Detection and sequencing of Zika virus in normocephalic newborns with congenital Zika infection.

Fourteen asymptomatic normocephalic newborns with confirmed congenital Zika infection were investigated. All newborns presented Zika virus (ZIKV) positivity on reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Following ZIKV-specific NS5 gene fragment sequencing in one child, phylogenetic analysis revealed that this isolate belonged to the Asian genotype, and clustered closely with other sequences previously isolated in north-east and northern regions of Brazil.

Safety evaluation of long-term temperature controlled whole-body thermal treatment in female Aachen minipig.

Thermal treatment (TT), defined as treatment using supra-physiological body temperatures (39-45 C), somewhat resembles fever in terms of temperature range, one of the first natural barriers for the body to fight exposure to external pathogens. Whole-body thermal treatment (WBTT) consists of heating up the complete body to a temperature range of 39 to 45 C. Despite the recognized therapeutic potential of hyperthermia, the broad clinical use of WBTT has been limited by safety issues related to medical devices and procedures used to achieve WBTT, in particular adequate control of the body temperature.

FindTargetsWEB: A User-Friendly Tool for Identification of Potential Therapeutic Targets in Metabolic Networks of Bacteria.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a serious public health problem. They can be associated with morbidity and mortality and are responsible for the increase in patient hospitalization. Antimicrobial resistance among pathogens causing HAI has increased at alarming levels.

Gene Expression Profile of High IFN-γ Producers Stimulated with Leishmania braziliensis Identifies Genes Associated with Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.

Background: The initial response to Leishmania parasites is essential in determining disease development or resistance. In vitro, a divergent response to Leishmania, characterized by high or low IFN-γ production has been described as a potential tool to predict both vaccine response and disease susceptibility in vivo.

Methods And Findings: We identified uninfected and healthy individuals that were shown to be either high- or low IFN-γ producers (HPs and LPs, respectively) following stimulation of peripheral blood cells with Leishmania braziliensis.

Functional transcriptomics of wild-caught Lutzomyia intermedia salivary glands: identification of a protective salivary protein against Leishmania braziliensis infection.

Background: Leishmania parasites are transmitted in the presence of sand fly saliva. Together with the parasite, the sand fly injects salivary components that change the environment at the feeding site. Mice immunized with Phlebotomus papatasi salivary gland (SG) homogenate are protected against Leishmania major infection, while immunity to Lutzomyia intermedia SG homogenate exacerbated experimental Leishmania braziliensis infection.

PLGA nanoparticles loaded with KMP-11 stimulate innate immunity and induce the killing of Leishmania.

Unlabelled: We recently demonstrated that immunization with polyester poly(lactide-co-glycolide acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles loaded with the 11-kDa Leishmania vaccine candidate kinetoplastid membrane protein 11 (KMP-11) significantly reduced parasite load in vivo. Presently, we explored the ability of the recombinant PLGA nanoparticles to stimulate innate responses in macrophages and the outcome of infection with Leishmania braziliensis in vitro. Incubation of macrophages with KMP-11-loaded PLGA nanoparticles significantly decreased parasite load.

Vaccination with L. infantum chagasi nucleosomal histones confers protection against new world cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania braziliensis.

Background: Nucleosomal histones are intracellular proteins that are highly conserved among Leishmania species. After parasite destruction or spontaneous lysis, exposure to these proteins elicits a strong host immune response. In the present study, we analyzed the protective capability of Leishmania infantum chagasi nucleosomal histones against L.

Towards development of novel immunization strategies against leishmaniasis using PLGA nanoparticles loaded with kinetoplastid membrane protein-11.

Background: Vaccine development has been a priority in the fight against leishmaniases, which are vector-borne diseases caused by Leishmania protozoa. Among the different immunization strategies employed to date is inoculation of plasmid DNA coding for parasite antigens, which has a demonstrated ability to induce humoral and cellular immune responses. In this sense, inoculation of plasmid DNA encoding Leishmania kinetoplasmid membrane protein-11 (KMP-11) was able to confer protection against visceral leishmaniasis.

Immunity to Lutzomyia intermedia saliva modulates the inflammatory environment induced by Leishmania braziliensis.

Background: During blood feeding, sand flies inject Leishmania parasites in the presence of saliva. The types and functions of cells present at the first host-parasite contact are critical to the outcome on infection and sand fly saliva has been shown to play an important role in this setting. Herein, we investigated the in vivo chemotactic effects of Lutzomyia intermedia saliva, the vector of Leishmania braziliensis, combined or not with the parasite.