Retrato da epidemiologia da meningite no Estado do Pará entre 2015 e 2018/Portrait of the epidemiology of meningitis in the State of Pará between 2015 and 2018

A meningite é um processo inflamatório das membranas cerebrais e do líquido cefalorraquidiano que envolvem o sistema nervoso, podendo ser causado por fatores de natureza infecciosa ou não infecciosa. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo é traçar o perfil epidemiológico da meningite no Estado do Pará no período de 2015 a 2018. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo, retrospectivo e foi utilizado como fontes de informação o Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação, cujos dados são disponibilizados pelo Departamento de Informática do SUS. Os dados obtidos foram organizados em planilhas do programa Microsoft® Excel 2016, onde foram analisados por meio da confecção de gráficos e tabelas. De Janeiro de 2015 à Dezembro de 2018 foram notificados 1974 casos de Meningite no Estado do Pará. No ano de 2017 houve um maior número de casos notificados (n 509) em relação aos demais anos avaliados. A faixa etária mais acometida pela doença foi entre 20-39 anos, representando aproximadamente 34% (n 678) dos casos confirmados e a etiologia dos casos de meningite pode variar entre as faixas etárias. Portanto, se faz necessário que divulgue na população os meios de prevenção da doença, e seus manejos corretos em casos suspeitos, a fim de evitar o máximo de sequelas, além de reforçar a importância da notificação junto à Vigilância Epidemiológica para que viabilize a implementação de estratégias adequadas de combate à doença

Impacts of soybean agriculture on the resistome of the Amazonian soil

Funded National Research Council (CNPq), Alliance Program for Education and Training—PAEC-OEA-GCUB 2017, within the scope of the Cooperation Agreement between the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Coimbra Group of Brazilian Universities (CGUB) and L’Oréal Brasil-UNESCOABC For Women in Science.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Center of Genomics and System Biology. Laboratory of Genomic and Bioinformatics. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Center of Genomics and System Biology. Laboratory of Genomic and Bioinformatics. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Minas Gerais. Institute of Biological Sciences. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.Federal Rural University of the Amazon. Department of Soil Science. Paragominas, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Center of Genomics and System Biology. Laboratory of Genomic and Bioinformatics. Belém, PA, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Center of Genomics and System Biology. Laboratory of Genomic and Bioinformatics. Belém, PA, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Center of Genomics and System Biology. Laboratory of Genomic and Bioinformatics. Belém, PA, Brazil / Federal University of Minas Gerais. Institute of Biological Sciences. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Center of Genomics and System Biology. Laboratory of Genomic and Bioinformatics. Belém, PA, Brazil.The soils of the Amazon are complex environments with different organisms cohabiting in continuous adaptation processes; this changes significantly when these environments are modified for the development of agricultural activities that alter the chemical, macro, and microbiological compositions. The metagenomic variations and the levels of the environmental impact of four different soil samples from the Amazon region were evaluated, emphasizing the resistome. Soil samples from the organic phase from the different forest, pasture, and transgenic soybean monocultures of 2–14 years old were collected in triplicate at each site. The samples were divided into two groups, and one group was pre-treated to obtain genetic material to perform sequencing for metagenomic analysis; another group carried out the chemical characterization of the soil, determining the pH, the content of cations, and heavy metals; these were carried out in addition to identifying with different databases the components of the microbiological communities, functional genes, antibiotic and biocide resistance genes. A greater diversity of antibiotic resistance genes was observed in the forest soil. In contrast, in monoculture soils, a large number of biocide resistance genes were evidenced, highlighting the diversity and abundance of crop soils, which showed better resistance to heavy metals than other compounds, with a possible dominance of resistance to iron due to the presence of the acn gene. For up to 600 different genes for resistance to antibiotics and 256 genes for biocides were identified, most of which were for heavy metals. The most prevalent was resistance to tetracycline, cephalosporin, penam, fluoroquinolone, chloramphenicol, carbapenem, macrolide, and aminoglycoside, providing evidence for the co-selection of these resistance genes in different soils. Furthermore, the influence of vegetation cover on the forest floor was notable as a protective factor against the impact of human contamination. Regarding chemical characterization, the presence of heavy metals, different stress response mechanisms in monoculture soils, and the abundance of mobile genetic elements in crop and pasture soils stand out. The elimination of the forest increases the diversity of genes for resistance to biocides, favoring the selection of genes for resistance to antibiotics in soils

Anti-inflammatory and anti-necrotic effects of lectins from Canavalia ensiformis and Canavalia brasiliensis in experimental acute pancreatitis

Lectins isolated from Canavalia ensiformis (ConA) and Canavalia brasiliensis (ConBr) are promising molecules to prevent cell death. Acute pancreatitis, characterized by acinar cell necrosis and inflammation, presents significant morbidity and mortality. This study has investigated the effects of ConA and ConBr in experimental acute pancreatitis and pancreatic acinar cell death induced by bile acid. Pancreatitis was induced by retrograde pancreatic ductal injection of 3% sodium taurocholate (Na-TC) in male Swiss mice. ConA or ConBr (0.1, 1 or 10 mg/kg) were intravenously applied to mice 1 h and 12 h after induction. After 24 h, the severity of pancreatitis was evaluated by serum amylase and lipase, histopathological changes and myeloperoxidase assay. Pancreatic acinar cells were incubated with ConA (200 µg/ml) or ConBr (200 µg/ml) and taurolithocholic acid 3-sulfate (TLCS; 500 µM). Necrosis and changes in mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔѰm) were detected by fluorescence confocal microscopy. Treatment (post-insult) with ConA and ConBr decreased pancreatic damage caused by retrograde injection of Na-TC in mice, reducing pancreatic neutrophil infiltration, edema and necrosis. In addition, ConA and ConBr decreased pancreatic acinar cell necrosis and depolarization of ΔѰm caused by TLCS. The inhibition of necrosis was prevented by the lectin domain blockade. In conclusion, ConA and ConBr markedly inhibited in vitro and in vivo damage, effects partly dependent on the interaction with mannose residues on acinar cells. These data support the potential application of these proteins for treatment of acute pancreatitis

Anti-inflammatory and anti-necrotic effects of lectins from Canavalia ensiformis and Canavalia brasiliensis in experimental acute pancreatitis

Lectins isolated from Canavalia ensiformis (ConA) and Canavalia brasiliensis (ConBr) are promising molecules to prevent cell death. Acute pancreatitis, characterized by acinar cell necrosis and inflammation, presents significant morbidity and mortality. This study has investigated the effects of ConA and ConBr in experimental acute pancreatitis and pancreatic acinar cell death induced by bile acid. Pancreatitis was induced by retrograde pancreatic ductal injection of 3% sodium taurocholate (Na-TC) in male Swiss mice. ConA or ConBr (0.1, 1 or 10 mg/kg) were intravenously applied to mice 1 h and 12 h after induction. After 24 h, the severity of pancreatitis was evaluated by serum amylase and lipase, histopathological changes and myeloperoxidase assay. Pancreatic acinar cells were incubated with ConA (200 mu g/ml) or ConBr (200 mu g/ml) and taurolithocholic acid 3-sulfate (TLCS; 500 mu M). Necrosis and changes in mitochondrial membrane potential (Delta Ѱm) were detected by fluorescence confocal microscopy. Treatment (post-insult) with ConA and ConBr decreased pancreatic damage caused by retrograde injection of Na-TC in mice, reducing pancreatic neutrophil infiltration, edema and necrosis. In addition, ConA and ConBr decreased pancreatic acinar cell necrosis and depolarization of Delta Ѱm caused by TLCS. The inhibition of necrosis was prevented by the lectin domain blockade. In conclusion, ConA and ConBr markedly inhibited in vitro and in vivo damage, effects partly dependent on the interaction with mannose residues on acinar cells. These data support the potential application of these proteins for treatment of acute pancreatitis