LABORATORY DIAGNOSIS AND CLINICAL SIGNS OF CANINE VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS IN DOGS EXAMINED AT THE CENTER FOR ZOONOSIS CONTROL IN CAMPO GRANDE – MS, BRAZIL

Visceral leishmaniasis is a type of zoonosis caused by several Leishmania species endemic to tropical, subtropical, and Mediterranean climate regions. Dogs are the primary source of infection in urban areas and can be symptomatic or asymptomatic. This study focused on the observation of clinical signs of leishmaniasis in dogs in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Samples from affected animals were analyzed using indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) tests, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays to determine the optimal diagnostic tool for use on animals that present clinical symptoms. A predominance of clinical symptoms affecting the integumentary system was observed, and splenomegaly and hepatomegaly were the most important pathological signs. Among the diagnostic tests, the greatest agreement was seen between ELISA and IFA, followed by ELISA and PCR, and finally IFA and PCR. PCR diagnostic results showed the greatest extent of correlation with clinical signs, followed by ELISA and then IFA. When choosing a diagnostic method, veterinarians should consider the clinical signs and health status of the patient

Synthetic Peptides as Potential Antigens for Cutaneous Leishmaniosis Diagnosis

This work's goal was to research new candidate antigens for cutaneous leishmaniosis (CL). In order to reach the goal, we used random peptide phage display libraries screened using antibodies from Leishmania braziliensis patients. After selection, three peptides (P1, P2, and P3) were synthesized using Fmoc chemistry. The peptides individually or a mixture of them (MIX) was subsequently emulsified in complete and incomplete Freund's adjuvant and injected subcutaneously in golden hamsters. Sera from the hamsters administered with P1 presented antibodies that recognized proteins between 76 and 150 kDa from L. braziliensis. Sera from hamsters which had peptides P2 and P3, as well as the MIX, administered presented antibodies that recognized proteins between 52 and 76 kDa of L. braziliensis. The research on the similarity of the peptides' sequences in protein databases showed that they match a 63 kDa glycoprotein. The three peptides and the MIX were recognized by the sera from CL patients by immunoassay approach (ELISA). The peptides' MIX showed the best performance (79% sensitivity) followed by the P1 (72% sensitivity), and the AS presented 91% sensitivity. These results show a new route for discovering molecules for diagnosis or for immunoprotection against leishmaniosis

Antitumorska aktivnost egzopolisaharida iz gljive Grifola frondosa, dobivenih submerznim uzgojem uz dodatak melase šećerne trske i soje kao izvora ugljika

Grifola frondosa is an edible Basidiomycete and produces exopolysaccharides (EPS) known for their antitumour activity. The objectives of this study are to produce exopolysaccharides in submerged fermentation using alternative carbon sources (sugar cane and soy molasses), and to evaluate their anti-proliferative activity against tumour cells. Exopolysaccharides were extracted by ethanol and tested against mice tumour cells, then characterized by gas chromatography. Carbon sources represent the major cost of the bioprocess, so a search for new alternatives such as agro-industrial residues is important to establish the viability on an industrial scale. Moreover, the data about the kinetics of the EPS production allow studying the optimization of the process.Grifola frondosa, jestiva gljiva iz razreda Basidiomycetes, izlučuje egzopolisaharide dokazane antitumorske aktivnosti. Svrha je ovoga rada bila submerznim uzgojem, uz dodatak alternativnih izvora ugljika (melase šećerne trske i soje), proizvesti egzopolisaharide i procijeniti njihov antiproliferativni učinak na stanice tumora. Egzopolisaharidi su izdvojeni pomoću etanola, zatim je ispitan njihov utjecaj na tumorske stanice miševa, te je plinskom kromatografijom određen njihov sastav. Budući da izvori ugljika čine glavninu troškova procesa, važno je istražiti nove, alternativne izvore, kao što su agroindustrijski otpaci, koji se mogu upotrijebiti i za industrijsku proizvodnju egzopolisaharida. Dobiveni kinetički podaci omogućuju daljnje ispitivanje optimalnih uvjeta proizvodnje egzopolisaharida

Distribuição espacial da dengue no estado do Paraná, Brasil, em 2009-2012.

Backgound and Objectives: Arbovirosis most important in the world, dengue has an increasing incidence in Brazil and especially in the state of Paraná, where outbreaks had registration only in the last decade. This work aims to analyze the occurrence and distribution of dengue in the state of Paraná in the period 2009-2012. Methods: The occurrence of dengue cases in Paraná State was analyzed from the Health Department records in the period 2009 to 2012. The data were grouped according to the local transmission, the Regional of Health and severe forms of the disease: dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue with complications (DWC). Results: The largest number of autochthonous cases was observed in 2009-2010, with 33,500 records concentrated in the western and northern regions of the state. In the period 2010-2011, there were 28,511 confirmed cases, mostly in the northwest. In 2011-2012 there was a marked decrease in the number of cases, totaling 2,400. The DHF and DWC were highest in 2010-2011, with 105 and 128, respectively. Three virus serotypes were isolated, mainly DEN-1. Conclusions: The distribution of dengue in Paraná was not homogeneous, suffering the influence of neighboring states beyond the particular characteristics of each region. KEYWORDS: Arbovirosis. Aedes aegypti. Culicidae. Endemic disease.Justificativa e Objetivo: Arbovirose mais importante no mundo, a dengue tem uma incidência crescente no Brasil e em especial no estado do Paraná, onde surtos da doença tiveram registro apenas na última década. Este trabalho visa analisar a ocorrência e distribuição da dengue no estado do Paraná no período de 2009 a 2012. Métodos: Os dados foram obtidos junto aos registros do SINAN na Secretaria de Saúde do estado e agrupados conforme o local de transmissão, a Regional de Saúde do município e formas graves da doença: febre hemorrágica da dengue (FHD) e dengue com complicações (DCC). Resultados: O maior número de casos autóctones foi observado no período 2009-2010, com 33.500 registros, concentrados nas regiões oeste e norte do Estado. No período 2010-2011, registraram-se 28.511 casos confirmados, principalmente no noroeste. No período epidêmico de 2011-2012 observou-se um decréscimo acentuado no número de casos, totalizando 2.400. A FHD e DCC tiveram pico em 2010-2011, com 105 e 128, respectivamente. Três sorotipos do vírus foram isolados, com predomínio do DEN-1. Conclusão: O número de casos de dengue apresentou oscilações no período estudado e a distribuição da doença no Paraná não foi homogênea, sofrendo a influência dos estados vizinhos além das características particulares de cada região

Proizvodnja fitaze fermentacijom pulpe citrusa i drugih ostataka agroindustrije s pomoću izolata gljiva

Phytases have important applications in human and animal nutrition because they hydrolyze the phytate present in legumes, cereal grains and oil seeds. This results in an increased availability of minerals, trace elements and amino acids as well as phosphate. Fifty potential phytase-producing fungal strains were isolated from a fertile soil obtained from the northern part of Paraná State in Brazil and other alternative sources using a selective media. Thereafter phytase production was evaluated in solid-state fermentation using different residues from the agroindustry supplemented with a nitrogen source at 60 % of moisture after 96 hours at 30 °C. The highest phytase activity (51.53 units per gram of dry substrate, U/g) was achieved with citric pulp and the soil isolate FS3 in solid-state fermentation. Furthermore, treatment of the substrates prior to fermentation in order to reduce microbial contamination was shown to affect phytase production during solid-state fermentation. Heat treatment resulted in an increase of the concentration of inorganic phosphate, a well known repressor of microbial phytase production, and therefore in a reduction of phytase production. UV exposure of the substrate was shown to reduce microbial contamination without affecting phytase production.Fitaze imaju važnu ulogu u prehrani ljudi i životinja jer hidroliziraju fitate leguminoza, zrnja žitarica i sjemenki uljarica, pa tako povećavaju pristupačnost minerala, elemenata u tragovima, aminokiselina i fosfata. Iz plodnog tla sjevernog dijela brazilske države Paraná, a i iz drugih izvora, na selektivnim podlogama izolirano je 50 sojeva gljiva koje mogu proizvesti fitaze. Nakon toga je proizvodnja fitaze ispitana uzgojem na čvrstoj podlozi od raznih ostataka agroindustrije, uz dodatak izvora dušika, pri 60 %-tnoj vlažnosti i 30 °C tijekom 96 sati. Najveća aktivnost fitaze (51,53 U/g suhe tvari) dobivena je uzgojem izolata FS3 iz tla na pulpi citrusa. Obrada supstrata prije procesa, radi smanjenja onečišćenja mikroorganizmima, utjecala je na proizvodnju fitaze. Toplinskom obradom povećala se koncentracija anorganskog fosfata, koji suzbija mikrobiološku proizvodnju fitaze. Izloženost supstrata UV-zrakama smanjuje onečišćenje mikroorganizmima, a pritom ne utječe na proizvodnju fitaze