Leprosy reactions: Unraveling immunological mechanisms underlying tissue damage in leprosy patients.

Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous infectious and disabling disease caused by two mycobacteria, Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Acute inflammatory responses, known as leprosy reactions, are significant contributors to disabilities. Three types of leprosy reactions have been identified based on excessive cytokine release (e.g. type 1) or the accumulation of immune complexes in tissues inducing multiorgan damage (e.g. types 2 and 3). The type of leprosy reaction has implications on treatment and management strategies, yet are not well understood by health workers caring for leprosy patients. We attempt to describe the immunologic mechanisms behind the different leprosy reactions and the rationale for tailoring clinical treatment and management to the particular type of leprosy reaction based on the underlying immunologic situation.

Pilot study of the productivity and Salmonella seroprevalence in pigs administered organic acids.

Control of Salmonella in pig/pork production is important to protect public health because pork is one of the main sources of human infection. Moreover, antimicrobial use in pig farms should be kept low to minimize development and transmission of antimicrobial resistance. This pilot study evaluated the productivity and Salmonella seroprevalence in pigs administered organic acids (OA) compared to pigs given growth promoters in one farm in Antioquia, Colombia. Two groups each consisting of 60 pigs of 6-weeks of age were studied for 4 months. One group was provided feed and water with OA (Selko pH® and Selacid®), whereas the other group (control) received antimicrobial growth promoters according to routine feeding practices (tylosin and zinc bacitracin). Blood samples were taken three times (T1-T3) and pigs were weighted five times to calculate daily weight gain (DWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Initially when the pigs were 6 weeks old (T1), the Salmonella seroprevalence was 1.7% in both groups. When the pigs were 11 weeks old (T2), the seroprevalence was significantly lower in pigs provided OA compared to the control group (19 vs. 47%, P < 0.001), whereas when the pigs were 23 weeks old (T3), the seroprevalence did not differ between the groups (62 vs. 77%; P = 0.075). The cumulative DWG was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (713 vs. 667 g/day; P < 0.001). The cumulative FCR did not differ between groups (2.80 vs. 2.77; P = 0.144). The pilot study indicates that cleaning the water pipes and administrating OA improve productivity in pigs and delay exposure to Salmonella spp. when compared with growth promoters. Thus, OA could replace antimicrobial growth promoters and reduce antimicrobial use and resistance. However, the study should be repeated before firmer conclusions can be drawn.

Micobioma: diversidad fúngica en el cuerpo humano / Mycobiome: Fungal diversity in human body

Resumen Introducción: los hongos hacen parte de los microorganismos que se encuentran en el ser humano y que interactúan con bacterias, virus y archaeas. El equilibrio inter e intra-especies es importante para mantener la salud en los seres humanos. La mayoría de los estudios sobre el micobioma se han relacionado con estados de enfermedad causados por hongos, siendo de relevancia la exploración de las comunidades comensales en individuos sanos. Métodos: se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica en PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus y Google Scholar, usando los términos mycobiome, intestinal fungi, skin mycobiome, vaginal mycobiome, fungal microbiome. Se incluyeron artículos desde 1996 hasta 2020, de revisión y de resultados de investigación en todos los idiomas. Resultados y discusión: existe variabilidad en las comunidades fúngicas en los sitios corporales según sus características intrínsecas y la relación con el medio ambiente. El estado de salud en los seres humanos puede estar influenciado por la densidad y diversidad fúngica, a diferencia de los individuos enfermos en quienes se evidencia una disminución en la diversidad y que se asocia con el oportunismo de agentes patógenos.

Abstract Introduction: Fungi are part of the microorganisms that are found in humans and interact with bacteria, viruses and archaeas. The balance inter and intra-species is important to maintain health in humans. Most studies on mycobiota have been related to disease states caused by fungi, the exploration of commensal communities in healthy individuals being relevant. Methods: literature search in PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus and Google Scholar, using the terms: mycobiome, intestinal fungi, skin mycobiome, vaginal mycobiome, fungal microbiome. Articles from 1996 to 2020, review and research results in all languages were included in this review. Results: Variability in fungal communities is determinated according to body site characteristics and the contact with the environment. Health status in humans can be influenced by fungal density and diversity, unlike sick individuals where there is evidence of a decrease in diversity and that is associated with the opportunism of pathogens.