The forgotten tale of Brazilian phage therapy.

The use of bacteriophages to treat bacterial infections (known as phage therapy) is considered a possible solution to the antimicrobial resistance crisis. However, phage therapy is not a new concept. The discovery of phages in the early 20th century was closely tied to clinical practice, and phage therapy quickly spread around the world. The use of phage therapy in South America in the previous century is still shrouded in mystery and has been mentioned only briefly in recent scientific literature. Research on Brazilian reference collections of medical texts showed that Brazil was an important, but so far little-known, player of phage therapy, uncovering interesting priority claims and missing pieces of phage therapy history. Of note, there is the widespread use of phages against bacillary dysentery and staphylococcal infections, with José da Costa Cruz from the Oswaldo Cruz Institute (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) as Brazil's leading expert and pioneer. This Historical Review about historical phage use in Brazil fills the gaps in our knowledge about the so-called golden years of phage therapy, providing information about successful experiences that can be useful against dangerous pathogens in our time.

Severe bacterial non-aids infections in HIV-positive persons: incidence rates and risk factors.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine incidence rates (IR) and identify risk factors for severe bacterial non-AIDS infections (SBnAI) requiring hospital admission. METHODS: Data from the prospective EuroSIDA cohort were utilized to determine IRs of first diagnosis of the following SBnAI requiring hospital admission: bacteremia, endocarditis, meningitis, peritonitis, pneumonia, osteitis, and pyolonephritis. Incidence rate-ratios (IRRs) and risk factors were assessed by Poisson regression. RESULTS: During 35,839 person-years of follow-up (PYFU), 275 patients were diagnosed with SBnAI (IR = 7.67 per 1000 PYFU, 95% confidence interval: 6.79-8.64). The most frequent infections were pneumonia (IR = 5.36, 4.63-6.17), bacteremia (IR = 1.14, 0.82-1.55), and pyelonephritis (IR = 0.67, 0.43-1.00). A strong risk factor for SBnAI was reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] (adjusted IRR = 5.07, 2.12-12.1 and IRR = 2.73, 1.63-4.56 for eGFR ≤ 60 and 60.1-90 compared to eGFR > 90, respectively). No current combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) compared with current cART use increased the risk of SBnAI (adjusted IRR = 2.96, 2.03-4.32). Other risk factors for SBnAI included current CD4+ count <350 cells/µL, female gender, age, infection with HIV through IDU, prior AIDS diagnosis, and anaemia. CONCLUSIONS: Enhanced attention directed towards people with comorbidity is warranted to limit the burden of these infections.

Actividad antibacteriana del Schinus molle l cultivado en Italia / Antibacterial activity of Schinus molle I grown in Italy

El objetivo de esta investigación fue determinar la actividad antibacteriana del extracto etanolico de las hojas y el extracto hexanoico obtenido de los frutos del Schinus molle L. (Anacardiaceae), cultivado en Italia, con un rendimiento de 32,42 % y 5,63 %, respectivamente. Independientemente del tipo de extracto y de la parte de la planta utilizada, el Schinus molle L., mostró una buena actividad antibacteriana contra bacterias Gram positivas (S. aureus ATCC 29213 y E. faecalis ATCC 29212) con una CMI 16 µg/mL. El rango de CBM de estas bacterias estuvo entre 32 y 64 mg/mL, respectivamente.

The aim of this research was to determine antibacterial activity of etanolic extract of the leaves and hexanoic extract obtained from fruits of Schinus molle L. (Anacardiaceae), grown in Italia. with a yield of 32,42 % and 5,63 %, respectively. Whatever type of extract and the plant part used, Schinus molle L., showed good antibacterial activity against Gram positive bacteria (S. aureus ATCC 29213 and E. faecalis ATCC 29212) with MIC 16 mg/mL. Range of MBC of these bacteria were between 32 and 64 mg/mL respectively.

Frequency and clinical outcome of respiratory viral infections and mixed viral-bacterial infections in children with cancer, fever and neutropenia.

BACKGROUND: The role of respiratory viral infections (RVIs) as a cause of overall fever and neutropenia (FN) episodes in children with cancer has been less characterized than bacterial infections. We conducted a study aimed to determine the frequency of RVI in children with low compared with high risk for invasive bacterial infection (IBI) FN episodes and compare the clinical outcome of RVI and mixed RV-bacterial infections. METHODS: Prospective, multicenter study in children with cancer and FN admitted to pediatric hospitals in Chile between May 2009 and January 2011. Children were evaluated by clinical examination and laboratory tests, including bacterial cultures and their risk for IBI. Nasopharyngeal sample was obtained for the detection of 17 respiratory viruses using polymerase chain reaction-DNA microarray platform. RESULTS: A total of 331 episodes of FN in 193 children were enrolled of whom 55% were male, with the median age of 7 years and 61% had a hematological malignancy. A viral and/or bacterial pathogen was detected in 67% (224/331) episodes. Overall, RVIs were associated with 57% of FN of which one-third were mixed RV-bacterial infections. Bacterial infection was detected in 29% (97/331). Children classified at admission as high risk for IBI had a similar overall proportion of RVI compared with low-risk group. Respiratory syncytial virus (31%) and rhinovirus (23%) were the most frequently detected respiratory viruses, followed by parainfluenza (12%) and influenza A (11%). Children detected with any respiratory virus had fewer days of hospitalization and a significantly lower probability of hypotension and admission to pediatric intensive care unit irrespective of their risk classification status at admission when compared with children with mixed RV-bacterial or bacterial infections (P < 0.05). All children with a sole RVI had favorable outcome. CONCLUSIONS: RVIs were the most frequently detected agents irrespective of their initial risk assessment for IBI. The clinical outcome of mixed RVI was similar to sole RVI episodes as well as for bacterial infections compared with mixed viral-bacterial infections. Systematic and early detection of RVI in children with cancer and FN might help to optimize their management by reducing hospitalization and antimicrobial use.

Infection, transfection, and co-transfection of baculoviruses by microprojectile bombardment of larvae.

The use of baculoviruses as expression vectors for heterologous proteins has been practically limited to the use of the Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV). In this work, infection, transfection and co-transfection events with the baculoviruses AcMNPV and Trichoplusia ni granulovirus (TnGV) were accomplished by bombardment of T. ni first-instar larvae with microprojectiles coated with virions, viral DNA, and viral DNA and a transfer vector, respectively. A series of shooting conditions were tested until positive results were obtained. The use of 1.6 microm gold particles at 900 psi shooting pressure, 400 Torr vacuum, 7 cm distance to target, on sets of 20 first-instar larvae held in a 16 mm diameter container, proved to be the best shooting conditions. Typical infection symptoms were shown by larvae when shot with viruses or viral DNA from AcMNPV or TnGV. Co-transfected recombinant AcMNPV and TnGV were identified by the formation of occlusion bodies and GFP, respectively, in bombarded larvae. This technique opens a wide range of possibilities, not only to use an extensive number of baculoviruses as expression vectors for heterologous proteins, but also be used to infect, transfect or co-transfect a wide variety of viruses into animal cells.

Aislamientos microbiológicos en el Hospital Patrocinio Peñuela Ruíz: Estado Táchira 2005 / Microbiological isolation in the Hospital Patrocinio Peñuela Ruíz: Tachira State 2005

El cultivo de microorganismos es un proceso que permite el aislamiento de los gérmenes causantes o asociados a una infección. Con el aislamiento del germen no solamente se documenta el agente etiológico, sino que éste se tiene disponible para realizar pruebas de tipificación, determinación de sensibilidad a antibióticos y capacidad bactericida de líquidos corporales. En el Hospital Patrocinio Peñuela Ruíz, durante el año 2005, se realizaron 850 aislamientos microbiológicos, por lo que se plantea realizar una investigación de tipo transversal, retrospectivo, descriptivo y observacional, que tiene como objetivo determinar la prevalencia de los microorganismos aislados, a través de los cultivos secreciones, durante enero-diciembre 2005. Los principales resultados son que el mayor porcentaje (50,42) fue realizado en mujeres. La tendencia a realizar toma de muestra para aislamiento microbiológico es en los extremos de la vida, con un 23,05 por ciento en las personas mayores de 60 años y un 11,16 por ciento en los menores de 12 años. El 43,17 por ciento resultaron positivos para algún microorganismo aislado. El principal microorganismo aislado por servicio y otros departamentos fue: en pediatría Staphylococcus aureus (8.03 por ciento), en la Emergencia pediátrica Staphylococcus aureus (8.33 por ciento). En Medicina Interna Staphylococcus aureus 11,73 por ciento, en la Emergencia de Adultos staphylococcus aureus 18,07 por ciento, en Traumatología pseudomona aeurinosa y el staphylococcus aureos con 7,69 por ciento cada una. En Cirugía pseudomona aeruginosa (17,05 por ciento), en gineco-obstetricia e.coli (23,53 por ciento), y para terminar, en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos, Pseudomona aeruginosa 15,97 por ciento. También gracias a esta investigación, se pudo determinar la sensibilidad o resistencia antibiótica de los principales microorganismos aislados.

Alterações hepáticas em pacientes com síndrome de imunodeficiência adquirida: avaliação histopatologica e ultra-estrutural: estudo atraves biopsias hepaticas / Liver abnormalities in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: evaluation and ultrastructural histopathology: a study through liver biopsies

Cerca de dois-terços dos padentes com SIDA desenvolvem hepatomegalia e anormalidades nos parâmetros bioquímicos que avaliam função hepática. Aparentemente, a doença hepática não depende diretamente do vírus da imunodeficiência humana (HIV), mas, pode resultar de processos infecciosos determinados por bactérias, fungos, vírus, protozoários ou da ação de drogas e do envolvimento por processos neoplásicos. Os objetivos do presente trabalho são: avaliar a utilidade da biópsia hepática em esclarecer a situação clínica de pacientes com SIDA que apresentam hepatomegalia, elevação sérica de enzimas hepáticas elou febre de origem desconhecida; caracterizar as alterações histopatológicas e ultra-estruturais hepáticas, induindo-se identificação de microorganismos oportunistas, os tipos de resposta tissular a determinado microorganismo oportunista, identificação de processos neoplásicos e avaliação das alterações sinusoidais. Foram analisadas 130 biópsias hepáticas de pacientes com SIDA, que apresentavam pelo menos hepatomegalia e febre de origem desconhecida. Em 57(43,8%) pacientes havia dosagem de aminotransferases e em 48(36,9%) havia avaliação numérica dos linfócitos T CD4+ e CD8+, no sangue periférico. Procedeu-se à análise do material à microscopia ótica e eletrônica, com técnicas de morfometria e de microanálise química. A biópsia hepática foi considerada diagnóstica em 46(35,4%) dos casos, incluindo-se 22(16,9%) casos de infecção micobacteriana, 9(6,9%) casos de infecção pelo Histoplasma capsulatum, 4(3,1%) casos de infecção pelo Schistosoma mansoni, 1 (0,8%) caso de infecção pelo Cryptococcus neof0m7ans, 1(0,8%) caso de infecção leishmaniótica, 1 (0,8%) caso de sarcoma de Kaposi, 1 (0,8%) caso de infiltração por linfoma não Hodgkin e 7(5,4%) cmos de inflamação granulomatosa, sem evüências de microorganismos. Inflamação granulomatosa foi a mais freqüente alteração de tipo inflamatório observada, estando presente em 29(22,3%) casos. Não observamos...