Canine demodicosis is an inflammatory disease of the skin of dogs caused by the proliferation
excessive growth of the mite Demodex spp., normally a commensal of the skin. The clinical manifestation
is related to host genetic factors, use of immunosuppressive drugs,
neoplasms and decreased or failed immune response due to infectious diseases
concomitants. The objective of the project was to carry out hematological, biochemical and
infectious diseases associated with the manifestation of generalized canine mange caused
by Demodex spp. in adult dogs. For this, 16 dogs with symptoms were recruited
demodectic mange clinic, among which 7 affected the generalized form of the disease.
The most prevalent skin lesion was alopecia (100% of dogs), followed by
desquamation in 75% of the dogs evaluated. Pododemodicosis and erythema were present
only in the 7 dogs diagnosed with generalized demodicosis. Serological tests
revealed the presence of antibodies against Ehrlichia canis/ewingii in 100% of dogs
evaluated. Furthermore, the presence of antibodies against Leishmania was detected
infantum and Anaplasma platys/phagocytophilum in dogs carrying generalization of
demodectic mange (28.6%), as well as Dirofilaria immitis (14.3%) antigens. All 7
dogs with generalized demodectic mange showed monocytosis and MCHC values
below the reference, among which 6 also had leukocytosis and/or
thrombocytopenia. Furthermore, neutrophilia and eosinophilia were present in 4 dogs with the form
generalized demodicosis, and lymphocytosis in only 1 of them. Biochemical assessment
revealed elevated AST values in 3 dogs with generalized demodicosis and increased AST
in just one of them. The urea and creatinine values were within the
reference in all dogs with generalized demodectic mange. Taken together, the data
demonstrate hematological and biochemical changes in dogs with demodicosis
widespread. A better understanding of the factors that lead to development
of generalized demodicosis in adult dogs may serve as a basis for the development
of combined therapeutic strategies that optimize the resolution of the clinical condition, as well as
how to impede its development.

This study aimed to identify the frequency of intestinal parasites in preschool children
at a kindergarten in Natal-RN and relate it to the socio-environmental factors involved. For this, 66 children were
evaluated, who, with parental authorization, provided socioeconomic data, biological samples of feces, the subungual
and perianal region. In addition, soil samples were also collected in the kindergarten. The samples were processed
using the HPJ, Rugai, Willis, Graham and Ritche methods and the results were sent to those responsible. Linked to
this, a health education action was carried out with kindergarten teachers to assess their prior knowledge about
intestinal parasites and present the most common ones, especially those that affect children. The study population
was made up of 53% females and 47% males, with ages ranging from one to six years. The majority (65%) were
referred to as white, while 35% as black. Parasites were identified in 49% of biological samples, with 56% of
individuals being monoparasitized and 44% being polyparasitized. The most common parasites were Ascaris 

lumbricoides (23%), Entamoeba coli (17%) and Hookworms (15%). The presence of Hookworm eggs was identified in
a single sample of subungual contents. No biological forms were identified in soil analyses. The frequency of parasites
was related to socioeconomic and biological factors, with individuals living in the North Zone of the city and with low
income being those with the highest frequency (58% and 55%, respectively). The kindergarten teachers knew, at
most, three parasites, but did not understand their biological cycles, forms of transmission and prevention. At the end
of the activities, they became aware of between six and seven parasites, especially those most common in children. It
was concluded that health educational actions carried out with teachers can contribute to knowledge of preventive
measures and control of intestinal parasites; that the frequency of parasites in preschoolers is a problem in Natal and
that socially vulnerable individuals are more affected, especially those residing in the North zone, with low income
and without basic sanitation. Control and prevention actions are necessary for this scenario to change.

Triatoma infestans, Triatoma brasiliensis, Triatoma pseudomaculata and Rhodnius prolixus are vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), etiological agent of Chagas disease, and chickens are important blood food source to triatomines. The aim of this study was to evaluate the insecticidal activity of fluralaner (Exzolt^â) administrated in chickens against triatomines (R. prolixus, T. infestans, T. brasiliensis and T. pseudomaculata). Twelve non-breed chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) (n=12) were randomized according to weight into three groups, Group 1: negative control (n=4), Group 2: single dose 0.5 mg/kg fluralaner (Exzolt^â) (n=4), Group 3: two doses 0.5 mg/kg fluralaner (Exzolt^â) (n=4). To carry out the experiment, nymphs of 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th instars of Rhodnius prolixus, Triatoma infestans, Triatoma brasiliensis and Triatoma pseudomaculata (n=10) were allowed to feed on chickens before treatment, and 1, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 56 days after treatment and insect mortality determined. After the blood meal, feeding efficiency and mortality of triatomine nymphs were determined. The results demonstrate higher feeding success for R. prolixus, followed by T. infestans, T. brasiliensis and T. pseudomaculata, respectively. Treatment of chickens with fluralaner does not affect the blood feeding rate of triatomines. Treatment with two doses of fluralaner showed higher insecticidal efficacy for R. prolixus, T. infestans and T. brasiliensis, compared to treatment with single dose. Similar insecticidal efficacy was observed for T. pseudomaculata using treatment with one or two doses of fluralaner. Insecticidal activity of fluralaner (Exzolt^â) against triatomine bugs was observed up to 21 and 28 days after treatment with one and two doses of fluralaner, respectively. Together, our results demonstrate that chicken’s treatment with fluralaner (Exzolt^â) induces insecticidal activity against triatomines up to 28 days after treatment and could be used as a control measure for Chagas disease in endemic areas.

Introduction: Due to the pandemic scenario experienced in 2020, 2021, and still in 2022, the antibiotic azithromycin was used as one of the items in the "covid kit," widely utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to analyze the effects of the antibiotic azithromycin on the bionomics of Chrysomya megacephala, including mass gain, size, and duration of the development cycle. Methodology: For the assays, 100 eggs were used for each treatment, kept in an insectary and reared in plastic containers containing raw ground meat supplemented with azithromycin at three concentrations: D1 (30μl), D2 (60μl), and D3 (120μl). Monitoring was conducted at the Insect and Vector Laboratory (LIVe) every six hours, where inhibition of emergence, duration of each stage, and measurements of mass and size were observed. Microbiological assays, involving processing 10% of the individuals in their respective developmental stages and incubating the plates with Mueller-Hinton agar, were conducted at the Mycobacteria Laboratory (LABMIC). The experiment was conducted in duplicate. Results and Discussion: Individuals in contact with azithromycin exhibited higher mass during larval periods, reaching double that of the control, and larger size. Regarding emergence inhibition, treatments D2 and D3 showed lower rates, with 7.56% and 27.73%, respectively. Group D1 recorded the highest inhibition rate, at 64.71%. The duration of the cycle in treatments with azithromycin showed a 6-hour advancement in the larval period compared to the control, following the same trend in the pupal period. Emergence was also observed 24 hours earlier than the control group in all concentrations. Conclusion: It was observed that azithromycin caused a distinct development from the control - larval cycle, pupal stage, and emergence - and positively influenced the mass gain and size of the larvae.

Toxoplasmosis, a disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, is a zoonosis with worldwide geographic distribution, affecting all continents, even in the face of climate variations. Clinical manifestations are mild or, in many cases, subclinical in a large part of the population. However, severe cases occur in immunocompromised individuals and also in pregnant women due to vertical transmission due to the damage it can cause to the development of the newborn. In addition, it has been demonstrated that latent toxoplasmosis is associated with behavioral changes and neuropsychiatric disorders. In view of this, we evaluated the hypothesis of a correlation between T. gondii infection and pre- and postpartum depression. In this study, a cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted targeting women aged 15 to 45 years, living in the city of Santa Cruz, in the interior of the state of Rio Grande do Norte, who were assessed at two time points: at the end of the 3rd trimester of pregnancy and after delivery. Pregnant women were approached at the 5 (five) UBS (basic health units) distributed throughout the city, and 30 days after the expected date of delivery, they were contacted again for a second interview. To assess depressive symptoms, we used the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), an instrument containing 10 questions, validated for use during pregnancy and the postpartum period. To identify the profile and epidemiological aspects of toxoplasmosis, a sociodemographic questionnaire structured for this study was used. Data were tabulated in the Epidata program and analyzed using STATA. Of the 78 interviewees, 24 (30.77%) pregnant women had positive serology for chronic toxoplasmosis, and 54 (69.23%) were seronegative, indicating a large percentage of women susceptible to infection by the protozoan. And associating the two clinical conditions, positive IgG serology (infected) and predisposition to depression 10 (41.66%) were found, with 8 (33.33%) without diagnoses of other disorders until pregnancy. A greater predisposition to depressive symptoms (according to the EPDS scale) was observed in the postpartum period 17 (62.96%) compared to the prepartum period 10 (37.03%), characterizing greater vulnerability in the puerperium. The statistical analysis showed a correlation between the areas where the UBS were located and the prevalence of toxoplasmosis, with a higher percentage for Paraiso 8 (34.78%) and Maracujá 8 (50.00%) compared to the other neighborhoods, although it did not show a significant difference in relation to the income variable, this may be associated with the socioeconomic conditions present in these two areas. The high level of education in this population demonstrated a risk factor for the prevalence of toxoplasmosis. Therefore, given the number of women at risk for toxoplasmosis, the development of depressive symptoms during pregnancy and the postpartum period, and the lack of knowledge about the disease and prophylaxis, further investigation into the development of pre- and postpartum depression associated with toxoplasmosis is necessary, as well as the implementation of health education programs for understanding, prevention, and screening.

Trypanosomatids are uniflagellate protozoans of the Kinetoplastea subgroup that group the genera Trypanosoma and Leishmania, in which several pathogenic species have developed unique mechanisms to regulate their life cycles and adapt to a variety of hosts. The present study aimed to identify natural infection by Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp. in different species of animals in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Whole blood samples were collected from 206 animals from 3 mesoregions of the rural state and another four bone marrow and lymph node aspirates from dogs in the urban area were used in the study. The DNA extracted from the samples with phenol-chloroform was submitted to three PCR assays with different molecular markers: 18S (SSU) rRNA that detects Trypanosoma spp. and Leishmania spp., kDNA for detection of T. cruzi and HSP70 for detection of Leishmania spp. Trypanosomatid DNA amplified by 18S PCR was detected in 78.1% (164/210) of the samples, with the highest distribution of positive samples in different species of animals observed in the West mesoregion and the highest percentages of positivity observed in Equus caballus with 85.7% (12/14), Bos taurus with 83.3% (5/6) and Ovis aries with 82.0% (50/61). Amplification of the T. cruzi kDNA was observed in 47.1% (97/206) of the whole blood samples of the animals studied, with a greater distribution of positive samples being observed in different species of animals in the western mesoregion, in which Equus caballus and Canis familiaris were the animal species with the highest percentage of positive samples with 57.1% (8/14) and 52.4% (54/103), respectively. HSP70 PCR from Leishmania spp. amplified DNA in 100% of culture samples from urban dogs and was not observed in whole blood samples from rural areas. Positive samples in 18S PCRs and kDNA were compared, and positive samples were observed in all orders of animals, with emphasis on Canis familiaris (43/106), Equus caballus (6/14) and Bos taurus (3/6). The 18S amplified DNAs that resulted in excellent quality electropherograms were from four samples, all obtained from dogs. These sequences were compared with reference sequences, which revealed one DNA from T. cruzi and three from L. infantum. These results revealed a high number and diversity of infected domesticated animals, reinforcing the importance of better understanding the maintenance cycles of the parasites close to human dwellings.

Species of the genus Candida are responsible for about 80% of serious fungal infections, being Candida albicans the most commonly isolated specie in these cases, besides tobefrequently associated with cutaneous and mucocutaneous fungal infections. Amongthefilamentous fungi, the dermatophytes that cause cutaneous mycoses in humans affect 25%of the world population and 18% to 23% of the Brazilian population. In the last decades, Candida and dermatophyte species, as well as several other fungal species, have showedresistance development to conventional antifungal drugs used in clinical therapy. Thus, inface of the scenario of emerging drug-resistant fungal pathogens, it is perceivedanincessant search of the scientific community for natural compounds that present antifungal potential, such as those of plant origin, due to their many antimicrobial properties describedin the literature. Therefore, the present proposal aims to evaluate the antifungal activityof the essential oil from the plant Lippia grata Schauer (Verbenaceae) against yeasts of theCandida genus and different species of dermatophyte fungi. The essential oil was obtainedfrom the hydrodistillation process, while its phytochemistry was performed bygaschromatography associated with mass spectrometry. The bioactivity of the essential oil obtained from the Lippia grata plant was investigated on 30 fungal samples by the methodof Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) by the microdilution broth technique andMinimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) by the “spot” sowing method. To evaluatesynergistic activity, the “checkerboard” method was used. The quantification tests of biofilm production and antibiofilm activity of Lippia grata essential oil were performedusing crystal violet to measure the optical densities obtained. Four main phytoconstituentswere identified in the chemical characterization of Lippia grata essential oil: carvacrol (51.4%) as the majority constituent, thymol (15.6%), ρ-cymene (12.2%) and γ-terpinene(7.4%). Antifungal activity of Lippia grata essential oil was found for 100%of the testedstrains with MIC ranging from ≤ 0.00075 mg/mL to 3.12 mg/mL and MFC ranging from≤0.00075 mg/mL to 25 mg/mL against Candida strains while the MIC/MFC ranged from≤0.00075 mg/mL to 0.39 mg/mL for dermatophytes. Regarding the evaluation of thesynergistic effect between the essential oil of Lippia grata and the antifungal on the strainsthat presented high MICs of essential oil, it was observed that this combinationwasindifferent to 50% of the strains tested. The results of biofilm formation revealed that 100%of the strains were biofilm producers. For Candida strains, 4 (21.05%) were weakproducing strains, 8 (42.11%) moderate producing strains and 7 (36.84%) strong producingstrains. For dermatophyte strains, 1 (9%) weak producing strains, 2 (18%) moderateproducing strains and 8 (73%) were strong producing strains. For the antibiofilmactivityof the essential oil, it was verified inhibition of cell viability (IC50%) ranging from57.5%to72.4% for Candida strains and 42.4% to 96.4% for dermatophytes, when these strains werepost-treated, respectively, with concentrations of 0.78 mg/mL, 1.56 mg/mLand3.12mg/mL of Lippia grata essential oil. It was concluded that the essential oil of Lippia gratashowed antifungal activity in the assays, motivating new studies with the intention of futuredevelopment of phytodrugs directed to the treatment of fungal infections.

Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva, 1912) (Diptera: Psychodidae) is the main vector of the protozoan Leishmania infantum in Brazil. Its surveillance is carried out by surveillance centers, such as the Zoonosis Surveillance Unit (UVZ) in Natal-RN. In the field, this vector is monitored through collections using the CDC trap. In addition, laboratory maintenance requires blood ingestion, usually from a vertebrate, which can bring contamination risks to the colony and impair the food source. This study aimed to standardize an artificial feeding model for L. longipalpis in a laboratory environment and enable the use of solar energy for the functioning of CDC traps. Feeders commonly used in mosquito colonies were tested. An artificial feeder called Flebfeeding was also constructed, using equipment such as a thermostat, boiler, aquarium pump, plastic hoses, water heating reservoir, and a flat-bottomed flask. The results showed that the FlebFeeding system was efficient in maintaining the blood temperature during feeding and attracting insects, with an average feeding success rate of 53% for females. Engorged females laid an average of 17.49 eggs, and the eggs were viable, with the hatching of larvae and adults in the rearing pots. To evaluate the efficiency of solar charging, a charger was built with a 100W solar panel directly connected to wires attached to the positive and negative terminals of a voltage regulator and the battery. Although the charging took longer than the conventional charger, about 18 hours to complete, with an average current of 0.44A, it was found that the charging was efficient and had a similar field use durability to a conventionally charged battery, which took an average of 10.6 hours to reach full battery charge, with an average current of 1A. The results indicate that artificial feeding through Flebfeeding is effective for L. longipalpis females and offers advantages over conventional feeding, as reducing the use of animals in laboratory experiments is an important ethical principle. As for charging CDC trap batteries with photovoltaic panels, it is a viable option and may potentially generate savings in public expenses. However, further research and cost-benefit analyses are necessary to evaluate the feasibility of the techniques on a larger scale.

Sporotrichosis is a subacute or chronic mycosis caused, in most cases, by traumatic implantation of the fungus Sporothrix sp. in the skin. The disease has become a public health problem in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte (RN), Brazil, due to the significant increase in cases in felines and humans. However, there is still a lack of effective strategic control and prevention measures to contain the advance of this zoonosis that occurs in Natal and RN. The objective of this work was to study, in temporal and spatial terms, the occurrence of animal sporotrichosis and relate the occurrence of recorded human cases, and suggest to public agencies about the need for improvement in intervention for clinical and laboratory diagnosis, prevention and control of this disease. feline infection. From April 2022 to May 2023, 231 exams were performed at the Zoonosis Surveillance Unit in Natal to diagnose sporotrichosis in cats. Being 53% of the positive cases, 16.4% negative and 29.4% inconclusive for sporotrichosis. Two techniques were chosen, cytological and mycological analysis. The main symptoms presented by the examined animals were: skin ulcer, hair loss, sneezing, coughing, nasal pain and panting respiratory effort. Most cases 65.9% were registered in the north area of Natal, followed by the west and south areas. This work contributed to the description of the dynamics of human and animal sporotrichosis in Natal, in terms of space and time, using official notification data. Especially to compare the places of occurrence of human and animal cases, it is possible to discuss their relationships and evident deficiencies in relation to the surveillance of cases in both people, mainly the animal. Compulsory notification of animal cases needs to be more widespread among veterinarians and its flow facilitated and well defined, aiming at greater adherence to this important surveillance measure. In this study we noticed the advance of sporotrichosis in the municipality of Natal, the cases are concentrated in the area of lower purchasing power with configurable environmental conditions the emergence of neglected diseases, It is necessary to implement the Active Epidemiological Surveillance in the city of Natal, due to the increase in human cases and increase in feline cases. And that health education activities remained with the population and professionals from the various areas of animal and human health involved in the dynamics of sporotrichosis in Natal.

Several studies have reported the incidence of opportunistic intestinal parasites in populations of immunosuppressed patients, in patients undergoing hemodialysis, in transplant recipients and in those with autoimmune diseases. However, there is little information about these parasites in cancer patients submitted or not to cancer treatment. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the incidence of intestinal parasites in cancer patients treated at a referral center in Rio Grande do Norte, in order to show whether there is a relationship between their presence, the patient's health status and the completion of cancer treatment, in addition to establishing an association with their social, economic and behavioral characteristics. For this, fresh stool samples were requested from 67 cancer patients aged 18 years or older, who were diagnosed with cancer, undergoing or not to chemotherapy and that signing the “Termo de Consentimento Livre e Esclarecido (TCLE)”. The samples were submitted to the Holfmann, Pons and Janer (HPJ), Willis and Rugai, methods to determine the presence of intestinal parasites and a questionnaire was applied on the socio-economic aspects, food and hygiene habits and chemotherapy and parasitological information of the patients. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (position measures (median and mode), absolute and relative frequencies), contingency tables and Chi-Square test, in the R ® software [R Core Team (2021)]. The positivity of the stool parasitological exams was 56,7%, with 74.2% being characterized as monoparasitic infection and 25.8% as multiple infection. Endolimax nana (36,8%) and Entamoeba coli (34,2%) were prevalent, followed by Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia, Hymenolepis spp. and hookworms. The age group most affected by parasitism was 30 to 59 years old, female, and undergoing cancer treatment. Regarding the type of cancer, 87% of parasitized patients had breast cancer concomitant with polyparasitism. There was a relationship between the oncological treatment and the presence of nausea symptoms (p<0.05) in the parasitized patients, however, no association was identified between the parasitism and the other factors evaluated in the questionnaire (p>0.05), concluding that the infection of the patients regardless of whether or not the patient is undergoing cancer treatment and whether he has symptoms such as vomiting and/or diarrhea.

Fungal infections have become a major challenge in view of the impact of resistance to usual antifungal agents on therapeutic management, in addition to the lack of implementation of more advanced diagnostic techniques in public health units. Concomitantly, a greater number of cases is observed, reflecting an increase in the incidence of fungal diseases, both in immunosuppression conditions and in immunologically healthy patients in exogenously acquired infectious processes. Species of the genus Candida continue to be the most implicated in invasive fungal infections, which notoriously trigger high mortality rates. Given this scenario, there was an increase in the search for the development of new antifungal agents, as well as the implementation of strategies to prevent candidemia. Studies with bioactive products derived from plants, which historically have well-established biological properties and which demonstrate safety in terms of toxicity, have been evaluated for a more concrete application. Among the compounds under study, coumarins and their derivatives, such as 4-hydroxycoumarin, stand out, which has important attributes, including antiviral, antitumor and anticoagulant properties. In this context, the present study aimed to evaluate the antifungal activity of the synthetic phenolic compound 4-hydroxycoumarin on Candida albicans strains, as well as to analyze the synergistic effects between this compound and the antifungal Amphotericin B. The biological activity of 4-hydroxycoumarin was investigated in 17 samples of Candida albicans, from the determination of the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) by the broth microdilution technique and by the Minimum Fungicide Concentration (MFC) method. To verify the synergistic effect, through the Checkerboard method, 5 samples of the C. albicans species were selected, considering pathogenicity criteria among the 17 strains and the MIC values found. Antifungal activity was found for 15 of the 17 strains tested with MIC ranging from 5.0 to 0.625 mg/mL, and CFM ranging from 5.0 to 1.25 mg/mL. Regarding the evaluation of the synergistic effect between the synthetic compound and the antifungal, it was observed that this combination presented an additive and indifferent character against some strains. It was concluded that 4-Hydroxycoumarin has antifungal potential, mostly of a fungistatic nature, that is, it reduces the yeast load, but it was not very effective in relation to the synergistic effect when associated with Amphotericin B, an antifungal recognized as a fungicide, suggesting that 4-Hydroxycoumarin may be a promising strategy in antifungal therapy.

Natural products present in marine algae of the genus Caulerpa have been the focus of scientific investigation, due to compounds with different pharmacological activities. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of the alkaloid caulerpine, obtained from marine algae of the genus Caulerpa, in a murine model of acute lung injury (ALI) induced by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). For this, we evaluated the dose of caulerpine that could best inhibit cell migration to the lung of animals stimulated with LPS. Thus, Swiss mice were treated orally with different doses of calerpine (4 mg/kg and 2 mg/kg) or with dexamethasone (1 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. One hour after this treatment schedule, the animals received LPS (167 µg/ml) intranasally. After 24 hours, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was obtained to determine the total number of leukocytes. The treatment of mice with caulerpine, at the two doses tested, reduced the migration of leukocytes to the lung cavity in a similar way. In view of these results, the dose of 2 mg/kg was used for the other analyses. The same procedure was repeated to evaluate cell migration kinetics, differential cell counts, determination of total protein and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in BAL, and histological analysis of the lung at 6, 24 or 48 hours. Caulerpine inhibited the migration of leukocytes to the lung in the ALI model at the three times analyzed, with a significant decrease in the migration of polymorphonuclear cells. It is possible to correlate this effect with the decrease in plasma proteins and pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-12 and TNF-α in BAL, especially at 24 and 48 hours. Finally, the inhibition of the inflammatory process colud be followed by a decrease in tissue damage observed in the lungs of animals treated with caulerpine, where there is a lower inflammatory infiltrate, with less edema, similar to what is observed in the lungs of animals treated with dexamethasone. It is concluded that treatment with caulerpine, at a dose of 2 mg/kg, was effective in reducing the inflammatory process in the lung in a murine model of acute lung injury.

Chronic chagasic cardiopathy is observed in 17-50% of patients, contributing to morbidity and mortality of Chagas disease. There are no biomarkers of clinical evolution described for Chagas disease, requiring high-cost clinical examinations (electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, X-ray, opaque enema), which require the presence of specialized professionals and many cases are invasive and uncomfortable to patients. CTLA-4 is expressed in regulatory T cells and is soluble in blood plasma, CTLA-4 expression is influenced by infections. Cardiac proteins released after tissue damage can generate the production of autoantibodies that contribute to the process of cardiac damage. This study aimed to evaluate anti-troponin I, anti-myoglobin autoantibodies and CTLA-4 soluble in serum as non-invasive clinical biomarkers for chronic chagasic cardiophaty. Specific IgG production anti-T. cruzi and autoantibodies anti-troponin I, anti-myoglobin, and soluble CTLA-4 concentration were determined by ELISA in the serum of 90 chronic chagasic patients with indeterminate (n = 30), cardiac (n = 30), digestive (n = 14) and cardiodigestive (n = 16) clinical forms, and correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction, cardiothoracic index and atrial diameter. Sera from uninfected individuals (n = 30) were used as controls. Chagasic patients with indeterminate, cardiac, digestive and cardiodigestive clinical forms had higher production of total IgG anti-T cruzi and anti-troponin I and anti-myoglobin autoantibodies, when compared to uninfected individuals. In addition, cardiac patients showed higher production of anti-myoglobin IgG autoantibodies compared to indeterminate patients. Interestingly, indeterminate patients had higher production of soluble CTLA-4, when compared to patients with cardiac, digestive and cardiodigestive forms. Our results indicate that the high production of anti-troponin-I and anti-myoglobin autoantibodies associated with low soluble CTLA-4 may be associated with the development of the cardiac form of Chagas disease.

The order Diptera is a diverse group of insects, has a cosmopolitan distribution and a high capacity to colonize different types of environments. In this order, there are muscoid representatives who have a high capacity to adapt to the environment modified by humans - synanthropic environments. Additionally, they have high medical and sanitary relevance, since they are related to the transmission of pathogens. In this context, it is known that anthropic environments (e.g. street fairs) with high human circulation and food supply can directly influence the composition and structure of muscoid dipterans assemblies, since it provides the facilities offers and abundance of food for flies. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of street fairs on the composition and structure of assemblies of flies with sanitary importance in an urban environment in Toritama - Pernambuco. In addition, the presence of helminth eggs and protozoan cysts on the body surface of these flies was also analyzed. To this end, collections of dipterans were carried out in 2 commercial spots in the town of Toritama, and the flies were captured from traps called “Ratoeira Adesiva Cola Rato” before and after the occurrence of street fairs. In the parasitological analysis, the HPJ method was performed. Throughout the study, 7.780 specimens belonging to six Diptera families and a wealth of 14 species were collected. Muscidae was the most representative family with 96.98% of all flies caught, followed by Sarcophagidae (1.99%), Phoridae (0.53%), Calliphoridae (0.42%), Fanniidae (0.03%) and Stratiomyidae (0.02%). Muscidae was also the most diverse taxon with the registration of four species, followed by Sarcophagidae (3 spp.), Calliphoridae (2 spp.), Phoridae (2 spp.), Stratiomyidae (2 spp.) and Fanniidae (1 spp.). In addition, it was observed that the presence of the street fair influenced the structure of the assemblies, which was more abundant after the occurrence of the street fairs (H = 6.56; df = 1; P <0.01). Regarding the composition of the assemblies, 50% of the species were common to both treatments, with emphasis on the dominant species Musca domestica and Megaselia scalaris. No parasitological structures were found in the analyzed samples. Thus, the contribution of this study reveal that street fairs can modulate the structure and composition of fly assemblies in urban environments, including be able to offer health risks, considering that species of medical importance are related to this environment.

Dengue is an acute and systemic febrile illness, which can have a wide clinical spectrum, ranging from asymptomatic to severe cases. It is an arboviruses transmitted mainly by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, being one of the most important health problems worldwide, causing annual epidemics mainly in tropical and subtropical regions, putting almost a third of the planet's population at risk. The present work presents an analysis of a time series and spatial distribution of dengue cases in the State of Rio Grande do Norte. Secondary data from dengue cases notified in the period between 2016 and 2020 were used, available in the Information System for Notifiable Diseases and Epidemiological Bulletins of the State Department of Health, in the respective years. The analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics. During the time series, a total of 152,628 probable cases of Dengue were reported, with 37,489 cases being confirmed, representing 24.56%. The health region VII, which corresponds to the Metropolitan region of Natal, had the largest number of confirmed cases, totaling 17,654 cases, representing approximately 47.09% of the number of confirmed cases in the state during the period studied. Regarding sociodemographic characterization, females had a higher prevalence of the disease and the most affected age group is between 20 and 49 years old. Dengue in this period studied, showed an epidemiological behavior that characterizes an endemic profile, which can be directly related to the state's infrastructure problems. Our data show an apparent reduction in the number of dengue cases reported in the year 2020. It is possible that this reduction in the number of cases of the disease was due to underreporting, since all the efforts of the health services were focused on coping with the disease. current Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).

Microbial biofilms are especially a structural barrier that hinders antimicrobial therapy, having a relevant role in human diseases. For yeasts of the genus Candida, biofilms are characterized as a complex three-dimensional arrangement, consisting of different cellular forms incorporated into an extracellular polymeric matrix. In the last decades, the search for natural compounds for the treatment of microbial infections has grown in order to find new alternatives to the mechanisms of resistance to antimicrobials, including those induced by biofilms. The marine sponge, Agelas dispar (Family Agelasidae) has been mentioned as a bioactive source, due to its secondary metabolites, the alkaloid derivatives, which have significant pharmacological activity. In this context, the aim of this study was to determine the antifungal and antibiofilm activity of the Ag2 fraction of the A. dispar metanolic extract on biofilm-producing strains of the genus Candida. The biological activity was investigated in 13 species of Candida, evaluating the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) by the broth microdilution technique and by the Minimum Fungicide Concentration (MFC) method. The quantification of biofilm formation and antibiofilm activity of the Ag2 fraction of the extract was performed with the violet crystal and the obtained optical densities were measured. The Ag2 fraction of the extract showed antifungal activity for 13 strains, demonstrating MIC’s ranging between 2.5 mg/mL and 0.1562 mg/mL. The compound analyzed showed MFC's ranging from 5.0 mg/mL to 0.3125 mg/mL against Candida spp. The results of biofilm formation indicated that all strains were biofilm producers. 10 (77%) weak producing strains and 3 (23%) moderate producing strains. The species C. krusei, C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis were used to test the antibiofilm activity (in formation and mature), resulting in inhibition of cell viability (IC50%) ranging from 49.6% to 57.6%, 70.5% to 76.3% (biofilm in formation) and 42.8% to 67.2%, 63.3% to 78.8% (mature biofilm) when these strains were post-treated, respectively, with the concentrations of 1.25 mg/mL and 2.5 mg/mL of the Ag2 fraction. The Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), allowed the visualization of the antibiofilm activity, quantitative decrease of the microbial community, structural alteration and destruction at the cellular level in both the forming and mature biofilms. It was concluded that the Ag2 fraction of A. dispar methanolic extract showed antifungal activity and fungicide nature, in addition to being efficient in decreasing the microbial load and providing changes in the structural morphology of the yeasts involved in the biofilm, as observed in the SEM. Such findings suggest that the mechanism of action of the fraction is at the level of plasma membrane and/or cell wall, inferring that the Ag2 fraction may be a promising antifungal and antibiofilm therapeutic strategy against the different species of Candida.

Dogs are the primary reservoir of Leishmania parasites. The immune response induced by Leishmania infantum is important for resistance to infection and pathogenesis in these animals. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of proteolytic enzymes that play multiple roles in immune response and matrix remodeling. However, the action of these enzymes may lead to immunopathology in an infectious process that causes host morbidity or mortality and favors the spread of the pathogen and its persistence. Few studies demonstrate the correlation between MMPs expression and clinical manifestations of animals with canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL). Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the expression of matrix metalloproteinases in dogs naturally infected with Leishmania infantum and correlate them to the clinical manifestations of the disease (asymptomatic, oligosymptomatic, symptomatic). For this, the relative expression of MMPs, their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) and the cytokines, IL-10 and TNF-α, was analyzed in the liver tissue of dogs by real time PCR. The inflammatory process and cytostructure of the liver tissue were measured using hematoxylin-eosin staining. Only symptomatic and oligosymptomatic dogs showed greater expression of MMP-2, when compared to the group of asymptomatic dogs. In addition, oligosymptomatic dogs showed a larger and more diffuse hepatic inflammatory infiltrate when compared to asymptomatic and symptomatic dogs. On the other hand, all dogs infected with L. infantum showed higher expression of tissue inhibitors TIMP-1 and TIMP-4 when compared to uninfected animals. Further more, symptomatic dogs showed a greater expression of the cytokine IL-10 when compared to the other groups. The results demonstrate high expression of MMPs (MMP2, MMP3, MMP9, MMP11 and MMP13) and TIMPs (TIMP1 and TIMP4) is positively correlated with a higher expression of the cytokines TNF-α and IL10 in dogs naturally infected by L. infantum, contributing to destruction of the liver parenchyma and for the clinical evolution of visceral leishmaniasis in animals.

This work evaluated the presence of triatomines, entomological indicators of triatomines and the distribution of the different typing units (DTUs, from the English Discrete Typing Units) of Trypanosoma cruzi isolated from vectors in different mesoregions of the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN). The captures of the triatomines were carried out in rural areas of 21 municipalities, 71 rural communities and 345 household units in the period from 2015 to 2019. Genotyping was carried out using the mitochondrial gene markers of subunit 2 of cytochrome oxidase (CO II), divergent domain D71 of the 24Sα gene of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and intergenic spacer of the miniexon genes (SL-IR). Infestation was observed in 7.5% (26/345) of households and in 16.2% (56/345) of the surveyed households. The presence of nymphs in the home was observed in 94.7% (45/47) of the infested home units, indicating colonization in this environment. A total of 1,084 triatomines were captured in anthropic and wild environments, with Triatoma brasiliensis (84.5%) being the most found species, followed by Triatoma pseudomaculata (14.9%), Panstrongylus lutzi (0.5%), Rhodnius nasutus (0.1%). T. brasiliensis was the only species found in the home, peridomicile and wild environment, and also infested the largest variety of ecotopes. Natural infection by T. cruzi was observed in 11% (96/872) triatomines, with T. brasiliensis being the species with the highest number of specimens (95.0%). Of the 96 infected triatomines, it was possible to isolate the parasite from 33 (34.4%) samples, all of which were genotyped. DTU I: haplotype A in COII, rDNA 2 and SL-IR with 150 bp was identified in 51.5% (17/33) of the parasite isolates in the peridomicile infecting T. brasiliensis in the three studied mesoregions, and T. pseudomaculata, in West mesoregion. DTU II: haplotype C in COII, rDNA 1, SL-IR with 150 bp was observed in 9.1% (3/33) of isolates in T. brasiliensis only in the Central mesoregion both in the home and in the wild. While DTU III: haplotype B in COII, rDNA 2, SL-IR with 200 bp was in 27.3% (9/33) of the samples and was also found in all mesoregions, in the home area in the West mesoregion, in wild areas in the Center and peridomicile in Agreste. The proximity and even overlap of areas of occurrence of the genotypes was observed in several areas. In Caicó, this fact was evidenced by the detection of mixed infections with TcI and TcII. These results show that T. brasiliensis remains the species with the greatest epidemiological importance in the semi-arid region of RN, due to its wide geographical distribution, high degree of adaptation to different environments, ecotopes, high rate of natural infection by T. cruzi and the diversity of DTUs, and reinforce the need for continuous entomological surveillance in the state, in order to prevent contact of this species with humans and domestic animals.

The appearance of adverse effects associated with the use of corticosteroids has driven the search for compounds derived from natural products with pharmacological properties, so that they can be used as an alternative anti-inflammatory therapy. Thus, the present study sought to assess the anti-inflammatory potential of caulerpin (CLP), an alkaloid derived from algae of the genus Caulerpa, in murine models of zimosan-induced peritonitis and xylene-induced ear edema. For this, mice were orally treated with CLP at doses of 4, 2, 1 mg/kg and dexamethasone (1 mg/kg) and 1 hour later received zymosan (40 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. After 24 hours, the peritoneal lavage was collected and the number of cells was determined. The same procedure was repeated to assess the migration kinetics and presence of cytokines in the peritoneal lavage at 6, 24 and 48 hours. For ear edema, the animals were treated with the same different doses of CLP, followed by topical application of xylene (40μL) in the right ears, 1 hour after treatment. The level of edema was determined by calculating the percentage of inhibition and morphological analysis evaluated in equal sections of the removed ears. In the peritonitis model, pre-treatment with CLP was able to reduce cell migration to the peritoneal cavity at doses of 4, 2 and 1 mg/kg, with the dose of 2 mg/kg being the one that showed results more expressive in inhibiting cell migration. In the cell migration kinetics, using the dose of 2 mg/kg of CLP, it was observed that this dose was able to inhibit this event in the three evaluated times, after the administration of zymosan. And this effect was related to the decrease in the levels of IL-1β and IL-6 in the peritoneal lavage, during the studied kinetics. In the edema model, it was observed that the three CLP doses tested acted by inhibiting the formation of xylene-induced ear edema, which was demonstrated by the high percentages of inhibition of the process (based on the weight of the ear sections) and in the preservation of the tissue morphology of the ears in the animals that received the treatments, with the dose of 2 mg/kg being the most efficient in this inhibition. Thus, the CLP has anti-inflammatory activity in the models studied and the dose of 2 mg/kg is an optimal dose in controlling inflammation in the models of peritonitis induced by zimosan and xylol-induced ear edema.

From the earliest reports of AIDS in the 1980s to the present day, HIV has claimed approximately 35 million lives and is considered one of the worst pandemics ever recorded in humans. HIV is an RNA virus belonging to the family Retroviridae, subfamily Orthoretrovirinae of the genus Lentivirus. Although there are two species of HIV, only HIV-1 has a pandemic distribution. Phylogenetically the virus is divided into several groups, subtypes, sub-types, CRF's and URF's. With the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) HIV infection is considered to be chronic, the well treated individual will not develop AIDS, leading to an improvement in the quality of life and the possibility of non-transmissibility. However, increasing antiretroviral resistance, mainly due to poor adherence to treatment, could hamper the global progress made so far in combating HIV. The objective of this study was to perform the phylogenetic characterization of circulating HIV-1 strains in the State of Rio Grande do Norte from samples from January to October 2018. A total of 170 samples from the four health regions of Rio Grande do Norte were selected, meeting the established inclusion criteria, and in 8 samples it was possible to perform all the methodological steps of the research. The phylogeny was carried out by means of sequencing of the protease and reverse transcriptase regions of the Pol gene, indicating predominance of circulating HIV-1-B with one patient presenting the F1 subtype and one presenting subtype C. The analysis of the genetic sequencing of the viruses indicated the presence of several mutations of resistance, both transmitted and acquired, as well as accessory mutations, only mutations of clinical importance were not detected in 4 samples, the most recurrent mutations were modeled and identified in reverse transcriptase in regions of α-helix, β-sheet and region of shoulder strap. In conclusion, this study revealed a predominance of circulating HIV-1 subtype B and the mutation profile revealed that the most impaired antiretrovirals were reverse transcriptase inhibitors. The information is fundamental for adequate redirection of therapeutic rescue of these patients and molecular epidemiological screening of circulating strains.

The bacterial species Gardnerella vaginalis is acquired sexually and can colonize in the female genital tract, and is closely related to the bacterial vaginosis. Therefore, the presence of this species represents a risk factor for women during the gestation period and STI acquisition. The objective of this research was to evaluate the prevalence of Gardnerella vaginalis and associated factors in women attending a gynecological clinic in the city of Natal-RN. It is a cross-sectional descriptive study, whose target population was composed of 395 patients consulted at a private gynecological clinic in the city of Natal-RN. The study was preformed with the cytological analysis of the vaginal discharge according to the Papanicolau method and afterwards, the criteria (presence of discharge, amine test, coilocytes and clue cells) were evaluated to confirm the suggestive microorganisms. Sociodemographic information of sexual behavior and clinical conditions of the participants were collected from the medical records and a 10-questions personal interview. The crude and adjusted Prevalence Ratios (PR) were calculated (Prevalence Ratios of Mantel Haenszel, according to the type of access to the health system). Pearson's Chi-square test (x2) was used to evaluate the presence of Gardnerella vaginalis and patients` associated factors. The overall prevalence of Gardnerella vaginalis was 35.4%, 51% higher in the age group of 15-44 years (p-value = 0.004), 45% higher in married women (p-value = 0.036), and 36% lower among women taking contraceptives (p-value = 0.004). The cases of G. vaginalis were 3.2 times higher among women who had a suggestive HPV diagnosis (p-value <0.001). The prevalence of G.vaginalis was 26 times greater in the group of women with vaginal discharge and 15 times greater in the group of women with a positive amine test (p-value <0.001). In this perspective, the interaction of positive amine and vaginal discharge was tested, it was observed that there was a statistically significant association with the presence of G. vaginalis (PR = 14.0; p-value <0.001). A significant prevalence of G.vaginalis colonizing the patients' vagina was found, in addition to the statistically significant association between the presence of this bacterium and some behavioral and sexual factors. The socioeconomic difference was not relevant in the study, so it is important to analyze the clinical and behavioral criteria for the diagnosis of Bacterial Vaginosis.

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonosis widely distributed throughout the world, caused by Toxoplasma gondii, an obligate intracellular protozoan capable of invading and multiplying in any nucleated cell. After invasion, the parasite triggers the activation of a pro-inflammatory response, capable of stimulating its encistamento and maintenance of the chronic infection. This antiparasitic response, when exacerbated, can generate immunopathological changes in the host organism. However, in order to avoid tissue compromise, the immune system establishes a balance through the anti-inflammatory response. However, the parasite has mechanisms to manipulate the immune system in order to establish a persistent and efficient infection, contributing to the development of brain changes as a consequence of chronic neuroinflammation. In this context, the objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of T. gondii cystogenic strain on the inflammatory response in isogenic mice (Balb / ce C57BL / 6) and outbred (Swiss), related to neuropathological features characteristic of the infection cerebral. Among the infected groups, all lineages presented body weight loss and evident signs of acute infection, with reactivity index (IR) for anti-T IgG. gondii, characterizing the positivity of the infection. The quantification of proinflammatory cytokines showed that the production of IFN-γ, IL-12 and TNF-α by the infected groups of the three strains was higher than those presented by the control groups, reinforcing the importance of a pro- effective in the process of chronic infection. In contrast, for anti-inflammatory cytokines, TGF-β production was more pronounced only by the Balb / ce infected group, for IL-10, the three lines showed similar and high values, indicating the immunoregulation involvement in the balance of developed pathogenesis. These data reinforce the importance of the development of an efficient immune response in the maintenance of the cysts found in the brain, characteristic of the chronic infection, varying according to the profile presented by the different strains of mice.

Digestive and cardiodigestive forms of Chagas' disease are observed in 2% to 15% of patients and immunopathological mechanisms that induce its development remain undefined. In addition, the determination of esophagus and colon involvement in patients is due to invasive and uncomfortable tests, which in most cases are not performed, allowing the patient to evolve to a more severe form of the pathology with a worse prognosis. In this work we evaluated the involvement of the production of anti M2-pyruvate kinase autoantibodies (M2-PK) and its possible association with the development and / or diagnosis of the digestive form of Chagas' disease. The production of total IgG and isotypes (IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4) was quantified using Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigote forms antigen and human M2-PK protein by serum ELISA in patients with indeterminate forms (n = 30), cardiac (n = 30), digestive (n = 15) and cardiodigestive (n = 15) of Chagas' disease, and correlated with the degree of dilation of the esophagus and colon. Serum samples from uninfected patients (n = 30) were used as controls. Chagasic patients with indeterminate, cardiac, digestive and cardiodigestive clinical forms had higher total antiT-cruzi IgG antibody and auto M2-PK autoantibodies when compared to uninfected individuals. Patients with the digestive and cardiodigestive form of the disease had higher production of total IgG autoantibodies compared to those with an indeterminate form. These patients still had a higher production of anti M2-PK autoantibodies belonging to the IgG1 and IgG4 isotypes when compared to patients with the indeterminate and cardiac forms. There was no difference between the production of the IgG2 and IgG3 isotypes in the patients presenting the different clinical manifestations using T. cruzi antigen or the M2-PK protein. The results indicate that the increase in the production of anti M2-PK autoantibodies may be related to the development of the digestive form of Chagas' disease.

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Nowadays, studies in the field of medicinal chemistry have been intensifying in order to elucidate new phytopharmaceuticals, either by obtaining extracts, fractions, isolated compounds or essential oils that present some type of biological activity. In this context, the aroeira-do-sertão (Myracrodruon urundeuva), of the family Anacardiaceae, already studied regarding the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and cicatrizant potential stands out. Motivated by new therapeutic alternatives, considering the growing microbial resistance, this study evaluated the antimicrobial activity of natural products obtained from the leaves of said plant. Among these is an essential oil, which was extracted by hydrodistillation, characterized by NMR and GC-MS, and evaluated for cytotoxicity; In addition, organic extracts, which were only analyzed for antimicrobial activity: lyophilized methanolic obtained by decoction; Chloroform and ethyl acetate, extracted at room temperature with their respective solvents and filtered under reduced pressure. The antibacterial activity was evaluated by the microdilution technique in broth, in which the MICs were determined using CTT (2,3,5-triphenyl-tetrazolium chloride) as a bacterial growth promoter, and the CBMs were analyzed by growth analysis of the contents of wells on BHI agar. The cytotoxicity of the oil was evaluated by the MTT method, 3- (4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) -2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide. The oil, in the chemical characterization, among the terpenes identified, had as main constituent the α-pinene (87,85%). In addition, this oil showed antibacterial activity against all strains tested, where for some of these, equivalence between MIC and MBC values, which were 0,22 mg/ml for Staphylococcus aureus, 0,44 mg/ml for Salmonella Enteritidis and 7 mg/ml for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. For Staphylococcus epidermidis the MIC was 0,11 mg/ml and the MBC was 0,22 mg/ml. Escherichia coli was inhibited with MIC of 0,88 mg/ml and MBC of 1,75 mg/ml. Equivalence between MIC and MBC was observed for methanolic extract against S. epidermidis (9,75 mg/ml). For S. aureus, the MIC of this extract was 9,75 mg/ml and the MBC 78 mg/ml. They were resistant to such extract: E. coli, S. Enteritidis and P. aeruginosa. Chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts were bacteriostatic against the five strains, but chloroform inhibited them all with MICs of 15 mg/ml, while ethyl acetate had MICs of 7,56 mg/ml for S. aureus, 1,89 mg/ml for S. epidermidis, 15,12 mg/ml for S. Enteritidis and 30,25 mg/ml for E. coli and P. aeruginosa. As for cytotoxicity, the essential oil compromised the cell viability of the Vero E6 line, only at the highest concentration, 4,4 mg/mL, inhibiting about 93,91% in 24h and 94,26% in 48h. In HeLa cells, in 24h the oil at the same dose had inhibition of 21%, which after 48h increased to 44,3%, showing a possible antitumor action. For the non-tumor cell line HEK-293, the oil had no toxic effect on them. It is concluded that the results are promising, opening future prospects for M. urundeuva leaf products to be pharmacologically viable.

Dogs are the primary reservoirs of parasites of the Leishmania genus. Innate immune receptors perform early detection of the parasite and lead to specific adaptive immune response in attempt to infection control. However, few studies have investigated a correlation between the expression of innate immunity receptors and the resistance or susceptibility pattern in dogs naturally infected with Leishmania infantum. The aim of this study was to correlate the clinical status of dogs naturally infected with L. infantum with the mRNA expression levels of innate imune receptors (Toll like receptors-TLRs and Nod Like Receptors-NLRs). Initially, serum of 76 dogs was collected at the Zoonoses Control Center in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The L. infantum infection in dogs was confirmed by ELISA and DPP^® tests. Subsequently, animals were clinially evaluated and classified as asymptomatic (n=19), oligosymptomatic (n=19), symptomatic (n=19) and uninfected (n=19). Dogs naturally infected by L. infantum and uninfected controls were euthanasied and liver samples were collected to quantify mRNA expression of TLRs (TLR1-9), Nod Like receptors-NLRs (NOD1, NOD2, NLRP1, NLRP3), cytokines (IL1β, IL-6, IL-12, IL-10, TNFα, IFN-γ) and iNOS using real-time PCR. The results demonstrate the increased expression of almost all TLRs and NLRs in dogs naturally infected by L. infantum compared with uninfected animals. However, symptomatic dogs showed higher expression of TLR1, TLR2, TLR3, TLR4, TLR5, TLR7, TLR8 NLRP1, NLRP3, NOD1 and IL-1β than asymptomatic animals, revealing significant up regulation of transcription with disease progression. On the other hand, asymptomatic dogs presented greater cytokine mRNA expression (IFN-γ, IL-12) and iNOS when compared to oligosymptomatic and asymptomatic animals. This study unveil new knowledge involving innate immunity receptors (TLRs, NLRs, NLRPs) and cytokines in canine visceral leishmaniasis and may be used as a basis for better understanding of resistance or susceptibility mechanisms in dogs infected with L. infantum, as well as prophylactic strategies to control canine visceral leishmaniasis.

Chemokines act in the recruitment and accumulation of leukocytes during the inflammatory process and plays an important role in the development of the different clinical forms of Chagas’ disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the mRNA expression of chemokines (CCL1, CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, CCL5, CCL17, CCL22, CCL24, CCL27, CCL28, CXCL9, CXCL10) and chemokine receptors (CCR2, CCR3, CCR4, CCR5, CCR6, CCR7, CCR8, CCR10, CXCR3) in chronic chagasic patients with indeterminate (n=18), cardiac (n=17), digestive (n=15) and cardiodigestive (n=15) clinical forms. The mRNA expression was performed in peripheral-blood mononuclear cells by real-time PCR. Patients with the cardiac form displayed higher mRNA expression of CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCR3 and CCR5, than patients with indeterminate form. On the other hand, patients with the digestive form showed high expression of CCR3, when compared to patients with indeterminate and cardiac clinical forms of the disease. In addition there was possible a positively correlation beteween CCR3 mRNA expression and sigmoid dimension. The chemokine CCL5 had higher mRNA expression in cardiodigestive patients compared to those with the cardiac and indeterminate forms. The chemokines CCL1, CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, CCL17, CCL22, CCL24, CCL27, CCL28, and the chemokine receptors CCR2, CCR4, CCR6, CCR7, CCR8 and CCR10 did not show significant differences in mRNA expression among the patients with the different clinical forms. CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCR3 and CCR5 participate in the migration of Th1-profile cells and the high expression in patients with chagasic cardiomyopathy indicates their contribution in the cardiac inflammatory process. Patients with digestive form showed high of CCR3 mRNA expression which is involved with Th2 immune profile, indicating possible polarization for this profile in development of digestive form of disease.

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Os Estafilococos Coagulase Negativos (ECN) são microrganismos pertencentes à microbiota normal da pele e de mucosas dos seres humanos e de animais. A maioria das infecções causadas por ECN estão relacionadas ao uso de dispositivos médicos invasivos que ao lesionar a integridade da pele servem de base para a formação de biofilmes, um importante fator de virulência. Grande parte dos isolados de coagulase negativo são provenientes de hemoculturas e pontas de cateter e nos últimos anos vem se tornando um grave problema no que diz respeito à antibioticoterapia, em virtude do número elevado de cepas multirresistentes descritas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi pesquisar resistência à linezolida em estafilococos coagulase negativos resistentes à meticilina isolados de ponta de cateter e hemocultura de hospitais públicos e privados da cidade do Natal. Os isolados bacterianos foram coletados a partir de demanda espontânea em Hospitais Públicos e Privados. O gênero Staphylococcus foi confirmado através dos testes de rotina como coloração de Gram, prova da catalase da coagulase livre. A identificação a nível de espécie foi realizada através de testes bioquímicos convencionais. Algumas amostras tiveram sua identificação confirmada pelos sistemas VITEK 2 e MALDI-TOF. O perfil de resistência aos antimicrobianos foi avaliado através da técnica de disco-difusão (CLSI 2013). A Concentração Inibitória Mínima para vancomicina e linezolida foi determinada através do uso de E-test e a presença dos genes mecA e cfr foi confirmada pela técnica da Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase. Algumas amostras tiveram a região V da subunidade 23S do gene do rRNA sequenciadas e analisadas. Posteriormente, as mesmas foram submetidas a técnica do PFGE para determinação do seu pulsotipo. Dos 43 estafilococos coagulase negativos resistentes à oxacilina incluídos neste estudo, 33 (77%) foram identificados como S. epidermidis, 6 (14%) como S. haemolyticus, 3 (7%) como S. homins e 1 (2%) como S. capitis. Os isolados de hemocultura representaram 86% (37) e os de ponta de cateter 14% (6). As amostras apresentaram um perfil de multirresistência, uma vez que 42 dos 43 isolados apresentaram resistência à 4 ou mais classes de drogas. Todas apresentaram o gene mecA. Nenhuma amostra apresentou resistência à vancomicina. Três cepas de S. hominis e duas de S. epidermidis, apresentaram resistência à linezolida com CIM variando entre 6 e 64 µL/mL. Quando investigadas, apresentaram duas mutações pontuais (C2190T e G2603T) na região V do gene para rRNA 23S. Nenhuma destas apresentou o gene cfr. O PFGE dos S. hominis revelou a presença de um único pulsotipo em 3 hospitais, enquanto não foi encontrado semelhança genética entre os S. epidermidis. Estes achados destacam a importância da vigilância continuada em relação a resistência a linezolida no gênero Staphylococcus.

A dengue e a febre da zika são doenças causadas por vírus RNA de fita simples, polaridade positiva, pertencentes à família Flaviviridae, gênero Flavivirus e são transmitidos ao homem através da picada de vetores artrópodes hematófagos do gênero Aedes. O Estado do Rio Grande do Norte (RN) convive com o aumento do número de casos da dengue há mais de duas décadas, porém, no que concerne à febre da zika, até os primeiros dias do mês de maio deste ano, o Ministério da Saúde não havia confirmado nenhum caso da doença no Brasil, tampouco no Rio Grande do Norte. Esse trabalho objetivou analisar o perfil epidemiológico dos vírus Dengue e Zika no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte, no período de junho de 2014 a maio de 2015. Foram estudadas 396 amostras provenientes de pacientes com casos suspeitos de dengue e/ou zika, das quais, 334 amostras foram analisadas para dengue através da RT-PCR, representando 8,08% (27/334) de positividade e 348 amostras foram estudadas para Zika por meio da qRT-PCR, onde o vírus foi confirmado em 20,98% (73/348) dos casos. Os sorotipos DENV-1, DENV-2 e DENV-4 cocircularam no RN, com predominância do último, detectado em 66,67% (18/27) dos casos positivos. Os municípios de Jandaíra, Natal e Ouro Branco foram os mais acometidos por dengue, com 18,52% (5/27), 22,22% (6/27) e 11,11% (3/27), respectivamente. No que se refere ao Zika, as cidades mais atingidas foram Guamaré, Natal, Nova Cruz e Parnamirim, com 13,70% (10/73), 30,14% (22/73), 9,59% (7/73) e 19,18% (14/73) de confirmações, respectivamente. Neste estudo, o primeiro município a ter um caso confirmado de dengue foi Jandaíra. Caiçara do Rio do Vento foi o primeiro a apresentar um caso de Zika, seguido de Galinhos. Junho foi o mês mais representativo para dengue com 44,44% (12/27) dos casos confirmados, enquanto Março foi o mais acometido por Zika com 23,29% (17/73). O gênero masculino e o feminino tiveram praticamente a mesma proporção de casos positivos para dengue, com 51,85% (14/27) e 48,15% (13/27), respectivamente, enquanto o Zika acometeu um maior número de mulheres, representando 57,53% (42/73). As faixas etárias mais acometidas por dengue foram a de 11-20 e 51-60 anos, cada uma com 18,52% (5/27). No que concerne ao vírus Zika, a faixa etária de 0-10 anos foi a mais acometida com 19,18% (14/73) dos casos confirmados, seguidas das faixas de 31-40 e 41-50 anos, onde cada uma destas representou 16,44% (12/73). Em decorrência da cocirculação desses flavivírus no RN, é fundamental compreender a prevalência e a dinâmica de circulação de ambos os vírus, no intuito de estabelecer medidas para controlar futuros surtos e epidemias no Estado. Este trabalho representa o maior estudo sobre o Zika vírus no Estado do RN.

Culicids are fundamental parts in the transmission of several pathogens which makes this family of dipterans of great medical importance. One branch for understanding how these diseases can be controlled is the study of the vectors that transmit them. Therefore, the importance of carrying out studies that deal with the investigation of these vectors in areas that have not yet been explored, such as conservation units, that can house these pathogens. The objective of this work was to carry out a survey of the species of culicidae in the Caatinga and the possible presence of circulating arboviruses. Methodology: Mosquito collections were carried out from September 2011 to August 2013 in the National Forest of Açu-RN. Three types of traps were used: Ovitrampa, Larvitrampa and Shannon Trap, in order to collect the forms of egg, larva and adults respectively. The individuals collected were individually identified using specific morphological keys and the adults were submitted to viral identification, through the extraction of viral RNA, RT-PCR and sequencing of viruses. Results and Discussion: Eight genera of the Culicidae family were collected: Aedes, Aedeomyia, Anopheles, Coquillettidia, Culex, Haemagogus, Mansonia and Ochlerotatus. The Ovitrampa and Larvitrampa traps captured A aegypti, A albopictus, Haemagogus spegazzini, Culex (Culex) sp, being more positive in the points that approach the urban area surrounding Flona, among the species collected the most abundant was A. aegypti. In the Shannon trap, seventeen species were identified and the most abundant was Ochlerotatus scapularis involved in the transmission of the arboviruses Melon virus, Ilhéus virus, Rocio virus and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis do Leste virus. Two new records were found belonging to the subfamily Culicinae: Mansonia pseudotitillans, and Culex (culex) chidesteri. The latter was first encountered with the Culex Flavivirus (CxFv) virus. CxFv has no medical importance, it is a specific virus of the Culex genus. These data show how much they still have to reveal about the Caatinga domain of Rio Grande do Norte. Conclusion: This work brings an alert for the preservation of the conservation units, because once these environments are degraded they can cause the exposure of pathogens to people's lives, since there are several vectors maintained in the environment.

Estudos recentes têm demonstrado a importância de receptores do tipo Toll (TLRs) e do tipo NOD (NLRs) na resistência à infecção experimental pelo Trypanosoma cruzi. Entretanto, não existem trabalhos que correlacionem a expressão diferencial desses receptores em camundongos durante à infecção por cepas com diferentes graus de virulência e patogenicidade. Com a finalidade de compreender melhor o papel desses receptores na resistência ou susceptibilidade à infecção experimental pelo T. cruzi, camundongos Swiss Webster foram infectados com 1x10⁴ tripomastigotas sanguíneos das cepas/isolados pertencentes aos seis grupos genéticos: Colombiana (Tc-I), Y (Tc-II), PL 1.10.14 (Tc-III), AM 64 (Tc-IV), 3253 (Tc-V) e CL (Tc-VI). Características biológicas inerentes as diferentes cepas/isolados foram avaliadas (parasitemia, sobrevivência e polimorfismo de formas tripomastigotas), juntamente com a expressão de receptores da imunidade inata (TLR1, TLR2, TLR3, TLR4, TLR5, TLR6, TLR7, TLR8, TLR9, NOD1, NOD2 e NALP3), suas moléculas adaptadoras (TRIF, MyD88, RIP2, ASC e Caspase-1), citocinas (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p35, IL-12p40, IL-18, IFN-g e TNF-α) e da enzima iNOS em tecido muscular cardíaco. As cepas Y e Colombiana apresentaram os maiores picos de parasitemia e geraram 100% de mortalidade nos animais. A cepa CL e o isolado PL 1.10.14 apresentaram picos intermediários de parasitemia e geraram 70% de mortalidade nos camundongos infectados. Por outro lado, a cepa AM64 e o isolado 3253 geram os menores picos de parasitemia e 100% dos animais sobreviveram a infecção. Animais infectados com as cepas Y e Colombiana do T cruzi, cepas muito virulentas e patogênicas, apresentam elevada expressão de RNAm de NALP3, caspase-1, IL-1β, TNF-α e iNOS na musculatura cardíaca. Por outro lado, apresentam redução na expressão de RNAm de TLR4, TLR5, TLR9, TRIF, IL-6 e IL12p35 quando comparado aos demais grupos de animais infectados com cepas que apresentam menor virulência e patogenicidade. Ainda foi observado uma correlação negativa entre a expressão de RNAm de TLR4 e IL-6 e a quantidade de formas tripomastigotas sanguíneas. Os dados sugerem que as cepas Y e Colombiana, virulentas e patogênicas, induzem a inibição na expressão de RNAm de TLR4, TLR5, TLR9 e TRIF e levam ao aumento na expressão de RNAm de NALP3, caspase-1, IL-1β, TNF-α e iNOS na musculatura cardíaca podendo contribuir para a susceptibilidade a infecção.

Mosquitoes of the Anopheles genus are vectors of Plasmodium that cause human malaria, the development of new tools, methods and techniques to combat malaria transmission are a priority. In order to develop new ways of fighting the mosquito, we must understand its search behavior for the host, which is the main link in the transmission of the disease. Olfactometers are a simple and reliable way to obtain behavioral responses from insects, when used specifically for the tested insect. Widely employed in the study of agricultural entomology for pest control, however in Brazil the study with olfactometry and insect vectors is scarce. Due to the eminent importance of the development of new means to block the transmission link of pathogens from mosquitoes to humans, it is essential to optimize tools that help us to understand the behavior of the vector. Aiming this, the study had as objective the development of a vertical olfactometer with airflow for anemotaxic hematophagous insects using the species Anopheles aquasalis as a model for behavioral studies. The existence of the device was verified on the basis of worldwide public patents, later the olfactometer was developed, based on already existing olfactometers, implemented with airflow and video system, so that it would be suitable for anemotaxic insects, as described in the literature. Tests were carried out with 3 different cameras, absence and presence of airflow, smoke tests and indiscriminate bioassays with keratomone octenol and animals. In order to evaluate the functioning of the olfactometer and its implementations. As a result, we can observe that there are no specific olfactometers for A. aquasalis, nor for the genus Anopheles, and no vertical olfactometer with airflow to evaluate the olfactory response of anemotaxic insects. We observed that odor plumes generated in the water vapor smoke test are much denser, being more appropriate for evaluating the odor plume structure than those generated by acetic acid and ammonia hydroxide, in addition to being non-toxic and inexpensive . Regarding the implementations, we noticed that the GoPro Hero 3+ camera showed superior performance to the others tested, clearly assessing movements of attraction and activation of mosquitoes; the air flow generated turbulence in the odor plume tests, making diffusion active rather than passive. In the indiscriminating bioassays with octenol, we observed that rates of 15mg / h have a higher mean of attractiveness (66.66%) compared to 14mg / h (33.33%) and 18mg / h (0%), demonstrating that there is a relationship between the volatilization rate and number of insects attracted (p <0.05); with different hosts we observed that there was no relationship (p = 1.00) between different species and attractiveness of A aquasalis. It is concluded that the development of a specific tool to evaluate the behavior of anemotaxic insects that make blood-sucking insects makes the results more reliable, since the device is specific for insects, allowing the performance of simpler and more accurate behavioral studies.

A dengue é uma doença infecciosa causada por um arbovírus (gênero Flavivirus, família Flaviviridae), transmitido pela picada de artrópodes, principalmente por mosquitos da espécie Aedes aegypti. Existem quatro tipos diferentes de vírus da dengue: (DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 e DENV-4), que ocorre principalmente em áreas tropicais e subtropicais do mundo, inclusive no Brasil. A infecção por dengue atualmente é considerada um grave problema de saúde público mundial. Segundo a Organização Mundial de Saúde, cerca de 50-100 milhões de pessoas se infectam anualmente em mais de 100 países do mundo. O objetivo deste estudo foi descrever o perfil epidemiológico da dengue no estado da Paraíba no período entre os anos de 2011 a 2014. Uma pesquisa descritiva foi realizada, a qual utilizou dados secundários registrados no SINAN da Paraíba, onde foram analisados os casos notificados de acordo com variáveis como gênero, faixa etária, escolaridade, sorotipo, meses de notificação, classificação clínica e evolução da doença. De 2011 a 2014 na Paraíba foram notificados 53.373 casos suspeitos de dengue, dos quais 52,4% (28.020) foram confirmados. Em 2011 foram confirmados 53% (8.646) dos casos, em 2012 os confirmados foram equivalente a 58% (6.867), o ano de 2013 registrou 48% (8.827), e em 2014 com 49,5% (3.680). Houve predominância do sexo feminino (58%) dos casos. A média de idade dos confirmados foi de 18-60 anos representando 64,2%, quando considerados os anos de estudo. Quando analisado a evolução da doença, observou-se que 89% dos indivíduos confirmados com dengue evoluíram para a cura. Foram registrados 48 óbitos nesse período. O sorotipo DENV-1 foi predominante de 2011 a 2013, seguido do DENV-4. A classificação dengue clássico foi equivalente a 97% dos casos, dengue com complicações foi de apenas 0,1%, febre hemorrágica da dengue foi de 0,5% e por último a síndrome do choque da dengue. Os meses de maior notificação da doença foram no primeiro semestre do ano, com maior incidência entre os meses de março a junho. Conclui-se que as epidemias de dengue na Paraíba apresentaram diferenças importantes, e um diagnóstico imediato da infecção aliado a um diagnóstico molecular dos sorotipos circulantes na comunidade poderiam ser medidas de prevenção e controle para riscos potenciais de formas graves da doença na população.