Comparative study on the effect of cyclic nucleotides related to the function of Biomphalaria glabrata hemocytes and human granulocytes.

The biochemical processes linked up to cyclic nucleotides related to the phenomenon of phagocytosis in Biomphalaria glabrata hemocytes were studied. In hemocytes the results suggest the presence of a phagocytic capacity similar to that observed in human cells related to regulation by cyclic adenylate monophosphate (cAMP), but not by cyclic guanylate monophosphate (cGMP). This similarity and differences in the metabolic process of phagocytary capacity between human phagocytary cells and hemocytes could represent an interesting model aimed at studying the phylogenetic evolution of enzymatic complexes.

[Coccidioidomycosis: a new brazilian case]. / Coccidioidomicose: novo caso brasileiro.

A case of pulmonary coccidioidomycosis from the rural zone of Bertolinia, PI, is reported. The patient, a farm worker, attributed his illness to the dust inhaled while digging a water well during the dry season of the year, some weeks before the onset of the clinical manifestations. The main symptoms of the disease were severe chest pain and moderate fever. The diagnosis was made histopathologically: tissue phase fungal organisms--immature spherules and spherules with endospores--were observed in histological sections of a lung fragment obtained by open chest biopsy. This is the twelfth autochthonous case of coccidioidomycosis found so far in Brazil. All of them involved native inhabitants of the semi-arid part of Northeastern Brazil. The hot and dry environment of the region seems to favor the development of C. immitis in the soil. Humans and animals probably acquire the infection by digging the soil, when they become exposed to the conidium-bearing dust raised by this activity.

Coccidioidomicose: novo caso brasileiro / Coccidioidomycosis: a new brazilian case

A case of pulmonary coccidioidomycosis from the rural zone of Bertolinia, PI, is reported. The patient, a farm worker, attributed his illness to the dust inhaled while digging a water well during the dry season of the year, some weeks before the onset of the clinical manifestations. The main symptoms of the disease were severe chest pain and moderate fever. The diagnosis was made histopathologically: tissue phase fungal organisms--immature spherules and spherules with endospores--were observed in histological sections of a lung fragment obtained by open chest biopsy. This is the twelfth autochthonous case of coccidioidomycosis found so far in Brazil. All of them involved native inhabitants of the semi-arid part of Northeastern Brazil. The hot and dry environment of the region seems to favor the development of C. immitis in the soil. Humans and animals probably acquire the infection by digging the soil, when they become exposed to the conidium-bearing dust raised by this activity.

É descrito um caso de coccidioidomicose pulmonar oriundo da zona rural de Bertolínia, PI. A manifestação clínica principal consistiu em dor torácica e o diagnóstico teve por base o achado do agente ¾ Coccidioides immitis ¾ em cortes histológicos. Formas teciduais do microrganismo ¾ esférulas imaturas e maduras ¾ estavam presentes nas lesões observadas em fragmento pulmonar removido do paciente por biópsia a céu aberto. Este novo caso autóctone da doença, como os outros anteriormente descritos no Brasil, procedia do interior semi-árido da Região Nordeste. O ambiente quente e seco do sertão nordestino oferece, sem dúvida, condições propícias ao desenvolvimento de C. immitis, um habitante do solo. As pessoas e animais do local devem adquirir a infecção ao revolver a terra, ato que os expõe à poeira contendo os propágulos do fungo.

Adiaspiromicose humana: relato de um caso tratado com cetoconazol / Human adiaspiromycosis. A report of a case treated with ketoconazole

É descrito um caso de adiaspiromicose humana, da forma pulmonar disseminada, no qual se empregou o cetoconazol. O paciente, oriundo de Goianésia, GO, referia tosse produtiva, dispnéia e emagrecimento. Doente há dois meses, já fizera uso do esquema tríplice tuberculostático, devido a um radiograma do tórax ter acusado lesões sugestivas de tuberculose miliar. Esse tratamento não surtiu o efeito esperado, pelo que foi ele submetido a uma biópsia pulmonar a céu aberto. A medida permitiu o reconhecimento da natureza fúngica da doença. Passou-se, então, ao emprego do cetoconazol, quando o processo já completara três meses de evolução. Dois meses depois, foi o paciente novamente visto, para controle do tratamento: todas as manifestações respiratórias haviam cessado e um novo radiograma mostrou regressão completa das alterações pulmonares. Apesar disso, é discutida a eficácia do cetoconazol contra C. parvum var crescens, tendo-se em conta o fato de o microrganismo não se reproduzir no hospedeiro.

A case of human disseminated pulmonary adiaspiromycosis is reported. The patient, from Goianésia, GO, was admitted to the Brasilia University Hospital, in November 1992, with wet cough, dyspnea and weight loss--manifestations that had appeared two months before. Prior to admission, he had been treated for a suspected miliary tuberculosis, because a chest roentgenogram had shown a diffuse reticulonodular infiltrate in both lungs. This therapy brought no improvement to the patient status. An open chest biopsy was then performed, and the microscopic examination of the lung tissue revealed the fungal nature of the disease. Ketoconazole, 400mg/day, was started and the patient discharged from the hospital. He was seen again two months later: the respiratory manifestations had disappeared and a new chest roentgenogram showed complete resolution of the pulmonary lesions. The usefulness of ketoconazole is, however, questioned, since, as there is no multiplication of the fungus in the host organism--adiaspiromycosis is believed to be, usually, a self-healing disease--the efficacy of this imidazole derivative against the agent in animal tissues remains to be confirmed.

Quantification of the population and phagocytary activity of hemocytes of resistant and susceptible strains of Biomphalaria glabrata and Biomphalaria tenagophila infected with Schistosoma mansoni

Entre os fatores determinantes na resistencia e suscetibilidade da Biomphalaria ao Schistosoma mansoni, os hemocitos desempenharam importante papel. Com o objetivo de estudar as interacoes S. mansoni/Biomphalaria relativas aos hemocitos o primeiro passo e certamente relacionado a padronizacao desta populacao de celulas em Biomphalaria nao infectada. Desta forma a quantificacao desta populacao de celulas na hemolinfa bem como sua capacidade fagocitaria foi determinada pela primeira vez. Alem disso, usando cepas de B. glabrata e B. tenagophila suscetiveis e resistentes, o hemocitograma e a capacidade fagocitaria dos hemocitos, apos infeccao com S. mansoni, foram tambem determinados. Cepas de B. glabrata (BA e BH respectivamente) resistentes e suscetiveis bem como cepas de B. tenagophila (TAIM e CF respectivamente) foram infectadas com 10 miracidios das cepas LE e SJ de S. mansoni, respectivamente. Estes caramujos infectados e respectivos controles nao infectados foram avaliados em relacao ao numero de hemocitos circulantes e alteracao da capacidade fagocitaria, usando Zimozan e MTT...

Quantification of the population and phagocytary activity of hemocytes of resistant and susceptible strains of Biomphalaria glabrata and Biomphalaria tenagophila infected with Schistosoma mansoni.

Among the determinant factors in the resistance and susceptibility of Biomphalaria to Schistosoma mansoni, hemocytes play an important role. Aiming at studying S. mansoni/Biomphalaria interactions related to hemocytes, the first step is certainly connected with the standardization of this cell population in uninfected Biomphalaria. In this way, quantification of this cell population in hemolymph, as well as its phagocitary capacity, have been determined for the first time. Furthermore, using susceptible and resistant strains of B. glabrata and B. tenagophila, the hemocytegram and phagocytary capacity of hemocytes after infection with S. mansoni were determined too. Resistant and susceptible strains of B. glabrata (BA and BH, respectively), as well as resistant and susceptible strains of B. tenagophila (TAIM and CF, respectively) were infected with 10 miracidia of the LE and SJ strains of S. mansoni, respectively. These infected snails and respective uninfected controls were assessed in relation to the number of circulating hemocytes and alteration in the phagocytary capacity, by using Zymozan and MTT. Reading was taken by means of a spectrophotometer at 5 hours and 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 30 days after infection. The results showed a decrease in population of the circulating phagocytary cells, 5 hours after infection. One day post-infection, the circulating cells of the susceptible snails showed an increased metabolic activity, but the same event could not be observed in the resistant strains. In the subsequent observation periods, significant differences among the strains studied could not be observed until the end of the experiment.

[Human adiaspiromycosis. A report of a case treated with ketoconazole]. / Adiaspiromicose humana. Relato de um caso tratado com cetoconazol.

A case of human disseminated pulmonary adiaspiromycosis is reported. The patient, from Goianésia, GO, was admitted to the Brasilia University Hospital, in November 1992, with wet cough, dyspnea and weight loss--manifestations that had appeared two months before. Prior to admission, he had been treated for a suspected miliary tuberculosis, because a chest roentgenogram had shown a diffuse reticulonodular infiltrate in both lungs. This therapy brought no improvement to the patient status. An open chest biopsy was then performed, and the microscopic examination of the lung tissue revealed the fungal nature of the disease. Ketoconazole, 400mg/day, was started and the patient discharged from the hospital. He was seen again two months later: the respiratory manifestations had disappeared and a new chest roentgenogram showed complete resolution of the pulmonary lesions. The usefulness of ketoconazole is, however, questioned, since, as there is no multiplication of the fungus in the host organism--adiaspiromycosis is believed to be, usually, a self-healing disease--the efficacy of this imidazole derivative against the agent in animal tissues remains to be confirmed.