New species and records of the mite genus Prolistrophorus (Acariformes: Listrophoridae) from rodents of the subfamily Sigmodontinae (Rodentia: Cricetidae)

Six fur-mite species of the genus Prolistrophorus Fain, 1970 (Acariformes: Listrophoridae) were recorded from Central and South American rodents of the subfamily Sigmodontinae (Rodentia: Cricetidae). Among them, Prolistrophorus (Aprolistrophorus) parabidentatus sp. nov. from Akodon azarae from Argentina and Prolistrophorus (Aprolistrophorus) tylomys sp. nov. from Tylomys nudicaudus from Guatemala are described as new for science. New hosts are recorded for the following species: Prolistrophorus (Prolistrophorus) grassii (Radford, 1954) from Zygodontomys brevicauda from Colombia, P. (P.) frontalis (Hirst, 1921) from Oligoryzomys sp. from Argentina, P. (P.) argentinus (Hirst, 1921) from Melanomys caliginosus, Akodon affinis from Colombia and Scapteromys aquaticus from Argentina, Prolistrophorus (Beprolistrophorus) hirstianus Fain, 1973 from Scapteromys aquaticus from Argentina.     

One-step real-time PCR assay for detection and quantification of RNA HCV to monitor patients under treatment in Brazil

The Brazilian Public Health Service provides freely αPEG-IFN to treat patients infected with HCV. The primary goal of HCV therapy is the long-term elimination of HCV from the blood to reduce the risk of HCV associated complications and death. Patient viremia affects the treatment duration and response, thus influencing clinical decisions. We developed a high-throughput method to perform the quantification of RNA hepatitis C virus (HCV) virus load in plasma samples to monitor patients under treatment. The method is based on a duplex detection, in a one-step real-time RT-PCR assay and it has been validated according to the rules established by the official Brazilian regulatory agency (ANVISA). This new method was compared to a commercial kit (Cobas/Taqman HCV Test v2.0 - Roche), showing virus load results with significant correlation between them (p?=?0,012) using commercial and clinical panels. In addition, 611 samples from patients treated with peguilated alfa-interferon (αPEG-IFN) from different regions of Brazil were analyzed. Our one-step real-time RT-PCR assay demonstrated good performance in viral load measurement and in treatment course monitoring, with acceptable sensitivity and specificity values     

Potential applications of violacein: a microbial pigment

Violacein is a versatile pigment from a bacterium Chromobacterium violaceum that exhibits several biological activities and, at present, has gained increasing importance in industrial markets, such as in medicine, cosmetics, and textiles. In this mini-review, we aimed to describe violacein production and to explore its various biological properties in a pharmacological context, including its antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antitumoral, and antiparasitic activities. In addition, its use in the fields of cosmetics, textiles, food, toys, and insecticides has emerged as unusual potential areas of application to be discussed here.     

FATAL OUTCOME OF INFECTION BY DENGUE 4 IN A PATIENT WITH THROMBOCYTOPENIC PURPURA AS A COMORBID CONDITION IN BRAZIL

Dengue is currently a major public-health problem. Dengue virus (DENV) is classified into four distinct serotypes, DENV 1-4. After 28 years of absence, DENV-4 was again detected in Brazil in 2010 in Roraima State, and one year later, the virus was identified in the northern Brazilian states of Amazonas and Pará, followed by Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. In Minas Gerais, the first confirmed case of DENV-4 occurred in the municipality of Frutal in 2011 and has now been isolated from a growing number of patients. Although DENV-2 is associated with the highest risk of severe forms of the disease and death due to the infection, DENV-4 has also been associated with severe forms of the disease and an increasing risk of hemorrhagic manifestations. Herein, the first fatal case of confirmed DENV-4 in Brazil is reported. The patient was an 11-year-old girl from the municipality of Montes Claros in northern Minas Gerais State, Brazil. She had idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura as a comorbid condition and presented with a fulminant course of infection, leading to death due to hemorrhagic complications. Diagnosis was confirmed by detection of Dengue-specific antibodies using IgM capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and semi-nested RT-PCR. Primary care physicians and other health-care providers should bear in mind that DENV-4 can also result in severe forms of the disease and lead to hemorrhagic complications and death, mainly when dengue infection is associated with coexisting conditions.     

Cytogenetic Effects Of Aqueous Extracts Of The Medicinal Plant Paico (Chenopodium Multifidum L.)

The cytogenetic effects of aqueous extracts of Chenopodium multifidum L. (Paico) were determined by addition of the extracts and fractions to human lymphocyte cultures. Toxicity was evaluated by analysis of chromosomal aberrations (CA), sister chromatid exchange (SCE), mitotic (MI) and replication (RI) indexes. The results showed an increase in CA frequency in cultures exposed to infusion decoction, no modification in the CPK values either in the decoction or in the infusion, and a decrease in the MI of lymphocyte cultures exposed to the decoction. These results suggested genotoxic effects of “Paico” aqueous extracts.