RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: There is no standard definition of asthma for epidemiological purposes; most surveys use symptoms and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Few studies tested mannitol challenge test (MCT) in occupational settings. We sought to determine efficacy and safety of MCT in detecting subjects with asthma symptoms in the workplace. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study we recruited 908 workers in 2 universities; they underwent a respiratory questionnaire, spirometry, skin prick tests, and MCT. RESULTS: Eight hundred and eleven subjects completed the study; 11.1% had a positive MCT; 8.14% had asthma. MCT had low sensitivity (35.4-61.9%) but high specificity (90.2-94.9%) to detect symptomatic individuals. The most prevalent symptom was wheezing in the last 12 months. Twenty-four of those with a positive MCT (26.7%) had no positive replies to the questions on asthma symptoms. Among subjects with a positive MCT, 71.9% achieved 95% of baseline FEV1 after 15 minutes of salbutamol recovery treatment. Nine subjects (1.1%) had adverse events that prevented the test from being completed. CONCLUSIONS: MCT has high specificity but low sensitivity to detect symptomatic subjects in the workplace. It may detect subjects with hyperresponsiveness but no symptoms, who could be at risk of developing airway diseases. The test is safe and well tolerated.
Assuntos
Asma/diagnóstico , Asma/epidemiologia , Manitol/administração & dosagem , Local de Trabalho , Adulto , Animais , Animais de Laboratório/imunologia , Brasil/epidemiologia , Hiper-Reatividade Brônquica/diagnóstico , Testes de Provocação Brônquica/métodos , Estudos Transversais , Feminino , Humanos , Hipersensibilidade Imediata/diagnóstico , Hipersensibilidade Imediata/epidemiologia , Testes Intradérmicos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Exposição Ocupacional , Prevalência , Sensibilidade e Especificidade , Espirometria , UniversidadesRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Workers exposed to laboratory animals have a high risk of developing laboratory animal allergy (LAA). Atopy seems to be the main risk factor for LAA. We hypothesized that occupational sensitization is a better predictor for the development of asthma, rhinitis, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) than common sensitization. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between occupational sensitization to laboratory animals and clinical outcomes. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study performed at two universities on students and employees dealing with small rodents. The subjects were allocated in groups: non-sensitized, common sensitization, or occupational sensitization, according to the results of the skin prick test (SPT). All subjects answered a questionnaire about animal exposures, symptoms, allergic diseases, and underwent spirometry and bronchial challenge test with mannitol. Multivariate analysis was performed using Poisson regression to estimate the prevalence ratio (PR). RESULTS: Data from 453 volunteers were analysed. Non-sensitized group comprised 237 subjects; common sensitization group, 142 subjects; and occupational sensitization group, 74 subjects. Occupational sensitization was associated with greater risk for all outcomes studied. When the common sensitization group was reference, skin symptoms had PR of 1.36, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.85; wheezing had PR of 1.75, CI 95%: 1.21-2.53; rhinitis had PR of 1.25, 95%: 1.11-1.40; nocturnal dyspnoea had PR of 2.40, 95% CI: 1.31-4.40; bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) had PR of 2.47, 95% CI: 1.50-4.09; and confirmed asthma had PR of 2.65, 95% CI: 1.45-4.85. In addition, the overlap of asthma, rhinitis, and skin symptoms in a same subject was significantly more prevalent in the occupational sensitization group, 16.2% versus 4.9% in the common sensitization group. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Occupational sensitization is associated with allergic symptoms and respiratory diseases. SPT with occupational allergens along with other parameters may contribute to detection of risk for allergic and respiratory diseases associated with exposure to laboratory animals.
Assuntos
Alérgenos/imunologia , Animais de Laboratório , Asma/imunologia , Exposição Ocupacional , Rinite Alérgica/imunologia , Pele/imunologia , Pele/patologia , Adulto , Animais , Animais de Laboratório/imunologia , Asma/diagnóstico , Asma/epidemiologia , Feminino , Humanos , Imunização , Masculino , Exposição Ocupacional/efeitos adversos , Prevalência , Rinite Alérgica/diagnóstico , Rinite Alérgica/epidemiologia , Fatores de Risco , Testes Cutâneos , Inquéritos e Questionários , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Due to many physiological and genetic characteristic similarities to humans, squirrel monkeys provide an ideal animal model specifically for studying malaria, and transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease). While squirrel monkeys three years and older are generally considered adult subjects suitable for use in medical research studies, little is known about the functional properties of lymphocytes in relation to the age of these animals, which could significantly impact the quality and quantity of innate and adaptive immune responses. In this study, we investigated differences in the phenotype and function of lymphocytes subsets of young (3-4 years), adult (8-10 years) and aged (16-19 years) squirrel monkeys. In general, animals in all three age groups exhibited comparable numbers of different lymphocyte subsets except for CD20+ B cells that were significantly lower in aged relative to young animals and T cells subsets expressing both CD4 and CD8 (double positive) were significantly higher in aged relative to young animals. With increasing age, phenotypic differences in central and effector memory T cells subsets were observed, that were more pronounced for the CD8+ T cells. Despite equal proportions of CD3+ T cells among the three age groups, responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to T cell mitogens PHA and Con A showed lower IFN-γ producing cells in the aged group than that in the young group. Furthermore, aged animals showed significantly higher plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-10 and IL-12. These findings suggest that while the squirrel monkeys in general share phenotypic and functional similarities of lymphocyte subsets with humans in relation to age, specific differences exist in immune function of lymphocytes between young and old animals that could potentially impact experimental outcomes for which the measurement of immunologic endpoints are critical.
Assuntos
Linfócitos/fisiologia , Saimiri/imunologia , Imunidade Adaptativa , Fatores Etários , Animais , Animais de Laboratório/imunologia , Antígenos CD20/metabolismo , Bolívia , Citocinas/sangue , ELISPOT , Feminino , Imunidade Inata , Interferon gama/metabolismo , Linfócitos/citologia , Fenótipo , Saimiri/fisiologiaRESUMO
The Kilham rat virus (KRV) is a parvovirus originally isolated from a rat sarcoma in the late 1950s. The clinical signs associated with a natural KRV infection include foetal resorption in dams, runting, ataxia, cerebellar hypoplasia and jaundice in suckling rats, and sudden death, scrotal cyanosis, abdominal swelling and dehydration in juvenile rats. The ability of this virus to produce persistent infections has resulted in a high frequency of contamination of cell cultures and transplantable-tumor system. In addition, the virus may interfere with research in other ways. The remarkable resistance to environmental conditions determines the importance of the detection and control of this agent, especially in the laboratory animal production. This study determines the seroprevalence of Kilham antibodies from sera of adult rats from conventional facilities, using the haemagglutination inhibition test. The seroprevalence varied between 27.8% and 75%. This result confirms that the virus is circulating in Argentinean conventional facilities and might be interfering with research. The recognized Kilham virus may be prevented from supply sources by implementing a health monitoring schedule including a regular serological surveillance, and by keeping the animals under barrier systems.
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Animais de Laboratório/imunologia , Anticorpos Antivirais/sangue , Infecções por Parvoviridae/veterinária , Parvovirus/imunologia , Ratos/imunologia , Doenças dos Roedores/epidemiologia , Animais , Anticorpos Antivirais/imunologia , Argentina/epidemiologia , Testes de Inibição da Hemaglutinação , Infecções por Parvoviridae/epidemiologia , Infecções por Parvoviridae/imunologia , Infecções por Parvoviridae/virologia , Doenças dos Roedores/imunologia , Doenças dos Roedores/virologia , Estudos Soroepidemiológicos , Organismos Livres de Patógenos EspecíficosRESUMO
A enxertia alógena de nervo teve seu interesse renovado após o desenvolvimento de melhores drogas imunossupressoras. Neste trabalho estudou-se a enxertia alógena de nervo utilizando a técnica de planimetria por contagem de pontos.Foram considerados três grupos: Grupo A - ratos Lewis que receberam enxertos de nervo de doadores isogênicos; Grupo B - ratos Lewis que receberam enxertos de nervo de ratos doadores Brown-Norway e foram tratados com solução salina; Grupo C - ratos Lewis que receberam enxertos de nervo de ratos doadores Brown-Norway e foram tratados com ciclosporina. A regeneração neural foi avaliada por análise histológica e estudos histomorfométricos depois de 6 e 12 semanas. Com 6 semanas, a densidade de fibras neurais e a porcentagem de tecido neural no grupo de enxertos alógenos com imunossupressão (grupo C) era significativamente mais alta do que no grupo B. Os grupos de enxertos alógenos (grupo B e C) mostraram densidade menor de fibras de nervo e porcentagem de tecido neural que no grupo de enxerto autógeno (grupo A) tanto com 6 quanto com 12 semanas.O método de planimetria por contagem de pontos produziu resultados precisos e reprodutíveis.
PURPOSE: This paper was aimed to study nerve regeneration after allografting using conventional point counting technique. INTRODUCTION:The interest towards nerve allografting has been growing since the recent development of better immunosuppressant drugs. METHODS: Three groups were studied: Group A - Lewis rats receiving nerve grafts from isogenic donors; Group B - Lewis rats receiving nerve grafts from Brown-Norway donor rats and treated with saline solution; Group C - Lewis rats receiving nerve grafts from Brown-Norway donor rats and treated with cyclosporine. Nerve regeneration was evaluated by histological analysis and by histomorphometric studies after 6 and 12 weeks. RESULTS: At 6 weeks, nerve fiber density and the percentage of neural tissue in the immunosupressed allograft group (C) were significantly higher than in group B. Allograft groups (B and C) showed significantly lower nerve fibers density and percentage of neural tissue when compared to the autograft group A at 6 or 12 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the point counting method was simpler to use than the computerized model, and yielded accurate and reproducible results.
Assuntos
Animais , Ratos , Animais de Laboratório/imunologia , Tolerância Imunológica , Regeneração Nervosa , Nervo Isquiático/fisiologia , Ciclosporina/uso terapêutico , Técnicas Histológicas , Terapia de Imunossupressão , Transplante HomólogoRESUMO
The local induction of humoral immune response to Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites in the gut has not been studied. This work reports some of our recent studied. This work reports some of our recent studies aimed to induce optimal immune responses against E. histolytica in mice and to describe a novel approach for monitoring mucosal immune responses induced in the gastrointestinal tract and expressed locally and systemically. We have compared the kinetics of both mucosal and systemic primary antibody responses to E. histolytica in the Peyer's patches (PP) and the spleen in Balb/c mice after a single dose of glutaraldehyde fixed amebas (GFA) by intragastric (IG), rectal (R), and intraperitoneal (IP) routes. The number of antibody-secreting cells directed to E. histolytica was assessed by the technique of ELISPOT on mitrocellulose filters. The antibody response to E. histolytica was detected in both PP and spleen with the three routes, indicating that either mucosal or systemic stimulation by GFA generates both types of response. We also determined the total antibody response in entestinal fluids and the antibody secretions from spleen and PP cells in vitro and found differences between male and female mice
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Animais , Camundongos , Animais de Laboratório/imunologia , Antígenos , Relação Dose-Resposta Imunológica , Entamoeba histolytica/patogenicidade , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Testes SorológicosRESUMO
Revisión de la inmunoterapia de la leishmaniasis, los modelos en los animales de laboratorio, y los progresos recientes en la vacunación experimental. En los últimos años se han producido progresos importantes que han contribuido sustancialmente a clasificar el papel de las interleucinas y otros mediadores químicos en la respuesta inmunitaria. Todos estos hallazgos abren la puerta para la producción de vacunas mejores y más inmunogénicas que en un futuro cercano habrán de utilizarse ventajosam,ente en los humanos
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Humanos , Animais , Pré-Escolar , Camundongos , Imunidade Celular/imunologia , Leishmaniose/imunologia , Óxido Nítrico/imunologia , Psychodidae/imunologia , Animais de Laboratório/imunologia , Imunidade Celular/fisiologia , Leishmaniose/fisiopatologia , Óxido Nítrico/química , Psychodidae/patogenicidade , Vacinas Sintéticas/biossíntese , Vacinas Sintéticas/imunologiaRESUMO
1- During the past three years 35 experiments in inoculation with Mycobacterium leprae were undertaken on approximately 1500 animals. Total body irradiation and/or cortisone were used, in the hope of reducing host resistance. Because M. leprae in man grows best where the temperature is lower, the cooler parts of animals were inoculated. In all experiments, heat-treated inoculum was given to control animals. Histopathologic studies of the inoculation sites were made regularly. 2- Thirteen completed experiments on albino hamsters, white mice, white rats, hairless mice, and white guinea pigs have given negative results. 3- The histiocytic granulomatous lesions, in the testes and ears of the golden hamster approximately 18 months post inoculation, resembled human lepromatous leprosy in their histologic pattern, their number of intracellular acid-fast bacilli, and the presence of bacilli within nerves...
Assuntos
Animais de Laboratório/imunologia , Animais de Laboratório/microbiologia , Hanseníase/microbiologia , Hanseníase/patologia , Hanseníase/transmissão , Hanseníase/veterinária , Mesocricetus/microbiologia , Modelos Animais/imunologiaRESUMO
A number of monkeys have been fed on a diet of colocasia, and then inoculated with material from lepers. All four female monkeys, so treated six or more months ago, have developed symptoms similar to those seen in leprosy in humans. There have been positive bacteriological findings in nodules and changes in pigmentation of the skin. One animal developed thickening of the ulnar nerves. One male monkey has developed abcesses containing acid-fast bacilli as well as other sympstoms after being injected with a solution of sapotoxin in addition to the diet of colocasia
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Animais , Animais de Laboratório/imunologia , Animais de Laboratório/microbiologia , Hanseníase/microbiologia , Hanseníase/patologia , Hanseníase/transmissão , Hanseníase/veterinária , Mycobacterium leprae/isolamento & purificação , Mycobacterium leprae/patogenicidade , Carne de Porco , Macaca , Mesocricetus , Modelos AnimaisRESUMO
The experiments described include (1) the experimental production of granulomatous lesions suggestive of early lesions of leprosy in two species of monkeys by intradermal inoculation of human leprosy material; (2) the cultivation of acid-fast (presumably B. leprae) bacilli from human leprosy nodules on several artificial mediums in various gaseous environments; and (3) the experimental production of granulomatous lesions, suggestive of early leprosy, in two species of monkeys by the intradermal inoculation of cultures of acid-fast bacilli from human leprosy material grown on artificial mediums. We believe the experiments indicate a step forward in the fulfillment of Koch's postulates for the causative agent in the disease of leprosy