Centro de Imunologia do Instituto Adolfo Lutz ao longo dos anos / Immunology Center of Instituto Adolfo Lutz over the years

O Instituto Adolfo Lutz (IAL) foi criado em 1940 como resultado da unificação dos Institutos Bacteriológico e Bromatológico, um moderno laboratório voltado ao controle de doenças, inaugurando uma nova fase de laboratórios de saúde pública no estado de São Paulo. Os primeiros testes sorológicos oferecidos à população foram executados pelas "antigas" Seções de Sorologia e de Imunologia. Essas seções destacam-se no desenvolvimento científico do IAL pela realização de pesquisas, produção científica e inovação tecnológica, seguramente, fundamentais para a saúde pública no decorrer dos anos. O Centro de Imunologia do IAL (CIM-IAL) foi criado em 2010, com a unificação das Seções de Sorologia e Imunologia, quando ocorreu a reorganização institucional. O CIM-IAL contribuiu para importantes avanços científicos na área da saúde, reforçando sua capacidade de desenvolver pesquisas, executar e monitorar o diagnóstico e a vigilância de diferentes agravos. Este manuscrito tem como objetivo apresentar os principais acontecimentos que ressaltam o papel fundamental na busca de soluções para os problemas de saúde pública, desde a época das Seções de Sorologia e Imunologia até tornar-se o Centro de Imunologia. Na elaboração deste trabalho foram utilizadas bibliografias contendo dados históricos, científicos e relatos de profissionais da área.

A new phase of Public Health Laboratories in the state of São Paulo occurred in 1940, with the unification of Instituto Bacteriológico and Bromatológico, creating the Instituto Adolfo Lutz (IAL), a modern laboratory focused on solving problems in this area. The first diagnostic tests offered to the population were carried out by the "old" Serology and Immunology Sections. It's worth highlighting the importance of these sections in the scientific development of the IAL by carrying out research, scientific production and technological innovation, which have certainly been fundamental to public health over the years. The Immunology Center (CIM) of IAL was created in 2010, when organizational adaptation took place with the junction of the Serology and Immunology Sections. The CIM-IAL has undergone important advances in the health area, reinforcing its capacity to develop research, carry out and monitor the diagnosis and surveillance of different diseases. This manuscript aims to present the main events that highlight the fundamental role in the search for solutions to public health problems, from the time of the Serology and Immunology Sections until it became the CIM. In the preparation, bibliographies were used based on historical and scientific data and reports from professionals in the field.

Emergence of Neisseria meningitidis W South American sublineage strain variant in Brazil: disease and carriage.

Introduction. Invasive meningococcal disease is a major health problem, impacting morbidity and mortality worldwide. Exploratory genomics has revealed insights into adaptation, transmissibility and virulence to elucidate endemic, outbreaks or epidemics caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W (MenW) strains.Gap Statement. Limited information on the genomics of Neisseria meningitis serogroup W ST11/cc11 is available from emerging countries, especially in contemporary isolates.Aim. To (i) describe the antigenic diversity and distribution of genetic lineages of N. meningitidis serogroup W circulating in Brazil; (ii) study the carriage prevalence of hypervirulent clones in adolescents students and (iii) analyse the potential risk factors for meningococcal carriage.Methodology. Using whole-genome sequencing, we analysed the genomic diversity of 92 invasive N. meningitidis serogroup W isolates circulating in Brazil from 2016 to 2019. A cross-sectional survey of meningococcal carriage was conducted in 2019, in the city of Florianópolis, Brazil, among a representative sample of 538 students.Results. A predominance (58.5 %, 41/82) of ST11/cc11 presenting PorB2-144, PorA VR1-5, VR2-2, FetA 1-1, and a novel fHbp peptide 1241 was found on invasive N. meningitidis W isolates, on the other hand, a high diversity of clonal complexes was found among carriage isolates. The overall carriage rate was 7.5 % (40/538). A total of 28 of 538 swab samples collected were culture positive for N. meningitidis, including four serogroup/genogroup B isolates (14.8 %;4/27), 1 serogroup/genogroup Y isolate (3.7 %;1/27), 22 (81.5 %; 22/27) non-groupable isolates. No MenW isolate was identified among carriages isolates.Conclusion. This report describes the emergence of the new MenW ST11/cc11 South America sublineage variant, named here, 2016 strain, carrying a novel fHbp peptide 1241, but its emergence, was not associated with an increased MenW carriage prevalence. Continuous surveillance is necessary to ascertain the role of this sublineage diversification and how its emergence can impact transmission.

Emergence of Neisseria meningitidis W South American sublineage strain variant in Brazil: disease and carriage

Introduction. Invasive meningococcal disease is a major health problem, impacting morbidity and mortality worldwide. Exploratory genomics has revealed insights into adaptation, transmissibility and virulence to elucidate endemic, outbreaks or epidemics caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W (MenW) strains.Gap Statement. Limited information on the genomics of Neisseria meningitis serogroup W ST11/cc11 is available from emerging countries, especially in contemporary isolates.Aim. To (i) describe the antigenic diversity and distribution of genetic lineages of N. meningitidis serogroup W circulating in Brazil; (ii) study the carriage prevalence of hypervirulent clones in adolescents students and (iii) analyse the potential risk factors for meningococcal carriage.Methodology. Using whole-genome sequencing, we analysed the genomic diversity of 92 invasive N. meningitidis serogroup W isolates circulating in Brazil from 2016 to 2019. A cross-sectional survey of meningococcal carriage was conducted in 2019, in the city of Florianópolis, Brazil, among a representative sample of 538 students.Results. A predominance (58.5 %, 41/82) of ST11/cc11 presenting PorB2-144, PorA VR1-5, VR2-2, FetA 1-1, and a novel fHbp peptide 1241 was found on invasive N. meningitidis W isolates, on the other hand, a high diversity of clonal complexes was found among carriage isolates. The overall carriage rate was 7.5 % (40/538). A total of 28 of 538 swab samples collected were culture positive for N. meningitidis, including four serogroup/genogroup B isolates (14.8 %;4/27), 1 serogroup/genogroup Y isolate (3.7 %;1/27), 22 (81.5 %; 22/27) non-groupable isolates. No MenW isolate was identified among carriages isolates.Conclusion. This report describes the emergence of the new MenW ST11/cc11 South America sublineage variant, named here, 2016 strain, carrying a novel fHbp peptide 1241, but its emergence, was not associated with an increased MenW carriage prevalence. Continuous surveillance is necessary to ascertain the role of this sublineage diversification and how its emergence can impact transmission.

Evolução na vigilância laboratorial do Haemophilus influenzae nas meningites e pneumonias bacterianas, por PCR em tempo real, no Estado de São Paulo (2010-2019) / Evolução na vigilância laboratorial do Haemophilus influenzae nas meningites e pneumonias bacterianas, por PCR em tempo real, no Estado de São Paulo (2010-2019)

Haemophilus influenzae (Hi) é um importante patógeno causador de meningites (MB) e pneumonias bacterianas (PB), principalmente em países onde a imunoprevenção é precária ou inexistente. O Hi é classificado em tipáveis (sorotipos a, b, c, d, e, f) e não tipáveis (HiNt), de acordo com a presença ou ausência da cápsula polissacarídica, respectivamente. A cápsula é o principal fator de virulência dos Hi e o gene bexA, responsável pela sua expressão, é comumente empregado na detecção molecular e vigilância das MB e PB causadas por Hi. Em 2010, o Instituto Adolfo Lutz (IAL) implantou a PCR em tempo real (qPCR) empregando esse alvo genético para a detecção de Hi. Entretanto, relatos de falha na detecção de alguns Hi encapsulados e HiNt motivaram a substituição do gene alvo para essa bactéria. Desta forma, em agosto de 2012, o IAL fez a substituição do bexA pelo alvo genético hpd no ensaio de qPCR, permitindo a detecção de Hi tipáveis e não tipáveis. Neste estudo, avaliamos o impacto da substituição do alvo genético na vigilância das MB e PB analisando o emprego do alvo genético bexA, no período de 2010 a julho de 2012, em comparação com o emprego do hpd, de agosto de 2012 a 2019. Esta substituição promoveu a melhoria na detecção de variantes não vacinais de Hi nas MB e PB em 37% e 23%, respectivamente, com predomínio de Hia e HiNt, contribuindo para o aprimoramento da vigilância laboratorial das doenças invasivas causadas por Hi. (AU)

Haemophilus influenzae (Hi) is an important pathogen pathogen causing bacterial Meningitis (BM) and bacterial pneumonia (BP), especially in countries where immunoprevention is poor or absent. Hi is differentiated into encapsulated (serotypes a, b, c, d, e, f), and unencapsulated (HiNt), according to the presence or lack of the polysaccharide capsule, respectively. The capsule is the main Hi virulence factor; the bexA gene, responsible for its expression, has been largely used for molecular detection and surveillance of BM and BP. In 2010, the Adolfo Lutz Institute (ALI) implemented real-time PCR (qPCR) using the bexA gene for detecting Hi; but reports on its failing to detect some encapsulated Hi and HiNt caused IAL to replace bexA with hpd as the target gene in the qPCR assay, extending Hi detection to both encapsulated and unencapsulated Hi. In this study, we assessed the impact of replacing the target gene on BM and BP surveillance, by analyzing the use of bexA target gene, within the period from 2010 to July 2012, compared with the use of hpd, from August 2012 to 2019. Adopting the hpd target gene in BM and BP surveillance improved the detection of non-vaccine Hi variants by 37% and 23%, respectively, predominantly Hia and HiNt; and it has contributed to improve laboratory surveillance of invasive Hi diseases. (AU)

Long-term effect of 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae in children in Brazil.

Brazil introduced the 10-valent pneumococcal vaccine (PCV10) to the routine national immunization program (NIP) in March 2010. In 2017, we investigated the effects of PCV10 on nasopharyngeal carriage of vaccine-types (VT) and non-vaccine-types (NVT) of Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) among children living in São Paulo city. We also compared the prevalence of VT and NVT with previous carriage surveys performed in 2010 (baseline) and 2013. METHOD: The carriage survey was conducted among 531 children, aged 12 months to <24 months, recruited from public Primary Health Units during the immunization campaign, using previous surveys methodology, except for qPCR, which was performed in the 2017 survey only. RESULTS: No statistical difference was found in the prevalence of Spn either by culture (59.7%) or by qPCR (61.2%). Spn carriage increased from 40.3% (baseline) to 59.7% (2017 survey) (p < 0.001). Colonization by VT isolates significantly decreased by 90.9% (19.8-1.8%) and 95.5% (19.8-0.9%) in the 2013 and 2017 surveys, respectively, compared to that at baseline. NVT isolates increased significantly by 128% (19.6-44.8%) and 185% (19.6-55.9%) in the respective post-PCV10 surveys, most led to high prevalence of serotypes 6C (27%), 15B (9.8%), 19A (9.2%), 15A (6.0%), and 16F (5.7%). In 2017, reduction in serotype 6A (4.2-0.6%, p < 0.001) and increase in serotype 19A (1.8-6.0%, p = 0.001) were found; serotype 3 isolate was not detected in the present survey. We identified the emergence of 19A isolates CC320, associated with high penicillin (MIC ≥ 2.0 mg/L) and cefotaxime (MIC ≥ 1.0 mg/L) values. CONCLUSION: After 7 years of PCV10 introduction in the NIP, colonization by VT among toddlers decreased substantially to a residual level, along with substantial serotype replacement by novel serotypes not present in any current conjugated pneumococcal vaccine and serotype 19A. The present findings can assist policy decisions in Brazil.

Long-term effect of 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae in children in Brazil

Brazil introduced the 10-valent pneumococcal vaccine (PCV10) to the routine national immunization program (NIP) in March 2010. In 2017, we investigated the effects of PCV10 on nasopharyngeal carriage of vaccine-types (VT) and non-vaccine-types (NVT) of Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) among children living in São Paulo city. We also compared the prevalence of VT and NVT with previous carriage surveys performed in 2010 (baseline) and 2013. Method: The carriage survey was conducted among 531 children, aged 12 months to <24 months, recruited from public Primary Health Units during the immunization campaign, using previous surveys methodology, except for qPCR, which was performed in the 2017 survey only. Results: No statistical difference was found in the prevalence of Spn either by culture (59.7%) or by qPCR (61.2%). Spn carriage increased from 40.3% (baseline) to 59.7% (2017 survey) (p < 0.001). Colonization by VT isolates significantly decreased by 90.9% (19.8­1.8%) and 95.5% (19.8­0.9%) in the 2013 and 2017 surveys, respectively, compared to that at baseline. NVT isolates increased significantly by 128% (19.6­44.8%) and 185% (19.6­55.9%) in the respective post-PCV10 surveys, most led to high prevalence of serotypes 6C (27%), 15B (9.8%), 19A (9.2%), 15A (6.0%), and 16F (5.7%). In 2017, reduction in serotype 6A (4.2­0.6%, p < 0.001) and increase in serotype 19A (1.8­6.0%, p = 0.001) were found; serotype 3 isolate was not detected in the present survey. We identified the emergence of 19A isolates CC320, associated with high penicillin (MIC 2.0 mg/L) and cefotaxime (MIC 1.0 mg/L) values. Conclusion: After 7 years of PCV10 introduction in the NIP, colonization by VT among toddlers decreased substantially to a residual level, along with substantial serotype replacement by novel serotypes not present in any current conjugated pneumococcal vaccine and serotype 19A. The present findings can assist policy decisions in Brazil

Prevalence, risk factors and molecular characteristics of meningococcal carriage among brazilian adolescents

BACKGROUND: In 2010, introduction of the meningococcal C conjugate vaccine in Brazil for children <2 years provided an immediate reduction in the incidence rates of disease among the age groups targeted for the vaccine, but no early impact was observed in unvaccinated age groups. Knowledge about meningococcal carriage is crucial for improving our understanding of the disease epidemiology and for designing effective vaccination programs. Taking in account the very limited published data currently available describing meningococcal carriage in Brazil, we performed a study to evaluate the prevalence of Neisseria meningitidis carriage among adolescent students. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2012 to assess the prevalence of meningococcal carriage among a representative sample of 1208 students 11­19 years of age in Campinas, Brazil. Genotypic and phenotypic characterization of isolated carriage strains and the effect of potential risk factors for carriage were also analyzed. Results: The overall carriage prevalence was 9.9% (95% confidence interval, 8.3­11.8%), with dominance of serogroup C (1.32%), followed by serogroups B (0.99%), E (0.74%), Y (0.49%) and W (0.25%). A lower level of education of the parents was independently associated with a higher risk of carriage. A high diversity of genotypes was found among carriage strains. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence gathered during this study provides estimates of carriage prevalence in Brazilian adolescents, showing an unusually high dominance of serogroup C. These results have important implications in future strategies to optimize the impact of the current meningococcal C vaccination program in Brazil

Parainfluenza virus as a cause of acute respiratory infection in hospitalized childrens

Background: Human parainfluenza viruses account for a significant proportion of lower respiratory tract infections in children.Objective: To assess the prevalence of Human parainfluenza viruses as a cause of acute respiratory infection and to compare clinical data for this infection against those of the human respiratory syncytial virus.Methods: A prospective study in children younger than five years with acute respiratory infection was conducted. Detection of respiratory viruses in nasopharyngeal aspirate samples was performed using the indirect immunofluorescence reaction. Length of hospital stay, age, clinical history and physical exam, clinical diagnoses, and evolution (admission to Intensive Care Unit or general ward, discharge or death) were assessed. Past personal (premature birth and cardiopathy) as well as family (smoking and atopy) medical factors were also assessed.Results: A total of 585 patients were included with a median age of 7.9 months and median hospital stay of six days. No difference between the HRSV+ and HPIV+ groups was found in terms of age, gender or length of hospital stay. The HRSV+ group had more fever and cough. Need for admission to the Intensive Care Unit was similar for both groups but more deaths were recorded in the HPIV+ group. The occurrence of parainfluenza peaked during the autumn in the first two years of the study.Conclusion: Parainfluenza was responsible for significant morbidity, proving to be the second-most prevalent viral agent in this population after respiratory syncytial virus. No difference in clinical presentation was found between the two groups, but mortality was higher in the HPIV+ group.

Prevalence, Risk Factors and Molecular Characteristics of Meningococcal Carriage Among Brazilian Adolescents.

BACKGROUND: In 2010, introduction of the meningococcal C conjugate vaccine in Brazil for children <2 years provided an immediate reduction in the incidence rates of disease among the age groups targeted for the vaccine, but no early impact was observed in unvaccinated age groups. Knowledge about meningococcal carriage is crucial for improving our understanding of the disease epidemiology and for designing effective vaccination programs. Taking in account the very limited published data currently available describing meningococcal carriage in Brazil, we performed a study to evaluate the prevalence of Neisseria meningitidis carriage among adolescent students. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2012 to assess the prevalence of meningococcal carriage among a representative sample of 1208 students 11-19 years of age in Campinas, Brazil. Genotypic and phenotypic characterization of isolated carriage strains and the effect of potential risk factors for carriage were also analyzed. RESULTS: The overall carriage prevalence was 9.9% (95% confidence interval, 8.3-11.8%), with dominance of serogroup C (1.32%), followed by serogroups B (0.99%), E (0.74%), Y (0.49%) and W (0.25%). A lower level of education of the parents was independently associated with a higher risk of carriage. A high diversity of genotypes was found among carriage strains. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence gathered during this study provides estimates of carriage prevalence in Brazilian adolescents, showing an unusually high dominance of serogroup C. These results have important implications in future strategies to optimize the impact of the current meningococcal C vaccination program in Brazil.

Parainfluenza virus as a cause of acute respiratory infection in hospitalized children.

BACKGROUND: Human parainfluenza viruses account for a significant proportion of lower respiratory tract infections in children. OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of Human parainfluenza viruses as a cause of acute respiratory infection and to compare clinical data for this infection against those of the human respiratory syncytial virus. METHODS: A prospective study in children younger than five years with acute respiratory infection was conducted. Detection of respiratory viruses in nasopharyngeal aspirate samples was performed using the indirect immunofluorescence reaction. Length of hospital stay, age, clinical history and physical exam, clinical diagnoses, and evolution (admission to Intensive Care Unit or general ward, discharge or death) were assessed. Past personal (premature birth and cardiopathy) as well as family (smoking and atopy) medical factors were also assessed. RESULTS: A total of 585 patients were included with a median age of 7.9 months and median hospital stay of six days. No difference between the HRSV+ and HPIV+ groups was found in terms of age, gender or length of hospital stay. The HRSV+ group had more fever and cough. Need for admission to the Intensive Care Unit was similar for both groups but more deaths were recorded in the HPIV+ group. The occurrence of parainfluenza peaked during the autumn in the first two years of the study. CONCLUSION: Parainfluenza was responsible for significant morbidity, proving to be the second-most prevalent viral agent in this population after respiratory syncytial virus. No difference in clinical presentation was found between the two groups, but mortality was higher in the HPIV+ group.

Prevalência de infecção por HTLV-1 e HTLV-2 em pacientes infectados pelo HIV em serviço especializado de São Paulo / Prevalence of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 in patients infected with HIV from a Reference Center of São Paulo

Os HTLV-1, HTLV-2 e HIV compartilham as mesmas vias de transmissão e as prevalências de coinfecção HIV/HTLV-1 e HIV-HTLV-2 variam de acordo com a região geográfica, a população de estudo e a época em que foi realizada a pesquisa. Altas taxas de coinfecção foram detectadas em pacientes com Aids em São Paulo na década de 1990 e foram associadas ao uso de drogas injetáveis (UDI). Neste estudo foi determinada a prevalência e os fatores de risco para a coinfecção HIV/HTLV em pacientes do CRT-DST/Aids de São Paulo. Amostras de sangue de 1.608 pacientes que aceitaram participar do estudo foram encaminhadas ao Instituto Adolfo Lutz para pesquisa de anticorpos anti-HTLV-1/2 por ensaio imunoenzimático e Western Blot (WB) e para pesquisa de DNA proviral pela PCR em tempo real pol. Na triagem sorológica, 51 soros resultaram reagentes para HTLV. Destes, pelo WB, 23 (1,43%) confirmaram infecção HTLV-1, 12 (0,75%) HTLV-2 e 6 (0,37%) HTLV não tipado. Pela PCR houve detecção de mais um caso de HTLV-1 (total 1,49%) e cinco casos de HTLV-2 (total 1,06%). Houve associação entre infecção HTLV-1/2 e gênero feminino (p=0.0027), cor negro/pardo (p=0.0332), infecção pelo HBV (p=0.0019), HCV e UDI (p<0.0000). A PCR em tempo real foi útil para confirmar casos com resultado HTLV não tipado e Indeterminado pelo WB e pode ser usada como primeiro teste confirmatório seguido do WB. A baixa prevalência de coinfecção HIV/HTLV no presente estudo parece estar relacionada a mudanças na população exposta ao HIV e na troca de cocaína injetável por crack no momento atual...

Carriage rate and effects of vaccination after outbreaks of serogroup C meningococcal disease, Brazil, 2010.

During 2010, outbreaks of serogroup C meningococcal (MenC) disease occurred in 2 oil refineries in São Paulo State, Brazil, leading to mass vaccination of employees at 1 refinery with a meningococcal polysaccharide A/C vaccine. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the prevalence of meningococci carriage among workers at both refineries and to investigate the effect of vaccination on and the risk factors for pharyngeal carriage of meningococci. Among the vaccinated and nonvaccinated workers, rates of overall meningococci carriage (21.4% and 21.6%, respectively) and of MenC carriage (6.3% and 4.9%, respectively) were similar. However, a MenC strain belonging to the sequence type103 complex predominated and was responsible for the increased incidence of meningococcal disease in Brazil. A low education level was associated with higher risk of meningococci carriage. Polysaccharide vaccination did not affect carriage or interrupt transmission of the epidemic strain. These findings will help inform future vaccination strategies.

Evolution of bacterial meningitis diagnosis in São Paulo State-Brazil and future challenges.

Bacterial meningitis (BM) is a severe disease and still represents a serious public health problem with high rates of morbidity and mortality. The most common cases of BM around the world, mainly in Brazil, have been caused by Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Haemophilus influenzae type b. Bacterial culture is the gold-standard technique for BM confirmation, but approximately 50% of suspected cases are not culture-confirmed, due to problems related to improper transportation and seeding or previous antibiotic treatment. Immunological methods present low sensitivity and have possibility of cross-reactions. Real time PCR (qPCR) is a molecular technique and has been successful used for BM diagnosis at Instituto Adolfo Lutz in São Paulo State, Brazil, since 2007. The incorporation of qPCR in the Public Health surveillance routine in our state resulted in diminishing 50% of undetermined BM cases. Our efforts are focused on qPCR implementation in the BM diagnostic routine throughout Brazil.

Evolution of bacterial meningitis diagnosis in Sao Paulo State-Brazil and future challenges / Evolucao do diagnostico das meningites bacterianas no Estado de Sao Paulo-Brasil e os futuros desafios

Bacterial meningitis (BM) is a severe disease and still represents a serious public health problem with high rates of morbidity and mortality. The most common cases of BM around the world, mainly in Brazil, have been caused by Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Haemophilus influenzae type b. Bacterial culture is the gold-standard technique for BM confirmation, but approximately 50% of suspected cases are not culture-confirmed, due to problems related to improper transportation and seeding or previous antibiotic treatment. Immunological methods present low sensitivity and have possibility of cross-reactions. Real time PCR (qPCR) is a molecular technique and has been successful used for BM diagnosis at Instituto Adolfo Lutz in São Paulo State, Brazil, since 2007. The incorporation of qPCR in the Public Health surveillance routine in our state resulted in diminishing 50% of undetermined BM cases. Our efforts are focused on qPCR implementation in the BM diagnostic routine throughout Brazil.

A meningite bacteriana (MB) é uma doença grave e ainda representa um sério problema de saúde pública, com altas taxas de morbidade e mortalidade. Os casos mais comuns de MB em todo o mundo, principalmente no Brasil, tem sido causados por Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae e Haemophilus influenzae tipo b. Cultura bacteriana é a técnica padrão-ouro para a confirmação de MB, mas cerca de 50% dos casos suspeitos não são confirmados por cultura, devido a problemas relacionados ao transporte inadequado e semeadura ou antibioticoterapia prévia. Métodos imunológicos apresentam baixa sensibilidade e têm possibilidade de reações cruzadas. PCR em tempo real (qPCR) é uma técnica molecular e tem sido utilizada com êxito para o diagnóstico de MB no Instituto Adolfo Lutz, em São Paulo, Brasil, desde 2007. A incorporação da qPCR na rotina de vigilância em Saúde Pública em nosso estado resultou na diminuição de 50% dos casos de MB indeterminadas. Nossos esforços estão focados na implementação da qPCR na rotina diagnóstica de MB em todo o Brasil.

Use of sodC versus ctrA for real-time polymerase chain reaction-based detection of Neisseria meningitidis in sterile body fluids.

We evaluated the use of a newly described sodC-based real-time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay for detecting Neisseria meningitidis in normally sterile sites, such as cerebrospinal fluid and serum. The sodC-based RT-PCR assay has an advantage over ctrA for detecting nongroupable N. meningitidis isolates, which are commonly present in asymptomatic pharyngeal carriage. However, in our study, sodC-based RT-PCR was 7.5% less sensitive than ctrA. Given the public health impact of possible false-negative results due to the use of the sodC target gene alone, sodC-based RT-PCR for the diagnosis of meningococcal meningitis should be used with caution.

Ocorrência de resultados falso-negativos na reação de PCR em Tempo Real (PCR-TR) no diagnóstico da doença meningocócica / False-negative results in Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR) formeningococcal disease diagnosis

Factors responsible for false-negative results (F-N) in RT-PCR assay for detecting N. meningitidis in serumand CSF samples were investigated. As the meningococcal disease should be rapidly treated because ofits high mortality and epidemic potential, the F-N in diagnostic testing may cause treatment failuresand/or on disease restraint in community. Thus, it is crucial to learn the factors which cause F-N in RTPCRassays. The F-N were induced by inhibition, low quantity of target DNA in extracted samples, andinadequate temperature employed at PCR annealing procedure. As bacterial DNA concentration in samplesmight be highly variable, the ideal sample volume to be extracted could not be defined. As previouslyrecommended for N. meningitidis gene-grouping by RT-PCR assay, the annealing temperature at 60 °Cwas not suitable for B and W135 genogroups. Altogether, these factors induced F-N in 31 samples; therefore,30 % of N. meningitidis detected by RT-PCR were classified as non-genogrouped. The inhibitors and/orthe low amount of target DNA induced F-N on RT-PCR, independently of the specimen volume used forextracting DNA. However, adjustments on the PCR annealing temperature and amount of extracted DNAadded into the reaction might avoid the occurrence of the majority of F-N.

Avaliação de resultados discrepantes obtidos na execução de PCR em tempo real em amostras de pacientes com suspeita clínica de meningite bacteriana / Inconsistent results in real-time PCR in analyzing samples from patients with suspected bacterial meningitis

O princípio básico para obter resultado confiável é a compatibilidade entre as réplicas e suareprodutibilidade. Na rotina diagnóstica por PCR em tempo real (PCR-TR), em que centenas de amostrassão processadas, a obtenção de resultados com Cts tardios ou réplicas que diferem entre si por mais de trêsunidades, são inevitáveis. Das 3.000 amostras processadas em 2010, em duplicata, na rotina diagnósticadas meningites bacterianas por PCR-TR na pesquisa de N. meningitidis, S. pneumoniae e H. influenzae,157 (5,2 %), apresentaram inconsistência entre as réplicas (diferença entre Cts maior do que 3) e/ou altosvalores de Cts; e os ensaios foram retestados. O presente trabalho investigou estes resultados obtidos, osbenefícios destas repetições e as possíveis razões da ocorrência dos resultados discrepantes. Verificouseque, apenas 18 (11 %) das amostras submetidas à repetição, apresentaram resultados positivos. Erroshumanos inerentes à pipetagem, como o uso de pipetas não calibradas, a baixa concentração de DNAalvo nas amostras, a degradação da sonda ou mesmo a possível contaminação aleatória são fatores quecontribuem para induzir resultados discrepantes. A realização do ensaio de PCR-TR com amostras emduplicata e a repetição de ensaios com resultados discordantes é um artifício eficiente para avaliar e definirestes resultados.