Fenilcetonúria associada à alergia à proteína do leite de vaca / Phenylketonuria Associated with Cow Milk Protein Allergy

Introdução: a fenilcetonúria (PKU) é uma doença do metabolismo da fanilalanina cujo tratamento se baseia na introdução precoce de uma fórmula com restrição de fenilalanina. Relato do caso: uma menina, com diagnóstico de PKU a partir da triagem neonatal, com 82 dias de vida, recebeu tratamento dietético com fórmula com restrição de fenilalanina associada à fórmula láctea e desenvolveu alergia à proteína do leite de vaca (APLV) com sintomas cutâneos e gastrointestinais. Conclusão: o manejo dietético da PKU pode precipitar a ocorrência da APLV.

Introduction: Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a disease of the metabolism of phanylalanine whose treatment is based on the early introduction of a phenylalanine-restricted formula. Case report: A girl with 82 days of life with PKU diagnosis from neonatal screening received dietary treatment with a phenylalanine-restricted formula associated with the milk formula. She developed allergy to cow's milk protein (APLV) with cutaneous symptoms and gastrointestinal disorders. Conclusion: Dietary management of PKU may precipitate the occurrence of APLV.

Genotypic characterization of psittacid herpesvirus isolates from Brazil

Abstract Thirty-six isolates of psittacid herpesvirus (PsHV), obtained from 12 different species of psittacids in Brazil, were genotypically characterized by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and PCR amplification. RFLP analysis with the PstI enzyme revealed four distinct restriction patterns (A1, X, W and Y), of which only A1 (corresponding to PsHV-1) had previously been described. To study PCR amplification patterns, six pairs of primers were used. Using this method, six variants were identified, of which, variants 10, 8, and 9 (in this order) were most prevalent, followed by variants 1, 4, and 5. It was not possible to correlate the PCR and RFLP patterns. Twenty-nine of the 36 isolates were shown to contain a 419 bp fragment of the UL16 gene, displaying high similarity to the PsHV-1 sequences available in GenBank. Comparison of the results with the literature data suggests that the 36 Brazilian isolates from this study belong to genotype 1 and serotype 1.

Evaluation of the proliferative activity of methanol extracts from six medicinal plants in murine spleen cells

A number of natural compounds have been used as immunomodulatory agents, enabling the function of the immune system to be modified by stimulating or suppressing it. There has been increasing interest in the study of therapeutic action of plant extracts regarding their immunomodulatory activity. The aim of this study was to identify and evaluate the action of extracts of the medicinal plants Calophyllum brasiliense, Ipomoea pes-caprae, Matayba elaeagnoides, Maytenus robusta, Rubus imperialis and Vernonia scorpioides on the development of spleen cells from mice, using the in vitro cellular proliferation assay. The cells, obtained by mechanical rupture of mice spleen (5x10(4) cells/mL), were incubated with methanol extracts (10, 50, 100 and 200 µg/mL) and phytohemagglutinin (PHA, 5 µg/mL). The basal control for proliferation consisted of cells alone, while the positive control consisted of cells and PHA. The cell culture was kept at 37 ºC in 5 percent CO2 for 72 hours, and cell proliferation was revealed by the blue tetrazolium reduction assay (MTT). The results were expressed as percentage of growth and were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. The C. brasiliense, I. pes-caprae and M. elaeagnoides extracts showed dose-dependent induction of cell proliferation, with a significant increase in cell proliferation (p<0.03) and percentage growth of 88.2 percent, 73.1 percent and 52.7 percent, respectively, suggesting T lymphocyte stimulation. By contrast, M. robusta, R. imperialis and V. scorpioides extracts showed significance only with a negative percentage of growth, suggesting inhibition of cell proliferation (p<0.04). Further biomonitoring studies will enable the fractions and isolated substances responsible for the immunomodulatory activities to be identified.

Várias substâncias de origem natural têm sido utilizadas como agentes imunomoduladores, permitindo modificar a função do sistema imune e propiciando o estudo de atividades terapêuticas de extratos de plantas. Este trabalho objetivou identificar a atividade imunomodulatória dos extratos de seis plantas medicinais da flora brasileira, Calophyllum brasiliense, Ipomoea pes-caprae, Matayba elaeagnoides, Maytenus robusta, Rubus imperialis e Vernonia scorpioides, sobre a proliferação de células esplênicas de camundongos. As células esplênicas murinas obtidas por ruptura mecânica do baço (5x14³ células/mL) foram incubadas com os extratos metanólicos das plantas (10, 50, 100, 200 µg/mL) e fito-hemaglutinina (PHA, 5 µg/mL). O controle basal de proliferação foi constituído de células apenas e o controle positivo formado por células e PHA. O cultivo celular foi mantido a 37 ºC, 5 por cento de CO2, 72 horas, com quantificação da proliferação celular pelo ensaio de redução do azul de tetrazólio. Os resultados expressos em percentagem de crescimento foram analisados pelos testes de Kruskal-Wallis e Mann-Whitney. Os extratos de C. brasiliense, I. pes-caprae e M. elaeagnoides mostraram indução dose-dependente da proliferação celular (p<0,03), com percentagem de crescimento de, respectivamente, 88,2 por cento, 73,1 por cento e 52,7 por cento, sugerindo estímulo de linfócitos T. Contrariamente, os extratos de M. robusta, R. imperialis e V. scorpioides apresentaram significância apenas com percentagem de crescimento negativa, indicando inibição da proliferação celular (p<0,04). A continuidade no estudo biomonitorado permitirá a identificação das frações e substâncias isoladas responsáveis pelas atividades imunomoduladoras.

Prevalência de infecções do trato urinário e bacteriuria em gestantes da clínica ginecológica do ambulatório materno infantil de Tubarão – SC no ano de 2005 / Prevalence of urinary infection and asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant in a clinics in south Brazil

Introdução: A prevalência de bacteriúria assintomática é de 10 % na gravidez. A Escherichia coli corresponde a 80-90% das infecções. A cultura de urina deveser usada como um procedimento de rotina na primeira visita pré-natal. O tratamento da bacteriúria assintomáticaprevine complicações na gestação como pielonefrite aguda. Objetivos: Determinar a prevalência de infecção dotrato urinário em gestantes da clínica ginecológica do Ambulatório Materno Infantil de Tubarão-SC no período de 2005. Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo observacional, descritivo sobre registros secundários de todas as gestantes(17 - 40 anos) do Ambulatório Materno Infantil de Tubarão no período 01/01/2005 a 31/12/2005. Resultados: Das 192 gestantes, 70 (36,46%) pacientes foram incluídas com alterações clínicas e/ou laboratoriais de infecção do trato urinário. A solicitação de urocultura foi realizada em 28 (40%) pacientes. Destas, 11 (39,29%) apresentaram urocultura positiva, sendo a Escherichia coli mais prevalente em 45,45%. Prevalência de tratamento medicamentoso nas gestantes queapresentaram alterações clínicas e/ou laboratoriais foi de 45,71%. Conclusões: Urocultura continua sendo o melhor método diagnóstico para infecção do trato urinário. Solicitá-la precocemente na primeira visita pré-natal para diagnosticar e tratar os casos de bacteriúria assintomática torna-se imprescindível para prevenir uma futuracomplicação.

Introduction: The prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria is 10% during pregnancy. The Escherichia coli bacterium is responsible for 80-90% of the infections. The urine culture should be used as a routine procedure in the first pre-natal visit. The treatment of asymptomatic bacterium prevents complications during pregnancy such as acute pyelonephritis. Objectives: To determinate the prevalence of urinarytract infection in pregnant women at the Ambulatório Materno Infantil – Tubarão– SC during the period of 2005. Methodology: A descriptive Observational study was realized using secondary records of all pregnant woman (17-40 years old) of the Ambulatório Materno Infantil ofTubarão in the period from January 1st 2005 through December 31st 2005. The information was typed in a file created by the “Epi-data Program” and analyzed in the “Epi-Info Program”. The averages were compared by Kruskal-Wallis test, the proportions by qui-square testor Fisher exact test, when correspondent. Results: Of the 192 pregnant woman, 70 (36,46%)patients were included with clinical and/or laboratorial alterations of urinary tract infection. The uroculture request was realized in 28 (40%) patients. Among them, 11 (39,29%) presented positive uroculture, Escherichia coli being the most prevalent bacteria (45,45%). Theprevalence of the women that presented clinical and/or laboratorial alterations that were treated was 45,71%.Conclusions: Uroculture continues to be the best diagnostics methods for infection of urinary tract. Its earlyrequest in the fist pre-natal visit to diagnose and treat the asymptomatic bacteriuria becomes indispensable inpreventing future complications.