Prevalence of Pneumocystosis in Sub-Saharan Africa and Helminth Immune Modulation

Sub-Saharan Africa is the region of the world with the highest prevalence of helminth infections. To protect themselves from the defensive mechanisms of their respective hosts, helminths modulate their immune responses. This modulation has relevant clinical and epidemiological consequences, including the inhibition of inflammatory processes that characterize infection by other microorganisms. Severe Pneumocystis pneumonia is characterized by an intense inflammatory reaction that can lead to death. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is the main predisposing factor to the development of pneumocystosis. Although the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy has led to a notable decline in the incidence of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-associated complications, pneumocystosis continues to be an important global health problem. Despite the high incidence of human immunodeficiency virus infection in the sub-Saharan region, the prevalence of Pneumocystis pneumonia there has been lower than expected. Several factors, or combinations thereof, may contribute to this evolution. Here, we hypothesize the possible role of helminth immune modulation as an important issue at play. On the other hand, and looking ahead, we believe that the immune modulation achieved by helminths may be an important factor to consider during the design and evaluation processes of vaccines against Pneumocystis jirovecii to be used in Sub-Saharan Africa. The requirements of a balanced triggering of different types of immune responses for controlling the infection produced by this microorganism, as observed during experiments in animal models, support this final consideration.Institute of Health Carlos III, Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and University FIS-PI19/0184

Accessing scientific information

Practising evidence based medicine is recognised as essential to ensure that patients receive the best possible treatment. For health professionals to be able to practice evidence based medicine, they need to be able to access scientific information. Unfortunately, many important scientific articles are not freely available. Scientific articles are published in journals owned by large publishers, who for financial reasons, ensure that access is restricted to institutions or individuals that have paid for the right to read the scientific evidence. This article show the limitations of researcher in developing countries to be able to access scientific information

Pneumocystis jirovecii and microsporidia: An unusual coinfection in HIV patients?

Pneumocystis jirovecii and microsporidia species are recognized as opportunistic infectious pathogens in AIDS patients. Coinfection of both in one patient has been rarely reported. The aim of the present study was to investigate the coinfection of P. jirovecii and microsporidia in different tissues from AIDS deceased patients. Post mortem histological finding of P. jirovecii and microsporidia was demonstrated by means of the Grocott’smethenamine silver and Brown Brenn staining, respectively. Molecular technique was used for identification and characterization of both fungi. Out of the 514 autopsied cases P. jirovecii andmicrosporidia species were identified in 53 (10.3%) and 62 (12.1%) cases respectively. A total of five cases (0.97%) coinfected with Pneumocystis and microsporidia were recovered from all analyzed autopsies. Coinfection of Pneumocystis and microsporidia is very challenging and raises interesting issues about host-parasite relationship. The early diagnosis of both pathogens must be crucial to establish correct and early treatments, improve the patient’s evolution, reducing the risk of death

Multilocus Genotyping of Pneumocystis jirovecii from Deceased Cuban AIDS Patients Using Formalin-Fixed and Paraffin-Embedded Tissues

The results of the genotypic characterization of Pneumocystis jirovecii are described in lung tissue samples from 41 Cubans who died of AIDS with pneumocystosis between 1995 and 2008. Histological sections of the lung preserved as formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue were examined. PCR amplification and nucleotide sequencing of the two mitochondrial genes (large and small) of the pathogen allowed verification of a predominance of genotype 3 (85T/248C) of the large mitochondrial gene and genotype 3 (160A/196T) of the small mitochondrial gene over a period of 14 years (1995–2008). These results suggest that the 85T/248C//160A/196T genotype circulates with the highest frequency (81.3%) among AIDS patients in Cuba. Multilocus analysis indicates a limited circulation of pathogen genotypes on the island with the existence of a clonal genotype with an epidemic structure. Furthermore, it appears that circulating strains of P. jirovecii have not developed mutations related to sulfonamide resistance. Taken together, the data in this study revealed important elements about pneumocystosis in Cuban patients dying of AIDS and the usefulness of formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded samples to carry out molecular epidemiology studies of P. jirovecii

Etiological identification of viral agents in acute encephalitis in Guadalajara, México, 2011-2015

Introduction: Viral encephalitis is a well-known inflammatory process associated with neurological dysfunction that might derive into severe brain damage or a fatal outcome. In México there is no epidemiological data that describes the prevalence of viral agents responsible for acute encephalitis. Objective: To identify the main viral agents by real time PCR involved in acute encephalitis in Mexico. Materials and methods: We obtained cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) samples from all patients with suspected viral encephalitis admitted to the emergency service of the Hospital Civil de Guadalajara “Fray Antonio Alcalde”. To identify pathogens, we performed nucleic acid extraction using real-time PCR and RT-PCR. Results: Sixty-six patients were diagnosed with acute encephalitis from 2011 to 2014. A definitive viral etiological diagnosis was established in 16 patients (24%); the main causative agents were enteroviruses in 50% of the 16 positive samples, followed by herpes simplex virus (37%) and cytomegaloviruses (12.5%). Patients with encephalitis were predominantly male (63.3%) and a seasonal predominance was observed during autumn (37.5%). The main clinical characteristics in the acute encephalitis phase were fever (48.45) and cephalea (36.3), followed by seizures, disorientation, and muscular weakness (30.3%). Kerning sign was present in two cases (3%) and other two cases presented Brudzinski’s sign (3%). Conclusions: CSF PCR is a suitable diagnostic technique for the identification of viral encephalitis caused by viral infections that allows an appropriate antiviral therapeutic treatment

Polimorfismos de los genes CCR5, IL-6, IFN-γ e IL-10 en pacientes cubanos con VIH/sidaPolymorphisms of CCR5, IL-6, IFN-γ and IL-10 genes in Cuban HIV/AIDS patients

[EN] Introduction: Genetic studies have shown associations of several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) with different rates of progression and variation in susceptibility to HIV infection. This study aimed to estimate the frequency of ccr5Δ32, IL-6-174G/C, IFN-γ+874T/A and IL-10-1082A/G polymorphisms in Cuban HIV-infected patients and a group of sero-discordant couples to assess their influence on risk and disease progression. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 120 subjects registered at the Institute of Tropical Medicine «Pedro Kour» (IPK) and the Ameijeiras Hospital from June 2018 until December 2019. The amplification of fragments of the ccr5, IL-6, IFN-γ and IL-10 genes was performed by polymerase chain reaction followed by identification of polymorphisms using the restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis for IL-6 with the restriction enzymes Nla III. Amplification refractory mutation system was used for IFN-γ and IL-10 genes. Results: The allelic and genotypic distributions of the genes ccr5, IL-6, IFN-γ and IL-10 did not differ significantly between the two groups. Cell counts and plasma viral load values did not differ significantly between genotypes of the ccr5, IL-6, IFN-γ and IL-10 genes. Only the IL-6 GC genotype was associated with higher viral load values. The combination of alleles of the four considered SNPs showed a highly significant increase in the risk of HIV infection for one of them, but with a very low frequency (< 1%). Conclusion: This study contributes to evaluating the frequency of these polymorphisms and their influence on biomarkers of the progression of HIV infection in the Cuban HIV-population.[ES] Introducción: Los estudios genéticos han demostrado asociaciones de varios polimorfismos de un solo nucleótido (SNP) con diferentes tasas de progresión y variación en la susceptibilidad a la infección por VIH. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo estimar la frecuencia de los polimorfismos ccr5Δ32, IL-6-174G/C, IFN-γ+874T/A e IL-10-1082A/G en pacientes cubanos infectados por VIH y un grupo de parejas serodiscordantes para evaluar su influencia sobre el riesgo y la progresión de la enfermedad. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio transversal en 120 sujetos atendidos en el Instituto de Medicina Tropical «Pedro Kour» (IPK) y el Hospital Hermanos Ameijeiras entre junio de 2018 y diciembre de 2019. La amplificación de los fragmentos de los genes ccr5, IL-6, IFN-γ e IL-10 se realizó mediante reacción en cadena de la polimerasa seguida por el análisis del polimorfismo de fragmentos de restricción utilizando la enzima Nla III para la IL-6. El sistema de mutación refractario a la amplificación por PCR se utilizó en el caso de los genes IFN-γ e IL-10. Resultados: Las distribuciones alélicas y genotípicas de los genes ccr5, IL-6, IFN-γ e IL-10 no difirieron significativamente entre los dos grupos. Los recuentos celulares y los valores de carga viral en plasma no difirieron significativamente entre los genotipos de los genes ccr5, IL-6, IFN-γ e IL-10. Solo el genotipo IL-6 GC se asoció con valores más altos de carga viral. La combinación de alelos de los cuatro SNP considerados mostró un aumento muy significativo del riesgo de infección por VIH para uno de ellos, pero con una frecuencia muy baja (< 1%). Conclusión: Este estudio contribuye a evaluar la frecuencia de estos polimorfismos y su influencia en los biomarcadores de la progresión de la infección por VIH en la población cubana con infección por el VIH.Peer reviewe

Pneumocystis jirovecii en fallecidos por sida,IPK, 1995-2008

Se presentan los resultados de la caracterizaci&amp;oacute;n genot&amp;iacute;pica de Pneumocystis jirovecii procedentes de 41 pacientes cubanos fallecidos por sida con neumocistosis entre los a&amp;ntilde;os 1995 y 2008. La secuenciaci&amp;oacute;n nucleot&amp;iacute;dica de los dos genes mitocondriales (mayor y menor) del pat&amp;oacute;geno permiti&amp;oacute; comprobar que exist&amp;iacute;a un predominio mantenido en el tiempo del genotipo 3 (85T/248C) del mitocondrial mayor. De la misma manera, el estudio report&amp;oacute; por primera vez en la literatura mundial un nuevo genotipo del mitocondrial menor del pat&amp;oacute;geno (160A/196T). Estos resultados sugieren, que en nuestro medio, circula con una alta frecuencia (81,3 %) el genotipo 85T/248C//160A/196T. Adicionalmente, el an&amp;aacute;lisis multilocus de las muestras investigadas sugiere una circulaci&amp;oacute;n limitada del pat&amp;oacute;geno en nuestra isla con la existencia de un genotipo clonal con estructura epid&amp;eacute;mica. El estudio tambi&amp;eacute;n ofrece datos que indican que no existen mutaciones vinculadas a la resistencia a sulfamidas en muestras de tejidos embebidos en parafina de fallecidos cubanos por sida con P. jirovecii en la serie analizada. La investigaci&amp;oacute;n describe por primera vez en Cuba caracter&amp;iacute;sticas socio-demogr&amp;aacute;ficas y cl&amp;iacute;nicas de la infecci&amp;oacute;n por P. jirovecii en pacientes con VIH/sida. Los resultados obtenidos en este estudio demuestran la utilidad de las muestras fijadas en formol y embebidas en parafina para realizar estudios de epidemiolog&amp;iacute;a molecular de P. jirovecii durante 14 a&amp;ntilde;os. Este trabajo no solo es de un valor extraordinario para el conocimiento de la neumocistosis en Cuba, sino a nivel mundial. Por lo tanto, los resultados brindan informaciones novedosas que pueden ser utilizadas en un mejor manejo de esta enfermedad en los servicios de salud

Pneumocystis jirovecii: Cien años de historia

[Introduction] Pneumocystis jirovecii is one of the most important opportunistic pathogens affecting AIDS individuals and immunodepressive patients. In spite of the fact that it was observed one hundred years ago for the first time, many fundamental aspects of its biology and the morbidity it causes are still unknown.[Objective] this paper was aimed at presenting updating on the main aspects of the history, the epidemiology and the biology of P. jirovecii and the disease it causes.[Conclusions] a number of review articles have been published since the discovery, all of which provide details and novel elements of the microorganism. However, few original papers dealing with this problem have been found in the Spanish literature. © 2011 1999, Editorial Ciencias Médicas.[Introducción] Pneumocystis jirovecii es uno de los patógenos oportunistas más importantes que afectan a individuos con síndrome de inmunodeficiencia adquirida y pacientes inmunodeprimidos por otras causas. A pesar de haber sido observado por primera vez hace más de 100 años, se desconocen aún muchos aspectos importantes de su biología y de la morbilidad que produce.[Objetivo] en este trabajo se pretende presentar una actualización sobre los principales aspectos de la historia, la epidemiología y la biología de P. jirovecii, así como de la enfermedad que produce.[Conclusiones] se han publicado varios artículos de revisión desde su descubrimiento que brindan detalles y elementos novedosos del microorganismo, sin embargo, pocos son los manuscritos encontrados en la literatura de habla hispana que aborden esta problemática.Peer Reviewe