Zika virus RNA excretion in sweat with concomitant detection in other body fluid specimens

We evaluated sweat, blood and urine specimens obtained from an ongoing cohort study in Brazil. Samples were collected at pre-established intervals after the initial rash presentation and tested for Zika virus (ZIKV) RNA presence by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR). From 254 participants with confirmed infection, ZIKV RNA was detected in the sweat of 46 individuals (18.1%). Sweat presented a median cycle threshold (Ct) of 34.74 [interquartile range (IQR) 33.44-36.04], comparable to plasma (Ct 35.96 - IQR 33.29-36.69) and higher than urine (Ct 30.78 - IQR 28.72-33.22). Concomitant detection with other specimens was observed in 33 (72%) of 46 participants who had a positive result in sweat. These findings represent an unusual and not yet investigated virus shedding through eccrine glands.

Oropouche virus detection in saliva and urine

Oropouche virus (OROV) is an arthropod-borne virus of the Peribunyaviridae family, transmitted to humans primarily by Culicoides paraensis. It is one of the main arboviruses infecting humans in Brazil, primarily in the Amazon Region. Here, we report the detection of OROV in the saliva and urine of a patient whose samples were collected five days after the onset of symptoms. Nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis further confirmed the results. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the detection of OROV in the saliva and urine of an infected patient. In addition, the results of our study expand the current knowledge pertaining to the natural history of Oropouche fever.

High prevalence of the simultaneous excretion of polyomaviruses JC and BK in the urine of HIV-infected patients without neurological symptoms in São Paulo, Brazil / Alta prevalência de excreção simultânea de poliomavírus JC e BK na urina de pacientes HIV+ sem sintomas neurológicos em São Paulo, Brasil

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of the urinary excretion of BKV and JCV in HIV-infected patients without neurological symptoms. METHODS: Urine samples from HIV-infected patients without neurological symptoms were tested for JC virus and BK virus by PCR. Samples were screened for the presence of polyomavirus with sets of primers complementary to the early region of JCV and BKV genome (AgT). The presence of JC virus or BK virus were confirmed by two other PCR assays using sets of primers complementary to the VP1 gene of each virus. Analysis of the data was performed by the Kruskal-Wallis test for numerical data and Pearson or Yates for categorical variables. RESULTS: A total of 75 patients were included in the study. The overall prevalence of polyomavirus DNA urinary shedding was 67/75 (89.3%). Only BKV DNA was detected in 14/75 (18.7%) urine samples, and only JCV DNA was detected in 11/75 (14.7%) samples. Both BKV and JCV DNA were present in 42/75 (56.0%) samples. CONCLUSION: In this study we found high rates of excretion of JCV, BKV, and simultaneous excretion in HIV+ patients. Also these results differ from the others available on the literature.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a prevalência de excreção urinaria de vírus JC (VJC) e vírus BK (VBK) em pacientes HIV+ sem sintomas neurológicos. MÉTODOS: Amostras de urina de pacientes HIV+ sem sintomas neurológicos foram testados para a presença de VJC e VBK através da técnica de PCR. As amostras foram triadas para a presença de poliomavírus com par de primers complementares a região precoce do genoma do VBK e do VJC (AgT). A presença foi confirmada através de dois outros ensaios de PCR dirigidos a região do gene VP1 de ambos os vírus. A análise estatística foi realizada com auxílio do teste de Kruskal-Wallis para dados numéricos e Pearson ou Yater para variáveis categóricas. RESULTADOS: Ao todo foram inclusos no estudo 75 pacientes. A prevalência geral de excreção de poliomavírus na urina foi de 67/75 (89,3%). O DNA do vírus VBK foi detectado em 14/75 (18,7%) das amostras de urina, e o DNA do VJC foi detectado em 11/75 (14,7%) das amostras testadas. Ambos os vírus estavam presentes simultaneamente em 42/75 (56%) das amostras de urina. CONCLUSÃO: Encontramos, no presente estudo, uma alta taxa de excreção de VJC, VBK e excreção simultânea em pacientes HIV+. Ainda, esses resultados diferem de outros disponíveis na literatura.

[BK virus [BKV] quantification in urine samples of bone marrow transplanted patients is helpful for diagnosis of hemorrhagiccystitis]

Hemorrhagic cystitis [HC] in allogeneic bone marrow transplanted [BMT] patients is associated with BK virus [BKV] reactivation manifested as BK viruria. However, since 77-90% of all adult BMT patients excrete BKV, viral reactivation alone cannot be responsible for HC. Recently, a significant overrepresentation of C[right arrow]G mutations in the Sp1 binding site in the non-coding control region [NCCR] of BKV was shown to be present in HC patients and absent in non-HC patients. We aimed to investigate if this mutation resulted in excessive BKV excretion in HC patients. Study design: A Real-Time PCR was developed and used to quantify BKV in urine samples from 21 patients with HC, with and without the mutations, as well as from patients without HC. A Real-Time PCR was developed and used to quantify BKV in urine samples from 21 patients with HC, with and without the mutations, as well as from patients without HC. Quantification of BKV was successful in 18 of 21 urine patients [six with and six without C[right arrow]G mutations] and six patients without HC. A mean of 3.0x10[6] BKV copies/micro was detected in urine samples of HC patients with C[right arrow]G mutations, compared to a mean of 1.5*10[6] BKV copies/micro L in HC patients without C[right arrow]G mutations and a mean of 10x10[6] BKV copies/ micro L in patients without HC. The obtained differences were however not statistically significant, due to one individual non-HC patient with an extremely high BKV copy number. Nevertheless, while 50% of the samples in the HC groups expressed 1*10[6] copies/micro L or more, only one of the samples in the non-HC group contained a virus quantity higher than 5* 10[5] copies. Although we could not confirm that the C[right arrow]G mutations in the Sp1 site of BKV were responsible for an increased viral load in patients with HC, our data suggest that levels of BKV above 10[4] copies/ micro L may indicate a risk for HC

Açäo do sulfato de condroitina na cristalizaçäo de oxalato de cálcio monohidratado in vivo / Actions of condroitin-sulfate in crystalization of monohydrate calcium oxalate in vivo

O trabalho objetivou a avaliaçäo do efeito do GAG sulfato de condroitina (SC) sobre a cristalizaçäo do oxalato de cálcio monohidratado (COM), em ratos wistar machos. Para a induçäo da cristalúria usou-se do Etilenoglicol a 1,2 porcento na água de beber, VO, (EG, n = 18), e para a avaliaçäo do efeito do GAG sobre a cristalúria foi usado, além do Etilenoglicol, conforme o grupo anterior, um preparado comercial de SC na dose diária de 10mg/rato administrata por via intraperitoneal (EG + GAG, n= 15). Também se avaliou dois grupos controles: o que recebeu apenas SC (GAG, n= 5) e o normal, constituído de animais que näo receberam nenhuma droga (NL, n= 11). Os resultados comprovam que SC modificou o processo de cristalizaçäo do oxalato de cálcio monohidratado in vivo, promovendo o desaparecimento da cristalúria e tornando a deposiçäo intrabular de cristais mais expressiva: EG + GAG vx EG: 1,55 vs 0,5 cristal/campo. Os autores discutem que o desaparecimento da cristalúria näo pode ser atribuído apenas a uma maior retençäo intrabular dos cristais formados mas sim a uma inibiçäo do crescimento propriamente dito dos núcleos cristalinos decorrentes da hiperoxalúria