Genotype Analysis of Giardia Isolated from Asymptomatic Children in Northern Portugal

Abstract Background Schistosomiasis in non-immune travellers can cause acute schistosomiasis, a multi-systemic hypersensitivity reaction. Little is known regarding acute schistosomiasis in children. We describe acute schistosomiasis in paediatric travellers and compare them with adult travellers. Methods A retrospective study of paediatric travellers (0–18 years old) diagnosed with schistosomiasis at Sheba Medical Center. Patients’ findings are compared with those of adult travellers from the same travel groups. Results 18 children and 24 adults from five different trips to Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria and Laos were infected (90% of the exposed travellers). The median bathing time of the infected children was 30 minutes (interquartile range 15–30 minutes). The most common presentations were respiratory symptoms in 13 (72%), eosinophilia in 13 (72%) and fever in 11 (61%). Acute illness included a median of 2.5 symptoms. Three children required hospitalization and three were asymptomatic. Fatigue was significantly less common in children compared with similarly exposed adults (33% vs 71%, p = 0.03). Rates of hospitalization and steroid treatment were similar. The median eosinophil count in children was 1045 cells/μL (interquartile range 625–2575), lower than adults [2900 cells/μL (interquartile range 1170-4584)], p = 0.02. Conclusions Children may develop acute schistosomiasis following a short exposure to contaminated freshwater, demonstrating a high infection rate. Severity seems to be similar to adults, although children report fatigue less commonly and show lower eosinophil counts. Disease should be suspected in children with multi-systemic illness and in asymptomatic children with a relevant travel history.

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Evaluation of the Expression of CCR5 and CX3CR1 Receptors and Correlation with the Functionality of T Cells in Women infected with ZIKV during Pregnancy

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v13020191 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 191

Author(s):

Débora Familiar-Macedo ◽

Iury Amancio Paiva ◽

Jessica Badolato-Corrêa da Silva ◽

Fabiana Rabe de Carvalho ◽

Helver Gonçalves Dias ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Flow Cytometry ◽

T Cells ◽

Clinical Outcome ◽

Cell Responses ◽

Functional Assays ◽

Asymptomatic Children ◽

Cd107a Expression ◽

Congenital Zika Syndrome ◽

Ifn Γ

There have been reports of neurological abnormalities associated with the Zika virus (ZIKV), such as congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) in children born to mothers infected during pregnancy. We investigated how the immune response to ZIKV during pregnancy is primed and conduct a thorough evaluation of the inflammatory and cytotoxic profiles as well as the expression of CCR5 and CX3CR1. We compared the reactivity of T cells to ZIKV peptides in convalescent mothers infected during pregnancy. The child’s clinical outcome (i.e., born with or without CZS) was taken to be the variable. The cells were stimulated in vitro with ZIKV peptides and evaluated using the ELISPOT and flow cytometry assays. After in vitro stimulation with ZIKV peptides, we observed a tendency toward a higher Interferon gamma (IFN-γ)-producing T cell responses in mothers who had asymptomatic children and a higher CD107a expression in T cells in mothers who had children with CZS. We found a higher frequency of T cells expressing CD107a+ and co-expressing CX3CR1+CCR5+, which is much clearer in the T cells of mothers who had CZS children. We suggest that this differential profile influenced the clinical outcome of babies. These data need to be further investigated, including the evaluation of other ZIKV peptides and markers and functional assays.

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Genotype analysis by trait is a practical and efficient approach on discrimination of inbred lines and identification of papaya (Carica papaya L.) ideotypes for fruit quality

Euphytica ◽

10.1007/s10681-021-02850-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 217 (6) ◽

Author(s):

Josefa Grasiela Silva Santana ◽

Helaine Christine Cancela Ramos ◽

Daniel Pereira Miranda ◽

Renato Santa Catarina ◽

Julio Cesar Fiorio Vettorazzi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Carica Papaya ◽

Inbred Lines ◽

Efficient Approach ◽

Genotype Analysis

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The Efficacy of Anti-Arrhythmic Drugs in Children With Idiopathic Frequent Symptomatic or Asymptomatic Premature Ventricular Complexes With or Without Asymptomatic Ventricular Tachycardia: a Retrospective Multi-Center Study

Pediatric Cardiology ◽

10.1007/s00246-021-02556-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Robin A. Bertels ◽

Janneke A. E. Kammeraad ◽

Anna M. Zeelenberg ◽

Luc H. Filippini ◽

Ingmar Knobbe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ventricular Tachycardia ◽

Beta Blockers ◽

Control Group ◽

Premature Ventricular Complexes ◽

Percentage Points ◽

Asymptomatic Children ◽

Group A ◽

The Mean ◽

Multi Center Study ◽

Center Study

AbstractThe aim of the study is to compare the efficacy of flecainide, beta-blockers, sotalol, and verapamil in children with frequent PVCs, with or without asymptomatic VT. Frequent premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) and asymptomatic ventricular tachycardia (VT) in children with structurally normal hearts require anti-arrhythmic drug (AAD) therapy depending on the severity of symptoms or ventricular dysfunction; however, data on efficacy in children are scarce. Both symptomatic and asymptomatic children (≥ 1 year and < 18 years of age) with a PVC burden of 5% or more, with or without asymptomatic runs of VT, who had consecutive Holter recordings, were included in this retrospective multi-center study. The groups of patients receiving AAD therapy were compared to an untreated control group. A medication episode was defined as a timeframe in which the highest dosage at a fixed level of a single drug was used in a patient. A total of 35 children and 46 medication episodes were included, with an overall change in PVC burden on Holter of -4.4 percentage points, compared to -4.2 in the control group of 14 patients. The mean reduction in PVC burden was only significant in patients receiving flecainide (− 13.8 percentage points; N = 10; p = 0.032), compared to the control group and other groups receiving beta-blockers (− 1.7 percentage points; N = 18), sotalol (+ 1.0 percentage points; N = 7), or verapamil (− 3.9 percentage points; N = 11). The efficacy of anti-arrhythmic drug therapy on frequent PVCs or asymptomatic VTs in children is very limited. Only flecainide appears to be effective in lowering the PVC burden.

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