Publications by authors named "Litierri R Garzon"

Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas disease, infecting the heart, intestines and liver tissues. There is growing evidence that oxidative stress, defined as a persistent imbalance between highly oxidative compounds and antioxidant defenses, is a marker of tissue inflammation; it is related to immune responses such as damage, as well as to strand breaks in DNA contributing to disease progression. Antioxidant agents help mitigate the damage caused by inflammation, preventing or slowing damage to cells caused by free radicals.

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Introduction: Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are a frequent cause of bacteremia, especially in neonates. The major virulence determinant in CoNS is the ability to produce biofilms, which is conferred by the icaADBC genes. This study aimed to assess different methods for the detection of biofilm formation in 176 CoNS isolates from blood cultures of newborns.

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It has been recognized that oxidative stress is implicated in the initiation and progression of diseases due to the excessive formation of free radicals and impairment of the antioxidant defense system, contributing to the mortality of affected animals. The occurrence of a disequilibrium between the antioxidant/oxidant status in serum and liver of freshwater fish fed with aflatoxin B (AFB) remains poorly understood and limited to only a few oxidant variables. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate whether an AFB-contaminated diet causes disturbance on the antioxidant and oxidant status in silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen) of freshwater.

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The spleen is an important secondary lymphatic organ that plays a key role in the immune and inflammatory responses of teleost fish. The purinergic signalling has been associated to these types of responses under pathological conditions by the regulation of extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and its metabolite adenosine (Ado), where both exert potent pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory profiles, respectively. The exact pathway involved on the immunotoxic effects of aflatoxin B (AFB) in fish fed with diets containing this mycotoxin remains poorly understood.

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Platelet Concentrates (PCs) are the blood components with the highest rate of bacterial contamination, and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are the most frequently isolated contaminants. This study investigated the biofilm formation of 16 contaminated units out of 691 PCs tested by phenotypic and genotypic methods. Adhesion in Borosilicate Tube (ABT) and Congo Red Agar (CRA) tests were used to assess the presence of biofilm.

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Context: Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome is an exfoliative skin disease. Reports of this syndrome in newborns caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus are rare but, when present, rapid diagnosis and treatment is required in order to decrease morbidity and mortality.

Case Report: A premature newly born girl weighing 1,520 g, born with a gestational age of 29 weeks and 4 days, developed staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome on the fifth day of life.

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