Reduced asthma morbidity in endemic areas for helminth infections: a longitudinal ecological study in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether endemic areas for helminth infections in Brazil have lower rates of hospital admission due to asthma and whether reduction in helminth endemicity impacts on asthma morbidity. METHODS: This was a country-wide ecological study in Brazil. Government databases were the source of information. A cross-sectional analysis accessed the risk of a municipality having high rates of hospital admissions due to asthma according to its records of hospital admissions due to Schistossoma mansoni or intestinal helminth infections. A longitudinal analysis accessed the effect of prevention of helminth infection on asthma morbidity. Data were adjusted for the rates of hospital admissions due to influenza, pneumonia, diarrhea, per capita income, Gini index, number of physicians, proportion of literate inhabitants, urbanization and hospital beds. RESULTS: Hospitalization rates due to asthma in the age range of 5-24 years were lower in municipalities endemic for S. mansoni [adjusted OR: 0.992, CI: 0.989-0.994] or for intestinal helminth infections [adjusted OR: 0.994, CI: 0.990-0.997]. Similar results were observed for the age range of 25-64 years. In the longitudinal analysis, municipalities that reduced hospitalizations due to S. mansoni had smaller odds to decrease hospital admissions due to asthma among young populations [adjusted OR: 0.43, CI: 0.22-0.82]. CONCLUSION: We conclude that populations exposed to helminths have lower asthma morbidity. Reduction of helminth infection prevalence in low-income populations was associated with a smaller decline in asthma morbidity.

Alerta sobre o risco de disseminação da esquistossomose para o estado de Goiás, Brasil / Alert on the risk of spread of schistosomiasis for the state of Goiás, Brazil

A esquistossomose mansônica é uma doença infecciosa parasitária, causada por um trematódeo (Schistosoma mansoni) que vive na corrente sanguínea do hospedeiro definitivo, cuja evolução clínica pode variar desde formas assintomáticas até as extremamente graves. O presente relato teve como objetivo fazer o registro de um caso de esquistossomose em um indivíduo aparentemente sadio que, por razões de seu trabalho, circula continuamente por áreas endêmicas e por diversos municípios do estado de Goiás, região não endêmica, comprovando, assim, o papel das migrações na disseminação desta parasitose.

Schistosomiasis mansoni is a parasitic infectious disease caused by a trematode (Schistosoma mansoni) that lives in the bloodstream of their definitive host, whose clinical course can vary from asymptomatic to extremely serious involvement. Thisreport aims to register a case of schistosomiasis in an individual, apparently healthy, for a labor that constantly circulates between endemic areas and in several counties in the state of Goias, a non-endemic region, thus demonstrating the role of migrationon the spread of this disease.

Investigação de genes diferencialmente expressos em estágios intra-hospedeiro de Schistosoma mansoni como candidatos vacinais / Investigation of genes differentialy expressed in intra-host stages of Schistosoma mansoni as vaccine candidates

A esquistossomose é uma doença importante em saúde pública. Dos genes selecionados como diferencialmente expressos em esquistossômulos a partir do transcriptoma do S. mansoni, 56% foram confirmados por RT-PCR em tempo real. Entre eles, a proteína Ly6.5, está presente no tegumento de esquistossômulos e vermes adultos por âncoras de GPI. Não foi detectada a função de inibir o sistema complemento, mas pode estar envolvido na manutenção do tegumento. O gene SmVal7 revelou transcritos nas glândulas esofágicas de vermes adultos por hibridização in situ, enquanto a localização da proteína não está definida. Anexina está associada ao tegumento de esquistossômulos e vermes adultos, de maneira dependente de cálcio. A supressão do gene por RNAi não resultou em alteração fenotípica significativa em esquistossômulos in vitro. Foi observada atividade parcial de inibição de coagulação e potencial atividade de endocitose de anticorpos ligados à superfície. A imunização com rLy6.5, rSmVal7, rAneI-II ou rAneII-III não levou a redução da carga parasitária após desafio.

Schistosomiasis is an important disease in public health. Genes selected from the S. mansoni transcriptome, 56% of them were confirmed as differentially expressed in schistosomula by real time RT-PCR. Among them, the protein Ly6.5 is present in the tegument of schistosomula and adult worms by GPI anchors. The function of inhibiting the complement system was not detected, but it may be involved in maintenance of the tegument. The gene SmVal7 revealed transcripts in the esophageal glands of adult worms by in situ hybridization, while the localization of the protein is not defined. Annexin is associated with the membranes of the schistosomula and adult worms tegument in a calcium-dependent manner. The suppression of the gene by RNAi did not resulted in a significant phenotypic change in schistosomula in vitro. Parcial inhibition of the coagulation activity and potential function of endocytosis of membrane-bound antibodies were observed. Immunization with the rLy6.5, rSmVal7, rAneI or rAneII-II-III did not show reduction in worm burden recovery after challenge.

Investigação da Carboxipeptidase, Esfingomielinase e Fosfatase Alcalina de Schistosoma mansoni como potenciais antígenos / Investigation of Carboxypeptidase, Sphingomyelinase and Alkaline Phosphatase from Schistosoma mansoni as potential vaccine candidates

A esquitossomose representa um grande problema em saúde pública, embora negligenciada pelas grandes empresas farmaceuticas. Três genes foram selecionados a partir do transcriptoma do S. mansoni pela possibilidade de estarem presentes na interface parasita-hospedeiro e portanto pelo potencial de serem usados como vacinas. Foi feita uma caracterização molecular destas proteínas no parasita e uma avaliação preliminar dopotencial protetor no modelo murino...

Schistossomiasis is an important disease in public health but neglected by most of the pharmaceutical companies. Three genes were selected from S. mansoni transcriptome to be investigated at the host-parasite interface with furter potential to be used as vaccines. A biological characterization was performed with these three proteins and a preliminary their immunoprotective potential...