Global warming and planetary health: An open letter to the WHO from scientific and indigenous people urging for paleo-microbiology studies.

This article, written by a collective of international researchers and worldwide representatives of indigenous populations, is an open letter to the WHO, based on the latest elements from the scientific literature, and the latest climatological data. It takes stock of the health consequences of global warming, and urges research organizations to take an interest in infectious agents formerly stored in the layers of ground (frozen or not) and now mobilized, then released from a distance.

Possible new evidence of pre-Columbian tuberculosis in America: Pott disease in a prehistoric Mexican statue.

The authors present a case of a probable Pott disease from central/southern Mexico, dated 300 BC to 500 AD. This case highlights the importance of iconotopsy/iconodiagnosis for a better description of the natural history of diseases, especially as a complement to morphological analyses of human remains (paleopathology) and laboratory exams (DNA or immunology testing).

Clinical and histological features of leprosy and human immunodeficiency virus co-infection in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Both leprosy and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are infectious diseases, and are an important global health problem. Patients with leprosy who are co-infected with HIV seem to be at higher risk of developing leprosy reactions. AIM: To examine the histological features of leprosy in patients with HIV and leprosy co-infection, particularly to determine whether the typical leprosy histopathology is present in skin biopsies, and to assess the histological features of leprosy reactions in co-infected patients. METHODS: This was a matched cohort study with 11 co-infected patients and 31 HIV-negative patients with leprosy. A structured protocol for skin-biopsy evaluation was followed, focusing on inflammation of the skin and dermal nerves. RESULTS: Of the 11 HIV-positive patients, 7 (63%) had borderline tuberculoid (BT) leprosy and 5 (70%) of these 7 patients had developed a type 1 reaction. The lesions in these patients were immunologically active, with 100% of biopsies having evidence of compact granulomas, 90% evidence of oedema and 30% evidence of necrosis. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, patients co-infected with HIV and M. leprae had the typical histological lesions of leprosy. There was evidence of immune activation in patients who received combination antiretroviral therapy, and these patients had BT leprosy and leprosy-upgrading reactions.

Clinical and histological features of leprosy and human immunodeficiency virus co-infection in Brazil

BACKGROUND: Both leprosy and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are infectious diseases, and are an important global health problem. Patients with leprosy who are co-infected with HIV seem to be at higher risk of developing leprosy reactions. AIM: To examine the histological features of leprosy in patients with HIV and leprosy co-infection, particularly to determine whether the typical leprosy histopathology is present in skin biopsies, and to assess the histological features of leprosy reactions in co-infected patients. METHODS: This was a matched cohort study with 11 co-infected patients and 31 HIV-negative patients with leprosy. A structured protocol for skin-biopsy evaluation was followed, focusing on inflammation of the skin and dermal nerves. RESULTS: Of the 11 HIV-positive patients, 7 (63%) had borderline tuberculoid (BT) leprosy and 5 (70%) of these 7 patients had developed a type 1 reaction. The lesions in these patients were immunologically active, with 100% of biopsies having evidence of compact granulomas, 90% evidence of oedema and 30% evidence of necrosis. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, patients co-infected with HIV and M. leprae had the typical histological lesions of leprosy. There was evidence of immune activation in patients who received combination antiretroviral therapy, and these patients had BT leprosy and leprosy-upgrading reactions.

Contact with armadillos increases the risk of leprosy in Brazil: a case control study.

BACKGROUND: Mycobacterium leprae infection has recently been detected in wild armadillos in Brazil. Leprosy is still endemic in Brazil and although its transmission is mostly by person-to-person contact, many cases report no history of previously known leprosy contact. It has been suggested that other sources of M. leprae may contribute to the transmission of leprosy in some areas. AIM: Our objective was to investigate whether contact with armadillos is associated with leprosy. METHODS: A case-control study was carried out in Brazil. Data was collected from 506 leprosy patients and 594 controls on exposure to armadillos and age, sex, place of birth and living conditions. Univariate analysis and unconditional logistic regression were conducted to investigate whether leprosy was associated with exposure to armadillos. RESULTS: Direct armadillo exposure was reported by 68% of leprosy cases and by 48% of controls (P < 0.001) roughly doubling the risk of leprosy, with odds ratio (OR) 2.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.36-2.99]. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that direct exposure to armadillos is a risk factor for leprosy in Brazil.

IgM and IgG antibody response to Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in naturally infected wild armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus).

We studied the extent to which wild nine-banded armadillos, Dasypus novemcinctus, produce immune humoral responses specifically directed against characteristic Paracoccidioides brasiliensis antigens. Such antibody production might reflect direct contact with the ecological microniche of P. brasiliensis, or might merely reflect inhalation of widely distributed airborne propagules. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was designed containing purified glycoprotein gp43 and gp70 antigens from P. brasiliensis as well as cross-reactive antisera originally targeted against human IgM (mu chain) and armadillo anti-IgG (gamma-chain). It was used to detect and classify IgM and IgG antibodies to P. brasiliensis in the armadillo. In a serological survey of 47 wild armadillos, IgM antibodies to gp43 were detected in seven animals (14.8%), and IgG antibodies were detected in 20 (42.5%). IgM antibodies to gp70 were detected in 10 (21.3%) animals and IgG antibodies were detected in 18 (38.3%). These results, showing a pattern consistent with infection, suggest that P. brasiliensis is enzootic in armadillos. How the animals became exposed could not be determined.

[Comparative assessment of the efficacy and toxicity of N-methyl-glucamine and BP88 sodium stibogluconate in the treatment of localized cutaneous leishmaniasis]. / Avaliaçao comparativa da eficácia e toxicidade do antimoniato de N-metil-glucamina e do estibogluconato de sódio BP88 no tratamento da leishmaniose cutânea localizada.

This randomized, single blind clinical trial was performed to compare the efficacy and toxicity of BP88 Sodium Stibogluconate (SS) to Glucantime(R) (N-methyl-glucamine), (GL). Sixty-three patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups: 32 patients were treated with GL and 3l patients were treated with SS. Both groups received 15mg Sb+5/kg/day for 20 days. Toxicity was evaluated through EKG, urea, creatinine, AST, ALT, alkaline phosphatase, amylase, and lipase, assessed before treatment, on day 10 and day 20 of treatment and 90 days after treatment. In the group treated with GL, 81% (26/32) of patients were cured compared to 77% (24/31) in the SS group. Five (16%) patients relapsed in the GL group compared to 6 (19%) in the SS group. One patient in each group did not respond to treatment. AST, ALT, amylase, and lipase were more elevated in the SS group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the efficacy of both treatments was similar although there was more toxicity in the ES group.

Cutaneous manifestation of Chagas' disease after heart transplantation: successful treatment with allopurinol.

We describe two patients who underwent cardiac transplantation for chronic cardiomyopathy of Chagas' disease, and in whom the disease was reactivated with the development of cutaneous lesions. In both cases, the skin lesions regressed completely after 2 months of therapy with allopurinol.