Brucella central carbon metabolism: an update.

The brucellae are facultative intracellular pathogens causing brucellosis, an important zoonosis. Here, we review the nutritional, genetic, proteomic and transcriptomic studies on Brucella carbon uptake and central metabolism, information that is needed for a better understanding of Brucella virulence. There is no uniform picture across species but the studies suggest primary and/or secondary transporters for unknown carbohydrates, lactate, glycerol phosphate, erythritol, xylose, ribose, glucose and glucose/galactose, and routes for their incorporation to central metabolism, including an erythritol pathway feeding the pentose phosphate cycle. Significantly, all brucellae lack phosphoenolpyruvate synthase and phosphofructokinase genes, which confirms previous evidence on glycolysis absence, but carry all Entner-Doudoroff (ED) pathway and Krebs cycle (and glyoxylate pathway) genes. However, glucose catabolism proceeds through the pentose phosphate cycle in the classical species, and the ED pathway operates in some rodent-associated brucellae, suggesting an ancestral character for this pathway in this group. Gluconeogenesis is functional but does not rely exclusively on classical fructose bisphosphatases. Evidence obtained using infection models is fragmentary but suggests the combined or sequential use of hexoses/pentoses, amino acids and gluconeogenic substrates. We also discuss the role of the phosphotransferase system, stringent reponse, quorum sensing, BvrR/S and sRNAs in metabolism control, an essential aspect of the life style of facultative intracellular parasites.

[Gastric volvulus, an infrequent cause of acute abdominal pain]. / Vólvulo gástrico, causa infrecuente de dolor abdominal agudo.

Gastric volvulus (GV) is characterized by the abnormal rotation of a portion of the stomach around a horizontal or vertical axis that can cause obstruction, vascular disorder and even strangulation, and may evolve into necrosis or even perforation. It can be classified according to its aetiology into primary or secondary GV, according to its anatomy into axial organ or into axial mesenteric GV, and according to its presentation into chronic or acute GV. Both types of volvulus require treatment; however, in spite of the classic treatment being open surgery, there is no standard treatment, nor is there consensus on the alternative of choice at present. Minimally invasion techniques, whether endoscopic or laparoscopic, should be considered in patients of advanced age or high surgical risk, where what is sought is a reduction in perioperative morbidity and mortality.

Vólvulo gástrico, causa infrecuente de dolor abdominal agudo / Gastric volvulus, an infrequent cause of acute abdominal pain

El vólvulo gástrico (VG) se caracteriza por la rotación anormal de una porción del estómago alrededor de un eje -horizontal o vertical- que puede ocasionar obstrucción, compromiso vascular e incluso estrangulación, pudiendo evolucionar a necrosis e incluso perforación. Se puede clasificar de acuerdo a su etiología, en primario o secundario, de acuerdo a su anatomía en órgano-axial o mesentérico-axial y de acuerdo a su presentación en crónico o agudo. Ambos tipos de vólvulos requieren de tratamiento, sin embargo, a pesar de que el tratamiento clásico ha sido la cirugía abierta, no existe un tratamiento estándar, ni consenso sobre la alternativa de elección en la actualidad. Las técnicas de mínima invasión, bien sean endoscópicas o laparoscópicas, deben ser consideradas en los pacientes de edad avanzada y alto riesgo quirúrgico en quienes se busca disminuir la morbilidad y mortalidad perioperatoria (AU)

Gastric volvulus (GV) is characterized by the abnormal rotation of a portion of the stomach around a horizontal or vertical axis that can cause obstruction, vascular disorder and even strangulation, and may evolve into necrosis or even perforation. It can be classified according to its aetiology into primary or secondary GV, according to its anatomy into axial organ or into axial mesenteric GV, and according to its presentation into chronic or acute GV. Both types of volvulus require treatment; however, in spite of the classic treatment being open surgery, there is no standard treatment, nor is there consensus on the alternative of choice at present. Minimally invasion techniques, whether endoscopic or laparoscopic, should be considered in patients of advanced age or high surgical risk, where what is sought is a reduction in perioperative morbidity and mortality (AU)