Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in ialB, gltA and rpoB genes of Bartonella bacilliformis isolated from patients in endemic Peruvian regions.

Bartonella bacilliformis is a Gram-negative, aerobic bacterium and the known causal agent of Carrion's disease, still considered a neglected disease. There is limited information about the nucleotide sequences of this bacterium in international databases, and few studies have addressed the genetic diversity of B. bacilliformis. We analyzed a total of 20 isolates of B. bacilliformis from the Peruvian regions of Ancash and Cajamarca. Three genes (ialB, gltA, and rpoB) were sequenced in each isolate and nucleotide sequences retrieved from GenBank (16 B. bacilliformis genomes) were also included in the study. All this information was merged in order to obtain clearer evidence of the phylogenetic relationships of B. bacilliformis. In the phylogenetic analysis conducted with the concatenated markers, four isolates (B.b-1, B. b-3, B. b- 7, B.b-8) from the Ancash region were observed to form a subgroup different from B. bacilliformis type strain KC583, showing dissimilarity levels of 5.96% (ialB), 3.69% (gltA) and 3.04% (rpoB). Our results suggest that B. bacilliformis consists of two different subgroups. Future investigations are needed to establish the taxonomic status of these subgroups.

In-silico identification of linear B-cell epitopes in specific proteins of Bartonella bacilliformis for the serological diagnosis of Carrion's disease.

Carrion´s disease is caused by Bartonella bacilliformis, it is a Gram-negative pleomorphic bacterium. B. bacilliformis is transmitted by Lutzomyia verrucarum in endemic areas of the Peruvian Inter-Andean valleys. Additionally, the pathogenicity of B. bacilliformis involves an initial infection of erythrocytes and the further infection of endothelial cells, which mainly affects children and expectant women from extreme poverty rural areas. Therefore, the implementation of serological diagnostic methods and the development of candidate vaccines for the control of CD could be facilitated by the prediction of linear b-cell epitopes in specific proteins of B. bacilliformis by bioinformatics analysis. In this study, We used an in-silico analysis employing six web servers for the identification of epitopes in proteins of B. bacilliformis. The selection of B. bacilliformis-specific proteins and their analysis to identify epitopes allowed the selection of seven protein candidates that are expected to have high antigenic activity.

[Infectivity of promastigotes in stationary phase of Leishmania (viannia) braziliensis and leishmania (viannia) peruviana, In cell line dh82]. / Capacidad infectiva de promastigotes en fase estacionaria de leishmania (viannia) braziliensis y leishmania (viannia) peruviana, en línea celular dh82.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the infectivity of promastigotes of Leishmania (V.) peruviana and Leishmania (V.) braziliensis in monocyte-macrophage cell line DH82 of Canis familiaris. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Was conducted a experimental study during the months of january to december 2013. Were used strains of Leishmania were used (V.) braziliensis MHOM/PE/84/LC53 and Leishmania (V.) peruviana MHOM/PE/84/LC26. The cell line was infected with stationary phase promastigotes and infectivity was determined as the product of percent infected macrophages average amastigotes per macrophage observed in epifluorescence microscope. RESULTS: 13% of metacyclic forms to Leishmania (V.) braziliensis corresponded to 17.5 days post inoculation and Leishmania (V.) peruviana a percentage of 9.5% on the day 14.5. No significant difference was found between infectivity of stationary phase promastigotes of both species. CONCLUSIONS: It is recommended assess the infectivity of metacyclic promastigotes peruviana strains of Leishmania (V.) and Leishmania (V.) braziliensis cell lines in order to determine the most appropriate model in vitro infection, allowing leishmanicidas make the drug more effective susceptibility studies for disease control.

Capacidad infectiva de promastigotes en fase estacionaria de Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis y Leishmania(Viannia) peruviana, en línea celular DH82 / Infectivity of promastigotes in stationary phase of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis and Leishmania (Viannia) peruviana, in cell line DH82

Objetivos. Determinar la capacidad infectiva de los promastigotes de Leishmania (V.) peruviana y Leishmania (V.) braziliensis en la línea celular macrófago-monocítica de Canis familiaris DH82. Materiales y métodos. Se realizó un estudio experimental durante los meses de enero a diciembre de 2013. Se utilizaron cepas referenciales de Leishmania (V.) braziliensis MHOM/PE/84/LC53 y Leishmania (V.) peruviana MHOM/PE/84/LC26. La línea celular fue infectada con promastigotes en fase estacionaria y la capacidad infectiva fue determinada como el producto del porcentaje de macrófagos infectados por el promedio de amastigotes por macrófago infectado, observado al microscopio de epifluorescencia. Resultados. El 13% de formas metacíclicas para Leishmania (V.) braziliensis correspondió al día 17,5 posinoculación y para Leishmania (V.) peruviana un porcentaje de 9,5% en el día 14,5. No se encontró diferencia significativa entre la capacidad infectiva de los promastigotes en fase estacionaria de ambas especies. Conclusiones. Se recomienda evaluar la capacidad infectiva de los promastigotes metacíclicos de cepas de Leishmania (V.) peruviana y Leishmania (V.) braziliensis en líneas celulares, a fin de determinar el modelo de infección in vitro más adecuado, que permita efectuar estudios de susceptibilidad a las drogas leishmanicidas de mayor eficacia para el control de la enfermedad.

Objectives. To determine the infectivity of promastigotes of Leishmania (V.) peruviana and Leishmania (V.) braziliensis in monocyte-macrophage cell line DH82 of Canis familiaris. Materials and methods. Was conducted a experimental study during the months of january to december 2013. Were used strains of Leishmania were used (V.) braziliensis MHOM / PE / 84 / LC53 and Leishmania (V.) peruviana MHOM / PE / 84 / LC26. The cell line was infected with stationary phase promastigotes and infectivity was determined as the product of percent infected macrophages average amastigotes per macrophage observed in epifluorescence microscope. Results. 13% of metacyclic forms to Leishmania (V.) braziliensis corresponded to 17.5 days post inoculation and Leishmania (V.) peruviana a percentage of 9.5% on the day 14.5. No significant difference was found between infectivity of stationary phase promastigotes of both species. Conclusions. It is recommended assess the infectivity of metacyclic promastigotes peruviana strains of Leishmania (V.) and Leishmania (V.) braziliensis cell lines in order to determine the most appropriate model in vitro infection, allowing leishmanicidas make the drug more effective susceptibility studies for disease control.