Contaminação ambiental: influência da sazonalidade na ocorrência de geo-helmintos em área pública de Fortaleza, Ceará

Introduction: Contamination of public areas by infectious forms of zoonotic parasites is a serious public health problem worldwide. A high number of stray animals, seasonality and anthropization of the environment are important elements in the spread of these parasitic infections. Objective: The present study evaluated the influence of seasonality on soil contamination in a public area in the city of Fortaleza, Ceará, by two genera of geohelminths (Toxocara spp and Ancylostoma spp). Method: 480 soil samples were collected in a public area, corresponding to 240 samples during the dry season and 240 samples in the rainy season in the city of Fortaleza. They were processed and analyzed individually by the methods of Rugai and Willis. Results: The results reveal a high rate of parasitic contamination in the analyzed soil samples (82.5%). The seasonal comparison of contamination showed a significant difference (p < 0.05) between the percentage of samples contaminated during the dry season (96.7%) and the samples from the rainy season (68.3%). Microscopic analysis showed a predominance of eggs of Toxocara spp. and Ancylostoma spp. Conclusions: The results show a high degree of parasitic contamination of the soil, influenced by the rainfall indexes of the studied area.Introdução: A contaminação de locais públicos por formas infectantes de parasitos zoonóticos constitui um grave problema de saúde pública a nível mundial. Um elevado número de animais errantes, a sazonalidade e a antropização do ambiente são elementos importantes na disseminação destas infecções parasitárias. Objetivo: O presente estudo avaliou a influência da sazonalidade na contaminação do solo em uma área pública na cidade de Fortaleza, Ceará, por dois gêneros de geo-helmintos (Toxocara spp. e Ancylostoma spp.). Método: Um total de 480 amostras de solo foi coletado em uma área pública, correspondendo a 240 amostras durante a estação seca e 240 amostras na estação chuvosa na cidade de Fortaleza, as quais foram processadas e analisadas individualmente pelos métodos de Rugai e Willis. Resultados: Um alto índice de contaminação parasitária nas amostras de solo analisadas (82,5%) foi evidenciado. A comparação sazonal da contaminação mostrou uma diferença significativa (p < 0,05) entre a porcentagem de amostras contaminadas no período de estiagem (96,7%) e as amostras do período chuvoso (68,3%). Na análise microscópica, observou-se uma predominância de ovos de Toxocara spp. e Ancylostoma spp. Conclusões: Os resultados demostraram um grau elevado de contaminação parasitária do solo influenciada pelos índices pluviométricos da área estudada

Sexual health and Tricomoniasis: Perception of the sexually active female population in two regions of Brazil

El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la percepción del público femenino, de las regiones Norte y Noreste de Brasil, sobre salud sexual y tricomoniasis. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo y exploratorio que contó con la participación de 105 mujeres mayores de 18 años de los municipios de Ananindeua (Norte) y Eusébio (Noreste). Los datos, que fueron recolectados mediante la aplicación de un cuestionario individual, fueron analizados cuantitativamente. Los datos de esta investigación revelaron que la mayoría de las personas encuestadas (>89.1%) declararon tener conocimiento sobre el concepto de Infección de Transmisión Sexual. Sin embargo, fue observado que 93,2% de las entrevistadas en el Noreste y 73,9% en la región Norte no tienen conocimiento sobre tricomoniasis. Con respecto al cuidado personal, un bajo porcentaje de las mujeres informaron realizar consultas ginecológicas frecuentes, motivadas principalmente por manifestaciones clínicas como secreción vaginal anormal, prurito y disuria. La escasez de conocimiento sobre la tricomoniasis y la baja adhesión a las consultas ginecológicas son factores que contribuyen a la vulnerabilidad de las mujeres en edad fértil frente a esta patología en las regiones estudiadas.The objective of this study was to evaluate the perception of women from North and Northeast regions of Brazil about sexual health and trichomoniasis. A descriptive and exploratory study was carried out with the participation of 105 women over 18 years old from the municipalities of Ananindeua (North) and Eusébio (Northeast). Data were analyzed quantitatively and collected through the application of an individual questionnaire. Data from this survey revealed that most people (> 89.1%) declared to have the knowledge about the concept of Sexual Transmitted Infections. However, it was observed that 93.2% of the interviewed women in the Northeast, and 73.9% in the North region had no knowledge about trichomoniasis. Regarding personal care, a low percentage of women reported frequent gynecological visits, mainly motivated by clinical manifestations such as abnormal vaginal secretion, pruritus, and dysuria. Both the lack of knowledge about trichomoniasis, and the low adherence to gynecological visits are factors that contribute to the vulnerability of fertile aged women facing this pathology in the studied regions.Asociación Parasitológica Argentin

The Spleen CD4+ T Cell Response to Blood-Stage Plasmodium chabaudi Malaria Develops in Two Phases Characterized by Different Properties

The pivotal role of spleen CD4+ T cells in the development of both malaria pathogenesis and protective immunity makes necessary a profound comprehension of the mechanisms involved in their activation and regulation during Plasmodium infection. Herein, we examined in detail the behaviour of non-conventional and conventional splenic CD4+ T cells during P. chabaudi malaria. We took advantage of the fact that a great proportion of CD4+ T cells generated in CD1d-/- mice are I-Ab-restricted (conventional cells), while their counterparts in I-Ab-/- mice are restricted by CD1d and other class IB major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules (non-conventional cells). We found that conventional CD4+ T cells are the main protagonists of the immune response to infection, which develops in two consecutive phases concomitant with acute and chronic parasitaemias. The early phase of the conventional CD4+ T cell response is intense and short lasting, rapidly providing large amounts of proinflammatory cytokines and helping follicular and marginal zone B cells to secrete polyclonal immunoglobulin. Both TNF-α and IFN-γ production depend mostly on conventional CD4+ T cells. IFN-γ is produced simultaneously by non-conventional and conventional CD4+ T cells. The early phase of the response finishes after a week of infection, with the elimination of a large proportion of CD4+ T cells, which then gives opportunity to the development of acquired immunity. Unexpectedly, the major contribution of CD1d-restricted CD4+ T cells occurs at the beginning of the second phase of the response, but not earlier, helping both IFN-γ and parasite-specific antibody production. We concluded that conventional CD4+ T cells have a central role from the onset of P. chabaudi malaria, acting in parallel with non-conventional CD4+ T cells as a link between innate and acquired immunity. This study contributes to the understanding of malaria immunology and opens a perspective for future studies designed to decipher the molecular mechanisms behind immune responses to Plasmodium infection

Comparative Analysis of Activation Phenotype, Proliferation, and IFN-γ Production by Spleen NK1.1+ and NK1.1− T Cells During Plasmodium chabaudi AS Malaria

The NK1.1 molecule participates in NK, NKT, and T-cell activation, contributing to IFN-γ production and cytotoxicity. To characterize the early immune response to Plasmodium chabaudi AS, spleen NK1.1+ and NK1.1− T cells were compared in acutely infected C57BL/6 mice. The first parasitemia peak in C57BL/6 mice correlated with increase in CD4+NK1.1+TCR-αβ+, CD8+NK1.1+TCR-αβ+, and CD4+NK1.1−TCR-αβ+ cell numbers per spleen, where a higher increment was observed for NK1.1+ T cells compared to NK1.1− T cells. According to the ability to recognize the CD1d-α-GalCer tetramer, CD4+NK1.1+ cells in 7-day infected mice were not predominantly invariant NKT cells. At that time, nearly all NK1.1+ T cells and around 30% of NK1.1− T cells showed an experienced/activated (CD44HICD69HICD122HI) cell phenotype, with high expression of Fas and PD-L1 correlating with their low proliferative capacity. Moreover, whereas IFN-γ production by CD4+NK1.1+ cells peaked at day 4 p.i., the IFN-γ response of CD4+NK1.1− cells continued to increase at day 5 of infection. We also observed, at day 7 p.i., 2-fold higher percentages of perforin+ cells in CD8+NK1.1+ cells compared to CD8+NK1.1− cells. These results indicate that spleen NK1.1+ and NK1.1− T cells respond to acute P. chabaudi malaria with different kinetics in terms of activation, proliferation, and IFN-γ production