Vector Competence for Zika Virus Changes Depending on the Aedes aegypti's Region of Origin in Manaus: A Study of an Endemic Brazilian Amazonian City.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is transmitted to humans by the infectious bite of mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti. In a city, the population control of mosquitoes is carried out according to alerts generated by different districts via the analysis of the mosquito index. However, we do not know whether, besides mosquito abundance, the susceptibility of mosquitoes could also diverge among districts and thus impact the dissemination and transmission of arboviruses. After a viremic blood meal, the virus must infect the midgut, disseminate to tissues, and reach the salivary gland to be transmitted to a vertebrate host. This study evaluated the patterns of ZIKV infection in the Ae. aegypti field populations of a city. The disseminated infection rate, viral transmission rate, and transmission efficiency were measured using quantitative PCR at 14 days post-infection. The results showed that all Ae. aegypti populations had individuals susceptible to ZIKV infection and able to transmit the virus. The infection parameters showed that the geographical area of origin of the Ae. aegypti influences its vector competence for ZIKV transmission.

Infección diseminada por el bacilo vacunal Calmette-Guerin

RESUMEN Introducción: La infección diseminada por el bacilo vacunal Calmette-Guerin es una rara reacción adversa severa asociada a inmunodeficiencia. Objetivo: Describir una serie de cinco casos con infección vacunal diseminada. Presentación de casos: Se presentan cinco casos vacunados al nacer, predominio masculino 4 (80 %), promedio edad inicio: 8,4 meses 2 (15 %) y de edad al diagnóstico: 17,8 meses 6 (31 %). Cuadro clínico de huella vacunal ulcerada, linfadenitis axilar ipsilateral y en regiones distales, hepatosplenomegalia y afectación de otros órganos, con manifestaciones sistémicas y nutricionales. Existió consanguinidad en tres e historia familiar sospechosa de inmunodeficiencia en otros tres. Todos fallecieron: tres enfermos antes de los 3 años. Se realizaron estudios inmunológicos convencionales a todos los enfermos. Un paciente presentaba Inmunodeficiencia severa combinada, en los otros se sospechó enfermedad granulomatosa crónica en uno y síndrome de susceptibilidad mendeliana a micobacterias en tres. Conclusiones: Aunque la vacuna BCG raramente presenta diseminación del bacilo vacunal, debe sospecharse esta entidad en niños pequeños, con las características severas y sistémicas que se describen, con manifestaciones sugestivas de tuberculosis que no responden al tratamiento antituberculoso de primera línea.

ABSTRACT Introduction: The infection disseminated by the vaccine bacillus Calmette-Guerin is a rare severe adverse reaction associated with immunodeficiency. Objective: Describe a series of five cases with disseminated vaccine infection. Presentation of cases : There are five cases vaccinated at birth: predominance of the male sex in 4 (80%), average age onset: 8.4 months in 2 (15 %) and age at diagnosis: 17.8 months in 6 (31 %); clinical picture of ulcerated vaccine footprint, ipsilateral axillary lymphadenitis and in distal regions, hepatosplenomegaly, involvement of other organs, with systemic and nutritional manifestations. There was consanguinity in three of the patients and suspicious family history of immunodeficiency in three others. All died: three were sick before the age of 3. Conventional immunological studies were performed in all cases. One patient had severe combined immunodeficiency, chronic granulomatous disease was suspected in one, and Mendelian susceptibility syndrome to mycobacteria in three. Conclusions: Although the BCG vaccine rarely presents dissemination of the vaccine bacillus, this entity should be suspected in young children, with the severe and systemic characteristics described, with manifestations suggestive to tuberculosis that do not respond to first-line anti-tuberculous treatment.

Trypanosoma cruzi infection associated with atypical clinical manifestation during the acute phase of the Chagas disease.

BACKGROUND: Chagas disease (CD) is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and is transmitted by triatomine insects. Clinical manifestations vary according to the phase of the disease. Cutaneous manifestations are usually observed in the acute phase (chagoma and Romaña's sign) or after reactivation of the chronic phase by immunosuppression; however, a disseminated infection in the acute phase without immunosuppression has not been reported for CD. Here, we report an unusual case of disseminated cutaneous infection during the acute phase of CD in a Mexican woman. METHODS: Evaluation of the patient included a complete clinical history, a physical exam, and an exhaustive evaluation by laboratory tests, including ELISA, Western blot and PCR. RESULTS: Skin biopsies of a 50-year-old female revealed intracellular parasites affecting the lower extremities with lymphangitic spread in both legs. The PCR tests evaluated biopsy samples obtained from the lesions and blood samples, which showed a positive diagnosis for T. cruzi. Partial sequencing of the small subunit ribosomal DNA correlated with the genetic variant DTU II; however, serological tests were negative. CONCLUSIONS: We present a case of CD with disseminated skin lesions that was detected by PCR and showed negative serological results. In Mexico, an endemic CD area, there are no records of this type of manifestation, which demonstrates the ability of the parasite to initiate and maintain infections in atypical tissues .

Choroiditis in a HIV-infected patient with disseminated cryptococcal infection: A case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Ocular involvement in AIDS patients is a common event mainly caused by inflammation or infection. Despite the high prevalence rate of cryptococcosis in these individuals, ocular features have been occasionally described. CASE REPORT: A 20-year-old Brazilian female with HIV infection recently diagnosed was admitted with a respiratory profile presumptively diagnosed as Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia; an ophthalmologic exam suggested choroiditis by this agent as well. She was complaining of headaches and blurred vision which led to cryptococcal meningitis diagnosis by a CSF positive India ink stain and Cryptococcus neoformans positive culture. Despite therapy based on amphotericin B plus fluconazole, her clinical state progressively worsened and the patient died one week later. At necropsy, disseminated cryptococcal infection was evidenced in several organs including eyes, which presented bilateral chorioretinitis. CONCLUSIONS: Cryptococcal ocular involvement in AIDS patients has been occasionally proved among the cases already reported. Thus, the post mortem exam is still pivotal to improve the quality of the clinical diagnosis, especially in limited-resource settings.

Occurrence, antifungal susceptibility, and virulence factors of opportunistic yeasts isolated from Brazilian beaches

BACKGROUND Opportunistic pathogenic yeast species are frequently associated with water habitats that have pollution sources of human or animal origin. Candida albicans has already been suggested as a faecal indicator microorganism for aquatic environments. OBJECTIVES The goal of this study was to investigate the occurrence of C. albicans and other opportunistic yeasts in sand and seawater samples from beaches in Brazil to assess their correlation with Escherichia coli, and to characterise the pathogenic potential of the yeast isolates. METHODS Opportunistic species (yeasts that grow at 37ºC) were isolated from sand and seawater samples from eight beaches in Brazil during the summer and the winter. Opportunistic yeast species were evaluated for their susceptibility to antifungal drugs, virulence factors, and the in vitro and in vivo biofilm formation. Strains were selected to carry out virulence tests using BALB/c mice. FINDINGS Several water samples could be classified as inappropriate for primary contact recreation in relation to E. coli densities. C. albicans was isolated in low densities. Of the 144 opportunistic yeasts evaluated, 61% displayed resistance or dose-dependent sensitivity to at least one tested drug, and 40% produced proteinase. Strains of C. albicans and Kodamaea ohmeri exhibited the highest rates of adhesion to buccal epithelial cells. All the C. albicans strains that were tested were able to undergo morphogenesis and form a biofilm on catheter fragments in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. It was possible to confirm the pathogenic potential of three of these strains during the disseminated infection test. MAIN CONCLUSIONS The identification of opportunistic yeast species in seawater and sand samples from Brazilian beaches suggest a potential risk to the health of people who use these environments for recreational purposes.

Distal Interphalangeal Joint Arthrodesis Complicated by Postoperative Infection: A Rare Presentation of Disseminated Herpes Simplex Virus.

Postoperative infection after elective arthrodesis of the interphalangeal joint is an uncommon complication often necessitating urgent debridement. We present the rare case of a female patient with a history of oral herpetic lesions, who underwent elective arthrodesis of the middle and index fingers for treatment of erosive osteoarthritis and subsequently developed a postoperative herpetic infection at the surgical site.

Síndrome de Austrian: Presentación de dos casos clínicos y revisión de la literatura / Austrian Syndrome: Presentation of two cases and review of literature

RESUMEN: La asociación conocida como triada de Austrian, se refiere a la presencia de meningitis aguda supurada (MEAS), neumonía y endocarditis causada por la infección diseminada del Streptococcus Pneumoniae (S. Pneumoniae). Si bien puede presentarse con un curso subagudo, sobre todo en pacientes añosos, lo más frecuente es la rápida progresión donde las complicaciones son la regla, teniendo una mortalidad global del 65%, que en caso de diagnóstico y cirugía precoz disminuye al 33%. Presentamos dos casos clínicos, de curso agudo, con complicaciones cardíacas y extracardíacas, habiendo fallecido uno de los pacientes asistidos.

Abstract: The association known as Austrian triad refers to the presence of acute suppurative meningitis, pneumonia and endocarditis caused by the disseminated infection of Streptococcus Pneumoniae. While it may be presented with a subacute course, especially in elderly patients more often rapid progression where complications are the rule, with an overall mortality of 65%, that in case of early diagnosis and surgery decreases to 33%. We present two cases of acute course, with cardiac and extracardiac complications, having passed one of the assisted patients.