Prunus persica 9, a new occupational allergen from peach tree pollen involved in rhinitis and asthma.

OBJECTIVES: Several studies have described peach tree (PT) as an occupational allergen. The aim of this work was to assess the effect of Prunus persica 9 (Pru p 9), a recently identified allergen from PT pollen, in exposed workers. METHODS: The study included people who reported respiratory symptoms after handling PT in orchards during the flowering period (Blanca village, Murcia region, south-east Spain). After completing a detailed questionnaire, participants underwent skin prick test (SPT) and nasal provocation test (NPT). The IgE response was analysed by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting assays. RESULTS: A total of 21 cases were included (mean age 45 years; 57% women). Most were polysensitised to common pollens, although one person was sensitised only to PT pollen. All cases had a positive SPT to this pollen, and 43% also to Pru p 9. All participants reported having rhinitis, and six participants reported having also asthma. Immunoblotting showed a heterogeneous IgE pattern for several proteins, with Pru p 9 recognised in nine cases. Most participants sensitised to PT pollen and Pru p 9 had positive NPTs, while those who were not sensitised to Pru p 9 tested negative. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate for the first time that Pru p 9, an allergen from PT pollen, can induce respiratory symptoms following occupational exposure. This must be considered a relevant allergen when people working with PT cultivars develop respiratory symptoms.

Correction: Genetic association study of dyslexia and ADHD candidate genes in a Spanish cohort: Implications of comorbid samples.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206431.].

Genetic association study of dyslexia and ADHD candidate genes in a Spanish cohort: Implications of comorbid samples.

Dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are two complex neuro-behaviorally disorders that co-occur more often than expected, so that reading disability has been linked to inattention symptoms. We examined 4 SNPs located on genes previously associated to dyslexia (KIAA0319, DCDC2, DYX1C1 and FOXP2) and 3 SNPs within genes related to ADHD (COMT, MAOA and DBH) in a cohort of Spanish children (N = 2078) that met the criteria of having one, both or none of these disorders (dyslexia and ADHD). We used a case-control approach comparing different groups of samples based on each individual diagnosis. In addition, we also performed a quantitative trait analysis with psychometric measures on the general population (N = 3357). The results indicated that the significance values for some markers change depending on the phenotypic groups compared and/or when considering pair-wise marker interactions. Furthermore, our quantitative trait study showed significant genetic associations with specific cognitive processes. These outcomes advocate the importance of establishing rigorous and homogeneous criteria for the diagnosis of cognitive disorders, as well as the relevance of considering cognitive endophenotypes.

Phylogenetic relationship of dengue virus type 3 isolated in Brazil and Paraguay and global evolutionary divergence dynamics.

BACKGROUND: Dengue is the most important mosquito-borne viral disease worldwide. Dengue virus comprises four antigenically related viruses named dengue virus type 1 to 4 (DENV1-4). DENV-3 was re-introduced into the Americas in 1994 causing outbreaks in Nicaragua and Panama. DENV-3 was introduced in Brazil in 2000 and then spread to most of the Brazilian States, reaching the neighboring country, Paraguay in 2002. In this study, we have analyzed the phylogenetic relationship of DENV-3 isolated in Brazil and Paraguay with viruses isolated worldwide. We have also analyzed the evolutionary divergence dynamics of DENV-3 viruses. RESULTS: The entire open reading frame (ORF) of thirteen DENV-3 isolated in Brazil (n = 9) and Paraguay (n = 4) were sequenced for phylogenetic analysis. DENV-3 grouped into three main genotypes (I, II and III). Several internal clades were found within each genotype that we called lineage and sub-lineage. Viruses included in this study belong to genotype III and grouped together with viruses isolated in the Americas within the lineage III. The Brazilian viruses were further segregated into two different sub-lineage, A and B, and the Paraguayan into the sub-lineage B. All three genotypes showed internal grouping. The nucleotide divergence was in average 6.7% for genotypes, 2.7% for lineages and 1.5% for sub-lineages. Phylogenetic trees constructed with any of the protein gene sequences showed the same segregation of the DENV-3 in three genotypes. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that two groups of DENV-3 genotypes III circulated in Brazil during 2002-2009, suggesting different events of introduction of the virus through different regions of the country. In Paraguay, only one group DENV-3 genotype III is circulating that is very closely related to the Brazilian viruses of sub-lineage B. Different degree of grouping can be observed for DENV-3 and each group showed a characteristic evolutionary divergence. Finally, we have observed that any protein gene sequence can be used to identify the virus genotype.

Molecular epidemiology of dengue type 3 virus in Brazil and Paraguay, 2002-2004.

We studied the molecular epidemiology of dengue virus type 3 (DENV-3) in Brazil and Paraguay by analyzing the 5' and 3' untranslated regions (5' and 3'UTRs) and the E protein gene of viruses isolated between 2002 and 2004. Both 5' and 3'UTRs were highly conserved. However, the 3'UTR of two isolates from Brazil contained eight nucleotide deletions compared with the remaining 26 viruses. Phylogenetic analyses suggested that DENV-3 was introduced into Brazil from the Caribbean Islands at least twice and into Paraguay from Brazil at least three times.

Estudio serológicos para leishmaniasis y la enfermedad de Chagas en el Paraguay / Annual reports 1995 / Serologic study for leismaniasis and chagas disease in Paraguay

La enfermedad de Chagas y la Leishmaniasis cutánea y mucocutánea son endémicas en el Paraguay y existen zonas del país donde coexisten ambas infecciones. Sabido es que existen reacciones cruzadas entre la infección por Trypanosoma cruzi y por Leishmaniasis sp, lo que constituye un problema para el diagnóstico diferencial, tema que ha sido considerado de la alta prioridad por la OMS. Al Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud (IICS) y al Laboratorio Central del Ministerio de Salud concurren pacientes provenientes de zonas de alta y media endemia para las dos infecciones, en los cuales el diagnóstico serológico diferencial está limitado por conocimiento insuficiente sobre reacciones cruzadas en nuestra población. Por dicho motivo se estudió en una primera etapa la sensibilidad y la especificidad de los métodos serológicos de ELISA e IFI para la detección de anticuerpos IgG anti Leishmania sp en donde se utilizó como método de referencia la Intradermo Reacción de Montenegro (IDRM). La sensibilidad y la especificidad de ELISA fué solo del 49 por ciento y 67 por ciento y la de IFI 27 por ciento y 75 por ciento respectivamente. En una segunda etapa se estudió cual era la factibilidad de diferenciar una infección a Leishmania sp de una infección a T. cruzi, utilizando en paralelo el método de ELISA para la detección de cada uno de los antígenos mencionados y testando los sueros positivos por inmunoblotting para anti T. cruzi. En los resultados se encontró resultados idénticos por ambos ELISA, mostrandonos una fuerte reacción cruzada. La baja sensibilidad y especificidad detectada en los métodos serológicos convencionales de ELISA e IFI para el dignóstico de una infección leishmánica como así también la alta reacción cruzada con pacientes chagásicos nos habla de la necesidad de implementar en la rutina de diagnóstico de leishmaniasis, métodos más sensibles y específicos como son los directos de detección del parásito en la etapa de lesión activa y la IDRM en la etapa de cicatriz acompañados de un diagnòstico clínico y serológico diferencial entre Leishmania sp y T. cruzi, especialmente en la zonas donde coexisten los vectores de ambas enfermedades.

Estudio serológicos para leishmaniasis y la enfermedad de Chagas en el Paraguay / Annual reports 1995 / Serologic study for leismaniasis and chagas disease in Paraguay

La enfermedad de Chagas y la Leishmaniasis cutánea y mucocutánea son endémicas en el Paraguay y existen zonas del país donde coexisten ambas infecciones. Sabido es que existen reacciones cruzadas entre la infección por Trypanosoma cruzi y por Leishmaniasis sp, lo que constituye un problema para el diagnóstico diferencial, tema que ha sido considerado de la alta prioridad por la OMS. Al Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud (IICS) y al Laboratorio Central del Ministerio de Salud concurren pacientes provenientes de zonas de alta y media endemia para las dos infecciones, en los cuales el diagnóstico serológico diferencial está limitado por conocimiento insuficiente sobre reacciones cruzadas en nuestra población. Por dicho motivo se estudió en una primera etapa la sensibilidad y la especificidad de los métodos serológicos de ELISA e IFI para la detección de anticuerpos IgG anti Leishmania sp en donde se utilizó como método de referencia la Intradermo Reacción de Montenegro (IDRM). La sensibilidad y la especificidad de ELISA fué solo del 49 por ciento y 67 por ciento y la de IFI 27 por ciento y 75 por ciento respectivamente. En una segunda etapa se estudió cual era la factibilidad de diferenciar una infección a Leishmania sp de una infección a T. cruzi, utilizando en paralelo el método de ELISA para la detección de cada uno de los antígenos mencionados y testando los sueros positivos por inmunoblotting para anti T. cruzi. En los resultados se encontró resultados idénticos por ambos ELISA, mostrandonos una fuerte reacción cruzada. La baja sensibilidad y especificidad detectada en los métodos serológicos convencionales de ELISA e IFI para el dignóstico de una infección leishmánica como así también la alta reacción cruzada con pacientes chagásicos nos habla de la necesidad de implementar en la rutina de diagnóstico de leishmaniasis, métodos más sensibles y específicos como son los directos de detección del parásito en la etapa de lesión activa y la IDRM en la etapa de cicatriz acompañados de un diagnòstico clínico y serológico diferencial entre Leishmania sp y T. cruzi, especialmente en la zonas donde coexisten los vectores de ambas enfermedades

Enfermedad de Chagas congénito: Aspecto anatomopatológico de la placenta y el cordón umbilical en mujeres con serologia positiva para la enfermedad de Chagas / Annual Reports 1991 / Congenital Chagas' disease Anatomopathological aspects of placenta and umbilical cord in women with positive serology for chagas' disease

Anatomopathological studies were performed in 15 placentas of pregnant women who were seropositive for Chagas' disease. Nests of Trypanosoma cruzi amastigote s were found in the placenta and umbilical cord of three of them (20 percent). The parasitism was extensive in two of the cases, where the nests were predominantly located in the umbilical cord and in the chorionic plate. No significant macroscopically difference was observed between the infected and the not infected placenta. However, the two more severe cases showed focal histological lesions with destruction of the trophoblastic epithelium, and inflammatory reactions which have not been observed in uninfected or slightly infected placentas. These changes would be related with the intensity of the fetal parasitism in congenital Chagas'disease