Absence of Zika virus among pregnant women in Vietnam in 2008.

BACKGROUND: Despite being first identified in 1947, Zika virus-related outbreaks were first described starting from 2007 culminating with the 2015 Latin American outbreak. Hypotheses indicate that the virus has been circulating in Asia for decades, but reports are scarce. METHODS: We performed serological analysis and screened placental samples isolated in 2008 for the presence of Zika virus from pregnant women in Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam). RESULTS: None of the placental samples was positive for Zika virus. Four serum samples out of 176 (2.3%) specifically inhibited Zika virus, with variable degrees of cross-reactivity with other flaviviruses. While one of the four samples inhibited only Zika virus, cross-reactivity with other flaviviruses not included in the study could not be ruled out. CONCLUSION: Our results support the conclusion that the virus was not present among pregnant women in the Vietnamese largest city during the initial phases of the epidemic wave.

Lack of an exaggerated inflammatory response on virus infection in cystic fibrosis.

Respiratory virus infections play an important role in cystic fibrosis (CF) exacerbations, but underlying pathophysiological mechanisms are poorly understood. We aimed to assess whether an exaggerated inflammatory response of the airway epithelium on virus infection could explain the increased susceptibility of CF patients towards respiratory viruses. We used primary bronchial and nasal epithelial cells obtained from 24 healthy control subjects and 18 CF patients. IL-6, IL-8/CXCL8, IP-10/CXCL10, MCP-1/CCL2, RANTES/CCL5 and GRO-α/CXCL1 levels in supernatants and mRNA expression in cell lysates were measured before and after infection with rhinoviruses (RV-16 and RV-1B) and RSV. Cytotoxicity was assessed by lactate dehydrogenate assay and flow cytometry. All viruses induced strong cytokine release in both control and CF cells. The inflammatory response on virus infection was heterogeneous and depended on cell type and virus used, but was not increased in CF compared with control cells. On the contrary, there was a marked trend towards lower cytokine production associated with increased cell death in CF cells. An exaggerated inflammatory response to virus infection in bronchial epithelial cells does not explain the increased respiratory morbidity after virus infection in CF patients.

Cytokine expression in bovine PBMC cultures stimulated with Hypoderma lineatum antigens.

Hypoderma antigens are involved in host inflammation and immune response, conditioning larvae survival. In this study, peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures from Hypoderma sensitized and unsensitized cattle were performed to determine the effect of H. lineatum antigens and incubation time (18, 24, 48 h) on IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-10 and IL-4 mRNA gene expression determined by RT-qPCR. TNF-α and IL-4 gene expression were higher in Hypoderma previously sensitized PBMCs, suggesting that a mixed Th1/Th2 response may play a significant role in host defence reactions against Hypoderma exhibited by previously infested cattle. Incubation time had a significant effect on IL-10 and TNF-α gene expression, which decreased over time. Regarding to H. lineatum antigens, the crude larval extract and the purified fraction hypodermin B (HB) produced a significant reduction of the mRNA expression levels of the proinflammatory cytokine, IFN-γ; moreover, the HB had a stimulating effect on the mRNA gene expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, demonstrating that the parasite would modulate the host defence mechanisms by avoiding harmful immune responses that would limit its survival into the host tissues.

[Alcoholism in an industrial population: diagnosis, prevalence and conditioning factors]. / Alcoolismo na população industrial: diagnóstico, prevalência e condicionantes.

The pattern of alcohol consumption has been studied among 92 males, workers in a factory of the Lisbon area. In this population there were three groups of ethanol consumers: I--non consumers, 6%; II--medium, up to 80g/day, 68%; III--heavy consumers, more than 80g/day, 26%. Another group (IV) was considered, for reference, with 23 patients with heavy alcoholism in the outpatients of an alcoholic addicts clinic. Besides the clinical questionnaire and medical examination, the following methods have been used and analysed: brief MAST; Le Gô, Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), serum glutamic oxalacetic Trasaminase (SGOT), and gama-glutamyl transpepticlase (gamma GT). The mean ethanol consumption in group IV was significantly higher than in group III (p less than 0.005), and in group III higher than in group II (p less than 0.001). Group IV demarked itself form group III due to a higher prevalence of symptoms of physical dependence (p less than 0.001), and of consumption of tranquilizers (p less than 0.01). In group III the sensitivity of brief MAST has been only 8.5% and of Le Gô 13%. An increased MCV was found in 20% of individuals in group I, 4.9% in group II, 20% in group IV. The SGOT was normal in groups I and II, and increased in 8.7% of group III and 30.4% of group IV (p less than 0.05). The gamma GT was normal in group I and abnormal in 4.7% of group IV (p less than 0.01). In conclusion, approximately 25% of the workers have an excessive ethanol consumption.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Innate immune defenses induced by CpG do not promote vaccine-induced protection against foot-and-mouth disease virus in pigs.

Emergency vaccination as part of the control strategies against foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) has the potential to limit virus spread and reduce large-scale culling. To reduce the time between vaccination and the onset of immunity, immunostimulatory CpG was tested for its capacity to promote early protection against FMDV challenge in pigs. To this end, CpG 2142, an efficient inducer of alpha interferon, was injected intramuscularly. Increased transcription of Mx1, OAS, and IRF-7 was identified as a sensitive measurement of CpG-induced innate immunity, with increased levels detectable to at least 4 days after injection of CpG formulated with Emulsigen. Despite this, CpG combined with an FMD vaccine did not promote protection. Pigs vaccinated 2 days before challenge had disease development, which was at least as acute as that of unvaccinated controls. All pigs vaccinated 7 days before challenge were protected without a noticeable effect of CpG. In summary, our results demonstrate the caution required when translating findings from mouse models to natural hosts of FMDV.

Toll-like receptor 7 and MyD88 knockdown by lentivirus-mediated RNA interference to porcine dendritic cell subsets.

Sensing of viruses by dendritic cell (DC) pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs) represents a critical event during innate antiviral immune responses. Identification of these PRRs has often posed a problem due to difficulties in performing gene function studies in the naturally targeted hosts. Consequently, we developed a lentivirus (LV)-based strategy for specific gene knockdown in porcine DC. Short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) were designed, targeting toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) and the adaptor protein MyD88. As cellular targets, monocyte-derived DC (MoDC) and Flt3 ligand-induced DC (Flt3L-DC), DC precursors including monocytes and haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) as well as plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) were employed. Transduction efficiencies ranged from 40 to 95%. The LV-mediated shRNA delivery was functionally active, reducing TLR7 and MyD88 mRNA in MoDC and conventional Flt3L-DC, and blunting the responsiveness to TLR7 ligands in Flt3L-DC. Although infection of MoDC by the LV did neither influence MHC class II and CD80/86 expressions, nor cytokine responses, the infection of Flt3L-DC induced a phenotypic maturation. Furthermore, the interaction of the LV with pDC induced high levels of interferon-alpha. Taken together, these studies characterize the interaction of the LV with different DC subsets and demonstrate the suitability of LV-mediated small interfering RNA delivery for targeting PRR knockout for MoDC and conventional Flt3L-DC.

Efeitos do extrato da parede de levedura na digestibilidade, no escore fecal e na palatabilidade de dietas para gatos / Effects of spray-dried yeast cell wall on digestibility, score of feces, and palatability of diets for cats

Para avaliar o efeito do extrato seco da parede de levedura (EPL) sobre a digestibilidade, o escore fecal e a palatabilidade de dietas para gatos, foram realizados três ensaios experimentais. No primeiro, 20 animais adultos foram distribuídos ao acaso em quatro tratamentos: dieta comercial úmida (controle) e dieta-controle + 0,2, ou dieta-controle + 0,4 ou dieta-controle + 0,6 por cento de EPL na matéria seca. No segundo, utilizaram-se alimento seco e as mesmas proporções com o mesmo delineamento do primeiro experimento. No ensaio 3, de palatabilidade, 20 gatos adultos receberam simultaneamente dieta comercial úmida sem e com a inclusão de 0,4 por cento de EPL. No experimento 1, não foram observadas diferenças quanto à digestibilidade da matéria seca, proteína bruta, extrato etéreo, matéria orgânica e energia bruta, assim como no escore fecal; no segundo, houve aumento linear (P<0,46) no coeficiente de digestibilidade da matéria seca, e, no terceiro, observou-se efeito negativo da inclusão de 0,4 por cento sobre a palatabilidade da dieta (P<0,004). Conclui-se que a inclusão de EPL em dietas úmidas não influi na digestibilidade, mas pode comprometer a palatabilidade, e que em dietas secas há melhora da digestibilidade da matéria seca.

The effects of spray-dried yeast cell wall (YCW) were evaluated on digestibility, score of feces, and palatability of diets for cats were evaluated. Three trials were carried out. In the first, 20 adult cats were randomly allotted in four treatments: wet commercial diet (control) and control plus 0.2, 0.4, or 0.6 percent of YCW in dry matter. In the second, a commercial dry diet was tested in an equal arrangement concerning concentration of YCW and number of animals of the first trial. In the third, 20 adult cats were fed at the same time a wet diet with or without 0.4 percent YCW. In the first trial, no differences among treatments for dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, organic matter, gross energy digestibility, and faecal score were observed. In second trial, positive linear effect on dry matter digestibility (P=0.046) was observed. In the third, negative effect of 0.4 percent YCW inclusion (P=0.004) on palatability of diet was observed. It was concluded that YCW inclusion in wet diet did not effectively alter the nutrients digestibilities but it decrease the palatability. However, the YCW inclusion in dry diets can be important to improve dry matter digestibility.