RESUMO
Belize, hosting one of the British Army's overseas training areas, provides access to challenging terrain and austere environments, which allows the delivery of training to soldiers on survival and combat within the jungle environment. A 26-year-old infanteer on exercise in Belize presented with progressive bilateral dry, painful, oedematous hands, secondary to the harsh environmental conditions of the jungle and inadequate drying of his hands resulting in his inability to perform his combat duties. The symptoms completely resolved with drying, emollient application and analgesia. While there are no reported cases of immersion hand, comparisons can be made with the well-reported warm weather immersion foot. This case highlights the importance of force preparation and soldier education for units deploying to the jungle. Simple preventive measures, including adequate 'wet-dry' drills and use of emollients can reduce the prevalence of immersion hand, a preventable condition, which can have a significant impact on the overall combat effectiveness of the unit.
Assuntos
Mãos/fisiopatologia , Militares , Doenças Profissionais/fisiopatologia , Dermatopatias/fisiopatologia , Clima Tropical/efeitos adversos , Adulto , Belize , Humanos , Masculino , Reino UnidoRESUMO
Mitochondrial genome sequences are widely used as molecular markers for phylogenetic studies of mosquito species complexes, such as the Anopheles albitarsis complex. Except for a few studies that employed a limited number of nuclear or mitochondrial loci to address the genetic structure and species status of Anopheles cruzii, Anopheles bellator, and Anopheles homunculus, little is known about genetic markers that can be employed in studies focusing on Kerteszia species. The complete mitochondrial genomes of seven specimens of An. bellator, An. cruzii, An. homunculus, and Anopheles laneanus were sequenced using long-range polymerase chain reaction and Illumina sequencing. The mitochondrial genomes varied from 15,446 to 15,738 bp in length and contained 37 genes (13 protein-encoding genes, 2 rRNA genes [12S rRNA and 16S rRNA] and 22 tRNA genes), and the AT-rich control region, as all do other Anopheles mitochondrial genomes sequenced to date. Specimens from four populations of An. cruzii showed differences in codon composition.
Assuntos
Anopheles/genética , Genoma de Inseto , Genoma Mitocondrial , Animais , Brasil , Feminino , Masculino , Análise de Sequência de DNARESUMO
Expulsion of adult Nippostrongylus brasiliensis worms from the small intestine is profoundly impaired in signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)6-deficient mice. IL-5 transgenic (Tg) mice with constitutive eosinophilia show profound early resistance in the skin and/or later pre-lung phase of primary infections with N. brasiliensis. This study was designed to assess the importance of the eosinophil chemokine eotaxin and the STAT6/interleukin (IL)-4/IL-13 signalling pathway in early resistance to N. brasiliensis. Eosinophil recruitment into the skin following injection of N. brasiliensis larvae was reduced in STAT6- or eotaxin-deficient/IL-5 Tg double mutant mice. While ablation of eotaxin did not impair resistance in the pre-lung phase of N. brasiliensis infections in IL-5 Tg mice, elimination of STAT6 caused a modest reduction in resistance in both primary and secondary infections on this genetic background. STAT6(-/-)-, IL-13(-/-)- and IL-4Ralpha(-/-)-deficient single mutant and IL-13(-/-)/IL-4Ralpha(-/-) double mutant mice were more susceptible than WT mice during the pre-lung phase of secondary N. brasiliensis infections. In contrast, primary or secondary resistance were unaffected at either the pre-lung or gut stages of infection in eotaxin(-/-) single mutant mice. STAT6(-/-) and eotaxin(-/-) mice with or without the IL-5 transgene, were no more susceptible than WT or IL-5 Tg mice to protracted primary infections with Heligmosomoides bakeri, a parasitic nematode that is restricted to the gut. Our data suggest that parasitic nematodes that transit through the skin and lungs en route to the gut may be susceptible to early (pre-lung) innate and adaptive immune mechanisms that are dependent on the STAT6/IL-4/IL-13 signalling pathway, and this may be important for the development of effective therapies and vaccines.
Assuntos
Quimiocina CCL11/fisiologia , Eosinófilos/metabolismo , Heligmosomatoidea/fisiologia , Nippostrongylus/fisiologia , Fator de Transcrição STAT6/fisiologia , Transdução de Sinais/fisiologia , Animais , Quimiocina CCL11/deficiência , Quimiocina CCL11/genética , Eosinófilos/citologia , Eosinófilos/parasitologia , Fezes/parasitologia , Feminino , Interações Hospedeiro-Parasita , Imunidade Inata , Interleucina-5/genética , Interleucina-5/metabolismo , Interleucina-5/fisiologia , Mucosa Intestinal/metabolismo , Intestinos/parasitologia , Larva/fisiologia , Pulmão/metabolismo , Pulmão/parasitologia , Masculino , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos BALB C , Camundongos Endogâmicos CBA , Camundongos Knockout , Camundongos Transgênicos , Contagem de Ovos de Parasitas , Receptores de Superfície Celular/deficiência , Receptores de Superfície Celular/genética , Receptores de Superfície Celular/fisiologia , Fator de Transcrição STAT6/deficiência , Fator de Transcrição STAT6/genética , Pele/metabolismo , Pele/parasitologiaRESUMO
Nucleotide sequence analyses of the SH gene of 18 mumps virus isolates collected in the 2006-2007 parotitis epidemic in the state of São Paulo identified a new genotype, designated genotype M. This new designation fulfills all the parameters required to define a new mumps virus genotype. The parameters were established by an expert panel in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2005. This information will enhance the mumps virus surveillance program both at the national and global levels.
Assuntos
Vírus da Caxumba/classificação , Vírus da Caxumba/genética , Caxumba/virologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Brasil/epidemiologia , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Feminino , Genótipo , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Caxumba/epidemiologia , Vírus da Caxumba/isolamento & purificação , RNA Viral/genética , Análise de Sequência de DNA , Proteínas ViraisRESUMO
Clinical and experimental investigations suggest that allergen-specific CD4+ T-cells, IgE and the cytokines IL-4 and IL-5 play central roles in initiating and sustaining an asthmatic response by regulating the recruitment and/or activation of airways mast cells and eosinophils. IL-5 plays a unique role in eosinophil development and activation and has been strongly implicated in the aetiology of asthma. The present paper summarizes our recent investigations on the role of these cytokines using cytokine knockout mice and a mouse aeroallergen model. Investigations in IL-5-/-mice indicate that this cytokine is critical for regulating aeroallergen-induced eosinophilia, the onset of lung damage and airways hyperreactivity during allergic airways inflammation. While IL-4 and allergen-specific IgE play important roles in the regulation of allergic disease, recent investigations in IL-4-/- mice suggest that allergic airways inflammation can occur via pathways which operate independently of these molecules. Activation of these IL-4 independent pathways are also intimately associated with CD4+ T-cells, IL-5 signal transduction and eosinophilic inflammation. Such IL-5 regulated pathways may also play a substantive role in the aetiology of asthma. Thus, evidence is now emerging that allergic airways disease is regulated by humoral and cell mediated processes. The central role of IL-5 in both components of allergic disease highlights the requirements for highly specific therapeutic agents which inhibit the production or action of this cytokine.
Assuntos
Asma/imunologia , Eosinofilia/imunologia , Eosinófilos/fisiologia , Mediadores da Inflamação/fisiologia , Interleucina-4/fisiologia , Interleucina-5/fisiologia , Animais , Linfócitos T CD4-Positivos/fisiologia , Mastócitos/fisiologia , Camundongos , Camundongos KnockoutRESUMO
Eosinophil recruitment is a characteristic feature of a number of pathological conditions and was the topic of the recent International Symposium on allergic inflammation, asthma, parasitic and infectious diseases (Rio de Janeiro, June 3-5, 1996). Since interleukin-5 (IL-5) is believed to regulate the growth, differentiation and activation of eosinophils (Coffman et al. 1989, Sanderson 1992), the role of eosinophils and IL-5 are closely linked. Although IL-5 specifically regulates eosinophilia in vivo and this is its most well established activity, it is becoming clear that IL-5 also has other biological effects. The recent derivation of an IL-5 deficient mouse (Kopf et al. 1996), provides a model for exploring not only the role of IL-5 and eosinophils but also other novel activities of IL-5. Of note is that although the IL-5 deficient mice cannot elicit a pronounced eosinophilia in response to inflammatory stimulation following aeroallergen challenge or parasite infection they still produce basal levels of eosinophils that appear to be morphologically and functionally normal. However, the basal levels of eosinophils appear insufficient for normal host defense as IL-5 deficiency has now been shown to compromise defense against several helminth infections. In addition, IL-5 deficient mice appear to have functional deficiencies in B-1 B lymphocytes and in IgA production.
Assuntos
Eosinófilos/fisiologia , Interleucina-5/fisiologia , Animais , Linfócitos B , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Imunoglobulina A , Camundongos , Camundongos Knockout , Doenças Parasitárias/imunologiaRESUMO
A term infant had a life-threatening inferior venal caval thrombosis during the first 24 hours of life. The plasma from the infant and his mother was found to be resistant to activated protein C and to be heterozygous for the factor V mutation (FV Leiden) associated with this disorder. The presence of this hereditary disorder should be considered in infants with thrombosis and in infants with conditions predisposing them to thrombosis.