Q Fever: characteristics and reports of an important neglected zoonosis in Brazil / Febre Q: características e relatos de uma importante zoonose negligenciada no Brasil

The Q fever is a zoonotic disease neglected in many countries all over the world. This zoonosis is caused by the bacteria Coxiella burnetii, a pathogen that presents stability and environmental resistance with high capacity to cause human infection, which could be fatal. This literature review study aims to describe the general aspects of Q fever, presenting the main cases occurred in Brazil and discussing ways to avoid this zoonosis negligence and underreporting in Brazil. The Q fever is still a disease unknown by the larger part of healthcare professionals in Brazil. In addition, the disease in humans presents a clinical picture similar to that of other acute feverish diseases. Therefore, cases of Q fever cannot be diagnosed and their treatment can be erroneous, which can increase the chances of chronic Q fever occurrence. The inclusion of Q fever as a disease of mandatory notification in humans and the utilization of the "One Health" approach are essential for the confrontation of the disease. Moreover, measures for the control, investigation, and prevention of Q fever will contribute to avoid the occurrence of outbreaks and possible worsening resulting from this zoonosis

Avaliação da agregação plaquetária em presença de anticorpos antifosfolípides: anti-β2GP1 e anticardiolipina

AbstractIntroductionThe antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune condition characterized by recurrent arterial and venous thrombosis, besides obstetric complications. The pathogenesis is associated with the presence of antiphospholipid and/or anti-b2-glicoprotein I (anti-b2GPI) antibodies that appear to change the anticoagulant activity of b2GPI. Antibody-induced dimerization of b2GPI seems to be related to the induction of platelet aggregation, contributing to the development of thrombosis in APS.ObjectivesThe objective of the present study is to demonstrate the influence of antiphospholipid antibodies in platelet aggregation tests with different agonists (ADP, collagen, and adrenaline).MethodsWe analyzed platelet aggregation tests with different agonists (ADP, collagen, adrenalin) when normal platelets were exposed to serum with different concentrations of antiphospholipid antibodies.ResultsResults demonstrated a significant inhibition in adrenalin- and ADP-induced platelet aggregation curves (P<0.05) in all antibody concentrations tested when compared to the control. The paradox between the prothrombotic state and the presence of autoantibodies that show anticoagulant activity in vitro was demonstrated in the literature, making it difficult to understand the pathophysiologic mechanism of the antiphospholipid syndrome.ConclusionResults showed that anticardiolipin and anti-b2GPI antibodies-rich serum, both of which belonging to the IgG class, can interfere with platelet aggregation curves

Características maternas e individuais associados à anemia em crianças menores de cinco anos

Objetivo: Identificar a prevalência e fatores associados à anemia em crianças menores de cinco anos de creches municipais em Juiz de Fora – MG. Métodos: Estudo transversal com 809 crianças matriculadas em tempo integral. Para determinação da hemoglobina utilizou-se hemoglobinômetro portátil, e 11 g/dL como ponto de corte para o diagnóstico da anemia. Aplicou-se questionário contendo informações socioeconômicas, características maternas, de aleitamento materno, de alimentação complementar, e características individuais da criança. O estado nutricional foi avaliado pelas medidas antropométricas de peso e estatura, na avaliação da alimentação foi utilizado recordatório 24 horas e o registro alimentar. Análise de regressão de logística e seleção hierárquica das variáveis foram usadas para verificar fatores associados. Resultados: A prevalência de anemia foi de 39,2%, a idade materna (β=-0,48, IC95%=0,91-0,99), o número de gestações (β=0,19, IC95%=1,02-1,43), o baixo peso ao nascer (OR=2,51; IC95%=1,12-5,63) e o peso/idade (β=-3,98; IC95%=0,01-0,90) associaram a anemia. Conclusão: A anemia nas creches das regiões estudadas é considerada um problema de saúde pública moderado. As variáveis que associaram a anemia relacionam-se as características maternas e as características individuais das crianças

Metabolic profiling and antibacterial activity of Eryngium pristis Cham. & Schltdl. - prospecting for its use in the treatment of bacterial infections

Morbidity and mortality of the infected patients by multidrug-resistant bacteria have increased, emphasizing the urgency of fi ght for the discovery of new innovative antibiotics. In this sense, natural products emerge as valuable sources of bioactive compounds. Among the biodiversity, Eryngium pristis Cham. & Schltdl. (Apiaceae Lindl.) is traditionally used to treat thrush and ulcers of throat and mouth, as diuretic and emmenagogue, but scarcely known as an antimicrobial agent. With this context in mind, the goals of this study were to investigate the metabolic profi le and the antibacterial activity of ethanolic extract (EE-Ep) and hexane (HF-Ep), dichloromethane (DF-Ep), ethyl acetate (EAF-Ep) and butanol (BF-Ep) fractions from E. pristis leaves. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) was performed to stablish the metabolic profi le and revealed the presence of 12 and 14 compounds in EAF-Ep and HF-Ep, respectively. β-selinene, spathulenol, globulol, 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, α-amyrin, β-amyrin, and lupeol derivative were some of phytochemicals identifi ed. The antibacterial activity was determined by Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) using the broth micro-dilution against eight ATCC® and fi ve methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) clinical strains. HF-Ep was the most eff ective (MIC ≤ 5,000 μg/μL), being active against the largest part of tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains, including MRSA, with exception of Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 9027) and (ATCC 27853). These results suggest that E. pristis is a natural source of bioactive compounds for the search of new antibiotics which can be an interesting therapeutic approach to recover patients mainly infected by MRSA strains.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Metabolic profiling and antibacterial activity of Eryngium pristis Cham. & Schltdl. - prospecting for its use in the treatment of bacterial infections

Morbidity and mortality of the infected patients by multidrug-resistant bacteria have increased, emphasizing the urgency of fi ght for the discovery of new innovative antibiotics. In this sense, natural products emerge as valuable sources of bioactive compounds. Among the biodiversity, Eryngium pristis Cham. & Schltdl. (Apiaceae Lindl.) is traditionally used to treat thrush and ulcers of throat and mouth, as diuretic and emmenagogue, but scarcely known as an antimicrobial agent. With this context in mind, the goals of this study were to investigate the metabolic profi le and the antibacterial activity of ethanolic extract (EE-Ep) and hexane (HF-Ep), dichloromethane (DF-Ep), ethyl acetate (EAF-Ep) and butanol (BF-Ep) fractions from E. pristis leaves. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) was performed to stablish the metabolic profi le and revealed the presence of 12 and 14 compounds in EAF-Ep and HF-Ep, respectively. β-selinene, spathulenol, globulol, 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, α-amyrin, β-amyrin, and lupeol derivative were some of phytochemicals identifi ed. The antibacterial activity was determined by Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) using the broth micro-dilution against eight ATCC® and fi ve methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) clinical strains. HF-Ep was the most eff ective (MIC ≤ 5,000 μg/μL), being active against the largest part of tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains, including MRSA, with exception of Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 9027) and (ATCC 27853). These results suggest that E. pristis is a natural source of bioactive compounds for the search of new antibiotics which can be an interesting therapeutic approach to recover patients mainly infected by MRSA strains.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Efeito da talidomida e da pentoxifilina na produção de mediadores inflamatórios e na patogênese da encefalomielite autoimune experimental (EAE)

A Encefalomielite autoimune (EAE) em ratos Lewis é um modelo experimental de doença desmielinizante e inflamatória do sistema nervoso central (SNC) humano. EAE é amplamente aceita como estudo de mecanismos imunoinflamatórios no SNC relacionados com a esclerose múltipla (EM) devido a alterações clínicas similares. O Fator necrose tumoral alfa (TNF-) tem sido implicado como um mediador chave na fisiopatologia e no processo inflamatório do CNS. No presente estudo duas drogas (talidomida e pantoxifilina) foram utilizados durante o desenvolvimento da EAE por serem conhecidas como inibidoras de TNF- em ratos Lewis. A EAE foi induzida com inoculação de homogeneizado medular de cobaia em adjuvante completo de Freunds no coxim plantar no dia 0 e ratos tratados durante 15 dias, com talidomida injectada por via subcutânea ou pentoxifilina injetada intraperitonial. Avaliação clínica foi realizada diariamente e a análise histológica (colorações de Hematoxilina e Eosina e Weigert Pal Russel) do tecido cerebral e da medula espinhal realizada no final do experimento. O método de Griess foi escolhido para a determinação do NO e ensaio imunoenzimático (ELISA) utilizado para medir os níveis das citocinas e interferon gama (IFN- e TNF- plasmáticos. A Talidomida causou uma redução significativa na neuroinflamação e da desmielinização no SNC. Níveis plasmáticos de NO, IFN- e TNF- também apresentaram acentuada redução. Esses achados foram correlacionados com a melhoria dos sintomas clínicos. Em 90% dos ratos tratados com a talidomida não desenvolveram EAE. Nossos experimentos mostraram que a pentoxifilina não foi efetiva na modulação da EAE. O resultado ainda sugere que a talidomida interfere fortemente com a patogenia EAE e nos mecanismos de desenvolvimento e produção de mediadores inflamatórios. Tal droga pode também ser considerado um importante instrumento para a utilização em esquemas terapêuticos de doenças inflamatórias desmielinizantes do SNC como a esclerose múltiplaAutoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in Lewis rats is an experimental model of demyelinating inflammatory disease of the human central nervous system (CNS). EAE is widely accepted for study immune-inflammatory mechanisms in the CNS related to multiple sclerosis (MS) due to similar clinic. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-) has been reported as a key mediator implicated in the physiopathology of CNS inflammatory process. In the present study two drugs (Thalidomide and pantoxifylline) known as TNF- inhibitors were used during EAE development in Lewis rats. EAE was induced with inoculation of guinea pig spinal cord homogenate in complete Freunds adjuvante in the footpad on day 0 and rats treaties during 15 days with Thalidomide injected subcutaneous or pentoxifylline injected intraperitoneally. Clinical evaluation was carried out daily and histological analysis (staining with hematoxylin and eosin and Weigert Pal Russel) of brain tissue and spinal cord performed at the end of experiment. Griess method was chosen for determination of NO and enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) for TNF- and interferon gamma (IFN-) cytokine plasma levels. Thalidomide caused a significant reduction in neuroinflammation and demyelination within the CNS. Plasma levels of NO, IFN- and TNF- also showed marked reduction. Such findings were correlated with improvement of clinical symptoms. 90% of rats treated with thalidomide did not develop EAE. Our experiments showed that pentoxifylline was not effective in the modulation of EAE. The results until suggest that thalidomide interfere strongly with pathogenetic mechanisms of EAE development and production of inflammatory mediators. Such drug may also be considered an important tool for use in the therapeutic schemes of inflammatory demyelinating diseases of the CNS Such as multiple sclerosis95f

ROTAVÍRUS E AS PERSPECTIV AS PARA SEU CONTROLE POR TERAPIA VACINAL

A presente revisão tem por objetivo a descrição da infecção gastrointestinal por rotavírus no âmbito de sua epidemiologia e da importância do seu tratamento, na forma vacinal, que abrange bons resultados contra a maioria dos genótipos e sorotipos mais comuns no planeta. Neste caso, a vacina denominada de V acina Oral de Rotavírus Humano (VORH), de origem humana, G1P[8] da cepa R1X4414, atualmente foi a que demonstrou melhor eficácia. Como a vacinação específica é a medida mais eficaz na prevenção e controle, são necessários estudos da eficácia de novas candidatas a vacinas contra o rotavírus no Brasil e no mundo

Neuroesquistossomose: estudo do perfil clínico-patológico e critérios diagnósticos

A presente revisão tem por objetivo realizar um estudo da forma ectópica da esquistossomose, enfatizando o acometimento do sistema nervoso pelo S. mansoni. A neuroesquistossomose é uma doença considerada rara, embora seja a segunda forma mais comum de apresentação da doença. Considerando as formas sintomáticas da neuroesquistossomose relacionada com o S. mansoni a medula espinhal é afetada com maior freqüência do que o cérebro. A apresentação neurológica da neuroesquistossomose é variável e não existe uma manifestação típica para orientar o diagnóstico, podendo ser confundido com o de outras etiologias. Considerando que o tratamento precoce dessa doença é fundamental para se evitar seqüelas e o uso indiscriminado de medicamentos para o paciente, é necessário um diagnóstico seguro e preciso

THALIDOMIDE ADMINISTRATION INHIBITS THE CLINICAL EVOLUTION OF THE EXPERIMENTAL AUTOIMMUNE ENCEPHALOMYELITIS (EAE) IN LEWIS RATS: PRELIMINAR RESULTS

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurodegenerative inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Several immunomodulatory agents have been used to prevent MS acute exacerbations. Tumor Necrosis factor alpha (TNF-?) and interferon gamma (IFN-?) are two major inflammatory mediators. Recently, we investigated in our laboratory the therapeutic value of thalidomide, a recognized TNF-? inhibitor, for the treatment of MS using the classical Lewis rat model of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis ( EAE). The experimental study revealed that thalidomide reduces the incidence of EAE development in 90% of the cases. Hence we hypothesized that thalidomide may be an important therapeutical tool for prevention of acute exacerbations of the MS