Toxoplasma gondii infection causes structural changes in the jejunum of rats infected with different inoculum doses.

AIM: To evaluate the mucosal tunic and submucosal plexus of the jejunum of rats infected with different inoculum doses of Toxoplasma gondii. MAIN METHODS: Rats were infected with different inoculum doses (50, 500, 1000 and 5000 oocysts) of the T. gondii for 30days, while a control group (CG) received saline solution. Blood and feces were collected before euthanasia for analysis of blood and fecal leukocytes (LEs). Histological analysis of the mucosa, submucosa, villi, crypts and enterocytes were performed. Goblet cells, intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) and Paneth cells were quantified. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess enteroendocrine serotonergic (5HT-IR) cells, proliferative cells (PCNA+) and mast cells. Whole mounts were obtained to determine the total submucosal neurons by Giemsa staining and metabolically active neurons (NADH-d+), nitrergic neurons (NADPH-d+) and glial cells (S100). KEY FINDINGS: An increase in blood LEs was observed 30days post-infection (dpi). Fecal LEs were more abundant in the feces in all infected groups at 21 dpi when compared to the CG. The number of IELs, sulfomucin-producing goblet cells, Paneth cells, PCNA+ cells and mast cells increased, whereas the number of 5HT-IR cells decreased. The jejunal architecture was altered, with atrophy of the mucosa, submucosa, villi and crypts. The number of total submucosal neurons decreased, but the NADPH-d+ subpopulation increased. SIGNIFICANCE: The results show how chronic toxoplasmic infection affects the tissue and cellular composition of the rat jejunum. These structural changes tend to intensify with the inoculum dose, demonstrating the importance of the parasitic load on intestinal alterations.

Epidemiologia de dengue e Zika Vírus na 13ª Regional de Saúde do Paraná-Brasil / Epidemiology of dengue and Zika Virus in the 13th Regional Health of Paraná, Brazil

A dengue e o Zika vírus são doenças virais infecciosas de transmissão vetorial. O objetivo deste trabalho foi descrever as ocorrências da dengue e do Zika vírus na 13ª Regional de Saúde do Paraná, com sede no município de Cianorte, e em mais dez outros municípios. Os dados foram obtidos no Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação (SINAN) de dengue e Zika vírus entre janeiro de 2011 e agosto de 2016. No período estudado foram notificados 6.065 casos de dengue e 503 casos de Zika vírus, observando-se uma epidemia de dengue no ano de 2014. Este trabalho conclui que apesar da 13ª Regional de Saúde apresentar apenas 1 sorotipo e poucos casos de óbitos, a dengue e o Zika vírus são importantes problemas de saúde pública, fazendo-se necessário o controle para diminuição dos níveis de infestação vetorial.

Dengue and Zika virus are infectious viral vector-borne diseases. This paper aims to describe the occurrences of dengue and Zika virus in the 13th Regional of Health of Paraná, with headquarters in the city of Cianorte and covering other 10 cities. The data were obtained from Dengue and Zika virus Notice Information System (SINAN) from January 2011 to August 2016. During the study period, 6,065 cases of dengue fever and 503 cases of Zika virus were reported, being noted a high dengue epidemic in 2014. This study concludes that, although 13th Regional Health presents only 1 serotype and few cases of deaths, dengue and Zika virus are important public health problems, making necessary the control for decreasing of the vector infestation levels.

Presence of anti-Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis antibodies in blood donors in the West-Central region of the State of Paraná, Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: Serological screening in blood banks does not include all transmittable diseases. American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) has a high detection rate in the municipalities of the State of Paraná. METHODS: This study analyzed the presence of anti- Leishmania braziliensisantibodies in 176 blood donors who live in these endemic areas. The variables were analyzed with the χ2 test and Stata 9.1 software. RESULTS: Twenty (11.4%) samples were positive for the presence of anti- L. braziliensisantibodies. CONCLUSIONS: The high percentage of donors with anti- Leishmania spp. antibodies indicates the need to study the risk of ACL transmission through blood donors.