Blood cytokine, chemokine and growth factor profiling in a cohort of pregnant women from tropical countries.

The immune status of women changes during and after pregnancy, differs between blood compartments at delivery and is affected by environmental factors particularly in tropical areas endemic for multiple infections. We quantified the plasma concentration of a set of thirty-one TH1, TH2, TH17 and regulatory cytokines, pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and growth factors (altogether biomarkers), in a cohort of 540 pregnant women from five malaria-endemic tropical countries. Samples were collected at recruitment (first antenatal visit), delivery (periphery, cord and placenta) and postpartum, allowing a longitudinal analysis. We found the lowest concentration of biomarkers at recruitment and the highest at postpartum, with few exceptions. Among them, IL-6, HGF and TGF-ß had the highest levels at delivery, and even higher concentrations in the placenta compared to peripheral blood. Placental concentrations were generally higher than peripheral, except for eotaxin that was lower. We also compared plasma biomarker concentrations between the tropical cohort and a control group from Spain at delivery, presenting overall higher biomarker levels the tropical cohort, particularly pro-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors. Only IL-6 presented lower levels in the tropical group. Moreover, a principal component analysis of biomarker concentrations at delivery showed that women from Spain grouped more homogenously, and that IL-6 and IL-8 clustered together in the tropical cohort but not in the Spanish one. Plasma cytokine concentrations correlated with Plasmodium antibody levels at postpartum but not during pregnancy. This basal profiling of immune mediators over gestation and in different compartments at delivery is important to subsequently understand response to infections and clinical outcomes in mothers and infants in tropical areas.

Malaria in selected non-Amazonian countries of Latin America.

Approximately 170 million inhabitants of the American continent live at risk of malaria transmission. Although the continent's contribution to the global malaria burden is small, at least 1-1.2 million malaria cases are reported annually. Sixty percent of the malaria cases occur in Brazil and the other 40% are distributed in 20 other countries of Central and South America. Plasmodium vivax is the predominant species (74.2%) followed by P. falciparum (25.7%) and P. malariae (0.1%), and no less than 10 Anopheles species have been identified as primary or secondary malaria vectors. Rapid deforestation and agricultural practices are directly related to increases in Anopheles species diversity and abundance, as well as in the number of malaria cases. Additionally, climate changes profoundly affect malaria transmission and are responsible for malaria epidemics in some regions of South America. Parasite drug resistance is increasing, but due to bio-geographic barriers there is extraordinary genetic differentiation of parasites with limited dispersion. Although the clinical spectrum ranges from uncomplicated to severe malaria cases, due to the generally low to middle transmission intensity, features such as severe anemia, cerebral malaria and other complications appear to be less frequent than in other endemic regions and asymptomatic infections are a common feature. Although the National Malaria Control Programs (NMCP) of different countries differ in their control activities these are all directed to reduce morbidity and mortality by using strategies like health promotion, vector control and impregnate bed nets among others. Recently, international initiatives such as the Malaria Control Program in Andean-country Border Regions (PAMAFRO) (implemented by the Andean Organism for Health (ORAS) and sponsored by The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM)) and The Amazon Network for the Surveillance of Antimalarial Drug Resistance (RAVREDA) (sponsored by the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and several other partners), have made great investments for malaria control in the region. We describe here the current status of malaria in a non-Amazonian region comprising several countries of South and Central America participating in the Centro Latino Americano de Investigación en Malaria (CLAIM), an International Center of Excellence for Malaria Research (ICEMR) sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

Brote de Plasmodium falciparum, en tropas guatemaltecas desplegada en misión de paz en República democrática del congo (RDC) / Plasmodium falciparum outbreak in Guatemalan troops deployed in peacekeeping mission in democratic republic of congo (DRC)

Antecedentes: La República de Guatemala desde el año 2003 ha sido parte de los contingentes de mantenimiento y estabilización de la paz en las Naciones Unidas, con tropas desplegadas en las Repúblicas de Haití y república Democrática del Congo. El 2 de noviembre de 2010, la Oficina Regional Para Centro América y Panamá de los Centros para el Control y Prevención de Enfermdades de Estados Unidos (CDC-CAP), recibió una llamada del Centro Médico Militar de la ciudad de Guatemala, respecto a un soldado recién regresado de la República democrática del Congo (CRD) con un cuadro de enfermedad febril muy sugerente de malaria. El paciente falleció 48 horas después de haber sido admitido al hospital...

[Ultrasonographic and lipid changes in polycystic ovary syndrome according to the type of treatment ]. / Cambios ultrasonográficos y en lípidos en el síndrome de ovario poliquístico de acuerdo al tipo de tratamiento.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the ultrasonographic and lipid changes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) according to the type of hormonal treatment. STUDY DESIGN: Thirty-two women with clinical and ultrasonographic diagnosis of PCOS were studied and randomly distributed in one or another treatment group. Group I: chlormadinone (2 mg/day for 5 days every month) (n = 16) and Group II: ethinylestradiol 35 micrograms plus desogestrel 150 mg (21 days every month) (n = 16). At baseline and at third month a pelvic ultrasound was done to assess the number and size of follicles, also total cholesterol and triglycerides were measured. RESULTS: In both groups a significant decrease was found in the number of follicles in both ovaries, but only in group II there was a significant decrease in follicular size in both ovaries. No differences were found between the groups in the number of follicles or in the final follicular size. In both groups, a significant decrease was found in total cholesterol levels, without changes in triglycerides levels. CONCLUSION: Only combined therapy decreased follicular size. So the type of treatment should be based on patient expectations such as sexual activity, or for control of androgen excess.

Cambios ultrasonográficos y en lípidos en el síndrome de ovario poliquÝstico de acuerdo al tipo de tratamiento / Ultrasonographic and lipid changes in polycystic ovary syndrome according to the type of treatment

OBJECTIVE: To determine the ultrasonographic and lipid changes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) according to the type of hormonal treatment. STUDY DESIGN: Thirty-two women with clinical and ultrasonographic diagnosis of PCOS were studied and randomly distributed in one or another treatment group. Group I: chlormadinone (2 mg/day for 5 days every month) (n = 16) and Group II: ethinylestradiol 35 micrograms plus desogestrel 150 mg (21 days every month) (n = 16). At baseline and at third month a pelvic ultrasound was done to assess the number and size of follicles, also total cholesterol and triglycerides were measured. RESULTS: In both groups a significant decrease was found in the number of follicles in both ovaries, but only in group II there was a significant decrease in follicular size in both ovaries. No differences were found between the groups in the number of follicles or in the final follicular size. In both groups, a significant decrease was found in total cholesterol levels, without changes in triglycerides levels. CONCLUSION: Only combined therapy decreased follicular size. So the type of treatment should be based on patient expectations such as sexual activity, or for control of androgen excess.