Alterations in Placental Gene Expression of Pregnant Women with Chronic Chagas Disease.

Trypanosoma cruzi infection in women of reproductive age is associated with congenital transmission and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The placenta is a key barrier to infection. Gene expression profiles of term placental environment from T. cruzi-seropositive (SP) and -seronegative (SN) mothers were characterized by RNA-Seq. Nine pools of placental RNA paired samples were used: three from SN and six from SP tissues. Each pool consisted of female/male newborns and vaginal/cesarean delivery binomials. No newborn was congenitally infected. T. cruzi satellite DNA quantitative PCR in placental tissues and maternal and neonatal blood, and parasite 18S quantitative RT-PCR from placental RNA were negative, except in three SP women's bloodstream. To identify pathways associated with maternal T. cruzi infection, a gene-set association analysis was implemented: SP placental samples showed overexpression of inflammatory response and lymphocytic activation, whereas numerous biosynthetic processes were down-regulated. About 42 genes showed a significant fold-change between SP and SN groups. KISS1 and CGB5 were down-regulated, whereas KIF12, HLA-G, PRG2, TAC3, FN1, and ATXN3L were up-regulated. Several expressed genes in SP placentas encode proteins associated with preeclampsia and miscarriage. This first transcriptomics study in human term placental environment shows a placental response that may affect the fetus while protecting it from parasite infection; this host response could be responsible for the low rate of congenital transmission in chronic Chagas disease.

Epidemiology of American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis and Trypanosoma cruzi Infection in the Northwestern Argentina.

Background. Endemic areas of tegumentary leishmaniasis (TL) in Salta, Argentina, present some overlap zones with the geographical distribution of Chagas disease, with mixed infection cases being often detected. Objectives. The purpose of this study was to determine the magnitude of Leishmania sp. infection and potential associated risk factors, the serologic prevalence of T. cruzi, and the presence of T. cruzi-Leishmania sp. mixed infection in a region of the northwest of Argentina. Methods. Cross-sectional studies were conducted to detect TL prevalence and T. cruzi seroprevalence. A case-control study was conducted to examine leishmaniasis risk factors. Results. Prevalence of TL was 0.17%, seroprevalence of T. cruzi infection was 9.73%, and mixed infection proportion-within the leishmaniasic patients group-was 16.67%. The risk factors associated with TL transmission were sex, age, exposure to bites at work, staying outdoors more than 10 hours/day, bathing in the river, and living with people who had lesions or were infected during the study. Discussion. The endemic pattern of TL seems to involve exposure of patients to vectors in wild as well as peridomestic environment. Cases of T. cruzi infection are apparently due to migration. Therefore, a careful epidemiological surveillance is necessary due to the contraindication of antimonial administration to chagasic patients.

[Prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency in 12 year old school children from Jujuy]. / Prevalencia de anemia y deficiencia de hierro en escolares jujeños de 12 años.

Iron deficiency is highly frequent among adolescents. Its early detection can prevent the development of a ferropenic anemia, a serious condition. The problem has not been well studied in our country. The purpose of this work was to determine the frequency of iron deficiency and anemia in adolescents. The criteria considered were: hematocrit below 38%, b) saturation transferrin below 16%, c) ferritin below 15 ng/ml. The study was carried out in 2265 schoolchildren, 12 years old, of both sexes, in urban and periurban areas in the city of San Salvador de Jujuy (1250 a.s.l.). The following parameters were measured: hematocrit as well as serum iron and total iron binding capacity, both by colorimetric method. Ferritin was measured by ELISA. Anemia was not found. Iron deficiency as estimated by the iron functional component, was found in 25% of girls and 21% of boys and, through iron stores, in 28% of girls and 18% of boys. Iron deficiency stores in both sexes is the more relevant alteration, indicating that the population sample here studied constitutes a highly vulnerable group. The early detection of iron deficiency will help physical and intellectual development so that adequate sanitary policies are necessary for its prevention.

Prevalencia de anemia y deficiencia de hierro en escolares jujeños de 12 años. / [Prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency in 12 year old school children from Jujuy]

Iron deficiency is highly frequent among adolescents. Its early detection can prevent the development of a ferropenic anemia, a serious condition. The problem has not been well studied in our country. The purpose of this work was to determine the frequency of iron deficiency and anemia in adolescents. The criteria considered were: hematocrit below 38

, b) saturation transferrin below 16

, c) ferritin below 15 ng/ml. The study was carried out in 2265 schoolchildren, 12 years old, of both sexes, in urban and periurban areas in the city of San Salvador de Jujuy (1250 a.s.l.). The following parameters were measured: hematocrit as well as serum iron and total iron binding capacity, both by colorimetric method. Ferritin was measured by ELISA. Anemia was not found. Iron deficiency as estimated by the iron functional component, was found in 25

of girls and 21

of boys and, through iron stores, in 28

of girls and 18

of boys. Iron deficiency stores in both sexes is the more relevant alteration, indicating that the population sample here studied constitutes a highly vulnerable group. The early detection of iron deficiency will help physical and intellectual development so that adequate sanitary policies are necessary for its prevention.

A simple method for concentrating erythropoietin activity in plasma and in other body fluids

El método aquí descripto se basa en la propiedad de la eritropoyetina de permanecer en solución acuosa en presencia de hasta 60% de etanol. En este proceso las proteínas inertes precipitan y pueden ser eliminadas sin pérdidas significativas de la actividad. El agregado de éter sulfúrico produce la separación de la fase acuosa y de sus solutos, los que se recogen con el material sólido obtenido por liofilización de aquélla. Con esta metodología se puede detectar una marcada actividad en los extractos obtenidos del plasma de ratones después de una moderada reducción del hematocrito

A simple method for concentrating erythropoietin activity in plasma and in other body fluids

El método aquí descripto se basa en la propiedad de la eritropoyetina de permanecer en solución acuosa en presencia de hasta 60% de etanol. En este proceso las proteínas inertes precipitan y pueden ser eliminadas sin pérdidas significativas de la actividad. El agregado de éter sulfúrico produce la separación de la fase acuosa y de sus solutos, los que se recogen con el material sólido obtenido por liofilización de aquélla. Con esta metodología se puede detectar una marcada actividad en los extractos obtenidos del plasma de ratones después de una moderada reducción del hematocrito (AU)