Coupling ELISA to smartphones for POCT of chronic and congenital Chagas disease.

Chagas disease (CD) affects about 7 million people worldwide, presents a large prevalence in Latin America, and is growing in the rest of the world, where congenital CD is the main mode of transmission. Point-of-care testing (POCT) methods are increasingly required to ease early diagnostics and increase treatment success. This work presents the development and validation of a smartphone-integrated ELISA-based POCT system for the detection of both chronic and congenital CD.

Evaluation of the efficacy of polymeric antigen BLSOmp31 formulated in a new cage-like particle adjuvant (ISPA) administered by parenteral or mucosal routes against Brucella ovis in BALB/c mice.

Brucella ovis is an economically important cause of epididymitis in rams worldwide. Polymeric BLSOmp31 was previously identified as a protective immunogen against this pathogen. In this study, BLSOmp31 was formulated with a modified version of ISCOMATRIX adjuvant called ISPA (BLSOmp31/ISPA) and was administered in BALB/C by the subcutaneous and ocular route.

Functional Autoreactive Anti-β2 Adrenergic Antibodies May Contribute to Insulin Resistance Profile in Patients with Chronic Chagas Disease.

Potential activation of β2 adrenergic receptors (β2AR) by specific autoreactive antibodies (Abs) that arise during the host reaction to , could contribute to the elevated prevalence of metabolic disturbances described in patients with chronic Chagas disease (CCD). This study aimed to determine the prevalence of anti-β2AR Abs in patients with CCD, as well as the correlation of these Abs with the presence of glucose and lipid metabolism disturbances, in order to explore their association with an insulin resistance profile. Additionally, we tested the functional effects of anti-β2AR Abs employing an in vitro bioassay with neuroendocrine cells expressing β2AR.

Survey of potential factors involved in the low frequency of CP5 and CP8 expression in Staphylococcus aureus isolates from mastitis of dairy cattle from Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay.

Staphylococcus aureus produces capsular polysaccharides (CPs) both in vivo and under defined culture conditions being serotypes 5 and 8 the most prevalent. S. aureus isolates that fail to produce CP5 or CP8 are defined as non-typeable (NT).

Development and assessment of a new cage-like particle adjuvant.

Objectives: To obtain and assess stable cage-like particles with low surface charge density, which can be prepared using a standardized, economic and scalable method.

Methods: To form these nanoparticles, the lipid composition and proportion as well the method were modified in relation to cage-like particles previously described elsewhere. Bovine albumin was used to compare ISPA performance with that of other adjuvants in mice and to assess stability.

Antibody profiles induced by Trypanosoma cruzi in chagasic patients with previous or current exposure to mycobacteria.

Since the immune response mounted by the host to a particular microorganism might be influenced by the acquired immunological experience due to previous contact with other microorganisms, we performed a cross-sectional study to explore the pattern of Trypanosoma cruzi infection-related antibodies in T. cruzi-seropositive individuals presenting concomitant tuberculosis, or the antecedent of BCG vaccination. Sampled individuals were grouped as follows: patients with Chagas disease, not vaccinated with BCG, who further developed pulmonary tuberculosis; individuals with Chagas disease, BCG-vaccinated; and subjects with Chagas disease, presenting neither BCG scar nor tuberculosis disease.

Efficacy of a trans-sialidase-ISCOMATRIX subunit vaccine candidate to protect against experimental Chagas disease.

Recombinant protein vaccines are safe but elicit low immunological responses. The new generation of adjuvants is currently reversing this situation. Here, a new antigen-adjuvant combination for protection against experimental Chagas disease was assessed.

Preparation and characterization of a Staphylococcus aureus capsular polysaccharide-protein conjugate prepared by a low cost technique: a proof-of-concept study.

Staphylococcus aureus is a worldwide distributed pathogen that produces several diseases in many species and is the major cause of mastitis in dairy cows. S. aureus capsular polysaccharide 5 (CP5) has been widely proposed as a vaccine candidate since it is expressed in a high proportion of isolates from intramammary infections and is able to induce opsonophagocytic antibodies.

Decreased level of antibodies and cardiac involvement in patients with chronic Chagas heart disease vaccinated with BCG.

Studies indicate that Trypanosoma cruzi is capable of inducing immunological disturbances such as decreased expression of molecules involved in T-cell survival and costimulation for antigen-driven T-cell responses. On the other hand, several reports have described that BCG vaccination induces a T-helper 1-type immune response with protective effects in different pathologies. In this regard, we evaluated whether BCG vaccination coexists with a better clinical and immunological profile of chronic Chagas heart disease (CCHD).

Favorably orienting recombinant proteins to develop amperometric biosensors to diagnose Chagas' disease.

Clinical immunoassays often display suitable sensitivity but some lack of specificity or vice versa. As a trade-off between specificity improvement and sensitivity loss, biosensors were designed to perform indirect immunoassays with amperometric detection using tailor-made chimeric receptors to react with the analyte, specific anti-Trypanosoma cruzi immunoglobulin G (IgG). Recombinant chimeras were designed to favor their oriented covalent attachment.