Infectious etiology and indicators of malabsorption or intestinal injury in childhood diarrhea.

Introduction: The multifactorial etiology of gastroenteritis emphasizes the need for different laboratory methods to identify or exclude infectious agents and evaluate the severity of diarrheal disease.

Objective: To diagnose the infectious etiology in diarrheic children and to evaluate some fecal markers associated with intestinal integrity.

Materials And Methods: The study group comprised 45 children with diarrheal disease, tested for enteropathogens and malabsorption markers, and 76 children whose feces were used for fat evaluation by the traditional and acid steatocrit tests.

Cryptosporidium diagnosis in different groups of children and characterization of parasite species.

Background: Microscopy and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) are routinely used for Cryptosporidium diagnosis, without differentiating the parasite species.

Methods: Children's feces were analyzed by modified Ziehl-Neelsen (mZN) and ELISA for Cryptosporidium diagnosis and by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism for species identification.

Results: Cryptosporidium frequency was 2.

Specific IgG and IgA Antibody Reactivities in Sera of Children by Enzyme-Linked Immunoassay and Comparison With Giardia duodenalis Diagnosis in Feces.

Background: Giardia duodenalis is conventionally diagnosed in fecal samples using parasitological methods. However, sensitivity is poor when only a single sample is analyzed, due to intermittent excretion of cysts in feces. Alternatively, the serum antibodies to G.

Eglerisine, a Novel Sesquiterpenoid Tropolone from Dulacia egleri with Antiproliferative Effect against an Acute Myeloid Leukemia Lineage.

Chemical investigation of the stems of resulted in the isolation of eglerisine (1: ), a compound with a rare sesquiterpenoid tropolone skeleton. Its structure was determined by analysis of spectrometric and spectroscopic data, including HRESIMS, 1D, and 2D NMR. The antiproliferative effects of eglerisine were tested in human leukemia lineages.

4'-Hydroxy-6,7-methylenedioxy-3-methoxyflavone: A novel flavonoid from Dulacia egleri with potential inhibitory activity against cathepsins B and L.

A new flavone, 4'-hydroxy-6,7-methylenedioxy-3-methoxyflavone 1, and two other nucleosides, ribavirin 2 and adenosine 3, were isolated from the leaves of Dulacia egleri. The nucleosides were identified by spectroscopic techniques (1D, 2D-NMR) while the structure of the flavonoid was established by 1D, 2D-NMR analysis, including HRESIMS data. The results obtained in the biological assays showed that the compound 1 was able to inhibit cathepsins B and L with IC of 14.

Milk protein-based formulas containing different oils affect fatty acids balance in term infants: A randomized blinded crossover clinical trial.

Background: Palm olein is used in infant formula fat blends in order to match the fatty acid profile of human milk. While the effects on fatty acid balance have been evaluated, the use of palm olein in combination with palm kernel oil and supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) has not been similarly assessed in infants. This study evaluated the effects of infant formulas containing different fat compositions on the balance of fat, fatty acids, and calcium.

Performance of microscopy and ELISA for diagnosing Giardia duodenalis infection in different pediatric groups.

Techniques for Giardia diagnosis based on microscopy are usually applied as routine laboratory testing; however, they typically exhibit low sensitivity. This study aimed to evaluate Giardia duodenalis and other intestinal parasitic infections in different pediatric groups, with an emphasis on the comparison of Giardia diagnostic techniques. Feces from 824 children from different groups (diarrheic, malnourished, with cancer and from day care) were examined by microscopy and ELISA for Giardia, Cryptosporidium sp.

Normal Growth of Healthy Infants Born from HIV+ Mothers Fed a Reduced Protein Infant Formula Containing the Prebiotics Galacto-Oligosaccharides and Fructo-Oligosaccharides: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the safety of a new reduced protein (2.1 g/100 kcal) infant formula containing 4 g/L of 90% galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) and 10% fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS).

Methods: Healthy term infants from Brazil were enrolled.

Segmental absence of intestinal musculature -presentation in a 10-year-old boy with an extensive involved segment.

Segmental absence of the intestinal musculature is a rare cause of acute abdomen most likely associated with intestinal perforation and sepsis in neonates and adults. We present a case of a 10-year-old boy who developed acute abdomen and was treated with right hemicolectomy and partial resection of the ileum. The ileum showed a 20-cm-long stenotic segment showing prominent thinning of the intestinal wall.

Calcium and fat metabolic balance, and gastrointestinal tolerance in term infants fed milk-based formulas with and without palm olein and palm kernel oils: a randomized blinded crossover study.

Background: Effects of palm olein (POL) on calcium and fat metabolic balance and gastrointestinal (GI) tolerance have been clinically evaluated but its use in combination with palm kernel oil (PKO), and canola oil has not been similarly assessed in infants.

Methods: Calcium and fat balance and GI tolerance were evaluated in 33 healthy term infants (age = 68-159 d) in a randomized, double-blinded, 14 d crossover trial at a day care center in Salvador, Brazil; followed by a 4d hospital ward metabolic balance study in 17 of the male subjects. The study compared two commercially available milk-based powdered formulas in Brazil; one containing POL (44% of total fat), PKO (21.

Zinc and other micronutrients supplementation through the use of sprinkles: impact on the occurrence of diarrhea and respiratory infections in institutionalized children.

Objective: To evaluate the incidence of diarrheal disease (DD) and acute respiratory infection (ARI) in children undergoing supplementation of zinc and other micronutrients through the use of sprinkles, as well as their acceptance by these patients.

Method: This was a randomized double-blinded clinical trial of 143 healthy institutionalized children, aged 6 to 48 months. They were randomized into two groups and received daily zinc and micronutrients - test group (sprinkles), or micronutrients without zinc - control group.

Cosavirus infection in persons with and without gastroenteritis, Brazil.

To determine possible cosavirus association with clinical disease, we used real-time reverse transcription PCR to test children and HIV-positive adults in Brazil with and without gastroenteritis. Thirteen (3.6%) of 359 children with gastroenteritis tested positive, as did 69 (33.

Stool pattern changes in toddlers consuming a follow-on formula supplemented with polydextrose and galactooligosaccharides.

Healthy 9- to 48-month-old children (n = 133) were randomized to receive a cow's-milk-based follow-on formula (control) or the same formula with polydextrose and galactooligosaccharides (PDX/GOS) for 108 days. Pediatricians assessed diarrheal disease, stool pattern, acute respiratory infection, systemic antibiotic use, and growth. The 2 groups had similar weight-for-length/height z score and similar odds of having diarrheal disease, acute respiratory infection, and systemic antibiotic use; however, PDX/GOS had greater odds of increased defecation than control (P ≤ 0.

Leishmanicidal effect of Spiranthera odoratíssima (Rutaceae) and its isolated alkaloid skimmianine occurs by a nitric oxide dependent mechanism.

Leishmaniasis is one of the neglected diseases. High cost, systemic toxicity, and diminished efficacy due to development of resistance by the parasites has a negative impact on the current treatment options. Thus, the search for a new, effective and safer anti-leishmanial drug becomes of paramount importance.

Full genome sequence analysis of parechoviruses from Brazil reveals geographical patterns in the evolution of non-structural genes and intratypic recombination in the capsid region.

Due to high genome plasticity, the evolutionary fate and geographical history of picornaviruses is hard to follow. Here, we determined the complete coding sequences of eight human parechoviruses (HPeV) of types 1, 5 and 6 directly from clinical samples from Brazil. The capsid genes of these strains were not remarkably different from European, North American and Japanese HPeV.

Genomic features and evolutionary constraints in Saffold-like cardioviruses.

This study identified the complete genomic sequence of four type 2 and type 3 human Saffold-like cardioviruses (SLCVs) isolated in Germany and Brazil. The secondary structures of the SLCV internal ribosome entry sites (IRESs) were deduced based on RNA base-pairing conservation and co-variation, using an established Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) IRES structure as a reference. The SLCV IRES was highly similar to that of TMEV, but motifs critical in TMEV for binding of the polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTB) were disrupted.

Comparison of yogurt, soybean, casein, and amino acid-based diets in children with persistent diarrhea.

Although previous studies have shown successful treatment of persistent diarrhea (PD) with the use of yogurt-based diets, some recent ones speculate the need of special formulas for the nutritional management of PD complicated cases. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that the consumption of 3 lactose-free diets, with different degrees of complexity, is associated with lower stool output and shorter duration of diarrhea when compared with the use of a yogurt-based one on the nutritional management of PD. A total of 154 male infants, aged between 1 and 30 months, with PD and with or without dehydration, were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatment groups.

Circulation of 3 lineages of a novel Saffold cardiovirus in humans.

Cardioviruses cause serious disease, mainly in rodents, including diabetes, myocarditis, encephalomyelitis, and multiple sclerosis-like disseminated encephalomyelitis. Recently, a human virus isolate obtained 25 years ago, termed Saffold virus, was sequenced and classified as a cardiovirus. We conducted systematic molecular screening for Saffold-like viruses in 844 fecal samples from patients with gastroenteritis from Germany and Brazil, across all age groups.

Seroconversion of hepatitis B vaccine in infants related to the mother's serostatus in a community of São José dos Campos, state of São Paulo, Brazil.

Purpose: To detect seroconversion of hepatitis B vaccine and antibody waning 3 years after vaccination in children immunized according to the World Health Organization schedule and its relationship to the mother's serostatus during pregnancy.

Methods: A serological study was carried out in São José dos Campos. Blood samples from pregnant women were taken for hepatitis B marker serology.

Controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical trial to evaluate the impact of fruit juice consumption on the evolution of infants with acute diarrhea.

In order to assess the effects of juice feedings during acute diarrhea a double-blind, randomized study was performed in 90 children, mean age of 10 +/- 4.28 months. Thirty patients with acute diarrhea were fed twice-daily 15 ml/kg of Apple Juice (AJ), 30 received White Grape Juice (WGJ), and 30 were given colored and flavored water (WA) as part of their age appropriate dietary intake.

Limitations of probiotic therapy in acute, severe dehydrating diarrhea.

Background: Recent studies have shown that probiotics, most commonly, may be useful in treating acute gastroenteritis. However, beneficial effects appear to be limited to a modest decrease in the duration of diarrhea. No studies have evaluated this therapy in moderate to severe dehydrating diarrhea in a metabolic facility.