RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Tropomyosin has been described as cross-reacting allergen between mite, cockroach and shrimp. METHODS: In 13 patients with asthma and/or rhinitis sensitized to mite and/or German cockroach and presenting urticaria, oral allergy syndrome or angio-edema upon eating shrimp and/or crab, we measured specific IgE to mite, cockroach, crab and shrimp tropomyosin. RESULTS: Ten patients had specific IgE to tropomyosin from mite, 8 from shrimp, 6 from crab and 5 from cockroach. AST inhibition tests indicated that mite allergen is a primary sensitizer and is cross-reacting with shrimp, crab and cockroach allergens. CONCLUSION: Tropomyosin could be the cross-reacting allergen relevant for clinical symptoms to mite, cockroach, shrimp and crab.
Assuntos
Baratas/imunologia , Hipersensibilidade Alimentar/imunologia , Hipersensibilidade/imunologia , Pyroglyphidae/imunologia , Tropomiosina/imunologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Animais , Braquiúros/química , Braquiúros/imunologia , Criança , Baratas/química , Feminino , Humanos , Imunoglobulina E/sangue , Masculino , Martinica , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Penaeidae/química , Penaeidae/imunologia , Pyroglyphidae/química , Teste de Radioalergoadsorção , Testes CutâneosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: We report the case of a road worker with a food allergy to banana, who developed urticaria and rhinitis when cutting shrubs of Ficus benjamina and breadfruit. He did not develop an allergy to latex of Hevea brasiliensis. RESULTS: Sensitization to latex of F. benjamina, H. brasiliensis, breadfruit and banana was demonstrated using skin tests and specific IgE measurements. RAST inhibitions procedures showed that specific IgE to breadfruit latex cross-reacted more strongly with latex of H. brasiliensis and banana than with latex of F. benjamina with the same extract. CONCLUSION: Given the wide distribution of Moracea trees in tropical regions, sensitization to latex of H. brasiliensis and banana could be a consequence of sensitization to Moracea members; F. benjamina does not seem to be the only Moracea responsible for cross-allergy with latex and fruit. Consequently, it seems interesting to test other members of the Moracea family in patients sensitized to latex of H. brasiliensis and banana. Sensitization to breadfruit could be a risk factor for sensitization to latex of H. brasiliensis.
Assuntos
Hipersensibilidade Alimentar/imunologia , Frutas/efeitos adversos , Hipersensibilidade ao Látex/imunologia , Doenças Profissionais/imunologia , Plantas/efeitos adversos , Rinite Alérgica Perene/imunologia , Urticária/imunologia , Zingiberales/efeitos adversos , Adulto , Angioedema/etiologia , Angioedema/imunologia , Reações Cruzadas , Dermatite Ocupacional/etiologia , Dermatite Ocupacional/imunologia , Hipersensibilidade Alimentar/etiologia , Frutas/imunologia , Humanos , Imunoglobulina E/imunologia , Látex/imunologia , Hipersensibilidade ao Látex/epidemiologia , Masculino , Martinica , Doenças Profissionais/etiologia , Plantas/imunologia , Teste de Radioalergoadsorção , Rinite Alérgica Perene/etiologia , Fatores de Risco , Testes Cutâneos , Árvores/imunologia , Urticária/etiologia , Zingiberales/imunologiaRESUMO
Viral hepatitis constitutes a major health issue, with high prevalence among injecting drug users (IDUs). The present study assessed the prevalence and risk determinants for hepatitis B, C and D viruses (HBV, HCV and HDV) infections among 102 IDUs from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Serological markers and HCV-RNA were detected by enzyme immunoassay and nested PCR, respectively. HCV genotyping was determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (RFLP). HBsAg, anti-HBc and anti-HBs were found in 7.8, 55.8 and 24.7 percent of IDUs, respectively. In the final logistic regression, HBV infection was independently associated with male homosexual intercourse within the last 5 years (odds ratio (OR) 3.1; 95 percent confidence interval (CI) 1.1-8.8). No subject presented anti-delta (anti-HD). Anti-HCV was detected in 69.6 percent of subjects, and was found to be independently associated with needle sharing in the last 6 months (OR 3.4; 95 percent CI 1.3-9.2) and with longer duration of iv drug use (OR 3.1; 95 percent CI 1.1-8.7). These data demonstrate that this population is at high risk for both HBV and HCV infection. Among IDUs from Rio de Janeiro, unprotected sexual intercourse seems to be more closely associated with HBV infection, whereas HCV is positively correlated with high risk injecting behavior. Comprehensive public health interventions targeting this population and their sexual partners must be encouraged
Assuntos
Humanos , Feminino , Adulto , Hepatite B/epidemiologia , Hepatite C/epidemiologia , Hepatite D/epidemiologia , Abuso de Substâncias por Via Intravenosa/epidemiologia , Brasil/epidemiologia , Estudos Epidemiológicos , Genótipo , Prevalência , Fatores de Risco , Comportamento Sexual , Fatores SocioeconômicosRESUMO
Viral hepatitis constitutes a major health issue, with high prevalence among injecting drug users (IDUs). The present study assessed the prevalence and risk determinants for hepatitis B, C and D viruses (HBV, HCV and HDV) infections among 102 IDUs from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Serological markers and HCV-RNA were detected by enzyme immunoassay and nested PCR, respectively. HCV genotyping was determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (RFLP). HBsAg, anti-HBc and anti-HBs were found in 7.8, 55.8 and 24. 7% of IDUs, respectively. In the final logistic regression, HBV infection was independently associated with male homosexual intercourse within the last 5 years (odds ratio (OR) 3.1; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-8.8). No subject presented anti-delta (anti-HD). Anti-HCV was detected in 69.6% of subjects, and was found to be independently associated with needle sharing in the last 6 months (OR 3.4; 95% CI 1.3-9.2) and with longer duration of iv drug use (OR 3.1; 95% CI 1.1-8.7). These data demonstrate that this population is at high risk for both HBV and HCV infection. Among IDUs from Rio de Janeiro, unprotected sexual intercourse seems to be more closely associated with HBV infection, whereas HCV is positively correlated with high risk injecting behavior. Comprehensive public health interventions targeting this population and their sexual partners must be encouraged.
Assuntos
Hepatite B/epidemiologia , Hepatite C/epidemiologia , Hepatite D/epidemiologia , Abuso de Substâncias por Via Intravenosa/epidemiologia , Adulto , Brasil/epidemiologia , Estudos Epidemiológicos , Feminino , Genótipo , Hepatite B/complicações , Hepatite C/complicações , Hepatite D/complicações , Humanos , Masculino , Prevalência , Fatores de Risco , Fatores Socioeconômicos , Abuso de Substâncias por Via Intravenosa/complicaçõesRESUMO
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is widespread and responsible for more than 60% of chronic hepatitis cases. HCV presents a genetic variability which has led to viral classification into at least 6 genotypes and a series of subtypes. These variants present characteristic geographical distribution, but their association with different responses to treatment with interferon and severity of disease still remains controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the patterns of distribution of HCV genotypes among different exposure categories in Brazil. Two hundred and fifty anti-HCV positive samples were submitted to HCV-RNA detection by RT-PCR and their genotype was determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. In addition, the genotype/subtype of 60 samples was also determined by a reverse hybridization assay. HCV 1 was the most prevalent (72.0%), followed by type 3 (25.3%), HCV 2 (2.0%) and HCV 4 (0.7%). The HCV genotype distribution varied among the different exposure categories, with HCV 1 being more frequent among blood donors, hemophiliacs and hemodialysis patients. A high frequency of HCV 3 was observed in cirrhotic patients, blood donors from the South of Brazil and injecting drug users (IDUs). The general distribution of the HCV genotype in Brazil is similar to that in other regions of the world.
Assuntos
Hepacivirus/genética , Anticorpos Anti-Hepatite C/sangue , Doadores de Sangue , Brasil , Genótipo , Hepacivirus/classificação , Hepatite C/epidemiologia , Humanos , Polimorfismo de Fragmento de Restrição , RNA Viral/sangue , Transcrição GênicaRESUMO
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is widespread and responsible for more than 60 percent of chronic hepatitis cases. HCV presents a genetic variability which has led to viral classification into at least 6 genotypes and a series of subtypes. These variants present characteristic geographical distribution, but their association with different responses to treatment with interferon and severity of disease still remains controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the patterns of distribution of HCV genotypes among different exposure categories in Brazil. Two hundred and fifty anti-HCV positive samples were submitted to HCV-RNA detection by RT-PCR and their genotype was determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. In addition, the genotype/subtype of 60 samples was also determined by a reverse hybridization assay. HCV 1 was the most prevalent (72.0 percent), followed by type 3 (25.3 percent), HCV 2 (2.0 percent) and HCV 4 (0.7 percent). The HCV genotype distribution varied among the different exposure categories, with HCV 1 being more frequent among blood donors, hemophiliacs and hemodialysis patients. A high frequency of HCV 3 was observed in cirrhotic patients, blood donors from the South of Brazil and injecting drug users (IDUs). The general distribution of the HCV genotype in Brazil is similar to that in other regions of the world
Assuntos
Humanos , Hepacivirus/genética , Anticorpos Anti-Hepatite C/sangue , Doadores de Sangue , Brasil , Genótipo , Hepacivirus/classificação , Hepatite C/epidemiologia , Polimorfismo de Fragmento de Restrição , RNA Viral/sangue , Transcrição GênicaRESUMO
In recent years a variety of studies have been carried out to compare the accuracy (generally expressed in terms of sensitivity and specificity) of commercially available anti-HTLV tests. None of these studies were performed in Brazil or in any other South American country. During the characterization of our Brazilian reference panel we evaluated the sensitivities and specificities of the Abbott HTLV EIA (100%; 89.7%) and the Biochrom HTLV-1/-2 ELISA (100%; 42.4%). Our conclusion was that both assays may be problematic in terms of correctly identifying HTLV-negative sera. We therefore adjusted the cut-off values using receiver operating characteristics (ROC). ROC analysis, which involves calculating sensitivity and specificity for several cut-off values, can be used to ascertain the co-variation in the specificity and sensitivity of any assay giving quantitative results. The optimum cut-off value for the assay in a given study population is the point that gives highest possible sensitivity in conjunction with a small false-positive fraction. Using the HTLV-1/-2 Western blot as the "gold standard", we were able to improve the specificity of the Biochrom HTLV-1/-2 assay to 95% without affecting its sensitivity of 100%. However, it seems that when using the Biochrom HTLV-1/-2 ELISA, there may be problems in separating positive and negative sera. In the case of the Abbott HTLV EIA, our ROC analysis revealed that the cut-off value suggested by the manufacturer was nearly identical to the optimum cut-off value. Adjustment will affect neither sensitivity nor specificity. However, a slight adjustment of the cut-off value result in a clearer separation of the positive and negative populations. Furthermore, we assume that this adjustment will help to avoid false-positive results when larger serum panels are investigated. Further investigations will show whether or not this problem is linked to the geographical regions where the test is performed (e.g. polyclonal stimulation due to parasitic infections in tropical countries).