Efficient differentiation of Corynebacterium striatum, Corynebacterium amycolatum and Corynebacterium xerosis clinical isolates by multiplex PCR using novel species-specific primers

A multiplex-PCR (mPCR) assay was designed with species-specific primers which generate amplicons of 226 bp, 434 bp and 106 bp for differentiating the species C. striatum, C. amycolatum, and C. xerosis, respectively. mPCR results were 100% in agreement with identifications achieved by 16S rRNA and rpoB gene sequencing and by VITEK-MS.This work was supported by grants from FAPESB (JCB0031/2013) and CAPES (PROCAD 071/2013)

Reductions in the Prevalence and Incidence of Geohelminth Infections following a City-wide Sanitation Program in a Brazilian Urban Centre

In the city of Salvador, a large urban centre in Northeast Brazil, a city-wide sanitation intervention started in 1997, aiming to improve the sewerage coverage of households from 26% to 80%. Our aim was to study the impact of the intervention on the prevalence and incidence of geohelminths in the school-aged population. The longitudinal study comprised two cohorts: from the beginning of 1997 to 1998, where data was collected before the intervention, and at the end of 2003 to 2004, after the intervention. Copro-parasitological examinations were carried out on every individual from both cohorts, at the start and nine months later. Demographic, socio-economic, and environmental data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires. The variables utilized to demonstrate the effects of intervention, when utilized together in a multivariate model, accounted for a 100% observed reduction in the prevalence ratio (PR) and incidence ratio (IR). As well as proving that the variables associated with the effect of the program intervention were mediators in this reduction, the reduction in the PR and IR between these periods demonstrated that modifications to the urban environment, particularly those associated with sanitary sewage systems, affected the health of the population, significantly reducing the prevalence of geohelminths

Chronic virus infections supress atopy but not asthma in a set of children from a large latin american city: a cross-section study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The prevalence of allergic diseases has increased over recent decades in affluent countries, but remains low in rural populations and some non-affluent countries. An explanation for these trends is that increased exposure to infections may provide protection against the development of allergy. In this work we investigated the association between exposure to viral infections in children living in urban Brazil and the prevalence of atopy and asthma.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>School age children living in poor neighborhoods in the city of Salvador were studied. Data on asthma symptoms and relevant risk factors were obtained by questionnaire. Skin prick tests (SPTs) were performed to seven aeroallergens, and specific IgE was measured to four of these. Viral infections were determined by the presence of specific IgG in serum to Herpes simplex (HSV), Herpes zoster (HZV), Epstein-Barr (EBV), and Hepatitis A (HAV) viruses.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 644 (49.7%) children had at least one allergen-specific IgE> 0.35 kU/L and 489 (37.7%) had specific IgE> 0.70 kU/L. A total of 391 (30.2%) children were skin test positive (SPT+), and 295 (22.8%) children were asthmatic. The seroprevalence of viral infections was 88.9% for EBV, 55.4% for HSV, 45.5% for VZV and 17.5% for HAV. Negative associations were observed between SPT+ and HSV (OR = 0.64, CI = 0.51, 0.82) and EBV (OR = 0.63, CI = 0.44, 0.89) infections, but no associations were seen between viral infections and the presence of allergen-specific IgE or asthma.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These data do not support previous data showing a protective effect of HAV against atopy, but did show inverse associations between SPT+ (but not specific IgE+) and infections with HSV and EBV. These findings suggest that different viral infections may protect against SPT+ in different settings and may indicate an immunoregulatory role of such infections on immediate hypersensitivity responses. The data provide no support for a protective effect of viral infections against asthma in this population.</p

Dissociation between skin test reactivity and anti-aeroallergen IgE: Determinants among urban Brazilian children.

BACKGROUND: The dissociation between specific IgE and skin prick test reactivity to aeroallergens, a common finding in populations living in low and middle-income countries, has important implications for the diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases. Few studies have investigated the determinants of this dissociation. In the present study, we explored potential factors explaining this dissociation in children living in an urban area of Northeast Brazil, focusing in particular on factors associated with poor hygiene. METHODS: Of 1445 children from low income communities, investigated for risk factors of allergies, we studied 481 with specific IgE antibodies to any of Blomia tropicalis, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Periplaneta americana and Blatella germanica allergens. Data on demographic, environmental and social exposures were collected by questionnaire; serum IgG and stool examinations were done to detect current or past infections with viral, bacterial, protozoan and intestinal helminth pathogens. We measured atopy by skin prick testing (SPT) and specific IgE (sIgE) to aerollergens in serum (by ImmunoCAP). SIgE reactivity to B. tropicalis extract depleted of carbohydrates was measured by an in-house ELISA. Total IgE was measured by in house capture ELISA. SNPs were typed using Illumina Omni 2.5. RESULTS: Negative skin prick tests in the presence of specific IgE antibodies were frequent. Factors independently associated with a reduced frequency of positive skin prick tests were large number of siblings, the presence of IgG to herpes simplex virus, Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura infections, living in neighborhoods with infrequent garbage collection, presence of rodents and cats in the household and sIgE reactivity to glycosylated B. tropicalis allergens. Also, SNP on IGHE (rs61737468) was negatively associated with SPT reactivity. CONCLUSIONS: A variety of factors were found to be associated with decreased frequency of SPT such as unhygienic living conditions, infections, total IgE, IgE response to glycosylated allergens and genetic polymorphisms, indicating that multiple mechanisms may be involved. Our data, showing that exposures to an unhygienic environment and childhood infections modulate immediate allergen skin test reactivity, provide support for the "hygiene hypothesis"

Toxocariasis and Toxocara vaccine: a review

Según la prevalencia y el impacto en la salud pública, la toxocariasis es una zoonosis subestimada en los países en desarrollo y desarrollados. La transmisión de Toxocara spp. involucra animales de compañía caninos y felinos, como también perros y gatos sin hogar (Canis familiaris y Felis catus, respectivamente), que diseminan los huevos del parásito en sus heces al medio ambiente. Uno de los principales factores de riesgo para la infección y el desarrollo de la toxocariasis humana es convivir con cachorros felinos y caninos. Durante mucho tiempo, la estrategia preventiva para esta infección parasitaria ha sido el uso regular de medicamentos antiparasitarios para reducir la carga parasitaria a corto plazo. Se puede lograr una protección inmunológica duradera con la vacunación, sin embargo, todavía no se dispone de una vacuna. Por lo tanto, es fundamental conocer y comprender el estado del arte del desarrollo de vacunas para el control efectivo de esta zoonosis. Este artículo revisa los estudios experimentales centrados en el desarrollo de vacunas para el control de la toxocariasis, y se presta especial atención a los estudios epidemiológicos relevantes sobre la importancia de los caninos domésticos en la toxocariasis humana.Based on prevalence and impact on public health, toxocariasis is an underestimated zoonosis in developing and developed countries. The transmission of Toxocara spp. involves pets, stray dogs and cats (Canis familiaris and Felis catus, respectively), which spread the parasite’s eggs in their feces to the environment. One of the main risk factors for the infection and development of human toxocariasis, is to cohabit with puppies and kittens. For a long time, the preventive strategy for this parasitic infection has been the regular use of antiparasitic drugs to reduce parasite burden in the short term. A long lasting immunological protection can be achieved with vaccination, however, a vaccine is not yet available. Therefore, it is fundamental to know and to understand the state of the art of vaccine development for effective control of this zoonosis. This paper reviews the experimental studies focused on vaccine development for toxocariasis control, and special attention is given to relevant epidemiological studies on the importance of dogs in human toxocariasis

Vaccines for gastrointestinal parasites, a pillar of preventive medicine in veterinary practice: systematic review

La resistencia a los antiparasitarios provocada por el uso indiscriminado de antihelmínticos, para el control de parásitos gastrointestinales en animales de producción y mascotas, se ha convertido en uno de los mayores problemas en salud animal y pública. Por esta razón, el uso de vacunas podría beneficiar la salud y el bienestar de los animales al controlar las enfermedades zoonóticas y los patógenos de origen animal transmitidos por los alimentos. Es relevante para los profesionales en ciencias veterinarias conocer los estudios clínicos de vacunas experimentales para el control de ciertos parásitos gastrointestinales y de esta forma, estar a la vanguardia de próximos productos tecnológicos disponibles.The antiparasitic resistance caused by the indiscriminate use of anthelmintic drugs for the control of gastrointestinal parasites in production animals and pets, has become one of the biggest problems in animal health. For this reason, the use of vaccines could benefit animal health and welfare by controlling emerging zoonotic diseases and foodborne pathogens of animal origin, thus improving public health. t is relevant for professionals in veterinary science to know the clinical trials of experimental vaccines for controlling certain gastrointestinal parasites. This way, they can be at the forefront of the next available technological products and so, be able to control this menace to the animal health and public health

Overweight, asthma symptoms, atopy and pulmonary function in children of 4-12 years of age: findings from the SCAALA cohort in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between overweight and the occurrence of asthma and atopy in a cohort of children of 4-12 years of age living in the city of Salvador in 2005. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study nested in a cohort. SETTING: The metropolitan region of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. SUBJECTS: The study included 1129 children of 4-12 years age who presented complete information on the variables used here. Skin tests for allergy, spirometry, faecal parasitology, serum IgE and anthropometric surveys were conducted. Poisson's multivariate regression was adopted. RESULTS: Wheezing was found in 29·1% and asthma in 22·8% of children, both conditions being more common in those under 6 years of age and 34% more common in overweight children (prevalence ratio (PR) = 1·34; 95% CI 1·07, 1·67) following adjustment. The ratio between forced expiratory volume in 1s and forced vital capacity was associated with overweight (PR = 1·35; 95% CI 1·11, 1·61). No statistically significant association was found between overweight and allergen-specific IgE or with wheezing. CONCLUSIONS: These results are in agreement with the hypothesis that overweight is associated with asthma and pulmonary function, even following adjustment for intervening variables known to be associated with the pathogeny of asthma

En route to personalized medicine: uncovering distinct IgE reactivity pattern to house dust mite components in Brazilian and Austrian allergic patients

Abstract Aim Molecular sensitization profile analyses of allergic individuals to the house dust mites (HDM) Blomia tropicalis and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus from Brazil and Austria, in the attempt to comprehend the individual contribution of the molecular components in the diagnosis of HDM allergy. Methodology These analyses were made using a new in vitro multiplex allergen assay which allows simultaneous measurement of specific IgE against the whole allergen extract as well its components. Results and Conclusion The data showed that in Brazil the inclusion of the molecular components Blo t 5 and/or Blo t 21 major allergens and Blo t 2 can increase the sensitivity and specificity of the assay for the diagnosis of allergy to B. tropicalis, using matrix‐based methodologies. Also we highlighted, for the first time, the importance of Blo t 2 analysis for a sensitive diagnosis, since some individuals were sensitized only to this molecular component. Regarding the sensitization profile of individuals sensitized to D. pteronyssinus, we point out the importance of analyzing the molecular components Der p23 and Der p 7, in addition to Der p 1 and Der p 2 for an accurate diagnosis based on matrices

Weight gain in the first two years of life, asthma and atopy: the SCAALA cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between weight gain in the first two years of life and the occurrence of wheezing, asthma, serum IgE, skin reactivity and pulmonary function. DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: The metropolitan region of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. SUBJECTS: The association was studied between 1997 and 2005 in 669 children up to 11 years of age. Data were collected on asthma and risk factors, both current factors and those present in the first years of life. Weight gain was considered fast when the Z-score was >0·67. Poisson regression was used in the multivariate statistical analysis. RESULTS: Wheezing was reported in 25·6 % of the children. Weight gain was considered fast (Z-score >0·67) in 29·6 % of the children and slow (Z-score <-0·67) in 13·9 %. Children in the slow weight gain group had 36 % fewer symptoms of asthma (prevalence ratio = 0·65; 95 % CI 0·42, 0·99). CONCLUSIONS: Slower weight gain in the early years of life may constitute a protective factor against symptoms of asthma. The relevance of this finding for public health is not yet certain, since it is known that children with slow and fast weight gain may be more likely to develop adverse health consequences related to both these situations