Effective anthelmintic therapy of residents living in endemic area of high prevalence for Hookworm and Schistosoma mansoni infections enhances the levels of allergy risk factor anti-Der p1 IgE.

In this work were investigated the relationship between Hookworm/Schistosoma mansoni infections and allergy related risk factors in two endemic areas with distinct prevalence of infections and co-infection. The intensity of infections, eosinophilia, allergy risk factors, infections status and anti-Der p1 IgE levels before and 2 years (population 1) and 3 years (population 2) after anthelmintic treatment, were evaluated. It was observed that the population with lower prevalence and intensity of infection (population 2) had lower eosinophils counts (>600/mm(3)) and higher animal contact than the population with higher parasites intensity (population 1). After anthelmintic treatment the intensity of S. mansoni single infection decreased, but no changes were observed in Hookworm and co-infected individuals. The anthelmintic treatment also enhanced anti-Der p1 IgE optical density in ELISA on the subgroups that became negative for helminth infection regardless of their previous infection condition in population 1. Facing that, we evaluated the anti-Der p1 IgE reactivity index, and the ratio (after/before treatment) was significantly higher in patients co-infected before treatment. On the other hand, no association between anti-Der p1 IgE reactivity index and the intensity of infections were observed. In conclusion, effective anthelmintic therapy of subjects from endemic areas with high prevalence of Hookworm and S. mansoni infections enhances anti-Der p1 IgE levels.

Histoplasmosis outbreak in Tamboril cave-Minas Gerais state, Brazil.

In this study, we report four cases of Histoplasma capsulatum infection in eight biologists who made an expedition to determine the prevalence of this fungus in a cave localized in the northwest of Minas Gerais state, Brazil. This case report demonstrates the importance of evaluating the H. capsulatum presence in Brazilian caves before opening to public visitations.

A skin infection mimicking chromoblastomycosis by a Capnodialean fungus.

Most black fungi that are repeatedly involved in human infection belong to the order Chaetothyriales. Capnodialean melanized fungi often thrive in extreme environments like rock surfaces and hypersaline microhabitats. They are able to grow meristematically with very thick cellular walls, resembling muriform cells of agents of chromoblastomycosis. In this report we describe a member of the order Capnodiales causing a chromoblastomycosis-like infection in human skin. However, in tissue the fungus presented with toruloid hyphae and intercalary, chlamydospore-like conidia with transversal septa, rather than with muriform cells. Judging from ITS rRNA sequences, the fungus is related to, but clearly different from, the genera Catenulostroma and Pseudotaeniolina; members of these genera are environmental and only rarely occur on human hosts.