SARS-CoV-2 intra-host diversity, antibody response, and disease severity after reinfection by the variant of concern Gamma in Brazil.

The rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern (VOC) Gamma in Amazonas during early 2021 fueled a second large COVID-19 epidemic wave and raised concern about the potential role of reinfections. Very few cases of reinfection associated with the VOC Gamma have been reported to date, and their potential impact on clinical, immunological, and virological parameters remains largely unexplored. Here we describe 25 cases of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection in Brazil.

Increased Serum Levels of Growth-Differentiation Factor 3 (GDF3) and Inflammasome-Related Markers in Pregnant Women during Acute Zika Virus Infection.

The systemic inflammatory response elicited by acute Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy plays a key role in the clinical outcomes in mothers and congenitally infected offspring. The present study aimed to evaluate the serum levels of GDF-3 and inflammasome-related markers in pregnant women during acute ZIKV infection. Serum samples from pregnant (n = 18) and non-pregnant (n = 22) women with acute ZIKV infection were assessed for NLRP3, IL-1β, IL-18, and GDF3 markers through an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Multifunctional T cell response in convalescent patients two years after ZIKV infection.

Zika is an important emerging infectious disease in which the role of T cells remains elusive. This study aimed to evaluate the phenotype of multifunctional T cells in individuals 2 yr after exposure to Zika virus (ZIKV). We used a library of 671 synthetic peptides covering the whole polyprotein of ZIKV in pools corresponding to each viral protein (i.

Oropouche virus detection in saliva and urine.

Oropouche virus (OROV) is an arthropod-borne virus of the Peribunyaviridae family, transmitted to humans primarily by Culicoides paraensis. It is one of the main arboviruses infecting humans in Brazil, primarily in the Amazon Region. Here, we report the detection of OROV in the saliva and urine of a patient whose samples were collected five days after the onset of symptoms.

Ascaris lumbricoides coinfection reduces tissue damage by decreasing IL-6 levels without altering clinical evolution of pulmonary tuberculosis or Th1/Th2/Th17 cytokine profile.

Introduction: Immunological control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is dependent on the cellular immune response, mediated predominantly by Th1 type CD4+ T cells. Polarization of the immune response to Th2 can inhibit the host immune protection against pathogens. Patients with tuberculosis coinfected with helminths demonstrate more severe pulmonary symptoms, a deficiency in the immune response against tuberculosis, and an impaired response to anti-tuberculosis therapy.

Analysis of the immunological biomarker profile during acute Zika virus infection reveals the overexpression of CXCL10, a chemokine linked to neuronal damage.

Background: Infection with Zika virus (ZIKV) manifests in a broad spectrum of disease ranging from mild illness to severe neurological complications and little is known about Zika immunopathogenesis.

Objectives: To define the immunologic biomarkers that correlate with acute ZIKV infection.

Methods: We characterized the levels of circulating cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors in 54 infected patients of both genders at five different time points after symptom onset using microbeads multiplex immunoassay; comparison to 100 age-matched controls was performed for statistical analysis and data mining.

Atrial fibrillation in a patient with Zika virus infection.

Background: Zika virus is an emerging arbovirus of the family Flaviviridae and genus Flavivirus that until 2007 was restricted to a few cases of mild illness in Africa and Asia.

Case Presentation: We report a case of atrial fibrillation disclosed during an acute Zika virus infection in a 49-year-old man. Different biological samples were analyzed for the molecular diagnosis of Zika by real-time PCR, however only the saliva specimen was positive.

Risk Factors for Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. bolletii infection after laparoscopic surgery during an outbreak in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE To identify risk factors related to Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. bolletii infection during an outbreak, associated with laparoscopic surgery and to propose recommendations for preventing new cases. DESIGN A retrospective cohort study.