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prevalence and seroprevalence of trypanosoma cruzi infection in a military population in texas.recent biosurveillance findings at joint base san antonio (jbsa), a large military installation located in south-central texas, indicate the potential for vector-borne human chagas disease. a cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence and seroprevalence of trypanosoma cruzi infection in highest risk subpopulations on the installation, including students and instructors who work and sleep in triatomine-endemic field settings. real-time polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked ...201728820695
lack of efficacy of liposomal amphotericin b against acute and chronic trypanosoma cruzi infection in mice.acute and chronic infection with trypanosoma cruzi affects millions of people. the current therapeutic options are highly toxic and often not effective. liposomal amphotericin b (laboratory) has been demonstrated previously to have some activity in murine models. in our studies, higher dosages given multiple times were tested for activity against acute or chronic disease, exploring whether intermittent and brief regimens could be effective, as might then prove useful in human, particularly outpa ...201728820684
wild populations of triatoma infestans: compilation of positive sites and comparison of their ecological niche with domestic population niche.for several years, the wild populations of triatoma infestans, main vector of trypanosoma cruzi causing chagas disease, have been considered or suspected of being a source of reinfestation of villages. the number of sites reported for the presence of wild t. infestans, often close to human habitats, has greatly increased, but these data are scattered in several publications, and others obtained by our team in bolivia have not been published yet.201728818626
increased body exposure to new anti-trypanosomal through nanoencapsulation.lychnopholide, a lipophilic sesquiterpene lactone, is efficacious in mice at the acute and chronic phases of chagas disease. conventional poly-ε-caprolactone (pcl) and long-circulating poly(d,l-lactide)-block-polyethylene glycol (pla-peg) nanocapsules containing lychnopholide were developed and characterized. lychnopholide presented high association efficiency (>90%) with the nanocapsules. a new, fast and simple hplc-uv-based bioanalytical method was developed, validated in mouse plasma and appl ...201728814794
first records of triatoma rubrofasciata (de geer, 1773) (hemiptera, reduviidae) in foshan, guangdong province, southern china.triatomines, also known as kissing bugs, which are found throughout the world and especially in latin america, are well known natural vectors that transmit american trypanosomiasis, also called chagas disease. in china, the presence of two species of triatoma (triatoma rubrofasciata and t. sinica) was recorded in the past. due to the growing population and the increasing risk of the global spread of chagas disease, triatomines became a potential public health nuisance, and in 2016, we started mo ...201728807005
correlation of 6-minute walk test with left ventricular function and quality of life in heart failure due to chagas disease.to evaluate the correlation of the total distance walked during the six-minute walk test (6-mwt) with left ventricular function and quality of life in patients with chagas disease (chd) complicated by heart failure.201728805026
growth arrest and morphological changes triggered by emodin on trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes cultivated in axenic medium.emodin is an anthraquinone obtained from rheum palmatum rootstocks. here we tested the cytotoxic effects of emodin on trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes, as well as the morphological changes that were induced by this compound in the parasite. emodin was permeable and blocked in vitro cell division of t. cruzi epimastigotes in axenic medium, causing growth arrest in a dose-dependent but reversible manner. emodin-exposed epimastigotes underwent duplication of organelles, such as the nucleus, kinetopl ...201728803999
the trypomastigote small surface antigen (tssa) regulates trypanosoma cruzi infectivity and differentiation.tssa (trypomastigote small surface antigen) is an antigenic, adhesion molecule displayed on the surface of trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigotes. tssa displays substantial sequence identity to members of the tcmuc gene family, which code for the trypomastigote mucins (tgpi-mucins). in addition, tssa bears sequence polymorphisms among parasite strains; and two tssa variants expressed as recombinant molecules (termed tssa-cl and tssa-sy) were shown to exhibit contrasting features in their host cell bi ...201728800609
structure-based approaches targeting parasite cysteine proteases.cysteine proteases are essential hydrolytic enzymes present in the majority of organisms, including viruses and unicellular parasites. despite the high sequence identity displayed among these proteins, specific structural features across different species grant distinct functions to these biomolecules, frequently related to pathological conditions. consequently, their relevance as promising targets for potential specific inhibitors has been highlighted and occasionally validated in recent decade ...201728799498
development of a pharmacophore for cruzain using oxadiazoles as virtual molecular probes: quantitative structure-activity relationship studies.chagas's is a neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoan parasite trypanosoma cruzi. according to the world health organization, 7 million people are infected worldwide leading to 7000 deaths per year. drugs available, nifurtimox and benzimidazole, are limited due to low efficacy and high toxicity. as a validated target, cruzain represents a major front in drug discovery attempts for chagas disease. herein, we describe the development of 2d qsar ([formula: see text] = 0.81) and a 3d-qsar ...201728795372
enveloped and non-enveloped viral-like particles in trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes.electron microscopy is routinely used to identify viral infections in protozoan parasites. these viruses have been described as non-enveloped and icosahedral structures with a diameter of 30-60 nm. most of them are classified within the non-segmented dsrna totiviridae family. we observed virus-like particles (vlps) through transmission electron microscopy in the cytoplasm of trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes grown in cultures. clusters of electrodense enveloped vlps having a diameter of 48 nm were ...201728793017
widespread trypanosoma cruzi infection in government working dogs along the texas-mexico border: discordant serology, parasite genotyping and associated vectors.chagas disease, caused by the vector-borne protozoan trypanosoma cruzi, is increasingly recognized in the southern u.s. government-owned working dogs along the texas-mexico border could be at heightened risk due to prolonged exposure outdoors in habitats with high densities of vectors. we quantified working dog exposure to t. cruzi, characterized parasite strains, and analyzed associated triatomine vectors along the texas-mexico border.201728787451
draft genome sequence of an aminoglycoside-resistant rmtd-2-producing enterobacter cloacae subsp. cloacae (st)395 in brazil.enterobacter cloacae has recently emerged as an important agent of nosocomial infections, due to the diffusion of extended spectrum β-lactamases and carbapenemases in this species. in this context, a raise in the use of aminoglycosides for therapy was noticed, being followed by the accelerated development of resistance mechanisms. in this study, we report the draft genome sequence of a multidrug-resistant enterobacter cloacae subsp. cloacae strain (ec2), isolated from active surveillance culture ...201728757348
performance assessment of a trypanosoma cruzi chimeric antigen in multiplex liquid microarray assays.diagnosing chronic chagas disease (cd) requires antibody--antigen detection methods, traditionally based on enzymatic assay techniques whose performance depend on the type and quality of antigen used. previously, 4 recombinant chimeric proteins from instituto de biologia molecular do paraná (ibmp-8.1 to -8.4) comprising immuno-dominant regions of diverse trypanosoma cruzi antigens showed excellent diagnostic performance in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. considering that next-generation plat ...201728724556
synthesis, in vitro and in vivo giardicidal activity of nitrothiazole-nsaid chimeras displaying broad antiprotozoal spectrum.we designed and synthesized five new 5-nitrothiazole-nsaid chimeras as analogues of nitazoxanide, using a dcc-activated amidation. compounds 1-5 were tested in vitro against a panel of five protozoa: 2 amitochondriates (giardia intestinalis, trichomonas vaginalis) and 3 kinetoplastids (leishmania mexicana, leishmania amazonensis and trypanosoma cruzi). all chimeras showed broad spectrum and potent antiprotozoal activities, with ic50 values ranging from the low micromolar to nanomolar order. comp ...201728645659
seroprevalence, cost per donation and reduction in blood supply due to positive and indeterminate results for infectious markers in a blood bank in lima, peru.safety in transfusion medicine is subject to regulations and government legislation within a total quality framework. the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of seroprevalence and indeterminate results on lost units and cost per donation.201728577645
blood discard rate in a blood center in curitiba - brazil. ten years of study.development of technologies to reduce transfusion risks of infectious diseases is a major characteristic of hemotherapy. thus, each donation undergoes clinical and serological screening tests to ensure the donated blood do not offer risks to the receiver.201728029567
molecular identification of wild triatomines of the genus rhodnius in the bolivian amazon: strategy and current difficulties.the amazon region has recently been considered as endemic in latin america. in bolivia, the vast amazon region is undergoing considerable human migrations and substantial anthropization of the environment, potentially renewing the danger of establishing the transmission of chagas disease. the cases of human oral contamination occurring in 2010 in the town of guayaramerín provided reasons to intensify research. as a result, the goal of this study was to characterize the species of sylvatic triato ...201728274885
acute chagas disease in the brazilian amazon: epidemiological and clinical features. 201728268086
sudden death circadian rhythm in chagasic patients compared to non-chagasic patients.chagas disease (ch) affects 8-10 million people in latin america, most of them are poor. sudden death (sd) is the major cause of death in patients with ch. to the best of our knowledge, the present report covers the largest reported series comparing the sd of ch versus non-ch patients objective: to compare the circadian rhythm of sd in ch versus non-ch patients.201728267364
abnormal 18f-fdg and 82rb pet findings in chagas heart disease.uptake of the radiopharmaceutical f-fdg visualized by pet imaging can reflect abnormal myocardial inflammation. when utilized in conjunction with other imaging modalities, such as echocardiography, pet f-fdg imaging can help distinguish between active cardiac sarcoidosis and other etiologies of nonischemic cardiomyopathy. we present a case of a 46-year-old man with nonischemic cardiomyopathy and ventricular tachycardia who underwent an echocardiogram suggestive of cardiac chagas disease. a subse ...201728263213
implementing a vector surveillance-response system for chagas disease control: a 4-year field trial in nicaragua.chagas disease is one of the neglected tropical diseases (ntds). international goals for its control involve elimination of vector-borne transmission. central american countries face challenges in establishing sustainable vector control programmes, since the main vector, triatoma dimidiata, cannot be eliminated. in 2012, the ministry of health in nicaragua started a field test of a vector surveillance-response system to control domestic vector infestation. this paper reports the main findings fr ...201728260529
seroprevalence of five neglected parasitic diseases among immigrants accessing five infectious and tropical diseases units in italy: a cross-sectional study.this multicentre cross-sectional study aims to estimate the prevalence of five neglected tropical diseases (chagas disease, filariasis, schistosomiasis, strongyloidiasis and toxocariasis) among immigrants accessing health care facilities in five italian cities (bologna, brescia, florence, rome, verona).201728259548
chagas disease in non-endemic countries. 201728256341
nitrotriazole-based compounds as antichagasic agents in a long-treatment in vivo assay.3-nitrotriazole-based compounds belonging to various chemical subclasses were found to be very effective against chagas disease both in vitro and in vivo after a short administration schedule. in this study, five compounds with specific characteristics were selected to be administered for longer periods of time to mice infected with the virulent trypanosoma cruzi y strain to further evaluate their effectiveness as antichagasic agents and whether or not potential adverse effects occur. benznidazo ...201728242662
anti-trypanosomatid drug discovery: an ongoing challenge and a continuing need.the who recognizes human african trypanosomiasis, chagas disease and the leishmaniases as neglected tropical diseases. these diseases are caused by parasitic trypanosomatids and range in severity from mild and self-curing to near invariably fatal. public health advances have substantially decreased the effect of these diseases in recent decades but alone will not eliminate them. in this review, we discuss why new drugs against trypanosomatids are required, approaches that are under investigation ...201728239154
a new epoch in antitrypanosomal treatment for chagas disease. 201728231947
decompensated chagasic heart failure versus non-chagasic heart failure at a tertiary care hospital: clinical characteristics and outcomes.to evaluate clinical and epidemiological characteristics and clinical outcomes in patients hospitalized with decompensated heart failure (dhf), with a comparison between chagas and non-chagas disease.201728225875
anti-trypanosomal activity of non-peptidic nitrile-based cysteine protease inhibitors.the cysteine protease cruzipain is considered to be a validated target for therapeutic intervention in the treatment of chagas disease. anti-trypanosomal activity against the cl brener strain of t. cruzi was observed in the 0.1 μm to 1 μm range for three nitrile-based cysteine protease inhibitors based on two scaffolds known to be associated with cathepsin k inhibition. the two compounds showing the greatest potency against the trypanosome were characterized by ec50 values (0.12 μm and 0.25 μm) ...201728222138
simplifying nature: towards the design of broad spectrum kinetoplastid inhibitors, inspired by acetogenins.the need for new treatments for the neglected tropical diseases african sleeping sickness, chagas disease and leishmaniasis remains urgent with the diseases widespread in tropical regions, affecting the world's very poorest. we have previously reported bis-tetrahydropyran 1,4-triazole analogues designed as mimics of the annonaceous acetogenin natural product chamuvarinin, which maintained trypanocidal activity. building upon these studies, we here report related triazole compounds with pendant h ...201728185724
mortality trends for neglected tropical diseases in the state of sergipe, brazil, 1980-2013.neglected tropical diseases are a set of communicable diseases that affect the population so low socioeconomic status, particularly 1.4 billion people who are living below the poverty level. this study has investigated the magnitude and mortality time trends for these diseases in the state of sergipe, northeast region of brazil.201728173858
need to screen for chagas disease and strongyloides infestation in non-endemic countries prior to treatment with biologics. 201728153333
differences in competitive ability for the occupancy of shelters in triatomines.triatomines (hemiptera: reduviidae: triatominae) are nocturnal blood-sucking insects. during daylight hours they remain in an akinetic state inside their shelters, whereas at dusk they become active and move outside. when they are outside their shelters during the photophase, triatomines are vulnerable to diurnal predators and the period just before dawn is critical to their survival. this work analyses the existence of competitive interactions involved in the occupancy of shelters by triatomine ...201728145576
the modern morphometric approach to identify eggs of triatominae.egg morphometrics in the triatominae has proved to be informative for distinguishing tribes or genera, and has been based generally on traditional morphometrics. however, more resolution is required, allowing species or even population recognition, because the presence of eggs in the domicile could be related to the species ability to colonize human dwellings, suggesting its importance as a vector.201728143573
a motorized vehicle-mounted sprayer as a new tool for chagas disease vector control.residual insecticide spraying still is the main tool used to suppress house infestations with chagas disease vectors. while manual compression sprayers (mcs) have traditionally been used in latin america, mendoza's vector control program from argentina introduced the use of a modified motorized vehicle-mounted sprayer (vms) with apparent advantages over mcs. we conducted a randomized intervention trial to evaluate the effectiveness and selected components of the performance of mcs and vms. we as ...201728125121
[notes on rapid diagnostic tests for chronic chagas disease].a rapid diagnostic test (rdt) is a test that can quickly determine (from minutes up to 2 h) a diagnosis. it is a simple, quick, and inexpensive technique that does not require complex equipment or specialized staff. for this reason, such tests have been proposed for the diagnosis of chagas disease (cd), which affects populations difficult to reach, or migrants in nonendemic areas, where there is a low prevalence of the disease. with these notes we take into consideration one of the best rdts for ...201728116568
application of inter-simple sequence repeat markers in the analysis of populations of the chagas disease vector triatoma infestans (hemiptera, reduviidae).abstracthere we apply inter-simple sequence repeat (issr) markers to explore the fine-scale genetic structure and dispersal in populations of triatoma infestans. five selected primers from 30 primers were used to amplify issrs by polymerase chain reaction. a total of 90 polymorphic bands were detected across 134 individuals captured from 11 peridomestic sites from the locality of san martín (capayán department, catamarca province, argentina). significant levels of genetic differentiation suggest ...201728115670
relation between mast cells concentration and serotonin expression in chagasic megacolon development.chagas' disease is still reaching about 10 million people in the world. in south america, one of the most severe forms of this disease is the megacolon, characterized by severe constipation, dilated sigmoid colon and rectum and severe malnutrition. previous data suggested that mast cells and serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-ht]) expression could be involved in intestinal homeostasis control, avoiding the chagasic megacolon development. the aim at this study was to characterize the presence of m ...201728112415
how universal is coverage and access to diagnosis and treatment for chagas disease in colombia? a health systems analysis.limited access to chagas disease diagnosis and treatment is a major obstacle to reaching the 2020 world health organization milestones of delivering care to all infected and ill patients. colombia has been identified as a health system in transition, reporting one of the highest levels of health insurance coverage in latin america. we explore if and how this high level of coverage extends to those with chagas disease, a traditionally marginalised population. using a mixed methods approach, we ca ...201728107703
"i cannot be worried": living with chagas disease in tropical bolivia.chagas disease (cd) profoundly affects the social and emotional dimensions of patients' lives, and disproportionately impacts poor, marginalized populations in latin america. biomedical treatment for cd fails to reach up to 99% of the people affected, and in any case seldom addresses the emotional health or socioeconomic conditions of patients. this study examines patient strategies for coping with cd in the department of santa cruz, bolivia.201728099488
orcokinin neuropeptides regulate ecdysis in the hemimetabolous insect rhodnius prolixus.to grow and develop insects must undergo ecdysis. during this process, the individual sheds the old cuticle to emerge as the following developmental stage. during ecdysis, different programed behaviors are regulated by neuropeptidergic pathways. in general, components of these pathways are better characterized in crustacean and holometabolous insects than in hemimetabola. in insects, the orkoninin gene produces two different neuropeptide precursors by alternative splicing: orcokinin a and orcoki ...201728089691
prevalence of right ventricular dysfunction in chagas disease: does this depend on the method used? usefulness of cardiac magnetic resonance. 201728289021
evaluation of right ventricular systolic function in chagas disease using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.right ventricular (rv) impairment is postulated to be responsible for prominent systemic congestion in chagas disease. however, occurrence of primary rv dysfunction in chagas disease remains controversial. we aimed to study rv systolic function in patients with chagas disease using cardiac magnetic resonance.201728289020
chagas disease: an important cause of megaesophagus in latin america. 201728285728
cardiac manifestations of parasitic diseases.the heart may be affected directly or indirectly by a variety of protozoa and helminths. this involvement may manifest in different ways, but the syndromes resulting from impairment of the myocardium and pericardium are the most frequent. the myocardium may be invaded by parasites that trigger local inflammatory response with subsequent myocarditis or cardiomyopathy, as occurs in chagas disease, african trypanosomiasis, toxoplasmosis, trichinellosis and infection with free-living amoebae. in amo ...201728285268
synthesis and activity of nucleoside-based antiprotozoan compounds.parasitic protozoa employ a salvage pathway to synthesize purines and generate essential active nucleotides, whereas mammals are capable of their de novo biosynthesis. this difference provides opportunity for the design of potential new antiprotozoan compounds. a series of 47 adenosine analogues was prepared with modifications at the 2-, 6- and 5'-positions, based on the hypothesis that such compounds would serve as substrates for protozoan nucleoside salvage enzymes, while remaining refractory ...201728284860
right ventricular systolic dysfunction in chagas disease defined by speckle-tracking echocardiography: a comparative study with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.chagas disease leads to biventricular heart failure, usually with prominent systemic congestion. although echocardiography is widely used in clinical routine, the utility of echocardiographic parameters to detect right ventricular (rv) systolic dysfunction in patients with chagas disease is unknown. we sought to study the diagnostic value of echocardiography, including speckle-tracking parameters, to distinguish individuals with rv systolic dysfunction from those with normal rv systolic function ...201728284461
the molecular sensory machinery of a chagas disease vector: expression changes through imaginal moult and sexually dimorphic features.the triatomine bug rhodnius prolixus is a main vector of chagas disease, which affects several million people, mostly in latin-america. host searching, pheromone communication, and microclimatic preferences are aspects of its behaviour that depend on multimodal sensory inputs. the molecular bases of these sensory processes are largely unknown. the expression levels of genes transcribed in antennae were compared between 5(th) instar larvae, and female and male adults by means of rna-seq. the ante ...201728059141
chagas disease: a tropical infection of interest to the radiologist. 201728057975
development of diagnostics for chagas disease: where should we put our limited resources? 201728056025
computer-aided drug design using sesquiterpene lactones as sources of new structures with potential activity against infectious neglected diseases.this review presents an survey to the biological importance of sesquiterpene lactones (sls) in the fight against four infectious neglected tropical diseases (ntds)-leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis, chagas disease, and sleeping sickness-as alternatives to the current chemotherapies that display several problems such as low effectiveness, resistance, and high toxicity. several studies have demonstrated the great potential of some sls as therapeutic agents for these ntds and the relationship between ...201728054952
deficiency of glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase 1 decreases triacylglycerol storage and induces fatty acid oxidation in insect fat body.glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferases (gpat) catalyze the initial and rate-limiting step for the de novo synthesis of triacylglycerol (tag). four mammalian gpat isoforms have been identified: the mitochondria-associated gpat1 and 2, and the endoplasmic reticulum (er)-associated gpat3 and 4. in the insect rhodnius prolixus, a vector of chagas' disease, we previously predicted a mitochondrial-like isoform (rhoprgpat1) from genomic data. in the current study, we clone the rhoprgpat1 coding sequence ...201727956137
synthesis, antioxidant and antichagasic properties of a selected series of hydroxy-3-arylcoumarins.oxidative stress is involved in several parasitic diseases such as chagas. agents able to selectively modulate biochemical processes involved in the disease represent promising multifunctional agents for the delay or abolishment of the progression of this pathology. in the current work, differently substituted hydroxy-3-arylcoumarins are described, exerting both antioxidant and trypanocidal activity. among the compounds synthesized, compound 8 showed the most interesting profile, presenting a mo ...201727908757
genetic relationships and spatial genetic structure among populations of rhodnius prolixus (hemiptera: reduviidae) in colombia and venezuela based on mitochondrial cytochrome-b sequences.one hundred twenty rhodnius prolixus (stal) (hemiptera: reduviidae) specimens from 6 colombian departments and 1 venezuelan state had 594-bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene sequenced to improve the understanding of evolutionary processes that shape the main vector of chagas disease. the levels of genetic diversity for this species were low-medium with reference to other bugs. the genetic heterogeneity among the populations was very limited which means there has been extensive gene flow an ...201727889871
chagas cardiomyopathy: clinical presentation and management in the americas.the initial infection of chagas disease is typically asymptomatic, but approximately 30% of people will progress to a chronic cardiac form, and others develop the gastrointestinal form. death is often sudden due to arrhythmias or progressive heart failure. prevention through vector control programs and blood bank screening, along with strengthened surveillance systems and rapid information sharing, are key to decreasing disease burden globally. the epidemiology, diagnostic evaluation, diagnosis, ...201727886788
lethal and sublethal effects of essential oil of lippia sidoides (verbenaceae) and monoterpenes on chagas' disease vector rhodnius prolixus.the aim of this study was to identify the composition of the essential oil from leaves of lippia sidoides (eols), a typical shrub commonly found in the dry northeast of brazil, popularly known as "alecrim-pimenta". additionally, we investigated the nymphicidal, ovicidal, phagoinhibitory and excretion effects of eols, its major constituent thymol and its isomer carvacrol, on fourth instar nymphs and eggs of rhodnius prolixus, the chagas' disease vector. the nymphicidal and ovicidal activity of th ...201727878214
methodological approach to the ex vivo expansion and detection of t. cruzi-specific t cells from chronic chagas disease patients.the discovery of t cell epitopes is essential not only for gaining knowledge about host response to infectious disease but also for the development of immune-intervention strategies. in chagas disease, given the size and complexity of the trypanosoma cruzi proteome and its interaction with the host's immune system, the fine specificity of t cells has not been extensively studied yet, and this is particularly true for the cd4+ t cell compartment. the aim of the present work was to optimize a prot ...201728552984
health care importance of treponema pallidum, chagas' disease and human immunodeficiency virus 1 among amerindians of argentina: an observational study.the objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of treponema pallidum, trypanosoma cruzi and human immunodeficiency virus 1 (hiv-1) in five amerindian populations of argentina. a retrospective study was conducted among 857 amerindian populations (112 kollas, 298 mbyá-guaraníes, 79 sagua huarpes, 368 wichis) from 2007 to 2010. screening and confirmation of t. pallidum, t. cruzi and hiv-1 were performed. t. pallidum and t. cruzi infections were detected in all communities with an overal ...201728712508
meningoencephalitis caused by reactivation of chagas disease in patient without known immunosuppression.central nervous system (cns) involvement in chagas disease (cd) is an uncommon complication that can result from direct involvement of the parasite or from thromboembolic phenomena. direct involvement of cns can occur in both acute and chronic forms of cd, and can also be secondary to reactivation. reactivation of cd generally occurs in immunosuppressed patients such as those with human immunodeficiency infection or malignancies being rarely described in patients without apparent immunosuppressi ...201727994109
experience-dependent modulation of the attraction to faeces in the kissing bug triatoma infestans.triatoma infestans is the main vector of the chagas disease in latin america. these nocturnal bugs spend most of the daylight hours aggregated with conspecifics inside crevices in roofs and walls. around the entrances of the shelters t. infestans deposits faeces that contain chemical cues that attract conspecifics. in this work we investigated whether attraction to faeces can be modulated by experience in this insect species. first, we analyzed if the attraction of nymphs to faeces is innate or ...201727840288
an inside look at the sensory biology of triatomines.although kissing bugs (triatominae: reduviidae) are perhaps best known as vectors of chagas disease, they are important experimental models in studies of insect sensory physiology, pioneered by the seminal studies of wigglesworth and gillet more than eighty years ago. since then, many investigations have revealed that the thermal, hygric, visual and olfactory senses play critical roles in the orientation of these blood-sucking insects towards hosts. here we review the current knowledge about the ...201727840287
profiles of cardiovascular biomarkers according to severity stages of chagas cardiomyopathy.up 30 to 40% of chagas patients exhibit cardiomyopathy with different degrees of cardiac involvement. biomarkers may help in differentiation of the severity of chagas cardiomyopathy (ccm). this study sought to examine the diagnostic value of a panel of biomarkers to distinguish the severity of (ccm).201727839809
mitochondrial gene confirms the specific status of triatoma pintodiasi jurberg, cunha, and rocha, 2013 (hemiptera, triatominae), an endemic species in brazil.chagas disease is most frequently transmitted to humans through contact with feces of insects from the triatominae subfamily. in brazil, there are 65 species of triatomines distributed throughout the country's 27 states. among the species in the state of rio grande do sul, triatoma rubrovaria, triatoma oliveirai, triatoma pintodiasi, triatoma klugi, triatoma carcavalloi, and triatoma circummaculata (with the addition triatoma limai, which is endemic to argentina) form the t. rubrovaria subcomple ...201727821685
incessant left ventricular tachycardia of unusual etiology.apart from coronary artery disease, left ventricular tachycardia may result from cardiac sarcoidosis, left ventricular tumor, chagas disease and idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia. we report a rare case of incessant left ventricular tachycardia resulting from left dominant arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.201727788994
overcoming research barriers in chagas disease-designing effective implementation science.chagas disease is a complex tropical parasitic infection. it affects a significant portion of the population in latin america, especially in areas of poverty and poor access to health care. it also affects immigrants in high-income countries who lack access to health care due to their legal status. millions of people are at risk of contracting the disease, and approximately 30 % of chronically infected patients will develop cardiomyopathy. the cost of caring for patients that have been infected ...201727771804
the evolutionary origin of diversity in chagas disease vectors.chagas disease is amongst the ten most important neglected tropical diseases but knowledge on the diversification of its vectors, triatominae (hemiptera: reduviidae), is very scarce. most triatominae species occur in the americas, and are all considered potential vectors. despite its amazing ecological vignette, there are remarkably few evolutionary studies of the whole subfamily, and only one genome sequence has been published. the young age of the subfamily, coupled with the high number of ind ...201727986547
the process of lipid storage in insect oocytes: the involvement of β-chain of atp synthase in lipophorin-mediated lipid transfer in the chagas' disease vector panstrongylus megistus (hemiptera: reduviidae).lipophorin is the main lipoprotein in the hemolymph of insects. during vitellogenesis, lipophorin delivers its hydrophobic cargo to developing oocytes by its binding to non-endocytic receptors at the plasma membrane of the cells. in some species however, lipophorin may also be internalized to some extent, thus maximizing the storage of lipid resources in growing oocytes. the ectopic β chain of atp synthase (β-atpase) was recently described as a putative non-endocytic lipophorin receptor in the a ...201727983943
lipid metabolism in rhodnius prolixus: lessons from the genome.the kissing bug rhodnius prolixus is both an important vector of chagas' disease and an interesting model for investigation into the field of physiology, including lipid metabolism. the publication of this insect genome will bring a huge amount of new molecular biology data to be used in future experiments. although this work represents a promising scenario, a preliminary analysis of the sequence data is necessary to identify and annotate the genes involved in lipid metabolism. here, we used bio ...201727697616
thio- and semicarbazones: hope in the search for treatment of leishmaniasis and chagas disease.trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis cause severe infections in humans and domestic animals in the tropics. although typical diseases in latin america, globalization and the migration of infected people has spread these diseases to countries in north america, asia and europe. currently available drugs are not effective in the chronic phase, as well as cause side effects and develop resistance.201727629824
occurrence and distribution of triatomines (hemiptera: reduviidae) in municipalities of the northeastern region of minas gerais state, brazil.triatomines are targeted for the control of chagas disease in endemic areas of brazil.201727598640
[clinical competence measurement in mexican resident physicians for diagnosis and treatment of chagas disease].evaluate clinical competence of a mexican resident physicians sample for diagnosis and treatment of chagas disease.201727595256
editorial commentary: targeting chagas disease. 201727686273
[how much do medicine students know about chagas' disease in spain?] 201727568170
evaluation of galectin-3 as a novel biomarker for chagas cardiomyopathy.chagas cardiomyopathy has worse long-term outcomes than other cardiomyopathies. a biomarker strategy to refer subjects for noninvasive cardiac imaging may help in the early identification of cardiac damage in subjects with chagas disease. galectin-3 (gal-3) is a mediator of cardiac fibrosis shown to be upregulated in animal models of decompensated heart failure. here we assessed the correlation of gal-3 with myocardial fibrosis in patients with chagas disease.201727548475
cutaneous presentation of chagas' disease reactivation in a heart-transplant patient. 201727504862
preparation of benznidazole pellets for immediate drug delivery using the extrusion spheronization technique.recent advances in the treatment of chagas disease have followed combinations of drugs that act synergistically against infection, predominantly including benznidazole (bnz) and azoles derivatives. possible incompatibilities between these drugs, slow dissolution of bnz and dose adjustment difficulties are technological obstacles to the development of multidrug formulations. thus, in the present study, bnz pellets were developed using extrusion spheronization for immediate drug delivery. preformu ...201727487264
indeterminate form of chagas disease: is left ventricular torsional mechanics a clue to subclinical myocardial abnormalities?chagas disease (cd) is highly endemic in latin america, and has been emerging in developed countries. early diagnosis of left ventricular (lv) systolic dysfunction, routinely done by echocardiography, is crucial for therapy. speckle tracking echocardiography allows determination of lv segmental rotations, twist/torsion, and this analysis may disclose an unapparent myocardial contractile deficit in initial stages of cd. therefore, this study aimed to highlight a possible unapparent myocardial con ...201727450558
does my patient have chronic chagas disease? development and temporal validation of a diagnostic risk score.with the globalization of chagas disease, unexperienced health care providers may have difficulties in identifying which patients should be examined for this condition. this study aimed to develop and validate a diagnostic clinical prediction model for chronic chagas disease.201727384830
physician knowledge of chagas disease in hispanic immigrants living in appalachian ohio.studies have indicated that us physicians may not consider chagas disease when diagnosing immigrant patients from chagas-endemic areas. the purpose of this study was to evaluate physician knowledge of chagas disease in six appalachian ohio counties. physician knowledge was assessed by self-administrated survey (n = 105). over 80 % of physicians reported that their current knowledge of chagas disease was limited or very limited, and 50 % reported never considering chagas disease diagnosis for the ...201727324820
rhodnius prolixus intoxicated.rhodnius prolixus (hemiptera: reduviidae) is a hematophagous insect native from south america. by the end of the 20th century, it was one of the main vectors of chagas disease in venezuela, colombia, several central american countries and southern mexico. the aim of the present article is to review the literature regarding r. prolixus toxicology. british entomologist vincent b. wigglesworth carried out the first studies on this subject over seventy years ago. a wide bibliographical search allowe ...201727113321
the catalonian expert patient programme for chagas disease: an approach to comprehensive care involving affected individuals.the catalonian expert patient programme on chagas disease is a initiative, which is part of the chronic disease programme. it aims to boost responsibility of patients for their own health and to promote self-care. the programme is based on nine sessions conducted by an expert patient. evaluation was focusing in: habits and lifestyle/self-care, knowledge of disease, perception of health, self-esteem, participant satisfaction, and compliance with medical follow-up visits. eighteen participants ini ...201726895150
orally transmitted acute chagas disease in domestic travelers in colombia. 201727256221
neuropeptides in the regulation of rhodnius prolixus physiology.in the kissing bug rhodnius prolixus, events such as diuresis, antidiuresis, development and reproduction are triggered by blood feeding. hence, these events can be accurately timed, facilitating physiological experiments. this, combined with its relatively big size, makes r. prolixus an excellent model in insect neuroendocrinological studies. the importance of r. prolixus as a chagas' disease vector as much as an insect model has motivated the sequencing of its genome in recent years, facilitat ...201727210592
[the sertão remediated: the clash between the elite of goiás and sanitation thinking, 1910-1920].in the early decades of the twentieth century, when health started becoming an issue on the political agenda, arthur neiva and belisário penna travelled to the sertão semi-arid region of goiás state, brazil, to diagnose the population's state of health, particularly highlighting the spread of chagas disease and the decadence of the sertão. the political elite in the state reacted to the sanitarians' findings. this article observes the controversy played out in the pages of a informação goiana ma ...201727276043
thiol redox biology of trypanosomatids and potential targets for chemotherapy.trypanosomatids are the causative agents of african sleeping sickness, chagas' disease, and the different forms of leishmaniasis. this family of protozoan parasite possesses a trypanothione-based redox metabolism that provides the reducing equivalents for various vital processes such as the biosynthesis of dna precursors and the detoxification of hydroperoxides. almost all enzymes of the redox pathway proved to be essential and therefore fulfil one crucial prerequisite for a putative drug target ...201726592324
phylogenetic incongruence inferred with two mitochondrial genes in mepraia spp. and triatoma eratyrusiformis(hemiptera, reduviidae).mitochondrial dna (mtdna) is widely used to clarify phylogenetic relationships among and within species, and to determine population structure. due to the linked nature of mtdna genes it is expected that different genes will show similar results. phylogenetic incongruence using mtdna genes may result from processes such as heteroplasmy, nuclear integration of mitochondrial genes, polymerase errors, contamination, and recombination. in this study we used sequences from two mitochondrial genes (cy ...201726500444
chronotropic incompetence in chagas disease: effectiveness of blended sensor (volume/minute and accelerometer).technological progress of pacemakers has allowed the association of two or more sensors in one heart rate system response. the accelerometer sensor measures the intensity of the activity; it has a relatively rapid response to the beginning of it, however, it may present insufficient response to less strenuous or of less impact exercise. the minute ventilation sensor changes the pacing rate in response to changes in respiratory frequency in relation to tidal volume, allowing responses to situatio ...201726313721
response to letter to the editor regarding article "repolarization parameters are associated with mortality in chagas disease patients in the united states". 201725609901
fragmented qrs and chagas' disease. 201725609900
henrique da rocha lima.brazilian physician and researcher henrique da rocha lima was born in 1879 in the city of rio de janeiro, where he studied medicine and obtained the degree of m.d. in 1901. he specialized in clinical medicine in germany and was the ambassador in european countries of the scientific medicine that emerged from the oswaldo cruz institute in the early twentieth century. rocha lima has discovered the causative agent of typhus and had a major contribution to the studies of yellow fever, chagas disease ...201726131867
impact of the use of benznidazole followed by antioxidant supplementation in the prevalence of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with chronic chagas disease: pilot study.patients with chronic chagas disease have a higher prevalence of premature ventricular contraction (pvc) because of immunoinflammatory response magnified by the increased oxidative stress. thus, the sequential treatment with benznidazole (bzn) and antioxidants can reduce the prevalence of pvc. we wish to establish whether the etiological treatment of chagas disease followed by supplementation with the antioxidant vitamins e and c decreases the prevalence of pvc in these patients. a sample of 41 ...201725461962
electrophysiological characteristics of chagas disease.chagas disease has become a global problem due to changing migration patterns. an electrophysiological study is generally indicated for assessing sinus node function, conduction through the atrioventricular node and his-purkinje system, in addition to evaluating the mechanisms of arrhythmia. the aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of electrophysiological study findings in patients with chagas disease.201724136754
surgical complications of chagas' disease: megaesophagus, achalasia of the pylorus, and cholelithiasis.three surgical complications of chagas' disease--megaesophagus, achalasia of the pylorus, and cholelithiasis--were evaluated within the framework of the experience acquired in the management of 840 cases of megaesophagus--722 in the nonadvanced stage of the disease and 118 with advanced disease (dolichomegaesophagus). in the group of the 722 patients with nonadvanced disease, achalasia of the pylorus was present in 140 (19.4%), and in the total of 840 patients, uncomplicated cholelithiasis witho ...20171903232
[necroscopic study of a case of chronic form of chagas disease with electrocardiogram and x-rays of normal thorax. special reference to the excito-conductor system of the heart]. 20163150595
[morbidity of chagas disease. cross sectional study in an endemic area, virgem da lapa, minas gerais]. 20163120255
[chagasic cardiomyopathy in mexico].chronic chagas disease, has been reported in mexico, but changes in left ventricular function are not well known. we describe 25 patients with chronic trypanosomiasis with congestive cardiomyopathy. all of them lived in zones where the parasitosis is endemic and showed ekg abnormalities compatible with cardiomyopathy: a-v block in 8, rbbb in 9, lbbb in 7, rbbb + lahb in 4, arrhythmias and st-s abnormalities in 9 patients. all patients have at least one positive serological test for t cruzi: indi ...20162952077
[study of esophageal dynamics by scintigraphy as a possible method for the early diagnosis of aperistalsis in patients with chagas' disease]. 20166095425
ventricular aneurysms in chronic chagas' cardiopathy.ventricular aneurysms in chagas' disease is the most frequent pathologic finding of this condition. it is possible to diagnose this lesion during early stages by means of cineventriculography, or echocardiography in b mode. an early diagnosis is mandatory for those cases in which the most important clinical manifestation is the presence of frequent ventricular arrhythmias which are often refractory to many forms of treatments. consequently cardiac surgery is a useful and promising means for the ...20167061579
[extra-hepatic biliary tract in patients, carriers of chagas' disease "megas"]. 20164218712
permanent cardiac pacing experience with arrhythmias caused by chagas' disease and other cardiopathies. 20164630979
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