RESUMO
Dengue virus is the most significant virus transmitted by arthropods worldwide and may cause a potentially fatal systemic disease named dengue hemorrhagic fever. In this work, dengue virus serotype 4 was detected in the tissues of one fatal dengue hemorrhagic fever case using electron immunomicroscopy and molecular methods. This is the first report of dengue virus polypeptides findings by electron immunomicroscopy in human samples. In addition, not-previously-documented virus-like particles visualized in spleen, hepatic, brain, and pulmonary tissues from a dengue case are discussed.
Assuntos
Vírus da Dengue/genética , Vírus da Dengue/ultraestrutura , Dengue Grave/diagnóstico , Adulto , Anticorpos Antivirais/sangue , Encéfalo/ultraestrutura , Encéfalo/virologia , Cuba , DNA Viral/análise , Vírus da Dengue/isolamento & purificação , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Evolução Fatal , Feminino , Coração/virologia , Humanos , Imunoglobulina M/sangue , Rim/ultraestrutura , Rim/virologia , Fígado/ultraestrutura , Fígado/virologia , Microscopia Eletrônica de Transmissão/métodos , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Via Transcriptase Reversa , Dengue Grave/virologia , Baço/ultraestrutura , Baço/virologiaRESUMO
Se denomina Hidatidosis a la zoonosis parasitaria que causa la infección de herbívoros o del hombre con el estado larval (hidátide) de parásitos del género Echinococcus. Objetivo: Revisión del tema y presentación del primer caso en Chile estudiado mediante técnicas de biología molecular. Caso Clínico: Preescolar de 3 años 9 meses procedente de Punta Arenas portadora de una hidatidosis múltiple de 6 quistes (4 pulmonares y 2 hepáticos), trasladada a la V Región para su tratamiento. Se realizó 3 cirugías y tratamiento médico asociado (Albendazol en dosis de 15 mg/kg/día vía oral) durante 73 días. Las hidátides extraídas fueron medidas, se efectuó estudio de fertilidad y vitalidad e identificación de cepa de Echinococcus granulosus mediante técnicas de biología molecular. La paciente mostró notable mejoría clínica e imagenológica, y mantuvo serología positiva. El tratamiento fue bien tolerado no presentando reacciones adversas. El tamaño de las hidátides fluctuó entre 6 y 11 cm de diámetro, todas fueron fértiles y vitales en diferente porcentaje y en todas se identificó cepa oveja de E. granulosus. De regreso en Punta Arenas, a los 4 meses se le detecta una nueva hidátide hepática que fue extirpada. El complejo manejo de este caso resultó exitoso.
Assuntos
Humanos , Feminino , Pré-Escolar , Equinococose Hepática/diagnóstico , Equinococose Hepática/terapia , Equinococose Pulmonar/diagnóstico , Equinococose Pulmonar/terapia , Albendazol/uso terapêutico , Chile , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Echinococcus/isolamento & purificação , Equinococose Hepática/genética , Equinococose Pulmonar/genética , Técnicas de Diagnóstico Molecular , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase , Resultado do Tratamento , ZoonosesRESUMO
The generation of electricity in nuclear power plants produces an increase in background radiation that could possibly have some impact on the organisms that live in that area. In order to identify and quantify any such possible effect, the natural populations of two sibling species, D. melanogaster and D. simulans, that live in the immediate vicinity of the first Mexican Nuclear Power Plant were analyzed for a period of 10 years. Collections of flies were made at two sites, one close to and one farther from the power plant, during the pre and operational stages of the reactor, and their egg-to-adult viability was analyzed. The data obtained indicate that in both sites, the egg-to-adult viability was generally higher in D. melanogaster than in D. simulans. Further, a relationship was found between egg-to-adult viability and the season of the year (warm-wet or cool-dry season). Some differences were found between the two sites. It may be concluded that there is no negative impact on the Drosophila populations studied.
Assuntos
Contaminação Radioativa do Ar/efeitos adversos , Drosophila melanogaster/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Drosophila melanogaster/efeitos da radiação , Centrais Elétricas , Animais , Monitoramento Ambiental/métodos , Crescimento DemográficoRESUMO
This study examined the seroprevalence and serum antibody isotype profile for Taenia solium cysticercosis in an Amerindian community in the Amazonas state of Venezuela. An antigen-trapping enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Ag-ELISA) was used to detect viable cysticercosis. Indirect ELISA (Ab-ELISA) and enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot (EITB) was performed by using antigens prepared from T. solium metacestodes to detect anti-parasite antibodies. The Ag-ELISA and Ab-ELISAs revealed 64.7% and 79.0% seropositivity, respectively, in the Amerindian population. Immunoglobulin (Ig) M was the predominant antibody class, suggesting recent infection. In comparison sera from, clinically defined, hospital neurocysticercosis cases revealed only 27% seropositivity by Ag-ELISA, compared with 86-92% seropositivity by Ab-ELISA, and IgG4 was the predominant antibody subclass detected. The EITB antigen recognition patterns of the hospitalized patients were very similar to that of the Amerindians, confirming exposure to the parasite. These results, combined with the predominance of IgM antibody responses and the marked detection of secreted products of viable parasites, strongly suggest that recent exposure to T. solium had occurred in the Amerindian population.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Anti-Helmínticos/sangue , Cisticercose/epidemiologia , Taenia/imunologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Animais , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Cisticercose/etiologia , Eletroforese em Gel de Poliacrilamida , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Feminino , Humanos , Immunoblotting , Indígenas Sul-Americanos , Masculino , Neurocisticercose/epidemiologia , Neurocisticercose/etiologia , Estudos Soroepidemiológicos , Taenia/isolamento & purificação , Venezuela/epidemiologiaRESUMO
Little is known about the mechanism of hepatitis C virion assembly. So the capacity of the entire Hepatitis C virus core protein (HCcAg) produced in Pichia pastoris to form particles either in its native soluble state or after detergent treatment of HCcAg associated to cell debris were studied. Size exclusion chromatography suggested that HCcAg assembled into high molecular weight structures. HCcAg was also specifically recognized by a serum from a chronic HCV carrier patient. This antigen migrated with buoyant density values similar to those obtained for native nucleocapsid particles from infected patients when analyzed using sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The analysis by electron microscopy of purified HCcAg showed aggregates resembling virus-like particles (VLPs) with an average diameter of 30 nm. These results indicated that the HCcAg obtained from P. pastoris assembled into VLPs resembling HCV nucleocapsid particles in a mature stage. Such HCcAg aggregates characterized here could be a valuable tool to elucidate the mechanisms of HCV nucleocapsid assembly.
Assuntos
Hepacivirus/química , Pichia/virologia , Proteínas do Core Viral/química , Vírion/química , Immunoblotting , Peso Molecular , Renaturação Proteica , Proteínas do Core Viral/metabolismoRESUMO
This study examined the relationship between the domains of environmental factors, family illegal drug use, parental child-rearing practices, maternal and adolescent personality attributes, and adolescent illegal drug use. A nonclinical sample of 2,837 Colombian youths and their mothers were interviewed about intrapersonal, interpersonal, and environmental factors in their lives. Results indicated that certain environmental factors (e.g., violence, drug availability, and machismo), family drug use, a distant parent-child relationship, and unconventional behavior are risk factors for adolescent illegal drug use. As hypothesized, results showed that the adverse effects of family illegal drug use on adolescent drug use can be buffered by protective parental child-rearing practices and environmental factors, leading to less adolescent illegal drug use. Prevention and treatment efforts should incorporate protective environmental, familial, and intrapersonal components in order to reduce adolescent illegal drug use.
Assuntos
Comportamento do Adolescente/psicologia , Relações Familiares , Personalidade , Meio Social , Transtornos Relacionados ao Uso de Substâncias/psicologia , Adolescente , Criança , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Fatores de Risco , América do Sul , ViolênciaRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the ambulatory surgical site infection rate and risk factors associated with surgical site infection. METHODS: We conducted a case-control analysis of all ambulatory surgeries between January 1, 1993, and December 31, 1997. The frequency of surgical site infection per 100 surgeries was calculated. The odds ratio (OR) was estimated by using logistic regression analysis. SETTING: A 140-bed tertiary-care teaching hospital for adult patients with cancer. RESULTS: The study followed 1350 outpatient surgeries. Thirty-eight patients had a surgical site infection (rate per 100 surgeries: 2.8). The risk factors statistically associated with surgical site infection were postoperative antibiotics (OR = 7.5; 95% CI, 2.5-23.0), and surgical time >35 minutes (OR = 2.4; 95% CI, 1.1-5.5). CONCLUSIONS: The surgical site infection rate for same-day surgery at our hospital is within the limits reported in the literature and below the rates reported previously for inpatient surgeries at our hospital. Full review of medical records and microbiology reports at day 30 allowed us to identify infections that otherwise would have been missed. Postoperative antibiotics may increase the risk of infection.
Assuntos
Procedimentos Cirúrgicos Ambulatórios/efeitos adversos , Neoplasias/cirurgia , Infecção da Ferida Cirúrgica/epidemiologia , Infecção da Ferida Cirúrgica/etiologia , Adulto , Procedimentos Cirúrgicos Ambulatórios/estatística & dados numéricos , Procedimentos Cirúrgicos Ambulatórios/tendências , Antibacterianos/uso terapêutico , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Hospitais de Ensino , Humanos , Controle de Infecções/métodos , Controle de Infecções/normas , Modelos Logísticos , México/epidemiologia , Razão de Chances , Cuidados Pós-Operatórios/métodos , Cuidados Pós-Operatórios/estatística & dados numéricos , Fatores de Risco , Infecção da Ferida Cirúrgica/microbiologia , Infecção da Ferida Cirúrgica/prevenção & controle , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
Core protein is one of the most conserved and immunogenic of the hepatitis C virus proteins. Several pieces of experimental evidence suggest its ability for formation of virus like particles alone or in association with other viral proteins in mammalian or yeast cells with great similarity to those detected in patient sera and liver extract. In this work we report an Escherichia coli-derived truncated hepatitis C core protein that is able to aggregate. SDS-PAGE and size exclusion chromatography patterns bring to mind the aggregation of monomers of recombinant protein Co.120. The Co.120 protein migrated with buoyant density of 1.28 g/cm(3) when analyzed using CsCl density gradient centrifugation. Spherical structures with an average diameter of 30 nm were observed using electron microscopy. We report here that VLPs are generated when the first 120 aa of HCV core protein are expressed in E. coli.
Assuntos
Escherichia coli/virologia , Hepacivirus/metabolismo , Proteínas do Core Viral/metabolismo , Western Blotting , Eletroforese em Gel de Poliacrilamida , Hepacivirus/química , Hepacivirus/ultraestrutura , Antígenos da Hepatite C/metabolismo , Antígenos da Hepatite C/ultraestrutura , Microscopia Imunoeletrônica , Proteínas do Core Viral/ultraestruturaRESUMO
Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the most severe and lethal form of tuberculosis. The rapid bacteriological diagnosis with the conventional techniques is nearly impossible in TBM. There for many patients are treated with anti-TBC drugs without a definitive diagnosis. A more fast and accurate diagnostic method is necessary, in order to initiate the treatment on time to prevent the irreversible neurologic sequel or death. We evaluated the use of two rapid methods: Adenosine deaminase activity (ADA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for IS6110 and mtp40 sequences on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from chronic meningitis patients. For ADA activity > 8.0 U/L the sensibility and specificity was 80% and 91%. PCR sensibility was 80% and specificity 97%. ADA activity and PCR on CSF could be specially useful as complementary tools in the early diagnosis of TBM.
Assuntos
Adenosina Desaminase/líquido cefalorraquidiano , Tuberculose Meníngea/diagnóstico , Fosfolipases Tipo C , Proteínas de Bactérias/análise , Proteínas de Bactérias/genética , Biomarcadores/líquido cefalorraquidiano , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Doença Crônica , Ensaios Enzimáticos Clínicos , Humanos , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase , Sensibilidade e EspecificidadeRESUMO
A cross-sectional study was conducted in 1995 in a representative sample of the Cuban population aged 15 years or over with the objective of describing prevalence and characteristics of smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical inactivity in the urban population which could have been affected by epidemic neuropathy from 1991-1993. The sampling was stratified at provincial and municipal levels and then by cluster samplings. 93% of the sample was surveyed (14 300 people). 30% of the population aged 17 years and over smoked; the highest proportion of smokers was located in 40-49 years age group; men smoked more than woman regardless of age. The prevalence of alcohol consumption was 45.2% in which Eastern provinces exceeded the domestic average with males predominating. The prevalence of physical inactivity at national level was 33%, 25.7% for males and 39.8% for females. 47.3% of males and 25.4% of females classified as physically active because of their useful extra activity. It was considered that irregular relationships between these 3 risk factors and the incidence of epidemic neuropathy at the ecological level make it think that, although they have a real influence on the determinants of the disease, other factors may also better account for the occurrence of these cases.