Lymphadenitis caused by infection with an isoniazid- and rifampin-resistant strain of Mycobacterium bovis BCG in an infant with IFN-γ/IL-12 pathway defect / Linfadenite por Mycobacterium bovis BCG resistente a isoniazida e rifampicina em lactente com defeito no eixo IFN-γ/IL-12

We report a rare case in a female infant (age, 3.5 months) with primary immunodeficiency (IFN-γ/IL-12 pathway defect) who presented with suppurative lymphadenitis after Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccination. The strain of M. bovis BCG identified was found to be resistant to isoniazid and rifampin. The patient was treated with a special pharmacological regimen involving isoniazid (in a limited, strategic manner), ethambutol, streptomycin, and IFN-γ, after which there was complete resolution of the lesions.

Relatamos um caso raro em uma lactente com três meses e meio de idade, portadora de imunodeficiência primária (defeito no eixo IFN-γ/IL-12), que apresentou linfadenite supurativa após a vacinação por Mycobacterium bovis BCG, cepa essa resistente a isoniazida e rifampicina. Após o tratamento com um esquema medicamentoso especial com isoniazida (de forma estratégica e limitada), etambutol, estreptomicina e IFN-γ, houve a cura completa das lesões.

Effect of the injection of an extract of Ascaris suum on macrophage activation during the early phase of Mycobacterium bovis BCG infection in C57Bl/6 mice

Injection of an Ascaris suum extract (Asc) affects both the humoral and cellular immune responses to unrelated antigens when it is co-administered with these antigens. In the present study we evaluated the effect of Asc on macrophage activation in the early phase of Mycobacterium bovis BCG (Pasteur strain TMCC 1173) infection in C57Bl/6 mice. C57Bl/6 mice were injected intraperitoneally (ip) with 0.1 mg BCG (BCG group) or BCG plus 1 mg Asc (BCG + Asc group). The peritoneal exudates were obtained at 2, 7 and 14 days after infection. The numbers of IFN-g-secreting cells were assessed by the ELISPOT assay. Nitric oxide (NO) production was measured by the Griess method and by the evaluation of NADPH diaphorase activity in the peritoneal exudates. The administration of Asc extract increased NADPH diaphorase activity (2 days: control = 0, BCG = 7 per cent, BCG + Asc = 13 per cent, and Asc = 4 per cent; 7 days: control = 4, BCG = 13 per cent, BCG + Asc = 21 per cent, and Asc = 4.5 per cent) and TNF-a levels (mean + or - SD; 2 days: control = 0, BCG = 169 + or - 13, BCG + Asc = 202 + or - 37, and Asc = 0; 7 days: control = 0, BCG = 545 + or - 15.5, BCG + Asc = 2206 + or - 160.6, and Asc = 126 + or - 26; 14 days: control = 10 + or - 1.45, BCG = 9 + or - 1.15, BCG + Asc = 126 + or - 18, and Asc = 880 + or - 47.67 pg/ml) in the early phase of BCG infection. Low levels of NO production were detected at 2 and 7 days after BCG infection, increasing at 14 days (mean + or - SD; 2 days: control = 0, BCG = 3.7 + or - 1.59, BCG + Asc = 0.82 + or - 0.005, Asc = 0.48 + or - 0.33; 7 days: control = 0, BCG = 2.78 + or - 1.54, BCG + Asc = 3.07 + or - 1.05, Asc = 0; 14 days: control = 0, BCG = 9.05 + or - 0.53, BCG + Asc = 9.61 + or - 0.81, Asc = 10.5 + or - 0.2 (2 x 106) cells/ml). Furthermore, we also observed that Asc co-injection induced a decrease of BCG-colony-forming units (CFU) in the spleens of BCG-infected mice during the first week of infection (mean + or - SD; 2 days: BCG = 1.13 + or - 0.07 and BCG + Asc = 0.798 + or - 0.305; 7 days: BCG = 1.375 + or - 0.194 and BCG + Asc = 0.548 + or - 0.0226; 14 days: BCG = 0.473 + or - 0.184 and BCG + Asc = 0.675 + or - 0.065 (x 102) CFU). The present data suggest that Asc induces the enhancement of the immune response in the early phase of BCG infection.

Effects of diazepam on Mycobacterium bovis-induced infection in hamsters

The in utero exposure of hamsters to low doses of diazepam results in impaired host defense against Mycobacterium bovis during adulthood. Delayed developmental immunotoxicity, however, represents a specific situation that might not be general. The present experiment was undertaken to investigate the effects of diazepam on hamster resistance to M. bovis using adult animals. The effects of diazepam treatment on serum cortisol levels were also studied. Adult hamsters (N = 10 for each group) were treated with diazepam (E1 = 1.0, E2 = 2.0 or E3 = 3.0 mg kg-1 day-1 subcutaneously) or with control solution (C) for 30 days. Seven days after the beginning of the treatment, the animals received identical inoculum concentrations of M. bovis. Hamsters treated with the higher (2.0 and 3.0 mg kg-1 day-1) doses of diazepam exhibited: 1) increased granuloma areas in the liver (C = 1.81 + or - 1.39, E2 = 10.29 + or - 4.64 and E3 = 15.80 + or - 4.82) and lung (C = 0.54 + or - 0.55, E2 = 6.28 + or - 3.85 and E3 = 6.31 + + or - 3.56) and 2) increased scores of M. bovis colony-forming units isolated from liver (C = 2.0, E2 = 3.0 and E3 = 3.5), lung (C = 1.0, E2 = 3.0 and E3 = 3.5) and spleen (C = 1.0, E2 = 2.5 and E3 = 4.0). These effects were dose dependent, and were not detected or were less severe in animals treated with the lowest (1.0 mg/kg) dose of diazepam as well as in those of the control group. Furthermore, diazepam treatment (3.0 mg kg-1 day-1 for 30 days) increased (E3 = 71.32 + or - 2.99; N = 10) the serum levels of cortisol compared to control hamsters (C = 22.61 + or - 2.75; N = 10). The present data, that demonstrate an impaired defense against M. bovis in adult hamsters treated with diazepam, were tentatively explained on the basis of a direct and/or indirect action of diazepam on the cytokine network. The effects may be related to stimulation of peripheral benzodiazepine receptor binding sites (PBR) by macrophages and/or lymphocytes, or they may be mediated by PBR stimulation of the adrenals

Effect of bacillus of Calmette-Guerin, avridine and Propionibacterium acnes as immunomodulators on rabies in mice

Avaliou-se a resposta imune celular e humoral de camundongos inoculados com virus rabico de rua e submetidos aos imunomoduladores Onco-BCG, avridina e Propionibacterium acnes. Os animais submetidos ao tratamento com P. acnes apresentaram um maior percentual de sobrevivencia quando comparados aos dos demais tratamentos. Foram observados menores niveis de IFN-gama nos animais infectados, sugerindo imunossupressao viral. O teste do Coxim Plantar nao foi eficaz para a deteccao da resposta de hipersensibilidade retardada na metodologia utilizada, contrariamente ao MIF. A sobrevivencia dos animais nao apresentou correlacao com os niveis de anticorpos soroneutralizantes, concentracao de IFN-gama e resposta ao MIF

Changes in the virulence of Mycobacterium bovis (BCG Phipps) in carbon tetrachloride treated mice.

Mild grade of liver damage was produced in mice by repeated subcutaneous injection of carbon tetrachloride. These mice along with saline treated mice were challenged with an avirulent vaccine strain of BCG (Phipps), intravenously. The CCl4 treated, BCG challenged mice developed disease and died much earlier than the controls, indicating an increased susceptibility to the avirulent strain in mice with mild hepatitis.

Influência da matéria orgânica na atividade micobactericida do hipoclorito de sódio comercial com 2, 5 por cento de cloro ativo / Influence of organic soil on the mycobactericidal activity of the commercial sodium hypochlorite with a 2, 5 per cent of active chlorine

Foi investigada a maior diluiçäo do hipoclorito de sódio comercial com 2,5 por cento de cloro ativo (água de lavadeira) capaz de inativar o Mycobacterium fortuitum em presença de níveis variáveis de fezes de bovino como fonte de matéria orgânica. Os ensaios foram conduzidos de modo que o desinfetante atuasse durante 60 minutos à temperatura de 4 a 8§C. A neutralizaçäo da açäo do desinfetante foi obtida com a soluçäo de tiossulfato de sódio a 0,5 por cento e tween-80 a 0,05 por cento (v/v). Os microrganismos sobreviventes foram recuperados em meio de Lowenstein-Jensen. A quantificaçäo das unidades formadoras de colônias (U.F.C.) foi analisada pelo Teste "U" de Mann-Whitney. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram que a presença de fezes bovinas prejudicou a atividade micobactericida do desinfetante ensaiado. Foi possível constatar-se que as diluiçöes de trabalho capazes de determinar a reduçäo de 70 por cento do número de U.F.C. foram de 1:64 e 1:16, respectivamente, em ausência e presença de matéria orgânica. Em diluiçöes de trabalho superiores ao valor de 1:64 a atividade micobactericida do hipoclorito de sódio foi muito irregular

Inmunoterapía BCG en cáncer vesical de células escamosas / Squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder: BCG immunotherapy

Se presenta el caso de una paciente portadora de cáncer vesical de tipo escamoso que fue tratada con cistectomía parcial y luego instilaciones de 1 mgr de vacuna BCG durante un año. No ha presentado recidivas durante 24 meses de observación

Açäo dos sucos digestivos sobre a absorçäo e destino no BCG oral / Action of digestive juices on the absorption and utilization of oral BCG

Estudou-se a açäo de suco gástrico artificial e suco duodenal humano sobre a vacina BCG, bem como a absorçäo e destino desta após administraçäo intragástrica em camundongos. O contato de 2 horas do bacilo com o suco gástrico provocou uma diminuiçäo significante do consumo de oxigênio e uma moderada perda da viabilidade. O suco duodenal induziu marcante decréscimo da respiraçäo bacilar e grande reduçäo da viabilidade. O BCG foi marcado como carbono-14 usando-se 14C-glicerol como precursor dos lipídios micobacterianos. Níveis similares de radioatividade foram obtidos nos órgäos dos animais, 24 horas após administraçäo intragástrica de 14C-BCG, 14C-BCG rompido por ultra-som e 14C-glicerol. Os níveis de 14C-BCG permaneceram estáveis do 6ª ao 24ª dia, enquanto o sonicado de 14C-BCG e 14C-glicerol definiram um processo de decaimento biológico. As curvas de biodecaimento no intestino delgado e no fígado indicaram que o processo de absorçäo foi desencadeado rapidamente e alcançou seu nível máximo às 24 horas, decaindo em seguida de acordo com a complexidade química do material dado aos camundongos. Näo foram isolados bacilos viáveis dos órgäos dos animais que receberam BCG näo marcado. Pode-se concluir, portanto, que a maioria dos bacilos foram absorvidos intactos mas näo viáveis