Murine visceral leishmaniasis: IgM and polyclonal B‐cell activation lead to disease exacerbation

In visceral leishmaniasis, the draining LN (DLN) is the initial site for colonization and establishment of infection after intradermal transmission by the sand fly vector; however, little is known about the developing immune response within this site. Using an intradermal infection model, which allows for parasite visceralization, we have examined the ongoing immune responses in the DLN of BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania infantum. Although not unexpected, at early times post‐infection there is a marked B‐cell expansion in the DLN, which persists throughout infection. However, the characteristics of this response were of interest; as early as day 7 post‐infection, polyclonal antibodies (TNP, OVA, chromatin) were observed and the levels appeared comparable to the specific anti‐leishmania response. Although B‐cell‐deficient J_hD BALB/c mice are relatively resistant to infection, neither B‐cell‐derived IL‐10 nor B‐cell antigen presentation appear to be primarily responsible for the elevated parasitemia. However, passive transfer and reconstitution of J_hD BALB/c with secretory immunoglobulins, (IgM or IgG; specific or non‐specific immune complexes) results in increased susceptibility to L. infantum infection. Further, J_hD BALB/c mice transgenetically reconstituted to secrete IgM demonstrated exacerbated disease in comparison to WT BALB/c mice as early as 2 days post‐infection. Evidence suggests that complement activation (generation of C5a) and signaling via the C5a receptor (CD88) is related to the disease exacerbation caused by IgM rather than cytokine levels (IL‐10 or IFN‐γ). Overall these studies indicate that polyclonal B‐cell activation, which is known to be associated with human visceral leishmaniasis, is an early and intrinsic characteristic of disease and may represent a target for therapeutic intervention.     

Medicinal Plants and Formulations Used by the Soren Clan of the Santal Tribe in Rajshahi District,Bangladesh for Treatment of Various Ailments

The Santals form the largest tribal community in northern Bangladesh reside primarily in Rajshahi and Rangpur Divisions, where they live in the districts of Rajshahi, Rangpur, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, and Panchagarh. Although they are fast losing their traditional medicinal practices, they still have their own medicinal practitioners who rely mostly on medicinal plants for treatment of a variety of ailments. The traditional medicinal practices vary quite extensively between the twelve clans of the Santals. The objective of the present study was to conduct an ethnomedicinal survey amongst the Soren clan of the Santal community residing in two villages of Tanor Santal Para in Rajshahi district to collect information on their use of medicinal plants. Interviews were conducted of the two existing Santal traditional medicinal practitioners of the Soren clan with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and using the guided field-walk method. Plant specimens as pointed out by the practitioners were collected and pressed on the field and identification completed at the Bangladesh National Herbarium. Information on 53 medicinal plants distributed into 32 families was obtained in this survey. Ailments treated by these plants included skin disorders, respiratory tract disorders, gastro-intestinal disorders, sexual dysfunctions, sexually transmitted diseases, diabetes, helminthiasis, pain, urinary problems, filariasis, leprosy, tuberculosis, epilepsy, snake bite, enlarged heart, and paralysis. The medicinal plants used by the Santals merit further scientific studies for some of their formulations are used to treat diseases like diabetes, paralysis, enlarged heart, tuberculosis, and filariasis for which modern medicine has no known cure or medicines have developed resistant vectors.     

Perceptions of genetic counseling services in direct‐to‐consumer personal genomic testing

To describe consumers' perceptions of genetic counseling services in the context of direct‐to‐consumer personal genomic testing is the purpose of this research. Utilizing data from the Scripps Genomic Health Initiative, we assessed direct‐to‐consumer genomic test consumers' utilization and perceptions of genetic counseling services. At long‐term follow‐up, approximately 14 months post‐testing, participants were asked to respond to several items gauging their interactions, if any, with a Navigenics genetic counselor, and their perceptions of those interactions. Out of 1325 individuals who completed long‐term follow‐up, 187 (14.1%) indicated that they had spoken with a genetic counselor. The most commonly given reason for not utilizing the counseling service was a lack of need due to the perception of already understanding one's results (55.6%). The most common reasons for utilizing the service included wanting to take advantage of a free service (43.9%) and wanting more information on risk calculations (42.2%). Among those who utilized the service, a large fraction reported that counseling improved their understanding of their results (54.5%) and genetics in general (43.9%). A relatively small proportion of participants utilized genetic counseling after direct‐to‐consumer personal genomic testing. Among those individuals who did utilize the service, however, a large fraction perceived it to be informative, and thus presumably beneficial.