Experimental infection parameters in Galea spixii (Rodentia: Caviidae) with Leishmania infantum chagasi

In order to better understand the epidemiological transmission network of leishmaniasis, an endemic disease in Northeast Brazil, we investigated the susceptibility of Spix yellow-toothed cavies (Galea spixii) to the Leishmania infantum chagasi parasite. Nine cavies were experimentally infected, separated into three groups and monitored at 30, 90 and 180 days, respectively. Amastigotes were identified in the spleen slides of two cavies killed 180 days after infection. Antibodies against the L. i. chagasi were identified in one of the cavies. This demonstrates that G. spixii is in fact capable of maintaining a stable infection by L. i. chagasi without alterations in biochemical and hematological parameters of the host and without perceivable micro and macroscopic lesions

Experimental infection parameters in Galea spixii (Rodentia: Caviidae) with Leishmania infantum chagasi

In order to better understand the epidemiological transmission network of leishmaniasis, an endemic disease in Northeast Brazil, we investigated the susceptibility of Spix yellow-toothed cavies ( Galea spixii ) to the Leishmania infantum chagasi parasite. Nine cavies were experimentally infected, separated into three groups and monitored at 30, 90 and 180 days, respectively. Amastigotes were identified in the spleen slides of two cavies killed 180 days after infection. Antibodies against the L. i. chagasi were identified in one of the cavies. This demonstrates that G. spixii is in fact capable of maintaining a stable infection by L. i. chagasi without alterations in biochemical and hematological parameters of the host and without perceivable micro and macroscopic lesions

Leptospirosis in a subsistence farming community in Brazil.

Submitted by Ana Maria Fiscina Sampaio ([email protected]) on 2014-04-24T12:11:29Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Lacerda H Leptospirosis in a subsistence farming....pdf: 148492 bytes, checksum: 858db18a733d1ebcc1bdf5758500f22d (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2014-04-24T12:11:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Lacerda H Leptospirosis in a subsistence farming....pdf: 148492 bytes, checksum: 858db18a733d1ebcc1bdf5758500f22d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008Gonçalo Moniz Research Center. Department of Biochemistry. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Natal, RN, BrasilGonçalo Moniz Research Center. Department of Biochemistry. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Natal, RN, BrasilGonçalo Moniz Research Center. Department of Biochemistry. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Natal, RN, BrasilGonçalo Moniz Research Center. Department of Biochemistry. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Natal, RN, BrasilGonçalo Moniz Research Center. Department of Biochemistry. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Natal, RN, BrasilGonçalo Moniz Research Center. Department of Biochemistry. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Natal, RN, BrasilGonçalo Moniz Research Center. Department of Biochemistry. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Natal, RN, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil / Weil Medical College of Cornell University. New York, USAGonçalo Moniz Research Center. Department of Biochemistry. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Natal, RN, BrasilLeptospirosis has been reported in rural areas of Brazil. However, there is limited information about the exposure risk or the risk of Leptospira infection for rural-based populations. A cross-sectional study was carried out in order to determine the prevalence and risk factors for prior Leptospira infection in a rural subsistence farming region of the state of Rio Grande do Norte, an area in which outbreaks of leptospirosis have occurred. Among 290 individuals enrolled, 44 (15.2%) had anti-Leptospira IgM antibodies as determined by IgM ELISA. Infection tended to occur with activities related to the rice fields (P=0.08). Our findings indicate that Leptospira infection occurs even in years of low rainfall, and may have an important impact among poor rural-based subsistence farmers in Brazil. Additional studies are needed to characterize the mode of transmission in this region

Improved Performance of ELISA and Immunochromatographic Tests Using a New Chimeric A2-Based Protein for Human Visceral Leishmaniasis Diagnosis

Summary. Human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a major public health problem worldwide, leading to significant mortality rates if not properly treated and controlled. Precise identification of infected patients is essential to establish treatment and control measures. Although several VL serological diagnosis advances have been accomplished lately, mainly using recombinant antigens and immunochromatographic tests (ICTs), improvements may still be achieved using multiepitope chimeric proteins in different test platforms. Here, we reported on the evaluation of ELISA and an ICT developed with a new chimeric protein, named DTL-4, based on repetitive antigenic sequences, including those present in the A2 protein. Methods. A total of 1028 sera samples were used for the development and validation of ELISA (321 samples from L. infantum-infected patients, 62 samples from VL/AIDS coinfected patients, 236 samples from patients infected with other diseases, and 409 samples from healthy donors). A total of 520 sera samples were used to develop and validate ICT (249 samples from L. infantum-infected patients, 46 samples from VL/AIDS coinfected patients, 40 samples from patients infected with other diseases, and 185 samples from healthy donors). Findings. Using the validation sera panels, DTL-4-based ELISA displayed an overall sensitivity of 94.61% (95% CI: 89.94-97.28), a specificity of 99.41% (95% CI: 96.39-99.99), and an accuracy of 97.02% (95% CI: 94.61-98.38), while for ICT, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy values corresponded to 91.98% (95% CI: 86.65-95.39), 100.00% (95% CI: 96.30-100.00), and 95.14% (95% CI: 91.62-97.15), respectively. When testing sera samples from VL/AIDS coinfected patients, DTL-4-ELISA displayed a sensitivity of 77.42% (95% CI: 65.48-86.16), a specificity of 99.41% (95% CI: 96.39-99.99), and an accuracy of 93.51% (95% CI: 89.49%-96.10%), while for DTL-4-ICT, sensitivity was 73.91% (95% CI: 59.74-84.40), specificity was 90.63% (95% CI: 81.02-95.63), and accuracy was 82.00% (95% CI: 73.63-90.91). Conclusion. DTL-4 is a promising candidate antigen for serodiagnosis of VL patients, including those with VL/AIDS coinfection, when incorporated into ELISA or ICT test formats

Radiological characterization of cerebral phenotype in newborn microcephaly cases from 2015 outbreak in Brazil

<p>Brazil is facing, since October of 2015, an outbreak of microcephalic fetuses. This outbreak is correlated with the beginning of circulation of Zika virus (ZIKV) in the country. Although it is clear that the size of the head is diminished in these fetuses, the brain phenotype associated with these malformations is unknown. We collected computed tomography images of the microcephaly cases from the region of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, from September 2015 to February 2016. The CT acquisition was performed by a multidetector equipment, Philips Brilliance 64 (Philips Medical Systems; Cleveland, EUA), with tomographic section thickness of 1.0 mm, without administration of iodinated contrast. The protocol for this study was reviewed and approved by the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte Ethics Committee, certificate of approval CAAE 53111416.7.0000.5537. Role of funding source: The funding agencies had no participation in this work. The microcephalies derived from the current outbreak are associated with intracerebral calcifications, malformation of the ventricular system, migratory disorders in the telencephalon and, in a lower frequency, malformation of the cerebellum and brainstem. The characteristics here described are not usually found in other types of microcephaly. We suggest that this work can be used as a guideline to identify microcephaly cases associated to the current outbreak. </p