Publications by authors named "Annette Silva Foronda"
Acanthamoeba keratitis is a sight-threatening infectious disease. Resistance of the cystic form of the protozoan to biocides and the potential toxicity of chemical compounds to corneal cells are the main concerns related to long-term treatment with the clinically available ophthalmic drugs. Currently, a limited number of recognized antimicrobial agents are available to treat ocular amoebic infections.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Proteolytic enzymes secreted by trophozoites (amoebic secretome) are suggested as the main virulence factor involved in the severity of Acanthamoeba keratitis. The degradation profile of the main glycoprotein components of anterior and posterior portions of the cornea and the cytopathic effect of secretomes on endothelial cells by contact-independent mechanism were evaluated.
Methods: Trophozoites were isolated primarily from corneal tissue samples (n = 11) and extracellular proteins were collected from axenic cell culture supernatants.
Purpose: To assess dose- and concentration-dependent rates of biguanides on the viability of Acanthamoeba cysts isolated from severe ulcerative keratitis, and to correlate cysticidal activites with cytotoxic profiles in corneal and endothelial cells.
Methods: Cysticidal activities of polyhexamethylene biguanide and chlorhexidine digluconate were evaluated in the Acanthamoeba castellanii strain and clinical isolates of Acanthamoeba spp obtained from two severe and recurrent cases of ulcerative keratitis. The molecular characterization of protozoa used in the experimental assays was performed by sequencing reactions of the 18S rDNA gene.