To re-identify and further group 25 isolates of Trichosporon spp. identified morphologically previously, sequences of D1/D2 region of large subunit (LSU) of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of 25 tested strains for identification and those of ribosomal intergenic space 1 (IGS1) region of 11 strains for subgrouping were detected. The identifications of tested strains were changed except 6 strains. According to the alignment of the IGS1 region, 6 T. asahii isolates tested fell into 4 groups and 5 T. faecale isolates into 3 groups. Polymorphism of 2 T. japonicum isolates was found in 10 positions. With the alignments obtained in this research compared with the relative GenBank entries, it was found that T. asahii, T. faecale and T. japonicum species were divided into 7, 3 and 2 subtypes respectively. Morphological and biophysical methods are not sufficient for Trichosporon spp. identification. Sequencing becomes necessary for Trichosporon diagnosis. There is obvious diversity within a species.

Food allergy has an estimated prevalence of 6%–8% in children. Meat allergy and multiple food allergy due to sensitization to cross-reactive components in infancy is, however, less frequent. A 5-year-old girl was referred to our department with a multiple food allergy history. She had severe immediate worsening of her atopic dermatitis with hen's egg (6 months) and cow's milk introduction (7 months). At the age of 9 months, she presented with recurrent and reproducible atopic dermatitis' worsening and lip edema with the introduction of different meats (chicken, turkey, cow, pork, and rabbit), having the same complaints with fish at 12 months (salmon and hake). At her first appointment she was avoiding hen's egg, cow's milk, meat, and fish (except fresh tuna, codfish, and pollock). We performed skin prick tests (commercial extract and prick-to-prick with whole food) and specific IgE, which revealed sensitization to hen's egg, raw meat (cow, pork, chicken, turkey, duck, lamb, goat, and rabbit; negative for cooked meat), codfish and cow's milk (mild). ISAC was performed, revealing sensitization to 3 cross-reactive components (serum albumins Bosd6, Canf3, and Feld2) and specific food components of chicken's egg/meat (Gald1, 2, 3, and 5), cod (Gadc1), hazelnut (Cora9), and kiwi (Actd1). We present a rare case of multiple food allergy in infancy, where sensitization to cross-reactive components was responsible for most of the children complaints. The detection of serum albumins' involvement was especially important, because it can possibly mean tolerance to these foods in well-cooked forms, substantially improving patient and family's quality of life.
Albumins ; Chickens ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Corylus ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Ducks ; Edema ; Female ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Goats ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Lip ; Meat ; Milk ; Ovum ; Prevalence ; Quality of Life ; Red Meat ; Serum Albumin ; Skin ; Tuna ; Turkey

Chlorhexidine is a commonly used antiseptic and disinfectant in the health-care setting. Anaphylaxis to chlorhexidine is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication. Epidemiologic data suggest that the cases of chlorhexidine allergy appears to be increasing. In this article we report a life-threatening anaphylactic shock with cardiorespiratory arrest, during urethral catheterization due to chlorhexidine. The authors also performed a literature review of PubMed library of anaphylactic cases reports due to this antiseptic between 2014 and 2018, demonstrating the increase in the number of cases occurring worldwide and the importance of detailed anamnesis and appropriate diagnostic workup of allergic reactions to disinfectants.
Anaphylaxis ; Chlorhexidine ; Disinfectants ; Hypersensitivity ; Urinary Catheterization ; Urinary Catheters

Objective: To compare the in vitro antiparasitic activity of aqueous extracts from Ziziphus joazeiro leaves and stem bark against Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmania braziliensis, and Leishmania infantum, as well as to evaluate its cytotoxicity in mammalian cells, in addition to identifying the chemical composition of the extracts. Methods: Ziziphus joazeiro leaf and stem bark aqueous extracts were prepared by cold extraction maceration and subjected to ultra-efficient liquid chromatography coupled to a quadrupole/time of flight system. The susceptibility assays used Trypanosoma cruzi CL-B5 strains and promastigote forms of Leishmania braziliensis and Leishmania infantum for antiparasitic activity of the extracts. Moreover, mammalian fibroblasts NCTC clone 929 were used for cytotoxicity analysis. Results: Terpenoid compounds, flavonoids and phenolic acid were identified in extracts. The stem bark aqueous extracts presented more significant results in terms of antiparasitic activity compared with the leaf aqueous extracts, especially against Leishmania braziliensis and Leishmania infantum promastigote forms with an IC50 < 500 μg/mL. The cytotoxicity evaluation showed moderate toxicity of the stem bark aqueous extracts, which is relevant information for the rational use of this plant part since it is widely used by the population. Conclusions: These preliminary results may contribute to the formulation of new therapeutic agents against this group of neglected diseases, so further investigations are required to delineate the mechanisms of action mainly of the aqueous extract of stem bark of Ziziphus joazeiro.

Previous studies on the genus Clusia have shown anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative effects of the leaf extracts, but its antinociceptive activity has never been characterized. In the present study, the antinociceptive activity of the hexane extract of the leaves of Clusia nemorosa G. Mey, called HECn, was examined. Antinociceptive activity was evaluated using acetic acid-induced writhing, formalin, and hot-plate tests. All experiments were carried out on male Swiss mice. The extract (1-400 mg·kg(-1)), given by intraperitoneal route (i.p.) 1 h prior to testing, produced a dose-dependent inhibition on the number of abdominal writhings, with an ID50 of 62 mg·kg(-1). In addition, HECn was able to prevent the visceral pain induced by acetic acid in mice for at least 2 h. In the formalin test, HECn had no effect in the first phase, but produced an analgesic effect on the second phase with the inhibition of licking time. The HECn did not show a significant analgesic effect in the hot plate test. Pretreatment with yohimbine attenuated the antinociceptive effect induced by HECn in the writhing test. However, naloxone, atropine, or haloperidol did not affect antinociception induced by HECn in the writhing test. Together, these results indicate that the extract from the leaves of Clusia nemorosa produces antinociception in models of chemical pain through mechanisms that suggest participation of the adrenergic systems pathway.
Adrenergic Agents ; administration & dosage ; Analgesics ; administration & dosage ; Animals ; Clusia ; chemistry ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Nociception ; drug effects ; Pain ; drug therapy ; psychology ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; administration & dosage ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry

To re-identify and further group 25 isolates of Trichosporon spp. identified morphologically previously, sequences of D1/D2 region of large subunit (LSU) of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of 25 tested strains for identification and those of ribosomal intergenic space 1 (IGS1) region of 11 strains for sub-grouping were detected. The identifications of tested strains were changed except 6 strains. According to the alignment of the IGS1 region, 6 T. asahii isolates tested fell into 4 groups and 5 T. faecale isolates into 3 groups. Polymorphism of 2 T.japonicum isolates was found in 10 positions. With the alignments obtained in this research compared with the relative GenBank entries, it was found that T. asahii, T.faecale and T.japonicum species were divided into 7, 3 and 2 subtypes respectively. Morphological and biophysical methods are not sufficient for Trichosporon spp. identification. Sequencing becomes neces-sary for Trichosporon diagnosis. There is obvious diversity within a species.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of 3 treatment regimens upon health-related quality of life and work productivity using patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in chronic hepatitis C infected patients: sofosbuvir (SOF) + daclatasvir (DCV); SOF + DCV + ribavirin (RBV); SOF + simeprevir (SMV). METHODS: 4 questionnaires were used to evaluate PROs before, during and after treatment: Short Form-36 (SF-36), Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ) - hepatitis C virus (HCV), Work Productivity and Activity Index, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F). RESULTS: Of the global sample of 55 patients included in this study; SOF + DCV (n = 10); SOF + DCV + RBV (n = 29); SOF + SMV (n = 16) all had a statistically significant improvement in SF-36, CLDQ and FACIT-F scores during and post-treatment. No statistically significant differences in the PRO questionnaire values were observed between the distinct treatment regimens. The SOF and SMV patient groups presented higher mean PRO variations during and post-treatment, compared to the other groups: SF-36 functional capacity (16.1); SF-36 mental health (21.4); CLDQ activity (1.8); CLDQ emotional function (1.2); FACIT-F physical well-being (8.0); Total FACIT-F (21.6). CONCLUSION: Treatment with SOF + DCV, with or without RBV, results in an improved PRO similar to treatment with SOF + SMV in chronic hepatitis C patients.
Antiviral Agents ; Chronic Disease ; Efficiency ; Hepacivirus ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; Mental Health ; Quality of Life ; Ribavirin ; Simeprevir ; Sofosbuvir*

Background: and PurposeMiller Fisher syndrome (MFS) is a subtype of Guillain-Barré syndrome characterized by the triad of ophthalmoparesis, areflexia, and ataxia. Although cases of MFS have been associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, no studies have synthesized the clinical characteristics of patients with this condition. Methods: In this rapid systematic review, we searched the PubMed database to identify studies on MFS associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results: This review identified 11 cases, of whom 3 were hospitalized with motor and/or sensory polyneuropathy as the first sign of SARS-CoV-2 infection. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was not detected in analyses of cerebrospinal fluid, suggesting a mechanism of immune-mediated injury rather than direct viral neurotropism. However, antiganglioside antibodies were found in only two of the nine patients tested. It is possible that target antigens other than gangliosides are involved in MFS associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Conclusions The present patients exhibited clinical improvement after being treated with intravenous immunoglobulin. Although rare, patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection may present neurological symptoms suggestive of MFS. Early recognition of the MFS clinical triad is essential for the timely initiation of treatment.

Background: and PurposeMiller Fisher syndrome (MFS) is a subtype of Guillain-Barré syndrome characterized by the triad of ophthalmoparesis, areflexia, and ataxia. Although cases of MFS have been associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, no studies have synthesized the clinical characteristics of patients with this condition. Methods: In this rapid systematic review, we searched the PubMed database to identify studies on MFS associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results: This review identified 11 cases, of whom 3 were hospitalized with motor and/or sensory polyneuropathy as the first sign of SARS-CoV-2 infection. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was not detected in analyses of cerebrospinal fluid, suggesting a mechanism of immune-mediated injury rather than direct viral neurotropism. However, antiganglioside antibodies were found in only two of the nine patients tested. It is possible that target antigens other than gangliosides are involved in MFS associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Conclusions The present patients exhibited clinical improvement after being treated with intravenous immunoglobulin. Although rare, patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection may present neurological symptoms suggestive of MFS. Early recognition of the MFS clinical triad is essential for the timely initiation of treatment.

Digestive disorders caused by sudden changes in diet or inappropriate diet are among the most common disorders of the digestive system. Cecal or intestinal tympany, one consequence of inappropriate diet, is characterized by the accumulation of gases, marked distension of the cecum and colon and the induction of inflammatory processes. To know the effects of intestinal tympany on the enteric plexuses, we developed a method of experimental tympanic colic (TC) in the Chinchilla lanigera. This species was used in view of its susceptibility to TC. TC was induced with a diet rich in alfalfa associated with grain overload for two weeks. Physical and clinical examination including the von Frey test confirmed the diagnosis. The chinchillas with acute abdomen were treated with 1% ketoprofen and resumption of a balanced diet. Necropsy and histopathological analysis showed tympany-induced alterations mainly in the cecum and colon. After treatment, the control conditions were restored. The TC protocol is proposed as an experimental approach designed to aid the study of the effects of acute intestinal inflammation and obstruction caused by an inappropriate diet.
Abdomen, Acute ; Cecum ; Edible Grain ; Chinchilla* ; Colic* ; Colon ; Diagnosis ; Diet ; Digestive System ; Gases ; Inflammation ; Ketoprofen ; Medicago sativa ; Models, Theoretical*