Effects of Iron-Fortified Foods on the Nutritional Status of Children Residing in Regions Vulnerable to Parasitic Diseases: A Systematic Review.

Parasitic infections (PIs) remain a public health concern among school-age children living in areas of greater socioeconomic vulnerability, especially in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. PIs can promote nutritional deficiencies, increasing the risk of anemia and impaired physical and cognitive development. Thus, fortified foods have been considered as a promising strategy for improving the nutritional status of children and preventing PI complications. This systematic review aimed to present the effects of iron-fortified foods for deworming and improving blood parameters in schoolchildren residing in areas that are vulnerable to PIs. This review is based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines of randomized clinical trials addressing the use of fortified foods and micronutrients in children living in areas endemic for PIs. The PubMed, LILACS, Scopus, and Cochrane databases were searched to identify articles published between 2000 and 2020. A total of 153 records were retrieved from the databases, 10 of which were considered eligible for this study. On the basis of our analysis, most of the selected studies showed that the inclusion of fortified foods in the diet improved blood and infectious parameters. Therefore, fortified foods can be used as an important tool for controlling the adverse outcomes of PIs among children living in areas of greater vulnerability. However, more studies on this topic are needed to provide more evidence and consolidate strategies using iron-fortified food.

Expression of SmATPDases 1 and 2 in Schistosoma mansoni eggs favours IL-10 production in infected individuals.

A role of IL-10 is down-regulating T-cell responses to schistosome antigens. Since SmATPDases can be correlated to modulation of the immune response, we evaluated the expression of enzymes in S. mansoni eggs. Faecal samples were collected from 40 infected individuals to detect coding regions of the SmATPDases. The cytokines were measured in supernatants of PBMC. The analysis was performed by the global median determination and set up high producers (HP) of cytokines. Six individuals expressed SmATPDase1, six expressed SmATPDase2 and six expressed both enzymes. The group who expressed only SmATPDase1 showed a high frequency of IFN-γ, TNF IL-4 HP; individuals who expressed only SmATPDase2 showed a high frequency of IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-4 HP; and individuals who expressed both enzymes showed a high frequency of IL-10 HP. The comparison of the IFN-γ/IL-10 ratio presented higher indices in the group who had SmATPDase 2 expression than those who had the expression of both enzymes. The positive correlation between infection intensity and IL-10 levels remained only in the positive SmATPDase group. The IL-10 is the only cytokine induced by the expression of both enzymes. Our data suggest that the expression of both enzymes seems to be a factor that modulates the host immune response by inducing high IL-10 production.

High frequency of M. leprae DNA detection in asymptomatic household contacts.

BACKGROUND: Characterization of the Mycobacterium leprae genome has made possible the development of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) systems that can amplify different genomic regions. Increased reliability and technical efficiency of quantitative PCR (qPCR) makes it a promising tool for early diagnosis of leprosy. Index cases that are multibacillary spread the bacillus silently, even before they are clinically diagnosed. Early detection and treatment could prevent transmission in endemic areas. METHODS: In this study, the qPCR technique is used to detect DNA of M. leprae in samples of slit skin smears (SSS) of the ear lobe and blood of leprosy patients and their asymptomatic household contacts residing in Governador Valadares, MG, Brazil, a hyperendemic area for leprosy. A total of 164 subjects participated in the study: 43 index cases, 113 household contacts, and, as negative controls, 8 individuals who reported no contact with patients nor history of leprosy in the family. The qPCR was performed to amplify 16S rRNA fragments and was specifically designed for M. leprae. RESULTS: Of asymptomatic household contacts, 23.89% showed bacillary DNA by qPCR in samples of SSS and blood. Also, 48.84% of patients diagnosed with leprosy were positive for qPCR while the bacillary load was positive in only 30.23% of patients. It is important to note that most patients were already receiving treatment when the collection of biological material for qPCR was performed. The level of bacillary DNA from household contacts was similar to the DNA levels detected in the group of paucibacillary patients. CONCLUSION: Considering that household contacts comprise a recognizable group of individuals with a high risk of disease, as they live in close proximity to a source of infection, qPCR can be used to estimate the risk of progress towards leprosy among household contacts and as a routine screening method for a chemoprophylactic protocol.