Inflammation markers in the saliva of infants born from Zika-infected mothers: exploring potential mechanisms of microcephaly during fetal development.

Zika virus (ZIKV) has emerged as one of the most medically relevant viral infections of the past decades; the devastating effects of this virus over the developing brain are a major matter of concern during pregnancy. Although the connection with congenital malformations are well documented, the mechanisms by which ZIKV reach the central nervous system (CNS) and the causes of impaired cortical growth in affected fetuses need to be better addressed. We performed a non-invasive, metabolomics-based screening of saliva from infants with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS), born from mothers that were infected with ZIKV during pregnancy. We were able to identify three biomarkers that suggest that this population suffered from an important inflammatory process; with the detection of mediators associated with glial activation, we propose that microcephaly is a product of immune response to the virus, as well as excitotoxicity mechanisms, which remain ongoing even after birth.

An overview of the genetic basis of epidermolysis bullosa in Brazil: discovery of novel and recurrent disease-causing variants.

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a genodermatosis that encompasses a group of clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorders classified in four major types: EB simplex (EBS), junctional EB (JEB), dystrophic EB (DEB) and Kindler syndrome. Our aim was to characterize recurrent and novel mutations associated to EB in a sample of Brazilian patients. Eighty-seven patients (25 EBS, 4 JEB and 58 DEB) were studied. We performed a next-generation sequencing-based multigene panel through ion torrent technology including 11 genes: KRT5, KRT14, PLEC, TGM5, LAMA3, LAMB3, LAMC2, COL17A1, ITGB4, COL7A1, and FERMT1. A total of 72 different pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants were identified, 32 of them are novel. The causal variant was detected in 82 patients (efficiency of 94.3%). Pathogenic variants in the residue 125 of KRT14 were identified in 32% of all EBS patients. In DEB patients, four COL7A1 variants were quite frequent, some of them clustered in specific Brazilian regions. Our study extends the spectrum of known mutations in EB and describes, for the first time, the genetic profile of EB patients from Brazil.

The phenotypic spectrum of congenital Zika syndrome.

In October 2015, Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak the Brazilian Ministry of Health (MoH). In response, the Brazilian Society of Medical Genetics established a task force (SBGM-ZETF) to study the phenotype of infants born with microcephaly due to ZIKV congenital infection and delineate the phenotypic spectrum of this newly recognized teratogen. This study was based on the clinical evaluation and neuroimaging of 83 infants born during the period from July, 2015 to March, 2016 and registered by the SBGM-ZETF. All 83 infants had significant findings on neuroimaging consistent with ZIKV congenital infection and 12 had confirmed ZIKV IgM in CSF. A recognizable phenotype of microcephaly, anomalies of the shape of skull and redundancy of the scalp consistent with the Fetal Brain Disruption Sequence (FBDS) was present in 70% of infants, but was most often subtle. In addition, features consistent with fetal immobility, ranging from dimples (30.1%), distal hand/finger contractures (20.5%), and feet malpositions (15.7%), to generalized arthrogryposis (9.6%), were present in these infants. Some cases had milder microcephaly or even a normal head circumference (HC), and other less distinctive findings. The detailed observation of the dysmorphic and neurologic features in these infants provides insight into the mechanisms and timings of the brain disruption and the sequence of developmental anomalies that may occur after prenatal infection by the ZIKV.

Biochemical and hematological analysis in acute intermittent porphyria (AIP): a case report.

Acute intermittent porphyria is the most common acute porphyria caused by a decrease in hepatic porphobilinogen deaminase activity, resulting in an accumulation of delta-aminolevulinic acid and porphobilinogen. This disease shows nonspecific signs and symptoms that can be confused with other diseases, thereby making the diagnosis difficult. We report a case of acute intermittent porphyria, reviewing clinical and laboratory aspects, highlighting the hematological and biochemical parameters during and after the crisis. A female patient, aged 28 years, suffered two crises, both presenting gastrointestinal disorders. The second presented neuropsychiatric symptoms. The analysis of hematological and biochemical parameters during the second crisis showed anemia, leukocytosis, hyponatremia, mild hypokalemia, uremia and elevated C-reactive protein. The initial treatment included glucose infusion, a diet rich in carbohydrates and interruption of porphyrinogenic drugs. Subsequently, treatment was maintained with oral contraceptive use. According to the observed data, signs and symptoms of gastrointestinal, neurological and psychiatric disorders, associated with laboratory results presented in this paper can be applied to screen acute porphyria, contributing to early diagnosis.