Publications by authors named "Natalia Rocha Guimaraes"
Article Synopsis
- - A 7-year-old child developed dengue symptoms after receiving the Qdenga vaccine, with initial tests showing negative results but later confirming a DENV4 infection.
- - Advanced sequencing techniques revealed the presence of viral RNA from both DENV2 and DENV4, identified as strains derived from the vaccine rather than wild-type viruses.
- - This case highlights the importance of accurate diagnostic practices in vaccinated individuals, emphasizing the need for better understanding of vaccine-induced viremia to enhance dengue surveillance and public health strategies.
Article Synopsis
- - Brazil experienced significant COVID-19 impact, highlighted by high death tolls and four main peaks of cases, with the last two waves driven by the emergence of the Omicron variant and its sublineages BA.1, BA.2, BA.4, and BA.5.
- - A study analyzed virus samples from 15 health units in Minas Gerais, revealing that BA.1 and BA.2 were most common in the third wave, while BA.4 and BA.5 dominated the fourth.
- - Findings indicate that vaccination, especially booster doses, played a crucial role in reducing deaths, and the study confirmed the introduction of Omicron subvariants through multiple international cases with continued local transmission.
Acute febrile illness (AFI) and severe neurological disorders (SNDs) often present diagnostic challenges due to their potential origins from a wide range of infectious agents. Nanopore metagenomics is emerging as a powerful tool for identifying the microorganisms potentially responsible for these undiagnosed clinical cases. In this study, we aim to shed light on the etiological agents underlying AFI and SND cases that conventional diagnostic methods have not been able to fully elucidate.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) presents global health challenges, with Brazil experiencing outbreaks since its introduction in 2014. In 2023, following a CHIKV outbreak in Minas Gerais (MG), social media was used to optimize an entomological survey aimed at identifying vectors and viral lineages and assessing insecticide resistance. Following Instagram posts, residents with suspected CHIKV infection were able to schedule mosquito aspirations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnlabelled: The monkeypox virus (MPXV) outbreak, primarily endemic to Africa, has spread globally, with Brazil reporting the second-highest number of cases. The emergence of MPXV in non-endemic areas has raised concerns, particularly due to the co-circulation of other exanthematous viruses such as varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and molluscum contagiosum virus (MOCV). To perform an accurate differential diagnosis of MPXV during the ongoing outbreak in Minas Gerais, Brazil, a 5PLEX qPCR assay targeting orthopoxviruses (OPV), VZV, and MOCV was used to retrospectively analyze all clinical samples that tested negative for MPXV in the initial screening conducted at Funed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- * Researchers utilized phylogenetic and epidemiological models to map YFV transmission patterns over different epidemic seasons and identified areas of high infection risk linked to low vaccination rates in major urban centers.
- * By analyzing the genomic data, the study revealed three distinct YFV lineages and demonstrated the connectivity between the endemic North and the extra-Amazonian region, suggesting that genomics combined with eco-epidemiology can enhance understanding and strategies for controlling the virus.
Article Synopsis
- The COVID-19 pandemic and new variants of SARS-CoV-2 have significant global health impacts, highlighting the need for effective monitoring strategies.
- This study investigates the use of high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis paired with one-step real-time reverse transcription PCR as a rapid method to detect SARS-CoV-2 mutations that may affect interactions with hosts.
- HRM analysis successfully distinguished various SARS-CoV-2 variants and shows promise for enhancing genomic surveillance, allowing for more targeted and timely whole genome sequencing of new strains.
Monitoring the Establishment of VOC Gamma in Minas Gerais, Brazil: A Retrospective Epidemiological and Genomic Surveillance Study.
Viruses
December 2022
Article Synopsis
- The Gamma variant of COVID-19, first identified in Brazil, has been linked to higher infection rates, hospitalizations, and fatalities, especially during a surge in Minas Gerais in March-April 2021.
- A surveillance study analyzed 1,240 COVID-19-positive samples across 305 municipalities, finding that Gamma was the most prevalent variant (71.2%), followed by Zeta (12.4%) and Alpha (9.6%).
- The study emphasizes the necessity of vaccination to mitigate severe cases and deaths, noting no significant mortality differences among the different variants identified.
The biological activity of antimicrobial peptides and proteins is closely related to their structural aspects and is sensitive to certain post-translational modifications such as glycosylation, lipidation and PEGylation. However, PEGylation of protein and peptide drugs has expanded in recent years due to the reduction of their toxicity. Due to their size, the PEGylation process can either preserve or compromise the overall structure of these biopolymers and their biological properties.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Brazil has experienced high COVID-19 cases and deaths, making Latin America a major pandemic epicenter, with early sustained virus transmission and ongoing gaps in understanding.
- Researchers analyzed over 17,000 near-complete SARS-CoV-2 genomes from across Brazil and Paraguay, finding multiple viral lineages predominantly imported from Europe before local transmission clusters emerged after November 2020.
- Effective genomic surveillance has been crucial in tracking the real-time spread of significant variants, such as Gamma (P.1) and Zeta (P.2), and understanding cross-border virus movement into Paraguay.
Article Synopsis
- - Brazil became a major COVID-19 epicenter in Latin America by May 2021, experiencing high transmission rates and deaths, but gaps remain in understanding how the virus spreads nationally.
- - The study analyzes nearly complete SARS-CoV-2 genomes from Brazil and Paraguay, revealing that the initial wave was marked by multiple imported viral lineages mainly from Europe, leading to significant local transmission clusters.
- - As the pandemic progressed without effective restrictions, Brazil saw the emergence and spread of concerning variants like Gamma and Zeta, highlighting the need for extensive genomic surveillance in South America for better pandemic management and public health strategies.
Exploring the Potential of CRISPR-Cas9 Under Challenging Conditions: Facing High-Copy Plasmids and Counteracting Beta-Lactam Resistance in Clinical Strains of .
Front Microbiol
April 2020
The antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis urgently requires countermeasures for reducing the dissemination of plasmid-borne resistance genes. Of particular concern are opportunistic pathogens of . One innovative approach is the CRISPR-Cas9 system which has recently been used for plasmid curing in defined strains of .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFResinous adhesive systems differentially affect the expression of cytokines by human monocytes stimulated or not with Streptococcus mutans in vitro.
Arch Oral Biol
March 2020
Objectives: The polymerization of adhesive systems is incomplete and the residual monomers that have been released have a cytotoxic capacity. Some teeth develop into pulp necrosis after composite resin restorations. Considering frequent pulpal inflammation in response to cariogenic bacteria, substances released from the patches could affect the cells of the inflammatory infiltrate and interfere with the mechanisms of defense against microorganisms and protection of pulpal tissue.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: to evaluate the potential contamination of enzymatic detergent from its reuse and to identify the microbiological profile in the solution used to clean gastrointestinal endoscopic devices.
Method: cross-sectional study based on microbiological analysis of 76 aliquots of 19 different enzymatic detergent solutions used to clean endoscopic devices. The aliquots were homogenized, subjected to Millipore® 0.
Effectiveness of manual versus automated cleaning on Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm removal from the surface of surgical instruments.
Am J Infect Control
March 2020
Background: Biofilm removal is a challenge during surgical instrument processing. We analyzed the time required for Staphylococcus epidermidis to form biofilms on surgical instruments, and how cleaning methods removed them.
Methods: Different areas (ratchet, shank, and jaw) of straight crile forceps were contaminated by soaking in Tryptic Soy Broth containing 10 colony forming units (CFU)/mL of S epidermidis for 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 hours.