Treponema pallidum PCR with blood and cerebrospinal fluid of newborns exposed and not exposed to syphilis during pregnancy.

Introduction: Congenital syphilis (CS) has severe adverse outcomes, including abortion and death. Diagnosis of CS in asymptomatic newborns remains difficult. This study aims to evaluate an in-house polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood samples (BS) to identify T.

Human N-acetyltransferase 2 () gene variability in Brazilian populations from different geographical areas.

Several polymorphisms altering the activity have already been identified. The geographical distribution of variants has been extensively studied and has been demonstrated to vary significantly among different ethnic population. Here, we describe the genetic variability of human N-acetyltransferase 2 () gene and the predominant genotype-deduced acetylation profiles of Brazilians.

Genetic diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isoniazid monoresistant and multidrug-resistant in Rio Grande do Sul, a tuberculosis high-burden state in Brazil.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health problem in the world and Brazil is among the countries with the highest incidence and prevalence rates, and Rio Grande do Sul, a Brazilian state, occupy a prominent position. Multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-TB) further aggravates this scenario, making it more difficult to treat and control the disease. Isoniazid monoresistance (IMR) may increase the risk of progression to MDR-TB and treatment failure.

Multidrug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis of the Latin American Mediterranean Lineage, Wrongly Identified as Mycobacterium pinnipedii (Spoligotype International Type 863 [SIT863]), Causing Active Tuberculosis in South Brazil.

We recently detected the spoligotype patterns of strains of Mycobacterium pinnipedii, a species of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, in sputum samples from nine cases with pulmonary tuberculosis residing in Porto Alegre, South Brazil. Because this species is rarely encountered in humans, we further characterized these nine isolates by additional genotyping techniques, including 24-locus mycobacterial interspersed repetitive-unit-variable-number tandem-repeat (MIRU-VNTR) typing, verification of the loci TbD1, RD9, pks15/1, RD(Rio), and fbpC, the insertion of IS6110 at a site specific to the M. tuberculosis Latin American Mediterranean (LAM) lineage, and whole-genome sequencing.

Polymorphisms in CYP2E1, GSTM1 and GSTT1 and anti-tuberculosis drug-induced hepatotoxicity.

Anti-tuberculosis drug-induced hepatitis (ATD- induced hepatitis) has been linked to polymorphisms in genes encoding drug metabolizing enzymes. N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2), cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) and glutathione S-transferase (loci GSTM1 and GSTT1) are involved in the metabolism of isoniazid, the most toxic drug for the treatment of tuberculosis (TB). This study was designed to determine the frequency and to evaluate whether polymorphisms at CYP2E1, GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes are associated with drug response, as well as to identify clinical risk factors for ATD-induced hepatitis.

Use of FTA elute card impregnated with cervicovaginal sample directly into the amplification reaction increases the detection of human papillomavirus DNA.

This study aimed to evaluate the use of the FTA elute card(TM) impregnated with cervicovaginal sample directly in the PCR amplification for detection of HPV-DNA. The results were compared to a reference technique. This method was more efficient than the protocol indicated by the manufacturer, identifying 91.

Characteristics of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in southern Brazil.

A major threat to tuberculosis (TB) control programs is the emergence of drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains that cause TB that cannot be cured by standard anti-TB drug regimens. Because few data exist on MDR-TB in this region of the country, we performed an epidemiologic study that combined conventional and molecular analysis of MDR-TB cases from Rio Grande do Sul (RS) that were diagnosed in this period and included cases that were under treatment with second line drug schemes. Included were 121 MDR cases and sequencing of rpoB and katG showed that 106 (87.

Streptomycin resistance and lineage-specific polymorphisms in Mycobacterium tuberculosis gidB gene.

Mutations related to streptomycin resistance in the rpsL and rrs genes are well known and can explain about 70% of this phenotypic resistance. Recently, the gidB gene was found to be associated with low-level streptomycin resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Mutations in gidB have been reported with high frequency, and this gene appears to be very polymorphic, with frameshift and point mutations occurring in streptomycin-susceptible and streptomycin-resistant strains.

Detection of rifampin-resistant genotypes in Mycobacterium tuberculosis by reverse hybridization assay.

We used a colorimetric reverse dot blot hybridization (CRDH) assay to detect the presence of mutations in a specific region of the rpoB gene, associated with rifampin (RIF) resistance, in a panel of 156 DNAs extracted from 103 RIF-sensitive and 53 RIF-resistant cultures of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. When compared with the antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST), the sensitivity and specificity of the CRDH were 92.3% and 98.

In house reverse line hybridization assay for rapid detection of susceptibility to rifampicin in isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

We developed a Reverse Hybridization Assay (RHA) slightly modified from the Rifoligotyping assay and analyzed the presence of mutations in a specific region of rpoB gene in 157 isolates (90 rifampin-resistant and 67 rifampin sensitive) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from patients attended in South and Southeast region of Brazil. Comparing to standardized drug susceptibility testing results, the sensitivity and specificity of the RHA was respectively 93% (95% IC: 86.6%-97.

Mutations in katG, inhA, and ahpC genes of Brazilian isoniazid-resistant isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The presence of mutations in specific regions of the katG, inhA, and ahpC genes was analyzed with 69 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isoniazid-resistant isolates from three Brazilian states. Point mutations in codon 315 of the katG gene were observed in 87.1, 60.