First report of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis infection in fish

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (6) ◽  
pp. 737-743
Author(s):  
Igor Massahiro de Souza Suguiura ◽  
Rafaela Macagnan ◽  
Aline Myuki Omori ◽  
Elder Luis Buck ◽  
Josiane Aniele Scarpassa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Latin American ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Nile Tilapia ◽  
Paracoccidioides Brasiliensis ◽  
Aquatic Organisms ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Molecular Evidence ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
First Report

Abstract The thermodimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis is the etiological agent of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), a deep mycosis endemic in Latin American countries that affects mainly male rural workers. Infection by P. brasiliensis has also been reported in several species of terrestrial animals; however, the capacity of the fungus to infect aquatic organisms is poorly known. The aim of this study was to detect P. brasiliensis in a fish species, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), the most farmed and widely distributed fish in endemic areas for human PCM in Brazil. As a first step, the humoral immune response against the fungus was evaluated in an experimental group of three fish immunized with inactivated P. brasiliensis yeast cells. For the seroepidemiological study, serum samples of Nile tilapia raised in cages (n = 109) and in ponds (n = 105), collected from a fish slaughterhouse, were analyzed for P. brasiliensis antibodies by ELISA using gp43 as antigen. All the inoculated fish produced antibodies against the fungus. The seropositivity observed in fish raised in cages and ponds was 17.4 and 5.7%, respectively. Due to the higher seropositivity observed in caged fish, 100 tissue samples (encephalon, liver, and kidney), from another group of tilapia raised in cages, were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR; Pb-ITSR and Pb-ITSE). Three tissue samples (liver n = 1, kidney n = 1, and enchepahlon n = 1) from three different fish resulted positive to PCR. This is the first report to show serological and molecular evidence of P. brasiliensis infection in a fish species.

scholarly journals A statistical and spatial analysis of chemical contaminants in Cocos Lagoon, Guam

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Char'Mane Robinson ◽  
Andrew Mason
Keyword(s):  
Human Health ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Aquatic Organisms ◽  
Fish Tissue ◽  
Coast Guard ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Chemical Contaminants ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Adverse Health Effects ◽  
Cocos Island

Cocos Lagoon is located on the southwestern end of the coast of Guam, and contains extensive coral reefs and an array of fish species. Within the Lagoon is a former US Coast Guard LORAN station on Cocos Island. Hazardous materials appear to have been disposed of on land and in near shore waters during the operation of the LORAN station, between the years of 1944 and 1963, exposing surrounding waters, sediment, fish species and humans to these materials. As part of a project to quantify chemical contaminants in Cocos Lagoon, and to address local and agency human health concerns, approximately 190 chemical contaminants were analyzed in sediments from 25 sites, along with 27 fish tissue samples from 16 sites. Higher levels of chemical contaminants were found in fish tissues collected from around Cocos Island, the site of the former LORAN station. Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), for example, were above an EPA recreational fishers’ screening value (SV) in some fish species from around Cocos Island, indicating risk to humans consuming fish from this area. PCBs at high concentrations are known to cause negative effects on resident marine aquatic organisms and human health concerns include cancer. Characterizing contaminant impacts to aquatic marine organisms and possible human health results from this project will provide resource managers with key information needed to make effective decisions for the health of Cocos Lagoon and also gauge the efficacy of restoration activities. The results show high levels of PCBs in the fish species from Coco Lagoon. This indicates that there is a high risk of adverse health effects such as cancer if consumed by humans.

scholarly journals Drk1, a Dimorphism Histidine Kinase, Contributes to Morphology, Virulence, and Stress Adaptation in Paracoccidioides brasiliensis

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. 852
Author(s):  
Caroline Maria Marcos ◽  
Haroldo Cesar de Oliveira ◽  
Patrícia Akemi Assato ◽  
Rafael Fernando Castelli ◽  
Ana Marisa Fusco-Almeida ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Histidine Kinase ◽  
Paracoccidioides Brasiliensis ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Lower Amount ◽  
Stress Adaptation ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Dimorphic Fungus ◽  
Virulence Attenuation

P. brasiliensis is a thermally dimorphic fungus belonging to Paracoccidioides complex, causative of a systemic, endemic mycosis limited to Latin American countries. Signal transduction pathways related to important aspects as surviving, proliferation according to the biological niches are linked to the fungal pathogenicity in many species, but its elucidation in P. brasiliensis remains poorly explored. As Drk1, a hybrid histidine kinase, plays regulators functions in other dimorphic fungi species, mainly in dimorphism and virulence, here we investigated its importance in P. brasilensis. We, therefore generated the respective recombinant protein, anti-PbDrk1 polyclonal antibody and a silenced strain. The Drk1 protein shows a random distribution including cell wall location that change its pattern during osmotic stress condition; moreover the P. brasiliensis treatment with anti-PbDrk1 antibody, which does not modify the fungus’s viability, resulted in decreased virulence in G. mellonella model and reduced interaction with pneumocytes. Down-regulating PbDRK1 yielded phenotypic alterations such as yeast cells with more elongated morphology, virulence attenuation in G. mellonella infection model, lower amount of chitin content, increased resistance to osmotic and cell wall stresses, and also caspofungin, and finally increased sensitivity to itraconazole. These observations highlight the importance of PbDrk1 to P. brasiliensis virulence, stress adaptation, morphology, and cell wall organization, and therefore it an interesting target that could help develop new antifungals.

scholarly journals Atypical anti-glomerular basement membrane disease with anti-GBM antibody negativity and ANCA positivity: a case report

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Na Guo ◽  
Qinghua Yin ◽  
Song Lei ◽  
Yanjun He ◽  
Ping Fu
Keyword(s):  
Basement Membrane ◽  
Glomerular Basement Membrane ◽  
Rare Case ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Case Presentation ◽  
Severe Renal Insufficiency ◽  
Laboratory Test Results ◽  
Organ Specific

Abstract Background Anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) disease is an organ-specific autoimmune disease that involves the lung and kidneys and leads to rapid glomerulonephritis progression, with or without diffuse alveolar hemorrhage, and even respiratory failure. Classic cases of anti-GBM disease are diagnosed based on the presence of the anti-GBM antibody in serum samples and kidney or lung biopsy tissue samples. However, atypical cases of anti-GBM disease are also seen in clinical practice. Case presentation We herein report the rare case of a patient with atypical anti-GBM disease whose serum was negative for the anti-GBM antibody but positive for the myeloperoxidase (MPO) anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (p-ANCA) and another atypical ANCA. Laboratory test results showed severe renal insufficiency with a creatinine level of 385 μmol/L. Renal biopsy specimen analysis revealed 100% glomeruli with crescents; immunofluorescence showed immunoglobulin G (IgG) linearly deposited alongside the GBM. Finally, the patient was discharged successfully after treatment with plasmapheresis, methylprednisolone and prednisone. Conclusion This patient, whose serum was negative for the anti-GBM antibody but positive for p-ANCA and another atypical ANCA, had a rare case of anti-GBM disease. Insights from this unusual case might help physicians diagnose rare forms of glomerulonephritis and treat affected patients in a timely manner.

scholarly journals Panel of serum miRNAs as potential non-invasive biomarkers for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Imteyaz Ahmad Khan ◽  
Safoora Rashid ◽  
Nidhi Singh ◽  
Sumaira Rashid ◽  
Vishwajeet Singh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Next Generation Sequencing ◽  
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Specific Symptoms ◽  
Generation Sequencing

AbstractEarly-stage diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is difficult due to non-specific symptoms. Circulating miRNAs in body fluids have been emerging as potential non-invasive biomarkers for diagnosis of many cancers. Thus, this study aimed to assess a panel of miRNAs for their ability to differentiate PDAC from chronic pancreatitis (CP), a benign inflammatory condition of the pancreas. Next-generation sequencing was performed to identify miRNAs present in 60 FFPE tissue samples (27 PDAC, 23 CP and 10 normal pancreatic tissues). Four up-regulated miRNAs (miR-215-5p, miR-122-5p, miR-192-5p, and miR-181a-2-3p) and four down-regulated miRNAs (miR-30b-5p, miR-216b-5p, miR-320b, and miR-214-5p) in PDAC compared to CP were selected based on next-generation sequencing results. The levels of these 8 differentially expressed miRNAs were measured by qRT-PCR in 125 serum samples (50 PDAC, 50 CP, and 25 healthy controls (HC)). The results showed significant upregulation of miR-215-5p, miR-122-5p, and miR-192-5p in PDAC serum samples. In contrast, levels of miR-30b-5p and miR-320b were significantly lower in PDAC as compared to CP and HC. ROC analysis showed that these 5 miRNAs can distinguish PDAC from both CP and HC. Hence, this panel can serve as a non-invasive biomarker for the early detection of PDAC.

scholarly journals An Overview on the Potential Hazards of Pyrethroid Insecticides in Fish, with Special Emphasis on Cypermethrin Toxicity

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1880
Author(s):  
Mayada R. Farag ◽  
Mahmoud Alagawany ◽  
Rana M. Bilal ◽  
Ahmed G. A. Gewida ◽  
Kuldeep Dhama ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fish Species ◽  
Water Contamination ◽  
Aquatic Organisms ◽  
Mechanisms Of Action ◽  
Review Article ◽  
Plant Diseases ◽  
Aquatic Weeds ◽  
Public Health Importance ◽  
Pyrethroid Insecticides ◽  
Great Public Health

Pesticides are chemicals used to control pests, such as aquatic weeds, insects, aquatic snails, and plant diseases. They are extensively used in forestry, agriculture, veterinary practices, and of great public health importance. Pesticides can be categorized according to their use into three major types (namely insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides). Water contamination by pesticides is known to induce harmful impacts on the production, reproduction, and survivability of living aquatic organisms, such as algae, aquatic plants, and fish (shellfish and finfish species). The literature and information present in this review article facilitate evaluating the toxic effects from exposure to various fish species to different concentrations of pesticides. Moreover, a brief overview of sources, classification, mechanisms of action, and toxicity signs of pyrethroid insecticides in several fish species will be illustrated with special emphasis on Cypermethrin toxicity.

scholarly journals First report of Infectious Spleen and Kidney Necrosis Virus in Nile tilapia in Brazil

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henrique César Pereira Figueiredo ◽  
Guilherme Campos Tavares ◽  
Fernanda Alves Dorella ◽  
Júlio César Câmara Rosa ◽  
Sóstenes Apolo Correia Marcelino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nile Tilapia ◽  
Necrosis Virus ◽  
First Report

scholarly journals The influence of carbohydrates in the interaction of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis with CCL-6 cells in vitro

2012 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 739-744 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Laurindo da Silva ◽  
Raphael Sanzio Pimenta ◽  
Juliana Fonseca Moreira da Silva ◽  
Déborah Aparecida Negrão Corrêa ◽  
Ary Corrêa Junior
Keyword(s):  
Epithelial Cell ◽  
Paracoccidioides Brasiliensis ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Epithelial Cell Line ◽  
Con A ◽  
Culture Methods ◽  
Disease Treatment ◽  
Adhesion Behavior ◽  
And Control

INTRODUCTION: Little is known about the early events in the interaction between Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and its host. To understand the effect of carbohydrates in the interaction between the fungus and epithelial cell in culture, we analyzed the influence of different carbohydrate solutions on the adhesion of P. brasiliensis yeast cells to CCL-6 cells in culture. METHODS: Fungal cells were cultivated with the epithelial cell line, and different concentrations of D-fucose, N-acetyl-glucosamine, D-mannose, D-glucosamine, D-galactosamine, sorbitol and fructose were added at the beginning of the experiment. Six hours after the treatment, the cells were fixed and observed by light microscopy. The number of P. brasiliensis cells that were adhered to the CCL-6 monolayer was estimated. RESULTS: The number of adhesion events was diminished following treatments with D-fucose, N-acetyl-glucosamine, D-mannose, D-glucosamine and D-galactosamine as compared to the untreated controls. Sorbitol and fructose-treated cells had the same adhesion behavior as the observed in the control. P. brasiliensis propagules were treated with fluorescent lectins. The FITC-labeled lectins WGA and Con-A bound to P. brasiliensis yeast cells, while SBA and PNA did not. CONCLUSIONS: The perceptual of adhesion between P. brasiliensis and CCL-6 cells decreased with the use of D-mannose, N-acetyl-glucosamine and D-glucosamine. The assay using FITC-labeled lectins suggests the presence of N-acetyl-glucosamine, α-mannose and α-glucose on the P. brasiliensis cell surface. An enhanced knowledge of the mediators of adhesion on P. brasiliensis could be useful in the future for the development of more efficient and less harmful methods for disease treatment and control.

scholarly journals MicroRNA Expression and Intestinal Permeability in Children Living in a Slum Area of Bangladesh

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Humaira Rashid ◽  
Towfida J. Siddiqua ◽  
Biplob Hossain ◽  
Abdullah Siddique ◽  
Mamun Kabir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intestinal Permeability ◽  
Mirna Expression ◽  
Fold Change ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Expression Levels ◽  
Tnf Α ◽  
Stool Samples ◽  
Ifn Γ ◽  
Taqman Array

Introduction: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression. Changes in miRNA expression have been reported in a number of intestinal diseases, in both tissue samples and readily accessible specimens like stools. Pathogenic infections, diet, toxins, and other environmental factors are believed to influence miRNA expression. However, modulation of miRNAs in humans is yet to be thoroughly investigated. In this study, we examined the expression levels of two human miRNAs (miRNA-122 and miRNA-21) in stool samples of a group of Bangladeshi children who had an altered/increased intestinal permeability (IIP).Methods: Stool samples were collected from children with IIP (L:M > 0.09) and normal intestinal permeability (NIP) (L:M ≤ 0.09). Quantitative PCR was performed to quantify the levels of miRNA-122 and miR-21 in stools. Commercial ELISA kits were used to measure gut inflammatory markers Calprotectin and REG1B. Serum samples were tested using Human Bio-Plex Pro Assays to quantify IL-1β, IL-2, IL-5, IL-10, IL-13, IFN-γ, and TNF-α. Total nucleic acid extracted from stool specimens were used to determine gut pathogens using TaqMan Array Card (TAC) system real-time polymerase chain reaction.Results: The expression levels of miRNA-122 (fold change 11.6; p < 0.001, 95% CI: 6.14–11.01) and miR-21 (fold change 10; p < 0.001, 95% CI: 5.05–10.78) in stool were upregulated in children with IIP than in children with normal intestinal permeability (NIP). Significant correlations were observed between stool levels of miR-122 and miR-21 and the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-2, IFN-γ, and TNF-α (p < 0.05). Children with IIP were frequently infected with rotavirus, Campylobacter jejuni, Bacteroides fragilis, adenovirus, norovirus, astrovirus, and various Escherichia coli strains (ETEC_STh, ETEC_STp, EAEC_aaiC, EAEC_aatA) (p < 0.001). miR-122 significantly correlated with the fecal inflammatory biomarkers REG1B (p = 0.015) and Calprotectin (p = 0.030), however miR-21 did not show any correlation with these fecal biomarkers.

scholarly journals First report of Coleus blumei viroid 1 in commercial Coleus blumei in the United States

Plant Disease ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gardenia Orellana ◽  
Alexander V Karasev
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Leaf Tissue ◽  
The United States ◽  
Universal Primers ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Universal Primer ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
First Report ◽  
Specific Pcr ◽  
Coleus Blumei

Coleus scutellarioides (syn. Coleus blumei) is a widely grown evergreen ornamental plant valued for its highly decorative variegated leaves. Six viroids, named Coleus blumei viroid 1 to 6 (CbVd-1 to -6) have been identified in coleus plants in many countries of the world (Nie and Singh 2017), including Canada (Smith et al. 2018). However there have been no reports of Coleus blumei viroids occurring in the U.S.A. (Nie and Singh 2017). In April 2021, leaf tissue samples from 27 cultivars of C. blumei, one plant of each, were submitted to the University of Idaho laboratory from a commercial nursery located in Oregon to screen for the presence of viroids. The sampled plants were selected randomly and no symptoms were apparent in any of the samples. Total nucleic acids were extracted from each sample (Dellaporta et al. 1983) and used in reverse-transcription (RT)-PCR tests (Jiang et al. 2011) for the CbVd-1 and CbVd-5 with the universal primer pair CbVds-P1/P2, which amplifies the complete genome of all members in the genus Coleviroid (Jiang et al. 2011), and two additional primer pairs, CbVd1-F1/R1 and CbVd5-F1/R1, specific for CbVd-1 and CbVd-5, respectively (Smith et al. 2018). Five C. blumei plants (cvs Fire Mountain, Lovebird, Smokey Rose, Marrakesh, and Nutmeg) were positive for a coleviroid based on the observation of the single 250-nt band in the RT-PCR test with CbVds-P1/P2 primers. Two of these CbVd-1 positive plants (cvs Lovebird and Nutmeg) were also positive for CbVd-1 based on the presence of a single 150-nt band in the RT-PCR assay with CbVd1-F1/R1 primers. One plant (cv Jigsaw) was positive for CbVd-1, i.e. showing the 150-nt band in RT-PCR with CbVd1-F1/R1 primers, but did not show the ca. 250-bp band in RT-PCR with primers CbVds-P1/P2. None of the tested plants were positive for CbVd-5, either with the specific, or universal primers. All coleviroid- and CbVd-1-specific PCR products were sequenced directly using the Sanger methodology, and revealed whole genomes for five isolates of CbVd-1 from Oregon, U.S.A. The genomes of the five CbVd-1 isolates displayed 96.9-100% identity among each other and 96.0-100% identity to the CbVd-1 sequences available in GenBank. Because the sequences from cvs Lovebird, Marrakesh, and Nutmeg, were found 100% identical, one sequence was deposited in GenBank (MZ326145). Two other sequences, from cvs Fire Mountain and Smokey Rose, were deposited in the GenBank under accession numbers MZ326144 and MZ326146, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of CbVd-1 in the United States.

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