Análise da ocorrência de parasitos com potencial zoonótico no solo de escolas municipais infantis em dois municípios do Rio Grande do Sul / Analysis of the occurrence of parasites with zoonotic potential in the soil of municipal nursery schools in two municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul state

Introdução: A contaminação de praças ou ambientes de recreação por ovos de geohelmintos constitui um problema de saúde pública. O solo, com relação aos helmintos parasitas se comporta como um hospedeiro intermediário. Recebe fezes ou água contaminada por parasitas em estágios não infectantes, oferecendo-lhes condições para o desenvolvimento e protege os parasitas em estágios infectantes durante certo tempo para, posteriormente, transmiti-lo ao homem. O objetivo é verificar a ocorrência e a contaminação ambiental por parasitas com potencial zoonótico no solo de escolas infantis em dois municípios do Rio Grande do Sul. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo delineamento transversal, observacional e descritivo. A coleta foi através de amostras de areia em dez escolas de dois municípios, as coletas do material foram de cinco pontos diferentes, tanto da profundidade quanto da superfície, totalizando-se 100 amostras analisadas. As amostras de areia foram processadas em laboratório através dos métodos de Rugai e Hoffman, Pons e Janer. Resultados: Análise total (N=100) dos dois municípios, totalizando 50 amostras de cada. A contaminação das areias, por ovos de Ancylostoma spp., foi de 54% (n=27) no município I, sendo encontrados 56% (n=28) na cidade II. Conclusão: A ocorrência de ovos de Ancylostoma spp. no ambiente de recreação enfatiza a importância da adoção de medidas restritivas rígidas que impeçam a entrada de animais, como cães e gatos em locais de lazer. Além desses parasitas serem capazes de comprometer a saúde de humanos e infectar outros animais. (AU)

Introduction: Contamination of squares or recreational environments with geohelminth eggs is a public health problem. The soil serves as an intermediate host to helminths. It receives feces or water contaminated with parasites in non-infective stages, providing them with conditions for development, and protects parasites in infective stages for some time and then transmits them to humans. The aim was to investigate the occurrence of environmental contamination with parasites with zoonotic potential in the soil of nursery schools in two municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul state. Methods: A cross-sectional, observational and descriptive study was conducted. Soil samples were collected at ten schools in two municipalities, from five different school sites in terms of both depth and surface. Soil samples were processed at a laboratory using the methods of Rugai and Hoffman, Pons and Janer. Results: In total, 100 samples from the two municipalities were analyzed, 50 samples each. Soil contamination with Ancylostoma spp. eggs was 54% (n=27) in city I and 56% (n=28) in city II. Conclusions: The occurrence of Ancylostoma spp. eggs in recreational environments shows the importance of adopting strict restrictive measures to prevent animals, such as dogs and cats, from entering leisure areas. Also, these parasites may compromise human health and infect other animals. (AU)

Occurrence of intestinal parasites in collectors of recyclable materials in southern Brazil

Solid waste produced by modern society, together with lack of basic sanitation and poor hygiene practices result in risks to public health. 46 workers from the cities of Pelotas, Canguçu, Morro Redondo, Rio Grande and Capão do Leão were evaluated by parasitological examination of two fecal samples by Ritchie, Hoffman, Pons and Janer- HPJ techniques and Sheather method as well as a consented interview. 47.8% (22/46) of the examined individuals were parasitized, with no significant difference between both groups (garbage dump and recycling volunteers). Most of the samples evaluated presented forms of helminths (68.2%) while protozoa were found in 31.8% of the samples. Helminths found, and their respective prevalence were: Ascaris lumbricoides (31.8%), Ascaris lumbricoides/Trichuris trichiura (18.2%), Trichuris trichiura (9.1%), Taenia sp (4.6%) and Trichuris trichiura/Ancylostomids (4.6%). Protozoa were: Giardia intestinalis (13, 6%), Entamoeba spp. (9.1%) and Endolimax nana (9.1%). Monoparasitism was observed in 77.3% of the cases. Most of the population consisted of women, 21-40 years of age, low educational level and monthly income less than one minimum wage. The majority of the workers did not use protective equipment. Multivariate analysis revealed that infection from parasites in scavengers who lived near open sewers was 6.65 times higher (p = 0.0065) than in the other workers. In the localities studied, our results showed that the risk of acquiring parasitic infections was related to poor sanitation and the lack of sewerage systems; and not actually due to handling these types of waste. The parasitological indices found are similar to those described previously in other parts of the country

Proteomic analysis of Toxocara canis excretory and secretory (TES) proteins.

Toxocariasis is a neglected disease, and its main etiological agent is the nematode Toxocara canis. Serological diagnosis is performed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using T. canis excretory and secretory (TES) antigens produced by in vitro cultivation of larvae. Identification of TES proteins can be useful for the development of new diagnostic strategies since few TES components have been described so far. Herein, we report the results obtained by proteomic analysis of TES proteins using a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) approach. TES fractions were separated by one-dimensional SDS-PAGE and analyzed by LC-MS/MS. The MS/MS spectra were compared with a database of protein sequences deduced from the genome sequence of T. canis, and a total of 19 proteins were identified. Classification according to the signal peptide prediction using the SignalP server showed that seven of the identified proteins were extracellular, 10 had cytoplasmic or nuclear localization, while the subcellular localization of two proteins was unknown. Analysis of molecular functions by BLAST2GO showed that the majority of the gene ontology (GO) terms associated with the proteins present in the TES sample were associated with binding functions, including but not limited to protein binding (GO:0005515), inorganic ion binding (GO:0043167), and organic cyclic compound binding (GO:0097159). This study provides additional information about the exoproteome of T. canis, which can lead to the development of new strategies for diagnostics or vaccination.

Ocorrência e fatores associados a enteroparasitoses em catadores de lixo / Occurrence and factors associated with intestinal parasitic infections in waste recyclers

Introdução: As enteroparasitoses são doenças que afetam pessoas em todo o mundo e estão relacionadas a fatores inerentes aos indivíduos acometidos, como consumo de água contaminada, saúde e educação em saúde precárias e baixas condições socioeconômicas. Este estudo pretende verificar a ocorrência de enteroparasitoses em coletores de lixo e estabelecer se há relações entre os parasitos e o trabalho de coleta de lixo. Métodos: As fezes de 25 coletores de resíduos foram coletadas, e questionários sobre hábitos alimentares, condições de habitação e uso de equipamentos de proteção individual foram aplicados. As amostras fecais foram analisadas por duas técnicas coproparasitológicas. Resultados: Do total de participantes (N = 30), 8% apresentaram cistos de Endolimax nana e 4% apresentaram ovos de Ascaris lumbricoides. As idades dos coletores variaram de 22 a 67 anos, e os tipos de habitação foram casa de alvenaria (10), de madeira (17), mista (2) e outros tipos (1). Mais de 80% tinham algum tipo de animal de estimação. Conclusão: Embora todas as amostras fecais tenham sido obtidas de pessoas que manipularam diretamente o lixo, o que envolve a possibilidade de infecção por agentes biológicos, a maioria estava livre de enteroparasitos. Isso sugere que os participantes com enteroparasitoses podem ter sido infectados em outros lugares, como na própria casa. Novos estudos devem ser realizados, mas de uma forma que seja estendida a outros locais de vida dos coletores, além de incluir seus parentes (AU)

Introduction: Intestinal parasitic diseases affect people all over the world and are related to factors inherent to affected individuals, such as consumption of contaminated water, poor health and health education, and low socioeconomic conditions. This study aimed to assess the occurrence of parasitic infections in waste recyclers and establish whether there are relations between parasites and the work of waste collection. Methods: Feces were collected from 25 waste recyclers, and questionnaires on eating habits, housing conditions and use of individual protection equipment were applied. Fecal samples were analyzed using parasitological techniques. Results: Of the total number of participants (N = 30), 8% had Endolimax nana cysts and 4% Ascaris lumbricoides eggs. Recyclers' age ranged from 22 to 67 years, and the types of houses were the following: brick house (10), wooden house (17), mixed construction (2) and other types (1). More than 80% had pets. Conclusion: Although all the fecal samples were obtained from people who had direct contact with waste, which involves the possibility of infection by biological agents, most participants were free of intestinal parasites, suggesting that those infected could have been infected elsewhere, such as their own home. Further studies should be conducted, but extended to other places where recyclers circulate and including their relatives (AU)

Determination of IgG avidity in BALB/c mice experimentally infected with Toxocara canis.

Toxocariasis is a zoonotic disease in that IgM titers can remain high for long periods making difficult to determine the stage of the disease. The aim of this study is to investigate the applicability of indirect ELISA, associated with urea, to discriminate between the acute and chronic toxocariasis. IgG avidity was evaluated in 25 BALB/c mice experimentally infected with 1000 Toxocara canis eggs. Blood samples were collected, and sera treated with 6 M urea and assayed by ELISA every two weeks. The percent IgG avidity was determined using the mean absorbance of sera treated with urea, divided by the mean absorbance of untreated sera. In the first 15 days post-inoculation, was observed a low percentage, between 7.25 and 27.5%, IgG avidity, characteristic of an acute infection. After 60 days of infection, all the mice showed between 31.4 and 58% IgG avidity, indicating a chronic infection.

Determination of IgG avidity in BALB/c mice experimentally infected with Toxocara canis / Determinação da avidez de IgG em camundongos BALB/c experimentalmente infectados com Toxocara canis

Toxocariasis is a zoonotic disease in that IgM titers can remain high for long periods making difficult to determine the stage of the disease. The aim of this study is to investigate the applicability of indirect ELISA, associated with urea, to discriminate between the acute and chronic toxocariasis. IgG avidity was evaluated in 25 BALB/c mice experimentally infected with 1000 Toxocara canis eggs. Blood samples were collected, and sera treated with 6 M urea and assayed by ELISA every two weeks. The percent IgG avidity was determined using the mean absorbance of sera treated with urea, divided by the mean absorbance of untreated sera. In the first 15 days post-inoculation, was observed a low percentage, between 7.25 and 27.5%, IgG avidity, characteristic of an acute infection. After 60 days of infection, all the mice showed between 31.4 and 58% IgG avidity, indicating a chronic infection.

A toxocaríase é uma zoonose na qual os títulos de IgM podem permanecer elevados por longos períodos, tornando difícil a determinação do estágio em que a doença se encontra. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a aplicabilidade de um teste indireto de ELISA, associado com ureia, para fazer a discriminação entre as fases aguda e crônica da toxocaríase. A avidez de IgG foi avaliada em 25 camundongos BALB/c experimentalmente infectados com 1000 ovos embrionados de Toxocara canis. A cada duas semanas, amostras de sangue foram coletadas, o soro tratado com ureia 6M e realizado o ensaio pela técnica de ELISA. O percentual de avidez de IgG foi determinado, usando-se a média das absorbâncias dos soros tratados com ureia dividida pela média das absorbâncias dos soros não tratados. Nos primeiros 15 dias pós-inoculação, foi observado um baixo percentual de avidez de IgG, entre 7,25 e 27,5%, característico da fase aguda da infecção. Após 60 dias de infecção, todos apresentaram avidez de IgG entre 31,4 e 58%, indicando a fase crônica da infecção.

Oxidative stress in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with aseptic and bacterial meningitis.

This study aimed to determine whether patients with aseptic and bacterial meningitis presented alterations in oxidative stress parameters of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). A total of 30 patients were used in the research. The CSF oxidative stress status has been evaluated through many parameters, such as lipid peroxidation through thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and antioxidant defense systems such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione S-transferase (GST), reduced glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid. TBARS levels, SOD and GST activity increase in aseptic meningitis and in bacterial meningitis. The ascorbic acid concentration increased significantly in patients with both meningitis types. The reduced glutathione levels were reduced in CSF of patients with aseptic and bacterial meningitis. In present study we may conclude that oxidative stress contributes at least in part to the severe neurological dysfunction found in meningitis.

Adenine nucleotide hydrolysis in patients with aseptic and bacterial meningitis.

The meningitis is a disease with high mortality rates capable to cause neurologic sequelae. The adenosine (the final product of ATP hydrolysis by ectonucleotidases), have a recognized neuroprotective actions in the central nervous system (CNS) in pathological conditions. The aim of the present study was evaluate the adenine nucleotides hydrolysis for to verify one possible role of ATP, ADP and AMP hydrolysis in inflammatory process such as meningitis. The hydrolysis was verified in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from human patients with aseptic and bacterial meningitis. Our results showed that the ATP hydrolysis was reduced 12.28% (P < 0.05) in bacterial meningitis and 22% (P < 0.05) in aseptic meningitis. ADP and AMP hydrolysis increased 79.13% (P < 0.05) and 26.37% (P < 0.05) in bacterial meningitis, respectively, and 57.39% (P < 0.05) and 42.64% (P < 0.05) in aseptic meningitis, respectively. This may be an important protective mechanism in order to increase adenosine production.

Effect of the aqueous extract of Syzygium cumini on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the aqueous Syzygium cumini leaf extract, given either as a single dose or by 7 days of pretreatment, on hepatotoxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride in rats. Blood samples obtained after treatments were measured for aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). A significant increase in the AST and ALT activities occurred after carbon tetrachloride administration alone, which was significantly lowered by preadministration with the aqueous extract of Syzygium cumini, but not by a single dose. This suggests that the extract may be useful for liver protection but needs to be given over a significant period and prior to liver injury.