Zika Virus Infection in Pregnant Women and Microcephaly.

From the discovery of the Zika virus (ZIKV) in 1947 in Uganda (Africa), until its arrival in South America, it was not known that it would affect human reproductive life so severely. Today, damage to the central nervous system is known to be multiple, and microcephaly is considered the tip of the iceberg. Microcephaly actually represents the epilogue of this infection's devastating process on the central nervous system of embryos and fetuses.

Association between human papillomavirus and Epstein - Barr virus DNA and gene promoter methylation of RB1 and CDH1 in the cervical lesions: a transversal study.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) inactivates the retinoblastoma 1 (RB1) gene by promoter methylation and reduces cellular E-cadherin expression by overexpression of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1). The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is an oncogenic virus that may be related to cervical carcinogenesis. In gastric cancer, it has been demonstrated that E-cadherin gene (CDH1) hypermethylation is associated with DNMT1 overexpression by EBV infection.

An upward trend in DNA p16ink4a methylation pattern and high risk HPV infection according to the severity of the cervical lesion.

High-risk human papillomavirus (hr-HPV) infection is necessary but not sufficient for cervical cancer development. Recently, P16INK4A gene silencing through hypermethylation has been proposed as an important cofactor in cervical carcinogenesis due to its tumor suppressor function. We aimed to investigate P16INK4A methylation status in normal and neoplastic epithelia and evaluate an association with HPV infection and genotype.

Organochlorine compound levels in fertile and infertile women from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Objective: The aim of the study was quantify organochlorine compounds in women seeking for infertility treatment (n = 15) and in spontaneously pregnant ones (n = 21).

Materials And Methods: A questionnaire was applied regarding lifestyle, occupational and reproductive history. Blood samples were collected from both groups.

Metalloproteinases 2 and 9 and their tissue inhibitors 1 and 2 are increased in vulvar lichen sclerosus.

Objectives: To evaluate the expression of different matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in vulvar lichen sclerosus (LS), a chronic dermatosis in women, histologically characterized by a zone of collagen remodeling in the superior dermis.

Study Design: Analysis of the expression of different MMPs (MMP-1, -2, -9 and -13) and TIMPs (TIMP-1 and -2) by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in vulvar biopsies from patients with LS (n=11), classified according to Hewitt histological criteria and compared with clinically normal vulvar tissue (n=5), and the immunohistochemistry of MMP-2 and -9 and TIMP-1 and -2 distribution in the remodeling zone of LS (n=31) and in clinically normal vulvar tissue (n=28).

Results: Although no statistically significant difference between LS and normal skin groups at the mRNA level of MMP and TIMP transcripts was shown, an increase in the immunodistribution of MMP-2 and -9 and TIMP-1 and -2 in LS compared to normal vulvar skin was observed.

Chronic hidradenitis suppurativa and perianal mucinous adenocarcinoma. A case report.

Background: Hidradenitis is a chronic and suppurative inflammation of the apocrine sudoriparous glands. When located in the genital and perianal regions, it may be associated with cancer. This is the first case report of hidradenitis suppurativa in the vulvar region associated with perianal mucinous adenocarcinoma.

Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia p53 expression, p53 gene mutation and HPV in recurrent/progressive cases.

Objective: To evaluate p53 protein overexpression and p53 gene mutation in primary and recurrent undifferentiated vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN), establishing the recurrence and progression rates, median time interval, and sites of the initial lesion and first recurrence, addressing the relationship with HPV infection.

Study Design: Twenty women with undifferentiated VIN treated with wide surgical excision were followed every 6 months for 7 years and divided into groups with and without recurrence/progression. p53 Protein was detected in paraffin sections using the monoclonal p53 antibody.