The Interplay between Entamoeba and Enteropathogenic Bacteria Modulates Epithelial Cell Damage

In amoebiasis, a human disease that is a serious health problem in many developing countries, efforts have been made to identify responsible factors for the tissue damage inflicted by the parasite Entamoeba histolytica. This amoeba lives in the lumen of the colon without causing damage to the intestinal mucosa, but under unknown circumstances becomes invasive, destroying the intestinal tissue. Bacteria in the intestinal flora have been proposed as inducers of higher amoebic virulence, but the causes or mechanisms responsible for the induction are still undetermined. Mixed intestinal infections with Entamoeba histolytica and enteropathogenic bacteria, showing exacerbated manifestations of disease, are common in endemic countries. We implemented an experimental system to study amoebic virulence in the presence of pathogenic bacteria and its consequences on epithelial cells. Results showed that amoebae that ingested enteropathogenic bacteria became more virulent, causing more damage to epithelial cells. Bacteria induced release of inflammatory proteins by the epithelial cells that attracted amoebae, facilitating amoebic contact to the epithelial cells and higher damage. Our results, although a first approach to this complex problem, provide insights into amoebic infections, as interplay with other pathogens apparently influences the intestinal environment, the behavior of cells involved and the manifestations of the disease

Study protocol for the translating research in elder care (TREC): building context – an organizational monitoring program in long-term care project (project one)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>While there is a growing awareness of the importance of organizational context (or the work environment/setting) to successful knowledge translation, and successful knowledge translation to better patient, provider (staff), and system outcomes, little empirical evidence supports these assumptions. Further, little is known about the factors that enhance knowledge translation and better outcomes in residential long-term care facilities, where care has been shown to be suboptimal. The project described in this protocol is one of the two main projects of the larger five-year Translating Research in Elder Care (TREC) program.</p> <p>Aims</p> <p>The purpose of this project is to establish the magnitude of the effect of organizational context on knowledge translation, and subsequently on resident, staff (unregulated, regulated, and managerial) and system outcomes in long-term care facilities in the three Canadian Prairie Provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba).</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>This study protocol describes the details of a multi-level – including provinces, regions, facilities, units within facilities, and individuals who receive care (residents) or work (staff) in facilities – and longitudinal (five-year) research project. A stratified random sample of 36 residential long-term care facilities (30 urban and 6 rural) from the Canadian Prairie Provinces will comprise the sample. Caregivers and care managers within these facilities will be asked to complete the TREC survey – a suite of survey instruments designed to assess organizational context and related factors hypothesized to be important to successful knowledge translation and to achieving better resident, staff, and system outcomes. Facility and unit level data will be collected using standardized data collection forms, and resident outcomes using the Resident Assessment Instrument-Minimum Data Set version 2.0 instrument. A variety of analytic techniques will be employed including descriptive analyses, psychometric analyses, multi-level modeling, and mixed-method analyses.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Three key challenging areas associated with conducting this project are discussed: sampling, participant recruitment, and sample retention; survey administration (with unregulated caregivers); and the provision of a stable set of study definitions to guide the project.</p

International Consensus Statement on Rhinology and Allergy: Rhinosinusitis

Background: The 5 years since the publication of the first International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Rhinosinusitis (ICAR‐RS) has witnessed foundational progress in our understanding and treatment of rhinologic disease. These advances are reflected within the more than 40 new topics covered within the ICAR‐RS‐2021 as well as updates to the original 140 topics. This executive summary consolidates the evidence‐based findings of the document. Methods: ICAR‐RS presents over 180 topics in the forms of evidence‐based reviews with recommendations (EBRRs), evidence‐based reviews, and literature reviews. The highest grade structured recommendations of the EBRR sections are summarized in this executive summary. Results: ICAR‐RS‐2021 covers 22 topics regarding the medical management of RS, which are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Additionally, 4 topics regarding the surgical management of RS are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Finally, a comprehensive evidence‐based management algorithm is provided. Conclusion: This ICAR‐RS‐2021 executive summary provides a compilation of the evidence‐based recommendations for medical and surgical treatment of the most common forms of RS

Characterization of Shigella spp. by antimicrobial resistance and PCR detection of ipa genes in an infantile population from Porto Velho (Western Amazon region), Brazil

The incidence of Shigella spp. was assessed in 877 infants from the public hospital in Rondônia (Western Amazon region, Brazil) where Shigella represents the fourth cause of diarrhea. Twenty-five isolates were identified: 18 were Shigella flexneri, three Shigella sonnei, three Shigella boydii and one Shigella dysenteriae. With the exception of S. dysenteriae, all Shigella spp. isolated from children with diarrhea acquired multiple antibiotic resistances. PCR detection of ipa virulence genes and invasion assays of bloody diarrhea and fever (colitis) were compared among 25 patients testing positive for Shigella. The ipaH and ipaBCD genes were detected in almost all isolates and, unsurprisingly, all Shigella isolates associated with colitis were able to invade HeLa cells. This work alerts for multiple antibiotic resistant Shigella in the region and characterizes presence of ipa virulence genes and invasion phenotypesin dysenteric shigellosis

Avaliação da eficácia da pomada de própolis em portadores de feridas crônicas Evaluación de la eficacia de la pomada de própolis en portadores de heridas crónicas The effect of propolis cream in healing chronic ulcers

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a evolução de úlceras crônicas utilizando a terapêutica tópica com a própolis. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo descritivo onde foram identificadas vinte pessoas com feridas crônicas encaminhadas pelas Unidades Básicas de Saúde do Município de Maringá, Paraná. A análise baseou-se na avaliação e no tempo de cicatrização das feridas, realizada por meio do cálculo do Coeficiente de Correlação de Pearson para verificar a relação entre as medidas médias horizontais, verticais e de profundidades, a evolução do processo cicatricial. RESULTADOS: O acompanhamento de 22 úlceras crônicas permitiu observar por meio da análise estatística que a chance de cicatrização de todas as lesões foi de 13,1 semanas. Considerando um seguimento de 20 semanas 74,1% das úlceras lograram cicatrização antes desse período. Quanto à etiologia, as úlceras venosas cicatrizaram em 35% (7) dos pacientes, contrapondo-se às úlceras de pressão cuja cicatrização ocorreu em apenas 10,0% (2) dos pacientes. CONCLUSÃO: Concluiu-se, que a utilização da forma farmacêutica pomada de própolis, de fácil acesso e de baixo custo, foi eficiente na cicatrização de feridas.<br>OBJETIVO: Evaluar la evolución de úlceras cronicas utilizando terapéutica tópica con pomada de própolis. MÉTODOS: Se trata de un estudio descriptivo en el cual fueron identificadas veinte personas con heridas crónicas encaminhadas por las Unidades Básicas de Salud del Municipio de Maringá, Paraná- Brasil. El análisis se basó en la evaluación y en el tiempo de cicatrización de las heridas, realizada por medio del cálculo del Coeficiente de Correlación de Pearson para verificar la relación entre las medias horizontales, verticales y de profundidad, o sea, la evolución del proceso de cicatrización. RESULTADOS: El acompañamiento de 22 úlceras crónicas permitió observar, a través del análisis estadístico, que la probabilidad de cicatrización de todas las lesiones fue de 13,1 semanas. Considerando un seguimiento de 20 semanas el 74,1% de las úlceras lograron la cicatrización antes de ese período. En cuanto a la etiología, las úlceras venosas cicatrizaron en 35% (7) de los pacientes, contraponiéndose a las úlceras de presión cuya cicatrización sucedió en apenas el 10,0% (2) de los pacientes. CONCLUSIÓN: Se concluye, que la utilización de pomada de própolis, de fácil acceso y bajo costo, fue sido eficiente en la cicatrización de heridas.<br>OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of propolis cream in healing chronic. METHODS: This descriptive study used a sample of 20 subjects from a Basic Unit of Health of Maringá City, Paraná, Brazil, who had chronic wounds. Wound healing was measured through progress notes of wound length, width, and depth. Data were analyzed with Pearson's correlation to determine the degree and strength of the relationship between propolis cream treatment and wound healing. RESULTS: The progress notes of 22 chronic ulcers showed that the probability of wound healing was 18.7 weeks. Regarding the study period of 13,1 weeks, the majority of ulcers (74.1%) of ulcers healed completely. Regarding wound etiology, vascular ulcers (35%) healed in 7 patients. And, pressure ulcers (10%) healed in patients. CONCLUSION: The use of propolis cream, which is widely accessible and inexpensive, was effective in healing chronic wounds

High levels of IgG3 anti ICB2-5 in Plasmodium vivax-infected individuals who did not develop symptoms

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Background: Plasmodium vivax has the potential to infect 2.85 billion individuals worldwide. Nevertheless, the limited number of studies investigating the immune status of individuals living in malaria-endemic areas, as well as the lack of reports investigating serological markers associated with clinical protection, has hampered development of vaccines for P. vivax. It was previously demonstrated that naturally total IgG against the N-terminus of P. vivax merozoite surface protein 1 (Pv-MSP1) was associated with reduced risk of malarial infection. Methods: Immune response against Pv-MSP1 (N-terminus) of 313 residents of the Rio Pardo rural settlement (Amazonas State, Brazil) was evaluated in a cross-sectional and longitudinal follow up over two months (on site) wherein gold standard diagnosis by thick blood smear and rRNA gene-based nested real-time PCR were used to discriminate symptomless Plasmodium vivax-infected individuals who did not develop clinical symptoms during a 2-months from those uninfected ones or who have had acute malaria. The acquisition of antibodies against Pv-MSP1 was also evaluated as survival analysis by prospective study over a year collecting information of new malaria infections in surveillance database. Results: The majority of P. vivax-infected individuals (52-67%) showed immune recognition of the N-terminus of Pv-MSP1. Interesting data on infected individuals who have not developed symptoms, total IgG levels against the N-terminus Pv-MSP1 were age-dependent and the IgG3 levels were significantly higher than levels of subjects had acute malaria or those uninfected ones. The total IgG anti ICB2-5 was detected to be an important factor of protection against new malaria vivax attacks in survival analysis in a prospective survey (p = 0.029). Conclusions: The study findings illustrate the importance of IgG3 associated to 2-months of symptomless in P. vivax infected individuals and open perspectives for the rationale of malaria vaccine designs capable to sustain high levels of IgG3 against polymorphic malaria antigens.12Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)FAPEAM (Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas)Federal University of the AmazonasConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq