International information system on biological control.

As for any other science, quick communication is becoming increasingly important for biological control specialists. Exchange of information facilitates adoption and adaptation of developed techniques, and may promote the exchange of valuable live biological material to be used in classical control projects. Quick global exchange of ideas may also have a positive impact on the continuous development of working rules and regulations of international acceptance related to biocontrol. Aninternational information system on biological control that can be accessed through the Internet was stablished in May/94. It is physically based at the Fundacao Tropical de Pesquisas e Tecnologia "Andre Tosello", in Campinas, SP, Brazil, and is managed by a group of biocontro l workers and computers specialists from CNPMA/EMBRAPA and Fundacao "Andre Tosello". The main objective of this system is to facilitate contacts among biocontrol specialists around the world. The system, composed of diferent databases related to biocontrol can be accessed at http://www.bdt.org.br/bdt/biocontrol. This web server also has pointers to other relevant information system related to biocontrol and a read-only searchable version of the discussion list Biocontrol-L. This list now has about 500 subscribers from over 20 countries. New members are welcome to join Biocontrol-L and to participate actively in the discussions raised daily by different participants world-wide

Increased Frequency of CD4 and CD8 Regulatory T Cells in Individuals under 15 Years with Multibacillary Leprosy

Background: Leprosy is a chronic disease, caused by Mycobacterium leprae, which poses a serious public health problem worldwide. Its high incidence in people under 15 years old in Ceara state, Brazil, reflects the difficulty of its control. the spectrum of clinical manifestations is associated with the immune response developed, with the Th1 and Th2 responses being related to the paucibacillary and multibacillary forms, respectively. Regulatory T cells (Treg), which can suppress Th1 and Th2 response, have received special attention in the literature and have been associated with development of chronic infections. However, their role in leprosy in individuals under 15 years old has not yet been elucidated. We evaluated the frequency of CD4(+)/CD8(+)CD25(high)FOXP3(+) and CD4(+)/CD8(+)CD25(high)FOXP3(high) cells in leprosy patients and household contacts, in both cases under 15 years old.Methodology/Principal Findings: PBMC from 12 patients and 17 contacts were cultured for 72 hours with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 (activators) or with activators associated with total sonicated fraction of M. leprae. After culture, the frequency of CD4(+)/CD8(+) Treg was identified by flow cytometry. Cells stimulated by activators and antigen from multibacillary patients showed Treg frequencies almost two times that of the contacts: CD4(+)FOXP3(+) (21.93 +/- 8.43 vs. 13.79 +/- 8.19%, p = 0.0500), CD4(+)FOXP3(high) (10.33 +/- 5.69 vs. 5.57 +/- 4.03%, p = 0.0362), CD8(+)FOXP3(+) (13.88 +/- 9.19 vs. 6.18 +/- 5.56%, p = 0.0230) and CD8(+)FOXP3(high) (5.36 +/- 4.17 vs. 2.23 +/- 2.68%, p = 0.0461). Furthermore, the mean fluorescence intensity of FOXP3 in Treg was higher in multibacillary patients than in the contacts. Interestingly, there was a positive correlation of the bacillary index and number of lesions with the frequency of all Treg evaluated in patients.Conclusions/Significance: We have demonstrated for the first time that multibacillary leprosy patients under 15 years old have greater CD4(+) and CD8(+) Treg frequencies and these correlate with clinical and laboratorial aspects of disease. These findings suggest the involvement of these cells in the perpetuation of M. leprae infection.Fundacao Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Cientifico e TecnologicoPost-Graduation Program in Medical MicrobiologyUniv Fed Ceara, Dept Pathol & Legal Med, Med Lab Immunol, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilDermatol Ctr Dona Libania, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilWalter Cantidio Univ Hosp, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilUniv Fortaleza, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Pediat, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Pediat, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Laboratório de Quarentena Costa Lima - atividades desenvolvidas desde 1991.

O Laboratório de Quarentena "Costa Lima" desempenha funções relativas as introduções de agentes de controle biológico a nível nacional. Desde o inicio de seu funcionamento, o Laboratório realizou 2 introduções de reumatoide entomófagos (ambas Steinernema carpocapsae para o controle de diversas pragas de solo), 3 introduções de ácaros predadores da família Phytoseiidae (Phytoseiulus persimilis, Typhlodromus pyri e Typhlodomalus tenuiscutus, para o controle de Tetranychus urticae, Panonychus ulmi e Mononychellus tanajoa, respectivamente), e 2 espécies de parasitóides (Xanthopimpla stemmator e Apanteles gelechidiivoris, para o controle de Diatraea saccharalis e Scrobipalpuloides absoluta, respectivamente). Atualmente estamos aguardando o recebimento de Diachasmimorpha longicaudata e Cephalonomia stephanoderis para controle de Ceratitis capitata, e Hypotenemus hampei, respectivamente. Aguardamos também Acerophagus coccois, Aenasius vexans e Epidenocarsis diversicornis para controlar Phenacocus herreni, e o reumatóide Deladenus siricidicola linhagem Kaniona para controlar Sirex noctilio. Encontra-se ainda em fase de avaliação quanto a conveniência de introdução os seguintes agentes de controle Trichogramma atopovirilia e Encarsia formosa. E meta do Laboratório facilitar a introdução segura de agentes de controle biológico, de forma a beneficiar os trabalhos de controle biológico clássico conduzidos por instituições nacionais.Sessão de Posteres