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A 78-year-old woman presented to hospital with altered mental status. Hyponatremia was diagnosed and treated. She maintained mental confusion despite normal sodium. No headache, fever or focal signs were present. CSF analysis showed chronic meningitis; MRI demonstrated basilar enhancement. She was empirically treated for tuberculosis, with no improvement. PCR for Sporothrix in the CSF was positive. After treatment with Amphotericin followed by oral itraconazole, she completely recovered her cognitive abilities. Follow-up CSF was normal. This report illustrates the need to consider sporotrichosis in the differential diagnosis of chronic meningitis in immunocompetent, and the importance of PCR as a diagnostic tool.
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Among the 13 types of propolis classified in Brazil according to their physicochemical properties, green propolis and brown propolis are the most commonly found and used. In this work, a comparison of the physicochemical properties of green and brown propolis produced in Minas Gerais, Brazil was performed according to the methodology established by the Brazilian legislation. And, the content of 9 bioactive compounds in the samples was determined by RP-HPLC. GrProp showed a higher content of pinocembrin, artepillin C and baccharin, and a higher quantity of total flavonoids, in comparison with BrwProp. The mechanical mass content in both types of propolis was above the limit established by legislation. However, the other physicochemical parameters were within the limits. The chemical composition, especially the flavonoid content and the free radical (DPPH) scavenger property confer to both types of propolis a promising pharmacological activity.
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Própole , Própole/química , Brasil , Flavonoides/farmacologia , Antioxidantes/farmacologia , Antioxidantes/químicaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Sporotrichosis, a cosmopolitan mycosis caused by dimorphic fungi of the Sporothrix complex, affects humans and animals. This study aimed to develop new molecular markers for Sporothrix genome detection in biological samples using PCR. METHODS: A specific region of DNA sequences from the Sporothrix genus, publicly available in GenBank, was chosen for primer design. After testing the in silico specificity of these primers, in vitro specificity was evaluated using the PCR technique. RESULTS: Three specific primers with 100% specificity for the Sporothrix genus were generated. CONCLUSIONS: PCR using the designed primers can be used to develop molecular diagnostics for sporotrichosis.
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Sporothrix , Esporotricose , Humanos , Animais , Esporotricose/diagnóstico , Sporothrix/genética , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase/métodos , Sequência de BasesRESUMO
ABSTRACT Background: Sporotrichosis, a cosmopolitan mycosis caused by dimorphic fungi of the Sporothrix complex, affects humans and animals. This study aimed to develop new molecular markers for Sporothrix genome detection in biological samples using PCR. Methods: A specific region of DNA sequences from the Sporothrix genus, publicly available in GenBank, was chosen for primer design. After testing the in silico specificity of these primers, in vitro specificity was evaluated using the PCR technique. Results: Three specific primers with 100% specificity for the Sporothrix genus were generated. Conclusions: PCR using the designed primers can be used to develop molecular diagnostics for sporotrichosis.
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Secondary infections are one of the complications in COVID-19 patients. We aimed to analyze the antimicrobial prescriptions and their influence on drug resistance in fungi and bacteria isolated from severely ill COVID-19 patients. Seventy-nine severely ill COVID-19 hospitalized patients with secondary bacterial or fungal infections were included. We analyzed the prescribed antimicrobial regimen for these patients and the resistance profiles of bacterial and fungal isolates. In addition, the association between drug resistance and patients' outcome was analyzed using correlation tests. The most prescribed antibacterial were ceftriaxone (90.7% of patients), vancomycin (86.0%), polymyxin B (74.4%), azithromycin (69.8%), and meropenem (67.4%). Micafungin and fluconazole were used by 22.2 and 11.1% of patients, respectively. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) infections were a common complication in severely ill COVID-19 patients in our cohort since resistant bacteria strains were isolated from 76.7% of the patients. Oxacillin resistance was observed in most Gram-positive bacteria, whereas carbapenem and cephalosporin resistance was detected in most Gram-negative strains. Azole resistance was identified among C. glabrata and C. tropicalis isolates. Patients who used more antimicrobials stayed hospitalized longer than the others. The patient's age and the number of antibacterial agents used were associated with the resistance phenotype. The susceptibility profile of isolates obtained from severely ill COVID-19 patients highlighted the importance of taking microbial resistance into account when managing these patients. The continuous surveillance of resistant/MDR infection and the rational use of antimicrobials are of utmost importance, especially for long-term hospitalized patients with COVID-19.
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Tratamento Farmacológico da COVID-19 , Testes de Sensibilidade Microbiana , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Antibacterianos/uso terapêutico , Bactérias , Fungos , Prescrições , Resistência a MedicamentosRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Neck circumference (NC) and anthropometric data of people living with HIV (PLWH) are correlated. METHODS: Socioeconomic, NC, body mass index (BMI), tricipital skinfold thickness (TSF), mid-arm circumference (MAC), mid-arm muscle circumference (MAMC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), waist circumference (WC), and hip circumference (HC) data of 72 PLWH were correlated. RESULTS: Higher adiposity was observed in NC (40.3% [n=29]) and WC (31.9% [n=23]). Correlations between NC/BMI, NC/WC, NC/HC, NC/MAC, NC/MAMC, and NC/WHtR were significant. Increased NC (40.3%[n=29]) and WC (31.9 [n=23]) were associated with higher cardiometabolic risk. CONCLUSIONS: NC correlations are adequate for estimating cardiometabolic risk.
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Adiposidade , Infecções por HIV , Índice de Massa Corporal , Estudos Transversais , Infecções por HIV/complicações , Humanos , Fatores de Risco , Razão Cintura-Estatura , Relação Cintura-QuadrilRESUMO
Abstract INTRODUCTION: Neck circumference (NC) and anthropometric data of people living with HIV (PLWH) are correlated. METHODS: Socioeconomic, NC, body mass index (BMI), tricipital skinfold thickness (TSF), mid-arm circumference (MAC), mid-arm muscle circumference (MAMC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), waist circumference (WC), and hip circumference (HC) data of 72 PLWH were correlated. RESULTS Higher adiposity was observed in NC (40.3% [n=29]) and WC (31.9% [n=23]). Correlations between NC/BMI, NC/WC, NC/HC, NC/MAC, NC/MAMC, and NC/WHtR were significant. Increased NC (40.3%[n=29]) and WC (31.9 [n=23]) were associated with higher cardiometabolic risk. CONCLUSIONS: NC correlations are adequate for estimating cardiometabolic risk.
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Humanos , Infecções por HIV/complicações , Adiposidade , Índice de Massa Corporal , Estudos Transversais , Fatores de Risco , Relação Cintura-Quadril , Razão Cintura-EstaturaRESUMO
In eukaryotes, phosphorylation of the α-subunit of eIF2 is a mechanism to adjust cellular gene expression profiles in response to specific signals. The eIF2α kinases are a group of serine-threonine kinases that perform important functions in response to infection, proteotoxicity, and nutrient scavenging. The conserved nature of eIF2α kinases among fungi makes them potential evolutionary markers, which may contribute to deeper understanding of taxonomy and evolution. To date, only few studies are available of eIF2α kinases in black yeasts, which are members of Chaetothyriales containing potential agents of a gamut of major human diseases, such as chromoblastomycosis, phaeohyphomycosis and mycetoma. To establish the phylogenetic validity of sequences of eIF2α kinases hypothetical genes, we compared these genes between members of different classes of fungi, including black yeasts and allies, aiming at evaluation of the phylogeny of this group using an alternative molecular marker, compared to standard ribosomal genes. Trees generated with eIF2α kinase sequences of fungi were compared with those generated by ribosomal internal transcribed spacers (ITS rDNA) sequences from the same species. Sequences used were obtained from the protein Non-redundant database of NCBI, were aligned using CLUSTALX v1.8 and alignments were analyzed with RAxML v8.2.9 on the CIPRES Science Gateway portal. The trees generated had similar topologies, demonstrating that eIF2α kinases hypothetical gene sequences present a coherent reflection of evolution among fungi, compared to trees reconstructed by the use of ribosomal sequences. Our preliminary findings with a limited dataset strongly suggest that the evolution of kinases among black yeasts follows a similar path as revealed by ribosomal data, which underlines the validity of current taxonomy of black yeasts and relatives.
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Ascomicetos , Genes Fúngicos , Filogenia , eIF-2 Quinase/genética , Ascomicetos/enzimologia , Ascomicetos/genética , DNA Ribossômico/genéticaRESUMO
Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the nail plate or nail bed that leads to the gradual destruction of the nail. The main difficulties in the treatment of onychomycosis refer to the duration of treatments and their side effects. Thus, it becomes relevant to look for new therapeutic alternatives in the treatment of such common diseases that are efficient without causing the undesirable side effects on the patient's body. In this way, the objective of this study was to develop an anthroposophical formula for the treatment of onychomycosis, based on Phosphorus and Formica rufa, from an extensive bibliographic survey on the functions of these components, evaluating within the principles of Anthroposophy. Considering the set of knowledge and practices on the use of these components, it was possible to arrive at a proposal therapy that can be effective for the treatment of onychomycosis. After an extensive review of several existing patents, it was observed that formulations containing Phosphorus and Formica rufa together have not been described in other studies. Subsequently, our research group published a patent of the anthroposophical formula using these two components, with the number BR1020180750755, which will be efficient to help the recovery of nails, and facilitate normal growth.
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Medicina Antroposófica , Antifúngicos/química , Formigas/química , Onicomicose/tratamento farmacológico , Fósforo/química , Animais , Composição de Medicamentos , Humanos , Unhas/microbiologia , Patentes como AssuntoRESUMO
The co-infection between visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has increased in several countries in the world. The current serological tests are not suitable since they present low sensitivity to detect the most of VL/HIV cases, and a more precise diagnosis should be performed. In this context, in the present study, an immunoproteomics approach was performed using Leishmania infantum antigenic extracts and VL, HIV and VL/HIV patients sera, besides healthy subjects samples; aiming to identify antigenic markers for these clinical conditions. Results showed that 43 spots were recognized by antibodies in VL and VL/HIV sera, and 26 proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. Between them, ß-tubulin was expressed, purified and tested in ELISA experiments as a proof of concept for validation of our immunoproteomics findings and results showed high sensitivity and specificity values to detect VL and VL/HIV patients. In conclusion, the identified proteins in the present work could be considered as candidates for future studies aiming to improvement of the diagnosis of VL and VL/HIV co-infection.
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Coinfecção/diagnóstico , Infecções por HIV/diagnóstico , Leishmania infantum/isolamento & purificação , Leishmaniose Visceral/diagnóstico , Proteômica/métodos , Proteínas de Protozoários/análise , Adulto , Brasil , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-IdadeRESUMO
The laboratorial diagnosis of leishmaniasis is based on parasitological methods, which are invasive, present high cost, require laboratorial infrastructure and/or trained professionals; as well as by immunological methods, which usually present variable sensitivity and/or specificity, such as when they are applied to identify asymptomatic cases and/or mammalian hosts presenting low levels of antileishmanial antibodies. As consequence, new studies aiming to identify more refined antigens to diagnose visceral (VL) and tegumentary (TL) leishmaniasis are urgently necessary. In the present work, the Leishmania eukaryotic elongation factor-1 beta (EF1b) protein, which was identified in L. infantum protein extracts by antibodies in VL patients' sera, was cloned and its recombinant version (rEF1b) was expressed, purified and tested as a diagnostic marker for VL and TL. The post-therapeutic serological follow-up was also evaluated in treated and untreated VL and TL patients, when anti-rEF1b antibody levels were measured before and after treatment. Results showed that rEF1b was highly sensitive and specific to diagnose symptomatic and asymptomatic canine VL, as well as human TL and VL. In addition, low cross-reactivity was observed when sera from healthy subjects or leishmaniasis-related diseases patients were tested. The serological follow-up showed also that rEF1b-specific antibodies declined significantly after treatment, suggesting that this protein could be also evaluated as a prognostic marker for human leishmaniasis.
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Doenças do Cão/parasitologia , Fator de Iniciação 1 em Eucariotos/imunologia , Leishmania infantum/imunologia , Leishmaniose Visceral/parasitologia , Leishmaniose Visceral/veterinária , Proteínas de Protozoários/imunologia , Adulto , Animais , Anticorpos Antiprotozoários/imunologia , Antígenos de Protozoários/genética , Antígenos de Protozoários/imunologia , Reações Cruzadas , Doenças do Cão/diagnóstico , Doenças do Cão/imunologia , Cães , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Fator de Iniciação 1 em Eucariotos/genética , Feminino , Humanos , Leishmania infantum/genética , Leishmania infantum/isolamento & purificação , Leishmaniose/diagnóstico , Leishmaniose/imunologia , Leishmaniose/parasitologia , Leishmaniose/veterinária , Leishmaniose Visceral/diagnóstico , Leishmaniose Visceral/imunologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Proteínas de Protozoários/genética , Testes SorológicosRESUMO
The measures for leishmaniasis control include the precise diagnosis of disease. However, although several recombinant antigens have been tested with this biotechnological purpose, no effective product exists, which could detects patients with the active disease, as well as differentiates them from cured and treated patients. In this study, a conserved Leishmania hypothetical protein, which was identified in Leishmania infantum parasites, but evaluated to presents high homology in the amino acid sequences between distinct parasite species, was evaluated for the diagnosis of tegumentary and visceral leishmaniasis. In addition, PBMCs collected from treated and untreated mucosal leishmaniasis (ML) and visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients, as well as in healthy subjects living in endemic region of disease, were in vitro stimulated, when IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10 levels were evaluated in the cell supernatant. Regarding the serological analyses, ELISA experiments using the recombinant protein (rLiHyL) and a human serological panel revealed high sensitivity and specificity values to detect both diseases, while control antigens showed worst results. Regarding the cellular response, results showed that rLiHyL-stimulated cells produced higher IFN-γ and lower IL-4 and IL-10 levels in the supernatants. Also, the anti-protein antibody production was evaluated in these patients, and data showed higher IgG2 and lower IgG1 levels found in the treated patients and healthy controls, demonstrating the stimulation of a Th1-type response induced by the rLiHyL protein. In conclusion, this hypothetical protein can be considered as antigenic in TL and VL, as well as a vaccine candidate to be tested in future studies to protect against disease.
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Antígenos de Protozoários/imunologia , Leishmaniose Visceral/imunologia , Proteínas de Protozoários/imunologia , Proteínas Recombinantes , Adulto , Anticorpos Antiprotozoários/imunologia , Antígenos de Protozoários/genética , Biomarcadores , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Citocinas/metabolismo , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Feminino , Humanos , Imunoglobulina G/imunologia , Leishmaniose Visceral/diagnóstico , Leishmaniose Visceral/parasitologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Proteínas de Protozoários/genética , Testes SorológicosRESUMO
The diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) presents problems due to the toxicity and/or high cost of drugs. In addition, no vaccine exists to protect against human disease. In this study, the antigenicity and immunogenicity of amastin protein were evaluated in L. infantum-infected dogs and humans. For the diagnosis, besides the recombinant protein, 1 linear B-cell epitope was synthetized and evaluated in serological assays. Results showed high sensitivity and specificity values to detect the disease when both antigens were employed against a canine and human serological panel. By contrast, when using rA2 and a soluble Leishmania antigenic preparation, sensitivity and specificity values proved to be lower. A preliminary immunogenicity study showed that the amastin protein induced high IFN-γ and low IL-10 production in stimulated PBMC derived from treated VL patients and healthy subjects, thus suggesting a potential use of this protein as an immunogen to protect against human disease.
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Antígenos de Protozoários/imunologia , Leishmania infantum/isolamento & purificação , Leishmaniose Visceral/diagnóstico , Leishmaniose Visceral/veterinária , Proteínas de Protozoários/imunologia , Animais , Anticorpos Antiprotozoários/sangue , Antígenos de Protozoários/química , Antígenos de Protozoários/genética , Células Cultivadas , Citocinas/metabolismo , Doenças do Cão/sangue , Doenças do Cão/diagnóstico , Doenças do Cão/parasitologia , Cães , Epitopos de Linfócito B/imunologia , Humanos , Imunogenicidade da Vacina , Leishmania infantum/imunologia , Leishmaniose Visceral/sangue , Leishmaniose Visceral/parasitologia , Leucócitos Mononucleares/imunologia , Proteínas de Protozoários/química , Proteínas de Protozoários/genética , Proteínas Recombinantes/química , Proteínas Recombinantes/imunologia , Sensibilidade e Especificidade , Testes SorológicosRESUMO
There is no suitable vaccine against human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and available drugs are toxic and/or present high cost. In this context, diagnostic tools should be improved for clinical management and epidemiological evaluation of disease. However, the variable sensitivity and/or specificity of the used antigens are limitations, showing the necessity to identify new molecules to be tested in a more sensitive and specific serology. In the present study, an immunoproteomics approach was performed in Leishmania infantum promastigotes and amastigotes employing sera samples from VL patients. Aiming to avoid undesired cross-reactivity in the serological assays, sera from Chagas disease patients and healthy subjects living in the endemic region of disease were also used in immunoblottings. The most reactive spots for VL samples were selected, and 29 and 21 proteins were identified in the promastigote and amastigote extracts, respectively. Two of them, endonuclease III and GTP-binding protein, were cloned, expressed, purified and tested in ELISA experiments against a large serological panel, and results showed high sensitivity and specificity values for the diagnosis of disease. In conclusion, the identified proteins could be considered in future studies as candidate antigens for the serodiagnosis of human VL.
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Antígenos de Protozoários/imunologia , Leishmania infantum/fisiologia , Leishmaniose Visceral/imunologia , Proteínas de Protozoários/imunologia , Adulto , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , ProteômicaRESUMO
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a zoonosis caused by the protozoa of the genus Leishmania. Among the species, L. infantum and/or L. infantum (chagasi) are the most important species affecting the Americas. Domestic dogs are the main reservoir of the parasite and participate effectively in the parasite' transmission cycle. The Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis Control Program (PCLV) adopted in Brazil present as strategies the vector control, health education and serological diagnosis of CVL in dogs followed by culling of the seropositive ones. The resolution to eliminate seropositive dogs by euthanasia, when necessary, are the most controversial and least accepted by society. The diagnostic methods for canine visceral leishmaniasis, currently indicated and approved in Brazil by the Ministry of Health from Brazil are the Dual Path Platform (DPP)® as a screening test and the Enzyme immunoassay test (ELISA®). This study aimed to verify the presence of Leishmania spp. DNA in peripheral blood samples of dogs presenting positive serological results byDPP® and ELISA® tests,throughreal-time polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR), using the pair of primers 150-152 already described. For this purpose, were collected blood samples from 185 seropositive dogs among them, 41 (22%) exhibited some clinical signal of disease, whereas 144 (78%) was asymptomatic. The animals were also analyzed according to gender, race and hair size. According to the results of rt-PCR, it was observed that among the185 seropositive dogs analyzed, only 132 (71%) presented positive results for CVL and 53 (29%) presented negative results. From this, 41/41 symptomatic dogs were positive (100%), while among the asymptomatic dogs, 91/144 were positive (63, 2%) and 53/144 were negative (36, 8%). Concerning the hair size of seropositive dogs, we found that 41 (22%) had long hair, while 144 (78%) had short hair. No statistical significance occurred between the results of rt-PCR, ELISA and DPP tests and the profile of the animals (gender, size of the dogs and hair size), probably due to the small number of samples and the sampling differences of each profile. But statistical significance occurred between the results of rt-PCR and the clinical evaluation, since the rt-PCR was positive in all symptomatic dogs. Thus, through these results, we reached at the following question, which may contribute to an important current debate: the dogs presenting CVL seropositive diagnosis confirmed by tests distributed by the Ministry of Health were in reality ill or were they seropositive by living in an endemic area of the disease? Would these asymptomatic seropositive dogs spread the disease to the inhabitants even presenting a low parasite charge circulating in the blood.
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Doenças do Cão/diagnóstico , Leishmania/genética , Leishmania/isolamento & purificação , Leishmaniose Visceral/diagnóstico , Leishmaniose Visceral/parasitologia , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase em Tempo Real/métodos , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase em Tempo Real/veterinária , Animais , Anticorpos Antiprotozoários/sangue , Brasil , DNA de Protozoário/análise , Testes Diagnósticos de Rotina , Doenças do Cão/parasitologia , Cães , Feminino , Leishmania/patogenicidade , Leishmaniose Visceral/sangue , Masculino , Patologia Molecular , Testes Sorológicos/métodos , Testes Sorológicos/veterináriaRESUMO
Serological tests are important tools for the diagnosis of Leishmania infection. However, they are not effective markers to diagnose asymptomatic cases of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and patients developing tegumentary leishmaniasis (TL), since antileishmanial antibodies can be encountered in low levels resulting in false-negative results in the serological trials. In this context, antigens able to be recognized by antibodies in sera from both VL and TL patients will be desirable to be employed in a more sensitivity and specific diagnosis of disease. In the present study, a conserved Leishmania protein, small myristoylated protein-3 (SMP-3), which was showed to be conserved in different Leishmania species and an effective vaccine candidate against Leishmania infantum infection in a murine model, was cloned and the recombinant protein was evaluated as a serological marker for the diagnosis of human TL and canine VL. In addition, a linear B cell-specific epitope (MQKDEESGEFKCEL) was identified, synthetized and also investigated as a serological marker. As antigen controls, rA2 protein and antigenic Leishmania extracts (SLA) were used. Results showed that ELISA-rSMP-3 and ELISA-Peptide presented sensitivity and specificity values higher than 90% in both diseases in humans and canids, having identified all asymptomatic cases and did not present cross-reaction with cross-reactivity diseases in both mammalian hosts. On the other hand, sensitivity and specificity values were worst when rA2 or SLA were used as antigens in humans and dogs. In conclusion, results showed the efficacy and Leishmania SMP-3 protein, employed as a recombinant antigen or a B cell epitope, for the improvement of the serodiagnosis of human TL and canine VL. This candidate can be tested in other diagnostic platforms, such as rapid immunochromatographic dipstick tests, aiming its use in epidemiological studies in remote areas where laboratories are not readily accessible for conventional assays.
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Antígenos de Protozoários/imunologia , Doenças do Cão/diagnóstico , Epitopos de Linfócito B/imunologia , Leishmania/fisiologia , Leishmaniose Visceral/diagnóstico , Proteínas Recombinantes/imunologia , Zoonoses/diagnóstico , Adulto , Idoso , Animais , Anticorpos Antiprotozoários/sangue , Antígenos de Protozoários/genética , Reações Cruzadas , Cães , Epitopos de Linfócito B/genética , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Proteínas Recombinantes/genética , Sensibilidade e Especificidade , Testes Sorológicos , Adulto JovemRESUMO
This paper presents a case of disseminated sporotrichosis in a 13-year-old female, originating from a rural area in Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The patient was hospitalized in Santa Casa hospital of Belo Horizonte, with hyporexia, prostration, fever and disseminated ulcerative lesions, besides anemia, leucopenia and sepsis of probable cutaneous focus. The patient was admitted without proven immunosuppression. She was diagnosed with cutaneous-disseminated sporotrichosis. The drug therapy chosen was itraconazole during 12 months, leading to important clinical improvement and healing of cutaneous lesions.
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In the present study, a conserved Leishmania hypothetical protein, LiHyE, was evaluated for the serodiagnosis of leishmaniasis. Results showed that it presented high sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) to serologically identify visceral leishmaniasis (VL) dogs when 40 positive sera and 95 cross-reactive samples were used. rLiHyE also showed the best results of sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV to identify tegumentary leishmaniasis (TL) and VL patients when 45 leishmaniasis patients' sera and 90 cross-reactive samples were used. Results were better in comparison to those obtained when rA2 or Leishmania antigenic extract was employed as controls. The posttreatment follow-up showed that rLiHyE-specific antibodies declined significantly after the end of treatments, and a predominance of the IgG2 subclass was found in comparison to IgG1 levels in both TL and VL patients. In conclusion, rLiHyE can be considered a candidate for the serodiagnosis of canine and human leishmaniasis.
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Biomarcadores/sangue , Doenças do Cão/diagnóstico , Leishmaniose Visceral/diagnóstico , Leishmaniose/diagnóstico , Proteínas de Protozoários , Testes Sorológicos , Animais , Anticorpos Antiprotozoários , Antígenos de Protozoários , Doenças do Cão/tratamento farmacológico , Doenças do Cão/parasitologia , Cães , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática/métodos , Seguimentos , Humanos , Imunoglobulina G/sangue , Imunoglobulina G/imunologia , Leishmaniose/tratamento farmacológico , Leishmaniose/parasitologia , Leishmaniose Visceral/tratamento farmacológico , Leishmaniose Visceral/parasitologia , Proteínas de Protozoários/imunologia , Proteínas Recombinantes/imunologia , Sensibilidade e Especificidade , Testes Sorológicos/métodosRESUMO
Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a chronic mycosis caused by the saprobic and dimorphic species Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and P. lutzii. This disease is prevalent in Latin American countries. PCM appears as a relevant concern and challenge for the mycologists, since until now there is no a methodology suitable for an efficient and safe diagnosis and species identification. Thus, the present study aimed to validate a methodology for PCM´s diagnosis, using quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) through target amplification of the gene encoding the recombinant protein Pb27, a common protein to the both species Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and P. lutzii. The experiments were performed in vitro to determine the specificity, efficiency and detection limit of qPCR assay, using specific primers and probe, which sequences were subject to a patent deposited in Brazilian CTIT, under the registration number: BR1020160078830. According to the results the technique showed sensitivity of 94% and specificity of 100%, demonstrating that it will be possible to develop a new fast and safe diagnostic PCM and can be standardized in order to present a low cost, accessible to the patient served by the public health system in Brazil and Latin America.