Multi-Locus Sequence Typing of Bartonella bacilliformis DNA Performed Directly from Blood of Patients with Oroya's Fever During a Peruvian Outbreak.

Background Bartonella bacilliformis is the etiological agent of Carrion’s disease, a neglected tropical poverty-linked illness. This infection is endemic of Andean regions and it is estimated that approximately 1.7 million of South Americans are at risk. This bacterium is a fastidious slow growing microorganism, which is difficult and cumbersome to isolate from clinical sources, thereby hindering the availability of phylogenetic relationship of clinical samples. The aim of this study was to perform Multi Locus Sequence Typing of B. bacilliformis directly in blood from patients diagnosed with Oroya fever during an outbreak in Northern Peru. Methodology/Principal Findings DNA extracted among blood samples from patients diagnosed with Oroya’s fever were analyzed with MLST, with the amplification of 7 genetic loci (ftsZ, flaA, ribC, rnpB, rpoB, bvrR and groEL) and a phylogenetic analysis of the different Sequence Types (ST) was performed. A total of 4 different ST were identified. The most frequently found was ST1 present in 66% of samples. Additionally, two samples presented a new allelic profile, belonging to new STs (ST 9 and ST 10), which were closely related to ST1. Conclusions/Significance The present data demonstrate that B. bacilliformis MLST studies may be possible directly from blood samples, being a promising approach for epidemiological studies. During the outbreak the STs of B. bacilliformis were found to be heterogeneous, albeit closely related, probably reflecting the evolution from a common ancestor colonizing the area. Additional studies including new samples and areas are needed, in order to obtain better knowledge of phylogenetic scenario B. bacilliformisThis work has been supported by the Spanish Network for the Research in Infectious Diseases [REIPI RD12/0015],by Generalitat de Catalunya, Departament d’Universitats, Recerca i Societat de la Informació [2014 SGR 26] and by by a grant of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III - Spain (PI11/ 00983) which included FEDER funds (JR). MJP has a postdoctoral fellowship from CONCYTEC/ FONDECYT (grant number: CG05-2013- FONDECYT). JR has a fellowship from the programRevisión por pare

Etiological and molecular diagnostic of Carrion’s disease in patients from Cajamarca - Perú

[EN] Poster presented in the poster session in the 15th ICID Abstracts. June 13th-16th 2012, Bangkok, Thailand. Session: Emerging Infectious Diseases. Date: Friday, June 15, 2012. Room: Poster & Exhibition Area.Background: Bartonellagenus is a group of facultative intracellular pathogens that posses able to survive and proliferate inside of erythrocytes. Classified within this genus,Bartonella bacilliformisis of special relevance. This microorganism is the etiological agent of the so called Carrion’s Disease (Human bartonellosis). Additionally the presence of sub-clinical cases (asymptomatyc carriers) is of special interest, because acts as a reservoir of this illness. Carrión’s Disease is an endemic illnes in Perú, affecting in a special manner the north interandean valleys. However, the current in use diagnostic techniques (Giemsa Stain) possess low sensitivity and specificity, and due to the fact thatB. bacilliformispossess a low growth (weeks), bacterial cultures lacks of clinical utility. Thus suspictious cases frequently are not confirmed, and the real relevance of this illness remains underestimated. This work is addressed to the direct identification from blood samples ofBartonella baciliformisusing a conventional PCR. All patients were from the Cajamarca area being enrolled by the Epidemiological Surveillance program of DIRESA. Methods: The samples were processed at arriving to the laboratory, by molecular and microbiological techniques. Thus samples were cultured in Blood Columbia Agar (10%), in anaerobic conditions at 28 ◦C for a period of 2 months. Positive cultures were both Giemsa stained and identified by the amplification of a fragment the 16S rRNA gene. Genetic material was directly extracted from blood samples using the Kit High Pure (Roche diagnostic), and a fragment of 438 bp of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified withBartonellagenus specific primers. All positive PCR were sequenced (Macrogen-Korea). Results: A total of 134 blood samples were processed, from this 12 (8.9%) grown in blood agar, while in 18 (13.4%), including the aforementioned 12, the 16 s rRNA gene was amplified. In all cases the sequence analysis showed the presence ofB. bacilliformis Conclusion: Although microbiological culture is the gold standard in the identification ofBartonellaspp., this technique possess strong limitations due to the low growth of these microorganisms. However, the PCR is a rapid technique, possessing a high sensibility and specificity that may be used as routine diagnostic tool for the identification of Carrion’s Disease.Revisión por pare

The 6 September 2017 X9 super flare observed from submillimeter to mid-IR

Active Region 12673 is the most productive active region of solar cycle 24: in a few days of early September 2017, four X‐class and 27 M‐class flares occurred. SOL2017‐09‐06T12:00, an X9.3 flare also produced a two‐ribbon white light emission across the sunspot detected by Solar Dynamics Orbiter/Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager. The flare was observed at 212 and 405 GHz with the arcminute‐sized beams of the Solar Submillimeter Telescope focal array while making a solar map and at 10 μm, with a 17 arcsec diffraction‐limited infrared camera. Images at 10 μm revealed that the sunspot gradually increased in brightness while the event proceeded, reaching a temperature similar to quiet Sun values. From the images we derive a lower bound limit of 180‐K flare peak excess brightness temperature or 7,000 sfu if we consider a similar size as the white light source. The rising phase of mid‐IR and white light is similar, although the latter decays faster, and the maximum of the mid‐IR and white light emission is ∼200 s delayed from the 15.4‐GHz peak occurrence. The submillimeter spectrum has a different origin than that of microwaves from 1 to 15 GHz, although it is not possible to draw a definitive conclusion about its emitting mechanism

Carrion's disease after blood transfusion

Bartonella bacilliformis is a pathogen that is endemic in some areas of the Andean region of Peru, southern Ecuador and southern Colombia. This pathogen causes so-called Carrion's disease, a biphasic disease with acute and chronic phases (called Oroya fever and "Peruvian wart" respectively). In the absence or delay of antibiotic treatment, the mortality rate in the acute phase is up to 88%1. The acute phase is characterised by fever and severe anaemia and may be followed, several weeks or months later, by the chronic eruptive phase due to endothelial cell proliferation2. No animal reservoir has been identified to date and it is considered that healthy carriers act as a pathogen reservoir in endemic areas

Análise da intensidade de volume diferencialmente expressa de proteínas do plasma seminal de caprinos da raça Moxotó nos períodos seco e chuvoso do semiárido Nordestino.

O objetivo desse trabalho foi identificar proteínas com intensidade de porcentagem de volume (%Vol) diferencialmente expressas no plasma seminal de caprinos da raça Moxotó nos períodos seco e chuvoso, com identificação do ponto isoelétrico e massa molecular, através da técnica de eletroforese bidimensional

Microextraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry for improved analysis of geosmin and other fungal "off" volatiles in grape juice

Geosmin is a volatile fungal metabolite with an earthy aroma produced in grape products from rotten grapes. The accumulation of geosmin in grapes is caused by the interaction of Botrytis cinerea and Penicillium expansum. Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) has great utility for collecting volatile compounds in wine. However, contamination with earthy odours may have occurred previously in the must and novel methods are required for this commodity. In the present report, several parameters of the SPME were evaluated to optimize geosmin extraction. The method permitted quantification of geosmin and other fungal volatiles by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometer (GC–MS) at very low concentrations. Limits of detection and quantification (LD and LQ) for geosmin were 4.7 ng L−1 and 15.6 ng L−1 respectively. The RSD was 4.1% and the recovery rates ranged from 115% to 134%. Uniquely, haloanisoles were analyzed by using only one internal standard (2,3,6-trichloroanisole) thus avoiding the synthesis of deuterated anisole analogues that are used as internal standard in other methods. The method was used for the analysis of grape juice samples inoculated with B. cinerea and P. expansum. Geosmin and methylisoborneol were the compounds that appeared to contribute most to earthy odours, although other fungal compounds which are claimed to cause earthy or mouldy off-odours were detected (e.g. 1-octen-3-ol and fenchol).Fundação para a Ciência e a Tenoplogia (FCT

Incidence of Botrytis cinerea and Penicillium spp. and other fungi in the regions of “Vinho Verde” (Portugal) and “Alvariño” (Spain)

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Identificação das proteínas nos testículos de ovinos Somalis e Santa Inês.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo identificar as bandas protéicas presentes no tecido testicular de ovinos das raças Santa Inês e Somalis [Proteins identification in Somalis and Santa Inês testes]