Oral Phenotype and Salivary Microbiome of Individuals With Papillon-Lefèvre Syndrome.

Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome (PLS) is an autosomal recessive rare disease, main characteristics of which include palmoplantar hyperkeratosis and premature edentulism due to advanced periodontitis (formerly aggressive periodontitis). This study aimed to characterize the oral phenotype, including salivary parameters, and the salivary microbiome of three PLS sisters, comparatively. Two sisters were toothless (PLSTL1 and PLSTL2), and one sister had most of the teeth in the oral cavity (PLST). Total DNA was extracted from the unstimulated saliva, and the amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene fragment was performed in an Ion PGM platform. The amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were obtained using the DADA2 pipeline, and the taxonomy was assigned using the SILVA v.138. The main phenotypic characteristics of PLS were bone loss and premature loss of primary and permanent dentition. The PLST sister presented advanced periodontitis with gingival bleeding and suppuration, corresponding to the advanced periodontitis as a manifestation of systemic disease, stage IV, grade C. All three PLS sisters presented hyposalivation as a possible secondary outcome of the syndrome. Interestingly, PLST salivary microbiota was dominated by the uncultured bacteria Bacterioidales (F0058), Fusobacterium, Treponema, and Sulfophobococcus (Archaea domain). Streptococcus, Haemophilus, and Caldivirga (Archaea) dominated the microbiome of the PLSTL1 sister, while the PLSTL2 had higher abundances of Lactobacillus and Porphyromonas. This study was the first to show a high abundance of organisms belonging to the Archaea domain comprising a core microbiome in human saliva. In conclusion, a PLST individual does have a microbiota different from that of the periodontitis' aggressiveness previously recognized. Due to an ineffective cathepsin C, the impairment of neutrophils probably provided a favorable environment for the PLS microbiome. The interactions of Bacteroidales F0058, Caldivirga, and Sulfophobococcus with the microbial consortium of PLS deserves future investigation. Traditional periodontal therapy is not efficient in PLS patients. Unraveling the PLS microbiome is essential in searching for appropriate treatment and avoiding early tooth loss.

Evaluation of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and 2 antibodies detection in dried whole blood spots (DBS) samples.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 and 2 antibodies detection was performed in 457 dried whole blood spots samples (S&S 903). Q-Preven HIV 1+2 was the screening test used. The results were compared with the gold standard serum tests by ELISA (Cobas Core e Axsym HIV1/2 gO) and immunofluorescence was the definitive confirmatory test. The samples were obtained from the Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição in Porto Alegre, RS - Brazil, through whole blood transfer to filter paper card and sent to Caxias do Sul, RS-Brazil where the tests were performed. The dried whole blood spot stability was evaluated with two different panels. The first one was composed of five negative and five positive samples stored at room temperature, 4 degrees C, -20 degrees C and -70 degrees C, while the second was composed of two negative and three positive samples stored at 37 degrees C (humidity <50%). Each sample was screened every week for six weeks. These measurement results didn't show variation during the study period. The detected sensibility was 100%, specificity was 99.6%, the positive predictive value was 99.5% and negative predictive values were 100%. The results demonstrated high performance characteristics, opening a new perspective of dried whole blood spot utilization in HIV screening diagnosis.

Comparison of the nasopharynx microbiome between influenza and non-influenza cases of severe acute respiratory infections: A pilot study.

AIMS: Influenza A virus (IAV) can cause severe acute respiratory infection (SARI), and disease outcome may be associated with changes in the microbiome of the nasopharynx. This is a pilot study to characterize the microbiome of the nasopharynx in patients hospitalized with SARI, infected and not infected by IAV. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using target sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, we assessed the bacterial community of nasopharyngeal aspirate samples and compared the microbiome of patients infected with IAV with the microbiome of patients who were negative for IAV. We observed differences in the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes between SARI patients, with Streptococcus being enriched and Pseudomonas underrepresented in IAV patients compared with patients who were not infected with IAV. CONCLUSION: Pseudomonas taxon seems to be in high frequency on the nasopharynx of SARI patients with non-IAV infection and might present a negative association with Streptococcus taxon. Microbial profile appears to be different between SARI patients infected or not infected with IAV.

Evaluation of five simple rapid HIV assays for potential use in the Brazilian national HIV testing algorithm.

Since 2005, the Department of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and Viral Hepatitis under the Health Surveillance Secretariat in Brazil's Ministry of Health has approved a testing algorithm for using rapid human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) tests in the country. Given the constant emergence of new rapid HIV tests in the market, it is necessary to maintain an evaluation program for them. Conscious of this need, this multicenter study was conducted to evaluate five commercially available rapid HIV tests used to detect anti-HIV antibodies in Brazil. The five commercial rapid tests under assessment were the VIKIA HIV-1/2 (bioMérieux, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), the Rapid Check HIV 1 & 2 (Center of Infectious Diseases, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil), the HIV-1/2 3.0 Strip Test Bioeasy (S.D., Kyonggi-do, South Korea), the Labtest HIV (Labtest Diagnóstica, Lagoa Santa, Brazil) and the HIV-1/2 Rapid Test Bio-Manguinhos (Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). A total of 972 whole-blood samples were collected from HIV-infected patients, pregnant women and individuals seeking voluntary counselling and testing who were recruited from five centers in different regions of the country. Informed consent was obtained from the study participants. The results were compared with those obtained using the HIV algorithm used currently in Brazil, which includes two enzyme immunoassays and one Western blot test. The operational performance of each assay was also compared to the defined criteria. A total of 972 samples were tested using reference assays, and the results indicated 143 (14.7%) reactive samples and 829 (85.3%) nonreactive samples. Sensitivity values ranged from 99.3 to 100%, and specificity was 100% for all five rapid tests. All of the rapid tests performed well, were easy to perform and yielded high scores in the operational performance analysis. Three tests, however, fulfilled all of the prerequisites established previously by the Department of STDs, AIDS and Viral Hepatitis: the HIV-1/2 3.0 Strip Test Bioeasy, the Rapid Check HIV 1 & 2 and the VIKIA HIV-1/2. Three of the five tests evaluated (the HIV-1/2 3.0 Strip Test Bioeasy, the Rapid Check HIV 1 and 2 and the VIKIA HIV-1/2) performed as well as the reference assays and fulfilled the requirements for use in the Brazilian national algorithm.

Comparison of the nasopharynx microbiome between influenza and non­influenza cases of severe acute respiratory infections: a pilot study

Aims: Influenza A virus (IAV) can cause severe acute respiratory infection (SARI), and disease outcome may be associated with changes in the microbiome of the nasopharynx. This is a pilot study to characterize the microbiome of the nasopharynx in patients hospitalized with SARI, infected and not infected by IAV. Methods and Results: Using target sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, we assessed the bacterial community of nasopharyngeal aspirate samples and compared the microbiome of patients infected with IAV with the microbiome of patients who were negative for IAV. We observed differences in the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes between SARI patients, with Streptococcus being enriched and Pseudomonas underrepresented in IAV patients compared with patients who were not infected with IAV. Conclusion: Pseudomonas taxon seems to be in high frequency on the nasopharynx of SARI patients with non­IAV infection and might present a negative association with Streptococcus taxon. Microbial profile appears to be different between SARI patients infected or not infected with IAV.

Evaluation of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and 2 antibodies detection in dried whole blood spots (dbs) samples / Pesquisa de anticorpos contra o vírus da imunodeficiência humana tipos 1 e 2 em amostras de sangue seco coletadas em papel filtro

Human Immunodeficiency Vírus Type 1 and 2 antibodies detection was performed in 457 dried whole blood spots samples (S&S 903). Q-Preven HIV 1+2 was the screening test used. The results were compared with the gold standard serum tests by ELISA (Cobas Core e Axsym HIV1/2 gO) and imunofluorescence was the definitive confirmatory test. The samples were obtained from the Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição in Porto Alegre, RS - Brazil, through whole blood transfer to filter paper card and sent to Caxias do Sul, RS - Brazil where the tests were performed. The dried whole blood spot stability was evaluated with two different panels. The first one was composed of five negative and five positive samples stored at room temperature, 4 ºC, -20 ºC and -70 ºC, while the second was composed of two negative and three positive samples stored at 37 ºC (humidity <50 percent). Each sample was screened every week for six weeks. These measurement results didn't show variation during the study period. The detected sensibility was 100 percent, specificity was 99.6 percent, the positive predictive value was 99.5 percent and negative predictive values were 100 percent. The results demonstrated high performance characteristics, opening a new perspective of dried whole blood spot utilization in HIV screening diagnosis.

Foram realizados 457 testes para detectar anticorpos contra o Vírus da Imunodeficiência Humana tipos 1 e 2, em amostras de sangue total seco coletadas em papel filtro (S&S 903), com o teste de triagem Q-Preven HIV 1+2, comparando-se com os resultados dos testes de triagem no soro (Cobas Core e Axsym HIV1/2 gO), sendo a imunofluorescência indireta o teste confirmatório. As amostras foram obtidas no Hospital Conceição em Porto Alegre, pela transferência de sangue total para cartão de papel filtro e encaminhadas para Caxias do Sul para a realização dos testes. Foi analisada a estabilidade da amostra em papel filtro com a utilização de dois painéis: o primeiro com cinco amostras negativas e cinco positivas armazenadas por seis semanas à temperatura ambiente, 4 ºC, -20 ºC e -70 ºC; o segundo com duas negativas e três positivas armazenadas por seis semanas com avaliações semanais a 37 ºC (umidade <50 por cento). Os resultados de todas as amostras testadas foram mantidos. A sensibilidade foi de 100 por cento, a especificidade de 99,6 por cento, o valor preditivo positivo de 99,5 por cento e o valor preditivo negativo de 100 por cento. O excelente desempenho observado na análise da utilização de sangue seco em papel filtro, abre uma nova perspectiva no diagnóstico da infecção pelo HIV.