Detection and Isolation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Beef from Food Markets and Fecal Samples of Dairy Calves in the Peruvian Central Highlands.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 is a food and waterborne pathogen with severe public health implications. We report the first-time isolation of this pathogen in the Central Highlands of Peru through standardized culture procedures and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Escherichia coli strains were cultured from rectal-anal swabs from dairy calves and beef from food markets. The latex agglutination test was used to detect O157 and H7 antigens, and multiplex real-time PCR was carried out to detect virulence-related genes. The STEC O157:H7 strains were isolated from 3.5% (1/28) of beef samples and from 6.0% (3/50) of dairy calves that also carried both eaeA and stx1 genes. Therefore, this pathogen is a potential cause of food/waterborne disease in the region, and its surveillance in both livestock and their products should be improved to characterize the impact of its zoonotic transmission. From 2010 to 2020, E. coli was suspected in 10 outbreaks reported to the Peruvian Ministry of Health. Isolates from future outbreaks should be characterized to assess the burden posed by STEC O157:H7 in Peru.

Serum chemerin levels: A potential biomarker of joint inflammation in women with rheumatoid arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Chemerin has a potential role in perpetuating inflammation in autoimmune diseases. Nevertheless, to date, there is no conclusive information on whether high chemerin levels increase the severity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Therefore, this study evaluated whether serum chemerin is a biomarker of disease activity in RA patients. METHODS: Study design: cross-sectional. The assessment included clinical and laboratory characteristics, body mass index (BMI) and fat mass. The severity of the disease activity was identified according to the DAS28-CRP index as follows: A) RA with a DAS28-CRP≤2.9 (remission/mild activity) and B) RA with a DAS28-CRP>2.9 (moderate/severe activity). Serum chemerin concentrations were measured by ELISA, and ≥103 ng/mL was considered a high level. Logistic regression analysis was applied to determine whether high chemerin levels were associated with disease activity in RA after adjusting for confounders. Multiple regression analysis was performed to identify variables associated with chemerin levels. RESULTS: Of 210 RA patients, 89 (42%) subjects had moderate/severe disease activity and had higher serum chemerin levels than patients with low disease activity or remission (86 ± 34 vs 73± 27; p = 0.003). Serum chemerin correlated with the number of swollen joints (r = 0.15; p = 0.03), DAS28-CRP (r = 0.22; p = 0.002), and C-reactive protein levels (r = 0.14; p = 0.04), but no correlation was observed with BMI and fat mass. In the adjusted logistic regression analysis, high chemerin levels (≥103 ng/mL) were associated with an increased risk of moderate/severe disease activity (OR: 2.76, 95% CI 1.35-5.62; p = 0.005). In the multiple regression analysis, after adjusting for potential confounders, serum chemerin levels were associated with higher DAS28-CRP (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Higher chemerin levels increased the risk of moderate and severe disease activity in RA. These results support the role of chemerin as a marker of inflammation in RA. Follow-up studies will identify if maintaining low chemerin levels can be used as a therapeutic target.

Genotypic Analyses of the Sclerostin rs851056 and Dickkopf rs1569198 Polymorphisms in Mexican-Mestizo Postmenopausal Osteoporosis: A Case-Control Study.

Background: The Wnt/ß catenin pathway promotes bone mineralization stimulating proliferation, differentiation, and survival of osteoblasts; it also inhibits osteoclast differentiation and osteocyte activity. Sclerostin (SOST) and Dickkopf 1 (DKK1) are Wnt/ß catenin pathway inhibitors. Genetic variability in the expression of SOST and DKK1 might be involved in the development of postmenopausal osteoporosis (OP). Aim: To determine whether the SOST rs851056 and DKK1 rs1569198 polymorphisms are associated with OP in Mexican-Mestizo postmenopausal women. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and eighty Mexican-Mestizo postmenopausal women were assessed for their bone mineral density by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Patients were classified as OP or non-OP. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes. Genetic polymorphisms were analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction using TaqMan probes. Results: The frequency of OP was 40% among the study population. Osteoporotic patients were older (p < 0.001), had a higher frequency of smoking (p = 0.01), and lower body mass index (p < 0.001) compared with the non-osteoporotic patients. The genotypic frequencies of the rs851056 locus of the SOST gene were GG 19%, GC 45%, and CC 35%, whereas the genotypic frequencies of the rs1569198 locus of the DKK1 gene were GG 15%, GA 40%, and AA 44%. In relation to rs851056 locus of the SOST gene, no differences were observed between the OP and non-OP cohorts in the frequencies of the GC polymorphism (48.7% vs. 43.1%). Similarly, analyses of the DKK1 rs1569198 does not demonstrate differences in the GA genotypic frequencies between the OP and non-OP cohorts (42.5% vs. 38.9%). Conclusion: Polymorphisms SOST rs851056 and DKK1 rs1569198 polymorphisms are not associated with OP in Mexican-Mestizo postmenopausal women.

Serum Neuropeptide Y Levels Are Associated with TNF-α Levels and Disease Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a sympathetic neurotransmitter with effects on the regulation of inflammatory cells. The role of NPY on autoimmune inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is not completely understood. Therefore, we evaluate if NPY levels are markers of disease activity in RA and if there is a correlation between NPY levels and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), leptin, and interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels. METHODS: Cross-sectional design, including 108 women with RA. We assessed disease activity by DAS28-ESR (considering active disease a score of ≥2.6). Serum NPY levels and anti-CCP2 antibody, TNF-α, IL-6, and leptin levels were quantified (ELISA). RESULTS: Sixty-eight RA had an active disease (RA-active), and 40 were in remission (RA-remission). RA-active patients had higher NPY levels vs. RA-remission (22.8 ± 13.6 vs. 17.8 ± 10.3; p = 0.04). NPY levels correlated with increased TNF-α levels (r = 0.32, p = 0.001). Leptin or IL-6 did not correlate with NPY levels. In the logistic regression analysis, NPY increased the risk of disease activity (OR: 1.04, 95% CI 1.006-1.09, and p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Higher NPY levels are an independent marker of disease activity in RA. This study encourages the quantification of NPY levels as a surrogate marker for RA-active. Future studies evaluating the role of NPY levels interacting with other proinflammatory cytokines are required.