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Lozano KJG, Gonçalves Santos E, Vilas Boas DF, Oliveira RRG, Diniz LF, Benedetti MD, Carneiro CM, C Bandeira L, Faria G, Gonçalves RV, Novaes RD, Caldas S, Caldas IS. Schistosoma mansoni co-infection modulates Chagas disease development but does not impair the effect of benznidazole-based chemotherapy. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 128:111467. [PMID: 38211479 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.111467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
The adequate management of parasite co-infections represents a challenge that has not yet been overcome, especially considering that the pathological outcomes and responses to treatment are poorly understood. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of Schistosoma mansoni infection on the efficacy of benznidazole (BZN)-based chemotherapy in Trypanosoma cruzi co-infected mice. BALB/c mice were maintained uninfected or co-infected with S. mansoni and T. cruzi, and were untreated or treated with BZN. Body weight, mortality, parasitemia, cardiac parasitism, circulating cytokines (Th1/Th2/Th17); as well as heart, liver and intestine microstructure were analyzed. The parasitemia peak was five times higher and myocarditis was more severe in co-infected than T. cruzi-infected mice. After reaching peak, parasitemia was effectively controlled in co-infected animals. BZN successfully controlled parasitemia in both co-infected and T. cruzi-infected mice and improved body mass, cardiac parasitism, myocarditis and survival in co-infected mice. Co-infection dampened the typical cytokine response to either parasite, and BZN reduced anti-inflammatory cytokines in co-infected mice. Despite BZN normalizing splenomegaly and liver cellular infiltration, it exacerbated hepatomegaly in co-infected mice. Co-infection or BZN exerted no effect on hepatic granulomas, but increased pulmonary and intestinal granulomas. Marked granulomatous inflammation was identified in the small intestine of all schistosomiasis groups. Taken together, our findings indicate that BZN retains its therapeutic efficacy against T. cruzi infection even in the presence of S. mansoni co-infection, but with organ-specific repercussions, especially in the liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly J G Lozano
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Federal University of Alfenas, 37130-001, Alfenas, MG, Brazil
| | - Elda Gonçalves Santos
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Federal University of Alfenas, 37130-001, Alfenas, MG, Brazil
| | - Diego F Vilas Boas
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Federal University of Alfenas, 37130-001, Alfenas, MG, Brazil
| | - Raphaela R G Oliveira
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Federal University of Alfenas, 37130-001, Alfenas, MG, Brazil
| | - Lívia F Diniz
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Federal University of Alfenas, 37130-001, Alfenas, MG, Brazil
| | - Monique D Benedetti
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Federal University of Alfenas, 37130-001, Alfenas, MG, Brazil
| | - Cláudia M Carneiro
- Laboratory of Immunopathology, Nucleus of Biological Sciences Research, Federal University, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil
| | - Lorena C Bandeira
- Laboratory of Immunopathology, Nucleus of Biological Sciences Research, Federal University, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil
| | - Gilson Faria
- Department of Research and Development., Ezequiel Dias Foundation, 30510-010, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Reggiani V Gonçalves
- Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-900, MG, Brazil
| | - Rômulo D Novaes
- Department of Structural Biology, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas 37130-000, MG, Brazil
| | - Sérgio Caldas
- Department of Research and Development., Ezequiel Dias Foundation, 30510-010, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Ivo S Caldas
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Federal University of Alfenas, 37130-001, Alfenas, MG, Brazil.
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de Souza Andrade A, Freitas EF, de Castro Barbosa E, Guimarães N, de Melo Iani FC, da Costa AVB, Bernardes AFL, Adelino TER, Ataide ACZ, Gregianini TS, Nunes JD, Stringari LL, Riediger IN, Fernandes SB, de Jesus R, Fonseca V, Caldas S. Potential use of high-resolution melting analyses for SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance. J Virol Methods 2023; 317:114742. [PMID: 37116586 PMCID: PMC10132831 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2023.114742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
The pandemic caused by COVID-19 and the emergence of new variants of SARS-CoV-2 have generated clinical and epidemiological impacts on a global scale. The use of strategies for monitoring viral circulation and identifying mutations in genomic regions involved in host interaction are important measures to mitigate viral dissemination and reduce its likely complications on population health. In this context, the objective of this work was to explore the potential of high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis combined with one-step real-time reverse transcription PCR in a closed-tube system, as a fast and convenient method of screening for SARS-CoV-2 mutations with possible implications on host-pathogen interactions. The HRM analyses allowed the distinction of the Gamma, Zeta, Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants against the predecessors (B.1.1.28, B.1.1.33) of occurrence in Brazil. It is concluded that the molecular tool standardized here has the potential to optimize the genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2, and could be adapted for genomic surveillance of other pathogens, due to its ability to detect, prior to sequencing, samples suggestive of new variants, selecting them more assertively and earlier for whole genome sequencing when compared to random screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana de Souza Andrade
- Serviço de Pesquisa em Doenças Infecciosas, Divisão de Ciência e Inovação, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Eduarda Fernandes Freitas
- Serviço de Pesquisa em Doenças Infecciosas, Divisão de Ciência e Inovação, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Emerson de Castro Barbosa
- Serviço de Pesquisa em Doenças Infecciosas, Divisão de Ciência e Inovação, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Serviço de Virologia e Riquetsioses, Divisão de Epidemiologia e Controle de Doenças, Laboratório Central do Estado de Minas Gerais, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Natália Guimarães
- Serviço de Virologia e Riquetsioses, Divisão de Epidemiologia e Controle de Doenças, Laboratório Central do Estado de Minas Gerais, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Felipe Campos de Melo Iani
- Serviço de Virologia e Riquetsioses, Divisão de Epidemiologia e Controle de Doenças, Laboratório Central do Estado de Minas Gerais, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Alana Vitor Barbosa da Costa
- Serviço de Virologia e Riquetsioses, Divisão de Epidemiologia e Controle de Doenças, Laboratório Central do Estado de Minas Gerais, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - André Felipe Leal Bernardes
- Serviço de Virologia e Riquetsioses, Divisão de Epidemiologia e Controle de Doenças, Laboratório Central do Estado de Minas Gerais, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Talita Emile Ribeiro Adelino
- Serviço de Virologia e Riquetsioses, Divisão de Epidemiologia e Controle de Doenças, Laboratório Central do Estado de Minas Gerais, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Ana Caroline Zampiroli Ataide
- Serviço de Pesquisa em Doenças Infecciosas, Divisão de Ciência e Inovação, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Tatiana Schäffer Gregianini
- Laboratório de Influenza e outros Vírus Respiratórios, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Dengue, Febre Amarela, Zika e Chikungunya, Seção de Virologia. Laboratório Central do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Jônathas Dias Nunes
- Laboratório Central Noel Nutels. Laboratório Central do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Lorenzzo L Stringari
- Laboratório Central de Saúde Pública do Estado do Espírito Santo, Secretaria de Estado de Saúde do Espírito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil; Núcleo de Doenças Infecciosas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil
| | - Irina Nastassja Riediger
- Divisão dos Laboratórios de Epidemiologia e Controle de Doenças, Laboratório Central do Estado do Paraná, São José dos Pinhais, PR, Brazil
| | | | - Ronaldo de Jesus
- Coordenação-Geral de Laboratórios de Saúde Pública, Ministério da Saúde, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil; Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Vagner Fonseca
- Organização Pan-Americana da Saúde/Organização Mundial da Saúde, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Sérgio Caldas
- Serviço de Pesquisa em Doenças Infecciosas, Divisão de Ciência e Inovação, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
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de Castro Barbosa E, de Souza Andrade A, Duarte MM, Faria G, de Melo Iani FC, Ataide ACZ, Cunha LM, Duarte CG, Fialho SL, Caldas S. Influence of SARS-CoV-2 inactivation by different chemical reagents on the humoral response evaluated in a murine model. Mol Immunol 2022; 147:199-208. [PMID: 35644072 PMCID: PMC9125173 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2022.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Viral inactivation for antibody induction purposes, among other applications, should ensure biosafety, completely avoiding the risk of infectivity, and preserving viral immunogenicity. β-propiolactone (BPL) is one of the most used reagents for viral inactivation, despite its high toxicity and recent difficulties related to importation, experienced in Brazil during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. In this context, the main objectives of this work were to test different inactivation procedures for SARS-CoV-2 and to evaluate the induction of neutralizing antibodies in mice immunized with antigenic preparations obtained after viral treatment with formaldehyde (FDE), glutaraldehyde (GDE), peroxide hydrogen (H2O2), as well as with viral proteins extract (VPE), in parallel with BPL. Verification of viral inactivation was performed by subsequent incubations of the inactivated virus in Vero cells, followed by cytopathic effect and lysis plaques observation, as well as by quantification of RNA load using reverse transcription-quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction. Once viral inactivation was confirmed, cell culture supernatants were concentrated and purified. In addition, an aliquot inactivated by BPL was also subjected to viral protein extraction (VPE). The different antigens were prepared using a previously developed microemulsion as adjuvant, and were administered in a four-dose immunization protocol. Antibody production was comparatively evaluated by ELISA and Plaque Reduction Neutralization Tests (PRNT). All immunogens evaluated showed some level of IgG anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the ELISA assay, with the highest levels presented by the group immunized with FDE-inactivated viral antigen. In the PRNT results, except for VPE-antigen, all other immunogens evaluated induced some level of neutralizing anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, and the FDE-antigen stood out again with the most expressive values. Taken together, the present work shows that FDE can be an efficient and affordable alternative to BPL for the production of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 viral antigen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emerson de Castro Barbosa
- Serviço de Biotecnologia e Saúde, Diretoria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30510010, Brazil,Serviço de Virologia e Riquetsioses, Diretoria do Instituto Octávio Magalhães, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Adriana de Souza Andrade
- Serviço de Biotecnologia e Saúde, Diretoria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30510010, Brazil
| | - Myrian Morato Duarte
- Serviço de Virologia e Riquetsioses, Diretoria do Instituto Octávio Magalhães, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Gilson Faria
- Serviço de Biotecnologia e Saúde, Diretoria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30510010, Brazil
| | - Felipe Campos de Melo Iani
- Serviço de Virologia e Riquetsioses, Diretoria do Instituto Octávio Magalhães, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Ana Caroline Zampiroli Ataide
- Serviço de Biotecnologia e Saúde, Diretoria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30510010, Brazil
| | - Lucas Maciel Cunha
- Diretoria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Clara Guerra Duarte
- Serviço de Toxinologia Molecular, Diretoria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Sílvia Ligorio Fialho
- Serviço de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico Farmacêutico, Diretoria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Sérgio Caldas
- Serviço de Biotecnologia e Saúde, Diretoria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30510010, Brazil.
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Gonçalves KR, Mazzeti AL, Nascimento AFDS, Castro-Lacerda In Memory JM, Nogueira-Paiva NC, Mathias FAS, Reis AB, Caldas S, Bahia MT. The entrance route: Oral, mucous, cutaneous, or systemic has a marked influence on the outcome of Trypanosoma cruzi experimental infection. Acta Trop 2022; 234:106581. [PMID: 35779591 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In recent decades, the oral infection of Trypanosoma cruzi has gathered increased attention due to frequent outbreaks that can lead to more severe clinical signs than those usually found in the areas of vector transmission. This study addresses the main routes of infection using metacyclic trypomastigotes (MT) and blood trypomastigotes (BT). Herein, BALB/c mice were infected with the Colombian (TcI) strain via intraperitoneal (IP), oral, intragastric (IG), ocular (OC) and cutaneous (CT) routes with 106 culture-derived MT or BT. Parasitemia was intermittent and low in animals inoculated with MT, in contrast, high parasitemia levels were found in BT-mice. A tropism for the muscles was observed in oral or IG infection with BT. Differently, the parasite was widely distributed in the tissues of mice infected with MT. However, the intensity of the inflammation infiltrating the tissues was higher in oral or IG infection with BT. Animals inoculated with BT via the IG route had similar serum levels of IFN-γ and smaller IL-10 compared to those infected with MT via the IG route. TNF-α levels were higher in the serum from BT-animals, which could explain the higher intensity of heart inflammation in these animals. Our results suggest that the infective form and the route of infection differentially modulated the outcome of Trypanosoma cruzi mice infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Ribeiro Gonçalves
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Universitário, Morro do Cruzeiro - Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
| | - Ana Lia Mazzeti
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365 Rio de Janeiro, Brasil; Laboratório de Parasitologia Aplicada, Universidade Estadual de Minas Gerais - Unidade Passos, Av. Juca Stockler, 1130 Passos, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Alvaro Fernando da Silva Nascimento
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Universitário, Morro do Cruzeiro - Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Jéssica Mara Castro-Lacerda In Memory
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Universitário, Morro do Cruzeiro - Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Nívia Carolina Nogueira-Paiva
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Universitário, Morro do Cruzeiro - Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Fernando Augusto Siqueira Mathias
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Universitário, Morro do Cruzeiro - Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil; Laboratório de Informática de Biossistemas e Genômica, Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Augusto de Lima, 1715 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Alexandre Barbosa Reis
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Universitário, Morro do Cruzeiro - Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Sérgio Caldas
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Universitário, Morro do Cruzeiro - Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil; Serviço de Biotecnologia e Saúde, Diretoria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Rua Conde Pereira Carneiro, 80 - Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Maria Terezinha Bahia
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Universitário, Morro do Cruzeiro - Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil
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Iani FCDM, Caetano ACB, Cocovich JCW, Amâncio FF, Pereira MA, Adelino TÉR, Caldas S, Silva MVF, Pereira GDC, Duarte MM. Dengue diagnostics: serious inaccuracies are likely to occur if pre-analytical conditions are not strictly followed. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2021; 115:e200287. [PMID: 33533869 PMCID: PMC7849175 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760200287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The heat-labile nature of Dengue virus (DENV) in serum samples must be considered when applying routine diagnostic tests to avoid issues that could impact the accuracy of test results with direct implications for case management and disease reporting. OBJECTIVES To check if pre-analytical variables, such as storage time and temperature, have an impact on the accuracy of the main routine diagnostic tests for dengue. METHODS Virus isolation, reverse transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and NS1 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were evaluated using 84 samples submitted to different pre-analytical conditions. FINDINGS Sensitivity and negative predictive value were directly affected by sample storage conditions. RT-PCR and virus isolation showed greater dependence on well-conserved samples for an accurate diagnosis. Interestingly, even storage at -30ºC for a relatively short time (15 days) was not adequate for accurate results using virus isolation and RT-PCR tests. On the other hand, NS1 ELISA showed no significant reduction in positivity for aliquots tested under the same conditions as in the previous tests. MAIN CONCLUSIONS Our results support the stability of the NS1 marker in ELISA diagnosis and indicate that the accuracy of routine tests such as virus isolation and RT-PCR is significantly affected by inadequate transport and storage conditions of serum samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Campos de Melo Iani
- Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Diretoria do Instituto Octávio Magalhães, Serviço de Virologia e Riquetsioses, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | | | | | - Frederico Figueiredo Amâncio
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Faculdade de Medicina, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Maira Alves Pereira
- Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Diretoria do Instituto Octávio Magalhães, Serviço de Virologia e Riquetsioses, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Talita Émile Ribeiro Adelino
- Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Diretoria do Instituto Octávio Magalhães, Serviço de Virologia e Riquetsioses, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Sérgio Caldas
- Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Diretoria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Serviço de Biotecnologia e Saúde, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Marcos Vinícius Ferreira Silva
- Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Diretoria do Instituto Octávio Magalhães, Serviço de Virologia e Riquetsioses, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Glauco de Carvalho Pereira
- Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Diretoria do Instituto Octávio Magalhães, Serviço de Virologia e Riquetsioses, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Myrian Morato Duarte
- Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Diretoria do Instituto Octávio Magalhães, Serviço de Virologia e Riquetsioses, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
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Pedrosa MC, Borges MAZ, Eiras ÁE, Caldas S, Cecílio AB, Brito MF, Ribeiro SP. Invasion of Tropical Montane Cities by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Depends on Continuous Warm Winters and Suitable Urban Biotopes. J Med Entomol 2021; 58:333-342. [PMID: 32785582 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjaa135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
We provide the first evidence of a recent invasion of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus in Hasselquist, 1762) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse 1894), followed by dengue virus, in tropical montane cities in south-eastern Brazil, Mariana, and Ouro Preto, at mid and high altitudes, respectively. Long-term temperature variation, dengue public data, and sampling of immature and adult mosquitoes (ovitraps and mosquitraps) in contrasting habitats were used to explain the distribution of Aedes in what in these two cities. From 1961 to 2014, the annual temperature increased significantly due to increases in winter temperatures. In the 1990s/2000s, the winter temperature was 1.3°C warmer than in the 1960s, when it varied from 21.2 to 18.9°C. After 2007, the winter temperatures increased and ranged from 21.6 to 21.3°C. The first autochthonous dengue cases in Mariana and Ouro Preto were in 2007, followed by few occurrences until in 2012, when the mean numbers increased three-fold, and peak at 2013. The continuous 'warmer winter' may have trigged the Aedes invasion. Aedes species benefited from higher winter temperatures, which was an important driver of their invasion of the state of Minas Gerais in the 1980s and, more recently, in the remaining montane urban habitats in this region. In both 2009 and 2011, we found more Aedes in Mariana than Ouro Preto, and more Ae. albopictus in green areas and Ae. aegypti in houses, the expected pattern for well-established populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Cristine Pedrosa
- Laboratory of Ecohealth, Canopy Insects and Natural Succession. Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Morro do Cruzeiro, Campus Universitário, Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil
| | - Magno Augusto Zazá Borges
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Controle Biológico de Insetos, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Campus Universitário Professor Darcy Ribeiro, Montes Claros, MG, Brazil
| | - Álvaro Eduardo Eiras
- Laboratório de Inovação Tecnológica e Empreendedorismo em Controle de Vetores (Lintec), Departamento de Parasitologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Federal, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Sérgio Caldas
- Serviço de Biotecnologia e Saúde. Diretoria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Gameleira, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Alzira Batista Cecílio
- Serviço de Biotecnologia e Saúde. Diretoria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Gameleira, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Maria Fernanda Brito
- Laboratory of Ecohealth, Canopy Insects and Natural Succession. Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Morro do Cruzeiro, Campus Universitário, Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Edifício Chorato Shimoya, Campus universitário, Viçosa, MG, Brazil
| | - Sérvio Pontes Ribeiro
- Laboratory of Ecohealth, Canopy Insects and Natural Succession. Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Morro do Cruzeiro, Campus Universitário, Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil
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7
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Abstract
Wastes generated in healthcare facilities have been discussed and the World Health Organization has proposed a guideline for controlling the spread of the virus that causes Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, waste management outside the generating facility should be discussed in more detail, taking into account factors such as virus resistance, differences in waste management systems and the climatic conditions in each affected region. Patients infected by human coronavirus being treated at home are generating infected waste possibly discarded as domestic waste, which can pose risks to workers and the environment, depending on the conditions of transport and disposal. In particular, the spread of the coronavirus may be increased by inadequate waste management, highlighting poor handling conditions associated with inappropriate use of personal protective equipment and other unfavourable conditions presented mainly in developing countries.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sérgio Caldas
- Research Department, Ezequiel Dias Foundation, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Caldas S, Marcelino AP, Faria G, de Oliveira Silva F, Ataide ACZ, Cunha LM, Bahia MT, Paz GF, Gontijo CMF. Visceral leishmaniasis: a practical strategy for quantitative molecular diagnosis in naturally infected dogs. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:1683-1690. [PMID: 32285265 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06654-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) has been a problem for public health services due to the variety of clinical signs similar to other diseases and low sensitivity and specificity of available tests. In this sense, our main objective was to develop a simple, rapid, and accurate quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) diagnosis for CVL. Thus, low-invasive samples from bone marrow (BM), popliteal lymph nodes (PLN), and conjunctival swabs (CS) were selected from negative and VL-positive dogs, using as gold standard, immunological and parasitological tests performed with different tissues. Oligonucleotides for Leishmania infantum kDNA were designed and the limit of quantification and amplification efficiency of the qPCR were determined using tissue-specific standards produced with DNA from those different tissues, mixed with DNA from a known amount of L. infantum promastigotes. Endogenous control was used to validate a comparative Ct method, and tissue parasite concentrations were estimated by comparison with tissue-specific reference standard samples. The overall analysis of the qPCR data suggests the following ranking for tissue choice: PLN > BM > CS. Finally, we have concluded that this molecular approach simplifies and accelerates the quantitative diagnostic process because it is easy to perform, requiring no DNA dosing or standard curve application, and it shows good diagnostic parameters, especially when using popliteal lymph node samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sérgio Caldas
- Serviço de Biotecnologia e Saúde, Diretoria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
| | - Andreza P Marcelino
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fiocruz-RJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Gilson Faria
- Serviço de Biotecnologia e Saúde, Diretoria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Fernanda de Oliveira Silva
- Serviço de Biotecnologia e Saúde, Diretoria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Ana Caroline Zampiroli Ataide
- Serviço de Biotecnologia e Saúde, Diretoria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Lucas Maciel Cunha
- Serviço de Biotecnologia e Saúde, Diretoria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Maria Terezinha Bahia
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Escola de Medicina & Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil
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Caldas IS, Menezes APDJ, Diniz LDF, Nascimento ÁFDSD, Novaes RD, Caldas S, Bahia MT. Parasitaemia and parasitic load are limited targets of the aetiological treatment to control the progression of cardiac fibrosis and chronic cardiomyopathy in Trypanosoma cruzi-infected dogs. Acta Trop 2019; 189:30-38. [PMID: 30290285 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2018.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2018] [Revised: 08/26/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
It is still unclear whether the progression of acute to chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy is predominantly associated with the limited efficacy of aetiological chemotherapy, or with the pharmacological resistance profiles and pathogenicity of specific Trypanosoma cruzi strains. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that parasitic load could be a limited target of aetiological chemotherapy to prevent chronic cardiomyopathy in dogs infected by different T. cruzi strains. Animals were infected with benznidazole-susceptible (Berenice-78) and -resistant (VL-10 and AAS) strains of T. cruzi. A quantitative real-time PCR strategy was developed to comparatively quantify the parasite load of the three different strains using a single standard curve. For dogs infected with the VL-10 strain, benznidazole treatment reduced cardiac parasitism during the acute phase of infection. However, similar parasite load and collagen deposition were detected in the myocardium of treated and untreated animals in the chronic phase of the infection. In animals infected with the AAS strain, benznidazole reduced parasite load, myocarditis and type III collagen deposition in the acute phase. However, increased type III collagen deposition was verified in the chronic phase. Dogs infected with the Berenice-78 strain showed a parasitological cure and no evidence of myocardial fibrosis. Parasitic load and cardiac fibrosis presented no correlation in acute or chronic phases of T. cruzi infection. Our findings in a canine model of Chagas disease suggest that parasite burden is a limited predictor for disease progression after treatment and show that benznidazole, although not inducing parasitological cure, is able to prevent total fibrosis in the early stages of infection, as well as complete prevention of cardiac damage when it eliminates parasites at the onset of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivo Santana Caldas
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas, MG, Brazil.
| | - Ana Paula de Jesus Menezes
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, School of Medicine, Department of Biological Sciences and NUPEB, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil
| | - Lívia de Figueiredo Diniz
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas, MG, Brazil
| | - Álvaro Fernando da Silva do Nascimento
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, School of Medicine, Department of Biological Sciences and NUPEB, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil
| | - Rômulo Dias Novaes
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas, MG, Brazil
| | - Sérgio Caldas
- Laboratory of Biotechnology and Health, Research and Development Center, Ezequiel Dias Foundation, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Maria Terezinha Bahia
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, School of Medicine, Department of Biological Sciences and NUPEB, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil
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Caldas IS, Diniz LDF, Guedes PMDM, Nascimento ÁFDSD, Galvão LMDC, Lima WGD, Caldas S, Bahia MT. Myocarditis in different experimental models infected by Trypanosoma cruzi is correlated with the production of IgG1 isotype. Acta Trop 2017; 167:40-49. [PMID: 27993495 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2016.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2016] [Revised: 12/04/2016] [Accepted: 12/15/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
This study was designed to verify the relationship between IgG antibodies isotypes and myocarditis in Trypanosoma cruzi infection using mice and dogs infected with different T. cruzi strains. The animals were infected with benznidazole-susceptible Berenice-78 and benznidazole-resistant AAS and VL-10 strains. The IgG subtypes were measured in serum samples from dogs (IgG, IgG1, and IgG2) and mice (IgG, IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG2b). The infection of dogs with VL-10 strain induced the highest levels of heart inflammation while intermediate and lower levels were detected with Berenice-78 and AAS strains, respectively. Similar results were found in mice infected with VL-10, but not in those infected with AAS or Berenice-78 strains. The AAS strain induced higher levels of heart inflammation in mice, while Berenice-78 strain was not able to induce it. Correlation analysis between myocarditis and antibody reactivity index revealed very interesting results, mainly for IgG and IgG1, the latter being the most exciting. High IgG1 showed a significant correlation with myocarditis in both experimental models, being more significant in dogs (r=0.94, p<0.0001) than in mice (r=0.58, p=0.047). Overall, our data suggest that IgG1 could be a good marker to demonstrate myocarditis intensity in Chagas disease.
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Santos RA, Caldas S, Primel EG, Tesser MB, Monserrat JM. Effects of lipoic acid on growth and biochemical responses of common carp fed with carbohydrate diets. Fish Physiol Biochem 2016; 42:1699-1707. [PMID: 27325349 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-016-0250-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 06/10/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Lipoic acid (LA) is an antioxidant that also favors glucose uptake in mammals. Until now, there are no studies evaluating the potential effect of this molecule on glycemic control in fish. It was evaluated LA effects on glucose uptake in common carp Cyprinus carpio fed with carbohydrate diets from two carbohydrate sources: glucose (GLU) and starch (STA), and supplemented or not with LA, being the diets: +GLU/-LA (GLU); +GLU/+LA (GLU + LA); +STA/-LA (STA); and +STA/+LA (STA + LA). Carp juveniles (6.5 ± 0.1 g) were fed with each diet ad libitum 4 times a day, during 68 days. Muscle glycogen concentration was higher (p < 0.05) in GLU and GLU + LA than in STA and STA + LA groups. On fish fed with starch, muscle cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were higher (p < 0.05) in fish fed diets supplemented with LA. Muscle protein levels were higher in fish fed with LA, independent of the diet carbohydrate source. Lipid peroxidation was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) in fish muscle on fish fed the STA + LA diets when compared with the STA diet. Our findings indicate that LA modulates lipid, proteins and carbohydrate metabolism together with the well-known antioxidant effect. Also, LA showed to enhance starch utilization taking into account muscle cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- R A Santos
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB), Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Fisiológicas - Fisiologia Animal Comparada, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG, Campus Carreiros, Av Itália km 8 s/n, PO Box 474, Rio Grande, RS, 96200-970, Brazil
| | - S Caldas
- Escola de Química e Alimentos (EQA), FURG, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
| | - E G Primel
- Escola de Química e Alimentos (EQA), FURG, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
| | - M B Tesser
- Instituto de Oceanografia (IO), FURG, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
| | - J M Monserrat
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB), Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Fisiológicas - Fisiologia Animal Comparada, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG, Campus Carreiros, Av Itália km 8 s/n, PO Box 474, Rio Grande, RS, 96200-970, Brazil.
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Santos FM, Mazzeti AL, Caldas S, Gonçalves KR, Lima WG, Torres RM, Bahia MT. Chagas cardiomyopathy: The potential effect of benznidazole treatment on diastolic dysfunction and cardiac damage in dogs chronically infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. Acta Trop 2016; 161:44-54. [PMID: 27215760 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2016.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Revised: 04/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/15/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Cardiac involvement represents the main cause of mortality among patients with Chagas disease, and the relevance of trypanocidal treatment to improving diastolic dysfunction is still doubtful. In the present study, we used a canine model infected with the benznidazole-sensitive Berenice-78 Trypanosoma cruzi strain to verify the efficacy of an etiologic treatment in reducing the parasite load and ameliorating cardiac muscle tissue damage and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in the chronic phase of the infection. The effect of the treatment on reducing the parasite load was monitored by blood PCR and blood culture assays, and the effect of the treatment on the outcome of heart tissue damage and on diastolic function was evaluated by histopathology and echo Doppler cardiogram. The benefit of the benznidazole-treatment in reducing the parasite burden was demonstrated by a marked decrease in positive blood culture and PCR assay results until 30days post-treatment. At this time, the PCR and blood culture assays yielded negative results for 82% of the treated animals, compared with only 36% of the untreated dogs. However, a progressive increase in the parasite load could be detected in the peripheral blood for one year post-treatment, as evidenced by a progressive increase in positive results for both the PCR and the blood culture assays at follow-up. The parasite load reduction induced by treatment was compatible with the lower degree of tissue damage among animals euthanized in the first month after treatment and with the increased cardiac damage after this period, reaching levels similar to those in untreated animals at the one-year follow-up. The two infected groups also presented similar, significantly smaller values for early tissue septal velocity (E' SIV) than the non-infected dogs did at this later time. Moreover, in the treated animals, an increase in the E/E' septal tissue filling pressure ratio was observed when compared with basal values as well as with values in non-infected dogs. These findings strongly suggest that the temporary reduction in the parasite load that was induced by benznidazole treatment was not able to prevent myocardial lesions and diastolic dysfunction for long after treatment.
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Iani FCDM, Caldas S, Duarte MM, Cury ALF, Cecílio AB, Costa PAC, Antonelli LR, Gollob KJ. Dengue Patients with Early Hemorrhagic Manifestations Lose Coordinate Expression of the Anti-Inflammatory Cytokine IL-10 with the Inflammatory Cytokines IL-6 and IL-8. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2016; 95:193-200. [PMID: 27139443 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.15-0537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2015] [Accepted: 02/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Dengue is responsible for a wide range of clinical manifestations, ranging from asymptomatic infections to severe cases. The alteration of cytokine levels correlated with clinical characteristics can help determine prognostic markers of the disease and the identification of targets for immunotherapy. We measured the viral load, serotype, and cytokine levels of 212 serum samples from patients with acute dengue infection during days 1-4 after the onset of symptoms. The patients were classified as either with hemorrhagic manifestations (HM) or with no hemorrhagic manifestations (NHM). The cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, and IL-10 were increased (P < 0.05) in the dengue virus+ group, compared with the control group. A higher viral load (P < 0.05) and IL-6 was detected in the HM group compared with the NHM group. Interestingly, the NHM group demonstrated a significant positive correlation between inflammatory (IL-6 and 8) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines, whereas the HM group did not. These findings suggest that a disturbance in the balance of inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-8 with the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10, combined with the high levels of IL-6 and viral load, characterize possible mechanisms related to the formation of HM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Campos de Melo Iani
- Divisão de Epidemiologia e Controle de Doenças/Instituto Octávio Magalhães, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina e Biomedicina, Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa, Hospital Santa Casa, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Sérgio Caldas
- Divisão de Plataformas Tecnológicas/Diretoria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Myrian Morato Duarte
- Divisão de Epidemiologia e Controle de Doenças/Instituto Octávio Magalhães, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ana Luisa Furtado Cury
- Divisão de Epidemiologia e Controle de Doenças/Instituto Octávio Magalhães, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Alzira Batista Cecílio
- Divisão de Plataformas Tecnológicas/Diretoria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Lis R Antonelli
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Kenneth J Gollob
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina e Biomedicina, Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa, Hospital Santa Casa, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Institutos Nacionais de Ciências e Tecnologia-Doenças Tropicais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Núcleo de Ensino e Pesquisa, Instituto Mario Penna, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Cecílio AB, Oliveira PDC, Caldas S, Campana PR, Francisco FL, Duarte MGR, Mendonça LDA, de Almeida VL. Antiviral activity of Myracrodruon urundeuva against rotavirus. Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bjp.2015.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Assíria Fontes Martins T, de Figueiredo Diniz L, Mazzeti AL, da Silva do Nascimento ÁF, Caldas S, Caldas IS, de Andrade IM, Ribeiro I, Bahia MT. Benznidazole/Itraconazole Combination Treatment Enhances Anti-Trypanosoma cruzi Activity in Experimental Chagas Disease. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0128707. [PMID: 26076455 PMCID: PMC4468053 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2014] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The nitroheterocyclic drugs nifurtimox and benznidazole are first-line drugs available to treat Chagas disease; however, they have limitations, including long treatment courses and toxicity. Strategies to overcome these limitations include the identification of new drugs with specific target profiles, re-dosing regimens for the current drugs, drug repositioning and combination therapy. In this work, we evaluated combination therapy as an approach for optimization of the current therapeutic regimen for Chagas disease. The curative action of benznidazole/itraconazole combinations was explored in an established infection of the mice model with the T. cruzi Y strain. The activities of the benznidazole/itraconazole combinations were compared with the results from those receiving the same dosage of each individual drug. The administration of benznidazole/itraconazole in combination eliminated parasites from the blood more efficiently than each drug alone. Here, there was a significant reduction of the number of treatment days (number of doses) necessary to induce parasitemia suppression with the benznidazole/itraconazole combination, as compared to each compound administered alone. These results clearly indicate the enhanced effects of these drugs in combination, particularly at the dose of 75 mg/kg, as the effects observed with the drug combinations were four times more effective than those of each drug used alone. Moreover, benznidazole/itraconazole treatment was shown to prevent or decrease the typical lesions associated with chronic experimental Chagas disease, as illustrated by similar levels of inflammatory cells and fibrosis in the cardiac muscle tissue of healthy and treated mice. These results emphasize the importance of exploring the potential of combination treatments with currently available compounds to specifically treat Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tassiane Assíria Fontes Martins
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Escola de Medicina & Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Universitário, Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Lívia de Figueiredo Diniz
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Escola de Medicina & Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Universitário, Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Departamento de Patologia e Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ana Lia Mazzeti
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Escola de Medicina & Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Universitário, Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Álvaro Fernando da Silva do Nascimento
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Escola de Medicina & Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Universitário, Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Sérgio Caldas
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Escola de Medicina & Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Universitário, Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ivo Santana Caldas
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Escola de Medicina & Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Universitário, Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Departamento de Patologia e Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Isabel Mayer de Andrade
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Escola de Medicina & Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Universitário, Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Isabela Ribeiro
- Drugs for Neglected Disease initiative (DNDi), 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Maria Terezinha Bahia
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Escola de Medicina & Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Universitário, Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Caldas S, Caldas IS, Cecílio AB, Diniz LDEF, Talvani A, Ribeiro I, Bahia MT. Therapeutic responses to different anti-Trypanosoma cruzi drugs in experimental infection by benznidazole-resistant parasite stock. Parasitology 2014; 141:1-10. [PMID: 25045804 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182014000882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARY This study describes the role of parasite clearance time induced by benznidazole, fexinidazole and posaconazole treatments upon mice infection with a benznidazole-resistant Trypanosoma cruzi strain in the pathological outcomes. Trypanosoma cruzi-infected mice were treated with different drugs and parasite clearance time was detected by blood and tissue qPCR, to determine the dynamic relationship between the efficacy of the treatments and the intensity of heart lesion/serum inflammatory mediators. Our results indicate that anti-T. cruzi treatments were able to reduce parasite replication and consequently induce immunomodulatory effects, where the degree of the immunopathology prevention was related to the time of parasite clearance induced by different treatments. Nevertheless, in benznidazole and posaconazole treatments, parasite rebounding was detected with parasitism reaching levels similar to infected and non-treated mice; the time for parasitic rebound being earlier among benznidazole-treated mice. In parallel, an increase of cardiac lesions and plasma chemokine levels was also detected and was more accentuated in benznidazole-treated animals. Interestingly, in the presence of parasitological cure (fexinidazole treatment), basal levels of these inflammatory mediators were evidenced as well as an absence of cardiac inflammation or fibrosis. Overall, our data indicate that all treatments have positive effects on the clinical evolution of T. cruzi infection, with success in preventing cardiac alterations being drug-dependent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sérgio Caldas
- Laboratório de Doença de Chagas, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas and Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas,Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Universitário,Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, MG, 35400-000,Brazil
| | - Ivo Santana Caldas
- Laboratório de Doença de Chagas, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas and Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas,Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Universitário,Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, MG, 35400-000,Brazil
| | - Alzira Batista Cecílio
- Fundação Ezequiel Dias,Rua Conde Pereira Carneiro,80, Gameleira, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais,Brazil
| | - Lívia DE Figueiredo Diniz
- Laboratório de Doença de Chagas, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas and Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas,Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Universitário,Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, MG, 35400-000,Brazil
| | - André Talvani
- Laboratório de Doença de Chagas, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas and Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas,Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Universitário,Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, MG, 35400-000,Brazil
| | - Isabela Ribeiro
- Drugs for Neglected Disease initiative (DNDi),1202 Geneva,Switzerland
| | - Maria Terezinha Bahia
- Laboratório de Doença de Chagas, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas and Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas,Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Universitário,Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, MG, 35400-000,Brazil
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Caldas S, Caldas IS, Diniz LDF, Lima WGD, Oliveira RDP, Cecílio AB, Ribeiro I, Talvani A, Bahia MT. Real-time PCR strategy for parasite quantification in blood and tissue samples of experimental Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Acta Trop 2012; 123:170-7. [PMID: 22609548 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2012.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2011] [Revised: 04/30/2012] [Accepted: 05/08/2012] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The lack of an accurate diagnosis has been a serious obstacle to the advancement of the anti-Trypanosoma cruzi chemotherapy and long-term infection can result in different health risks to human. PCRs are alternative methods, more sensitive than conventional parasitological techniques, which due to their low sensitivities are considered unsuitable for these purposes. The aim of this study was to investigate a sensitive diagnostic strategy to quantify blood and cardiac tissues parasites based on real-time PCR tools during acute and chronic phases of murine Chagas disease, as well as to monitor the evolution of infection in those mice under specific treatment. In parallel, fresh blood examination, immunological analysis and quantification of cardiac inflammation were also performed to confront and improve real-time PCR data. Similar profiles of parasitemia curves were observed in both quantification techniques during the acute phase of the infection. In contrast, parasites could be quantified only by real-time PCR at 60 and 120 days of infection. In cardiac tissue, real-time PCR detected T. cruzi DNA in 100% of infected mice, and using this tool a significant Pearson correlation between parasite load in peripheral blood and in cardiac tissue during acute and chronic phases was observed. Levels of serum CCL2, CCL5 and nitric oxide were coincident with parasite load but focal and diffuse mononuclear infiltrates was observed, even with significant (p<0.05) reduction of parasitism after 60 days of infection. Later, this methodology was used to monitor the evolution of infection in animals treated with itraconazole (Itz). Itz-treatment induced a reduction of parasite load in both blood and cardiac muscle at the treatment period, but after the end of chemotherapy an increase of parasitism was detected. Interestingly, inflammatory mediators levels and heart inflammation intensity had similar evolution to the parasite load, in the group of animals treated. Taken together, our data show that real-time PCR strategy used was suitable for studies of murine T. cruzi infection and may prove useful in investigations involving experimental chemotherapy of the disease and the benefits of treatment in relation to parasitism and inflammatory response.
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Cecílio AB, de Faria DB, Oliveira PDC, Caldas S, de Oliveira DA, Sobral MEG, Duarte MGR, Moreira CPDS, Silva CG, de Almeida VL. Screening of Brazilian medicinal plants for antiviral activity against rotavirus. J Ethnopharmacol 2012; 141:975-981. [PMID: 22469769 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2012.03.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2011] [Revised: 03/16/2012] [Accepted: 03/18/2012] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Brazilian medicinal plants traditionally used for the treatment of diarrhoea were investigated for their in vitro antiviral activity against the simian rotavirus SA11. MATERIALS AND METHODS The ethanolic crude extracts of plants collected in the cerrado of Minas Gerais, Brazil were submitted to phytochemical screening. The cytotoxicity of the extracts was inferred by cellular morphologic alterations. Antiviral activity was assessed by the ability of the extracts to inhibit the cytopathic effect (CPE) of rotavirus on the treated cells. RT-PCR was performed to confirm and/or confront antiviral assay data. RESULTS The maximum non-toxic concentration ranged from 50 to 500 μg/mL. All extracts were toxic at a concentration of 5000 μg/mL but no extract showed cytotoxicity at 50 μg/mL. The species Byrsonima verbascifolia, Myracrodruon urundeuva, Eugenia dysenterica and Hymenaea courbaril exhibited the strongest in vitro activity against rotavirus. Their extracts prevented the formation of CPE, and RT-PCR analysis detected no amplification of genetic material from rotavirus. Tannins, flavonoids, saponins, coumarins and terpenes were the major classes of natural products found in the leaf extracts that showed antiviral activity. CONCLUSION Among the species studied, Byrsonima verbascifolia, Eugenia dysenterica, Hymenaea courbaril and Myracrodruon urundeuva showed potential activity against rotavirus and are worthy of further study. The present study corroborates ethnopharmacological data as a valuable source in the selection of plants with antiviral activity and to some extent validates their traditional uses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alzira Batista Cecílio
- Diretoria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Rua Conde Pereira Carneiro, 80, Gameleira, CEP 30510-010, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Caldas S, Santos FM, de Lana M, Diniz LF, Machado-Coelho GLL, Veloso VM, Bahia MT. Trypanosoma cruzi: acute and long-term infection in the vertebrate host can modify the response to benznidazole. Exp Parasitol 2007; 118:315-23. [PMID: 17945216 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2007.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2007] [Revised: 06/27/2007] [Accepted: 08/29/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
We analyzed the influence of Trypanosoma cruzi maintenance in different hosts (dog and mouse) on its susceptibility to benznidazole treatment. Five T. cruzi stocks were isolated from dogs inoculated with Be-62 or Be-78 strain (both sensitive to benznidazole) 2-10 years ago, and the benznidazole sensitivity was then determined using the mouse as experimental model. The different T. cruzi stocks obtained from long-term infected dogs showed 50-90% drug resistance right after isolation. However, maintenance of these T. cruzi stocks in mice, by successive blood passages (2.5 years), led to either a decrease or stability of the drug resistance pattern and an increase in parasite virulence. We also demonstrated the effectiveness of the induction of parasitemia reactivation by cyclophosphamide immunosuppression in the evaluation of the response to the specific drug treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sérgio Caldas
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Abstract
We enrolled 60 children with recurrent acute otitis media (AOM) in a study of the effectiveness of antimicrobial prophylaxis. All children were entered into the study following an acute episode of infection treated with amoxicillin (AMX) for 10 days. Following therapy, the children were re-examined, and then randomly assigned to receive either trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), amoxicillin (AMX) or a placebo (PLA). Twenty children were included in each group. Each drug was administered once a day at bedtime, at 1/3 the therapeutic dose, for 3 months. Children were re-evaluated with pneumootoscopy during episodes of acute illness and with pneumootoscopy and impedance tympanometry (TYMP) at monthly intervals. We observed a significantly increased rate of recurrent AOM in children receiving placebo compared with those who received antibiotics (50% vs. 17% P < 0.005). Both prophylactic antibiotics were equally effective in preventing recurrent AOM (recurrence rate 20% TMP-SMX, 15% AMX). We also observed that recurrences in children receiving placebo occurred earlier in the study period than in those receiving antibiotics. These results suggest that antimicrobial prophylaxis in children with recurrent acute otitis media is effective in reducing subsequent disease. The similar efficacy of both antibiotics tested suggests that the less expensive agent should be used.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Sih
- Department of Otolaryngology, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brasil
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