Performance of nested RT-PCR on CSF for tuberculous meningitis diagnosis in HIV-infected patients.

SETTING: Timely diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection remains a challenge. Despite the current scale-up of the Xpert® MTB/RIF assay, other molecular diagnostic tools are necessary, particularly in referral centres in low- and middle-income countries without Xpert testing. OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic performance of nested real-time polymerase chain reaction (nRT-PCR) in HIV-infected TBM patients categorised according to standardised clinical case definitions. DESIGN: Based on clinical, laboratory and imaging data, HIV-infected patients with suspected TBM were prospectively categorised as 'definite TBM', 'probable TBM', 'possible TBM' or 'not TBM'. We evaluated nRT-PCR sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing TBM among definite TBM cases, and among definite + probable TBM cases. RESULTS: Ninety-two participants were enrolled in the study. nRT-PCR sensitivity for definite TBM (n = 8) was 100% (95%CI 67-100) and 86% (95%CI 60-96) for both definite and probable TBM (n = 6). Assuming that 'not TBM' patients (n = 74) were true-negatives, nRT-PCR specificity was 100% (95%CI 95-100). The possible TBM group (n = 4) had no nRT-PCR positives. CONCLUSIONS: The nRT-PCR is a useful rule-in test for HIV-infected patients with TBM according to international consensus case definitions. As nRT-PCR cannot exclude TBM, studies comparing and combining nRT-PCR with other assays are necessary for a rule-out test.

Potencial de óleos essenciais de plantas medicinais no controle de fitopatógenos / Potential of essential oils from medicinal plants to control plant pathogens

Além do valor como recurso terapêutico, plantas medicinais também possuem potencial para serem utilizadas como fonte de princípios ativos contra fitopatógenos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de óleos essenciais das espécies medicinais Baccharis dracunculifolia (alecrim-do-campo), Schinus terebinthifolius (aroeirinha) e Porophyllum ruderale (arnica-brasileira) sobre o crescimento dos fungos fitopatogênicos Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. phaseoli (Fop), F. solani f. sp. phaseoli (Fsp), Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Ss), S. minor (Sm), Rhizoctonia solani (Rs), Sclerotium rolfsii (Sr) e Macrophomina phaseolina (Mp). Avaliou-se em placas de Petri o crescimento radial desses fungos em meio batata-dextrose-ágar (BDA) com cinco concentrações (0, 250, 500, 1000 e 3000 mg L-1) dos óleos essenciais. Discos de micélio (5 mm de diâmetro) de cada fungo em crescimento foram transferidos para placas de Petri que foram mantidas a 23°C no escuro por 48 horas. O óleo essencial de alecrim-do-campo foi o mais eficiente na redução do crescimento micelial de todos os fungos, com inibição completa quando se utilizou a concentração de 3000 mg L-1. A redução de crescimento variou de 29% (Fs) a 80% (Rs) a 250 mg L-1 do óleo essencial de alecrim-do-campo; a 500 mg L-1, variou de 29% (Fs) a 98% (Sr); e a 1000 mg L-1, de 41% (Fs) a 100% (Sr). A redução do crescimento dos fungos pelo óleo de aroeirinha na concentração de 3000 mg L-1 variou de 27% (Fsp) a 74% (Rs). Nessa concentração, o óleo de arnica-brasileira reduziu o crecimento micelial de Ss em 72%, o de Rs em 80% e o de Mp em 82%, sem efeitos significativos sobre o crescimento micelial de Fsp e Fop. Conclui-se que os óleos essenciais de alecrim-do-campo, aroeirinha e arnica-brasileira possuem potencial para o controle dos fungos fitopatogênicos estudados, com destaque para o óleo de alecrim-do-campo.

In addition to their value as therapeutic resources, medicinal plants also have the potential to be used as a source of alternative compounds against plant pathogens. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of essential oils extracted from the medicinal species Baccharis dracunculifolia, Schinus terebinthifolius and Porophyllum ruderale on the growth of the fungal plant pathogens Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. phaseoli (Fop), F. solani f. sp. phaseoli (Fsp), Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Ss), S. minor (Sm), Rhizoctonia solani (Rs), Sclerotium rolfsii (Sr) and Macrophomina phaseolina (Mp). The radial mycelial growth of the fungi was evaluated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) in Petri dishes with five concentrations (0, 250, 500, 1000 and 3000 μL L-1) of the essential oils. Mycelial discs (5 mm diameter) of the growing colonies of each fungus were transferred to Petri dishes, which were maintained at 23 °C in the dark for 48 hours. The essential oil of B. dracunculifolia was the most effective oil in the reduction of the mycelial growth of all fungi. It completely inhibited their growth at 3000 mg L-1. At 250 mg L-1, the growth reduction caused by the oil of B. dracunculifolia varied from 29% (Fs) to 80% (Rs); at 500 mg L-1, it varied from 29% (Fs) to 98% (Sr); and at 1000 mg L-1, it varied from 41% (Fs) to 100% (Sr). The reduction of the mycelial growth caused by the oil of S. terebinthifolius at 3000 mg L-1 varied from 27% (Fsp) to 74% (Rs). At this concentration, the oil of P. ruderale reduced the mycelial growth of Ss by 72%, of Rs by 80% and of Mp by 82%, without significant effects on the mycelial growth of Fsp and Fop. We conclude that the essential oils of B. dracunculifolia, S. terebinthifolius and P. ruderale have the potential to be used to control the plant pathogens tested, especially the oil of B. dracunculifolia.

Outbreak of Neisseria meningitidis C in workers at a large food-processing plant in Brazil: challenges of controlling disease spread to the larger community.

SUMMARYAn outbreak of meningococcal disease (MD) with severe morbidity and mortality was investigated in midwestern Brazil in order to identify control measures. A MD case was defined as isolation of Neisseria meningitidis, or detection of polysaccharide antigen in a sterile site, or presence of clinical purpura fulminans, or an epidemiological link with a laboratory-confirmed case-patient, between June and August 2008. In 8 out of 16 MD cases studied, serogroup C ST103 complex was identified. Five (31%) cases had neurological findings and five (31%) died. The attack rate was 12 cases/100 000 town residents and 60 cases/100 000 employees in a large local food-processing plant. We conducted a matched case-control study of eight primary laboratory-confirmed cases (1:4). Factors associated with illness in single variable analysis were work at the processing plant [matched odds ratio (mOR) 22, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2·3-207·7, P<0·01], and residing <1 year in Rio Verde (mOR 7, 95% CI 1·11-43·9, P<0·02). Mass vaccination (>10 000 plant employees) stopped propagation in the plant, but not in the larger community.

Potencial alelopático de extratos aquosos de Melissa officinalis L. e Mentha x villosa L. na germinação e vigor de sementes de Plantago major L. / Allelopathic effect of extracts of Melissa officinallis L. and Mentha x villosa L. on seed germination and vigor of Plantago major L.

O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o efeito dos extratos aquosos de hortelã e melissa na germinação e vigor de sementes de tanchagem. O experimento foi conduzido no Departamento de Fitotecnia da Universidade Federal de Viçosa, no mês de abril de 2011. O delineamento utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado com cinco tratamentos (testemunha, 25 por cento, 50 por cento, 75 por cento e 100 por cento do extrato aquoso de hortelã e melissa) e quatro repetições. Os extratos foram preparados utilizando a parte aérea das plantas, na proporção de 100g de planta para 1 L de água destilada. Foram utilizadas 50 sementes de tanchagem em cada caixa gerbox, previamente umedecido com os extratos aquosos (correspondentes aos tratamentos), estas foram levadas para germinar em câmara de germinação, em temperatura de 20°C, fotoperíodo de 16 horas luz e 8 horas escuro, por 14 dias. Durante esse tempo foram feitas às contagens diárias das sementes germinadas para calcular o índice de velocidade de germinação e ao final dos 14 dias foi calculada a porcentagem de germinação. Sementes de tanchagem não submetidas aos extratos aquosos de melissa e hortelã apresentaram-se mais vigorosas quando comparado com as concentrações, evidenciando o potencial alelopático de melissa e hortelã sobre a sua qualidade fisiológica.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of aqueous extracts of Melissa officinallis and Mentha x villosa for the germination and vigor of Plantago major seeds. The experiment was conducted at the Plant Science Department, Federal University of Viçosa, in April 2011. The design was a completely randomized design with five treatments (control, 25 percent, 50 percent, 75 percent and 100 percent of the aqueous extract of Mentha x villosa and Melissa Officinallis) and four replications. The extracts were prepared utulizando the shoots of plants at the rate of 100g of plant to 1 L of distilled water. We used 50 Plantago major seeds in each box incubator and these were subsequently placed in a germination chamber. 14 days during the counting of germinated seeds per day to calculate the index of germination speed and the end of 14 days was the germination percentage. Plantago major seeds not subjected to aqueous extracts of lemon balm and mint showed higher values in the variables studied when compared to other concentrations, showing the allelopathic potencial of Melissa officinallis and Mentha x villosa on the development of plantain, determined by germinating.

Lactobacillic acid accumulation in the plasma membrane of Oenococcus oeni: a response to ethanol stress?

It is known that ethanol strongly interferes with the development and activity of lactic acid bacteria in wine. In this work, it was observed that membrane composition was dependent of ethanol concentration and cell physiological state. The protein electrophoretic profile was modified in the membranes of Oenococcus oeni cultured in presence of 8 and 10% ethanol. Concerning the membrane lipid composition, it was observed that O. oeni maintained a high level of phospholipid biosynthesis via the relative increased biosynthesis of phosphoethanolamine and sphingomyelin in presence of ethanol. On the other hand, ethanol induced an increase in the membrane lactobacillic acid percentage at the expense of cis-vaccenic acid. This increased synthesis of lactobacillic acid appears as the more significant change induced by ethanol in O. oeni membrane. The increase of lactobacillic acid in the membrane of O. oeni clearly appears as a factor that provides protection against the toxic effect of ethanol, balancing the increase of membrane fluidity normally attributed to ethanol. The results presented in this paper constitute evidence that lactobacillic acid may have a part in the survival and or adaptive mechanisms developed by O. oeni under culture adverse conditions, allowing these bacteria to maintain their activity in the presence of ethanol, namely performing malolactic fermentation in wine.

Outbreak of influenza type A (H1N1) in Iporanga, São Paulo State, Brazil.

From June to July 1999 an outbreak of acute respiratory illness occurred in the town of Iporanga. Out of a total of 4,837 inhabitants, 324 cases were notified to the Regional Surveillance Service. Influenza virus was isolated from 57.1% of the collected samples and 100% seroconversion to influenza A (H1N1) was obtained in 20 paired sera tested. The isolates were related to the A/Bayern/07/95 strain (H1N1). The percentages of cases notified during the outbreak were 28.4%, 29.0%, 20.7%, 6.2% and 15.7% in the age groups of 0-4, 5-9, 10-14, 15-19 and older than 20 years, respectively. The highest proportion of positives was observed among children younger than 14 years and no cases were notified in people older than 65 years, none of whom had been recently vaccinated against influenza. These findings suggest a significant vaccine protection against A/Bayern/7/95, the H1 component included in the 1997-98 influenza vaccine for elderly people. This viral strain is antigenically and genetically related to A/Beijing/262/95, the H1 component of the 1999 vaccine. Vaccines containing A/Beijing/262/95 (H1N1) stimulated post-immunization hemagglutination inhibition antibodies equivalent in frequency and titre to both A/Beijing/262/95-like and A/Bayern/7/95-like viruses. Thus, this investigation demonstrates the effectiveness of vaccination against influenza virus in the elderly.