos. Resultados: No total, 102 fungos foram isolados de todos os sucos pesquisados, sendo Candida guilliermondii, Candida tropicalis e Candida albicans as espécies mais frequentes. A sanitização com hipoclorito de sódio 1% mostrou-se eficiente na eliminação dos fungos dos colmos. Conclusão: Todos os fungos identificados são patógenos oportunistas e oferecem risco elevado à saúde pública. A sanitização do colmo da cana-de-açúcar por imersão em hipoclorito de sódio 1% foi eficiente na eliminação desta contaminação.Aim: to verify the presence of fungi in sugarcane juice sold in snack bars of Teresina-PI and to test alternative sanitization methods to eliminate these microorganisms in sugarcane stalks. Methods: Thirty sugarcane juice and 28 sugarcane stalks were obtained from 30 randomly chosen snack bars. The sanitization of the stalks was performed for immersion in 50% vinegar or 1% sodium hypochlorite solutions during 5 and 15 min. The samples collected from the juices and the stalks were inoculated into Sabouraud agar with Chloramphenicol and the species were identified by phenotypical methods. Results: In total, 102 fungi were isolated from all researched juice, with Candida guilliermondii, Candida tropicalis and Candida albicans being the most frequent species. The sanitization with 1% sodium hypochlorite proved to be efficient to the elimination of fungi of the stalks. Conclusion: All the identified fungi were opportunistic pathogens and offer an elevated risk to public health. The sanitization from sugarcane stalks by immersed in 1% sodium hypochlorite were efficient in elimination this contamination

Genotypic and Phenotypic Diversity of Cryptococcus gattii VGII Clinical Isolates and Its Impact on Virulence

The Cryptococcus gattii species complex harbors the main etiological agents of cryptococcosis in immunocompetent patients. C. gattii molecular type VGII predominates in the north and northeastern regions of Brazil, leading to high morbidity and mortality rates. C. gattii VGII isolates have a strong clinical relevance and phenotypic variations. These phenotypic variations among C. gattii species complex isolates suggest that some strains are more virulent than others, but little information is available related to the pathogenic properties of those strains. In this study, we analyzed some virulence determinants of C. gattii VGII strains (CG01, CG02, and CG03) isolated from patients in the state of Piauí, Brazil. The C. gattii R265 VGIIa strain, which was isolated from the Vancouver outbreak, differed from C. gattii CG01, CG02 and CG03 isolates (also classified as VGII) when analyzed the capsular dimensions, melanin production, urease activity, as well as the glucuronoxylomannan (GXM) secretion. Those differences directly reflected in their virulence potential. In addition, CG02 displayed higher virulence compared to R265 (VGIIa) strain in a cryptococcal murine model of infection. Lastly, we examined the genotypic diversity of these strains through Multilocus Sequence Type (MLST) and one new subtype was described for the CG02 isolate. This study confirms the presence and the phenotypic and genotypic diversity of highly virulent strains in the Northeast region of Brazil

Histoplasmose no Nordeste do Brasil. Relato de três casos** Trabalho realizado em parceria entre a Clínica de Pneumologia do Hospital Getúlio Vargas, Hospital de Ensino da UFPI na cidade de Teresina/PI e o laboratório de Micologia Médica do IPEC/ Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro/RJ, Brasil

Resumo: A histoplasmose é uma micose endémica em certas áreas dos EUA e América Latina, causada pelo fungo dimórfico geofílico H. capsulatum. A descrição de casos no Nordeste do Brasil, embora não sendo área endémica, é de rara ocorrência, indicando a existência de microfocos em várias regiões. Razões precisas para esse padrão de distribuição são desconhecidas. Actividades relacionadas com a remoção do solo em tais locais estão associadas à exposição ao H. capsulatum. O objectivo desse trabalho é descrever três casos isolados de histoplasmose ocorridos na região Nordeste do Brasil, em indivíduos expostos a distintas actividades (demolição de domicílios, escavação de poços e exposição a morcegos).Rev Port Pneumol 2009; XV (1): 109-114 Abstract: Histoplasmosis is an endemic mycosis in specific areas of the U.S. and Latin America, caused by dimorphic geophilic fungus H. capsulatum. The description of cases in Brazilâs northeast, considering that this region isnât an endemic area, indicates the existence of small outbreaks in several regions. Precise reasons for this pattern of distribution are still unknown. Activities related to the removal of soil in these places are associated with exposure to H. capsulatum. The objective of this work is to describe three isolated cases of histoplasmosis wich occurred in Brazilâs northeast region in individuals exposed to different activities (demolition of houses, wells diggers and exposure to bats).Rev Port Pneumol 2009; XV (1): 109-114 Palavras-chave: Histoplasmose, micose sistémica, cavador de poços, demolição, morcegos, Key-words: Histoplasmosis, systemic mycosis, wells diggers, demolition, bat

Genotypes of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii as agents of endemic cryptococcosis in Teresina, Piauí (northeastern Brazil)

Throughout Brazil, Cryptococcus neoformans is the cause of cryptococcosis, whereas Cryptococcus gattii is endemic to the northern and northeastern states. In this study, the molecular types of 63 cryptococcal isolates recovered from the cerebrospinal fluid of meningitis patients diagnosed between 2008-2010 in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil, were analysed. Out of the 63 patients, 37 (58.7%) were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive and 26 (41.3%) were HIV-negative. URA5-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis identified 37/63 (58.7%) isolates as the C. neoformans VNI genotype, predominantly in HIV-positive patients (32/37, 86.5%), and 24/63 (38.1%) as the C. gattii VGII genotype, mostly in HIV-negative patients (21/26, 80.8%). The occurrence of C. gattii VGII in six apparently healthy children and in seven adolescents/young adults in this region reaffirms the endemic occurrence of C. gattii VGII-induced primary cryptococcosis and early cryptococcal infection. Lethality occurred in 18/37 (48.6%) of the HIV-positive subjects and in 13/26 (50%) of the HIV-negative patients. Our results provide new information on the molecular epidemiology of C. neoformans and C. gattii in Brazilian endemic areas