Artículo de publicación ISIBackground Adult community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a relevant worldwide cause of morbidity and mortality, however the aetiology often remains uncertain and the therapy is empirical. We applied conventional and molecular diagnostics to identify viruses and atypical bacteria associated with CAP in Chile. Methods We used sputum and blood cultures, IgG/IgM serology and molecular diagnostic techniques (PCR, reverse transcriptase PCR) for detection of classical and atypical bacteria (Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Legionella pneumoniae) and respiratory viruses (adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus, influenza virus, parainfluenzavirus, rhinovirus, coronavirus) in adults >18 years old presenting with CAP in Santiago from February 2005 to September 2007. Severity was qualified at admission by Fine’s pneumonia severity index. Results Overall detection in 356 enrolled adults were 92 (26%) cases of a single bacterial pathogen, 80 (22%) cases of a single viral pathogen, 60 (17%) cases with mixed bacterial and viral infection and 124 (35%) cases with no identified pathogen. Streptococcus pneumoniae and RSV were the most common bacterial and viral pathogens identified. Infectious agent detection by PCR provided greater sensitivity than conventional techniques. To our surprise, no relationship was observed between clinical severity and sole or coinfections. Conclusions The use of molecular diagnostics expanded the detection of viruses and atypical bacteria in adults with CAP, as unique or coinfections. Clinical severity and outcome were independent of the aetiological agents detected

No abstract

To estimate the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in the Alpine region, we studied the epidemiology of Mycobacterium caprae in wildlife during the 2009–2012 hunting seasons. Free-ranging red deer (Cervus elaphus) were a maintenance host in a hot-spot area, mainly located in Austria.

One of the earliest organizational decisions in the development of the vertebrate brain is the division of the neural plate into Otx2-positive anterior and Gbx2-positive posterior territories. At the junction of these two expression domains, a local signaling center is formed, known as the midbrain-hindbrain boundary (MHB). This tissue coordinates or "organizes" the development of neighboring brain structures, such as the midbrain and cerebellum. Correct positioning of the MHB is thought to depend on mutual repression involving these two homeobox genes. Using a cell culture colocalization assay and coimmunoprecipitation experiments, we show that engrailed homology region 1 (eh1)-like motifs of both transcription factors physically interact with the WD40 domain of Groucho/Tle corepressor proteins. In addition, heat shock-induced expression of wild-type and mutant Otx2 and Gbx2 in medaka embryos demonstrates that Groucho is required for the repression of Otx2 by Gbx2. On the other hand, the repressive functions of Otx2 on Gbx2 do not appear to be dependent on corepressor interaction. Interestingly, the association of Groucho with Otx2 is also required for the repression of Fgf8 in the MHB. Therefore Groucho/Tle family members appear to regulate key aspects in the MHB development of the vertebrate brain.Gbx2 is a member of the homeobox gene family and has been identified in mammalian, avian, amphibian, and fish species (12,24,36,56,66). Gbx genes are related to the Drosophila unplugged gene, which is involved in tracheal branching (18). Gbx2 is a key player in the early patterning of the vertebrate brain and is expressed in the local signaling center known as the midbrain-hindbrain boundary (MHB) or isthmic organizer, which is positioned between the presumptive midbrain and hindbrain (reviewed in references 34, 54, 59, and 70). The Gbx2 expression domain is located at the region of the hindbrain, while the homeobox gene Otx2 is expressed in the presumptive forebrain and midbrain and thereby forms a common border with the Gbx2 domain at the position of the prospective MHB. Gbx2 mutant mice lack the anterior hindbrain and reveal a posterior expansion of the midbrain (67). In contrast, the anterior brain rostral to rhombomere 3 is deleted in Otx2-null mutant mice (3, 44). Misexpression of Gbx2 represses Otx2 expression in the posterior midbrain (46, 66), whereas misexpression of Otx2 in the anterior hindbrain represses Gbx2 expression in this region (11,35). Studies in Xenopus suggest that Otx and Gbx proteins needed for the positioning process function primarily as repressors rather than activators (28).Tle4 is one of the four full-length Groucho proteins in mammals (39, 63). The founding member of this conserved corepressor family is the Groucho gene of Drosophila. Groucho is known to play important roles in various developmental processes, including sex determination, segmentation, neurogenesis and dorsoventral patterning (22,50). Groucho family members are characterized by a conserved N-terminal glutamine-rich reg...

Objective: To evaluate the impact on clinical recovery and severity of the addition of large doses of vitamin A to the standard treatment for childhood pneumonia. Design: A randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial. Setting: Study children were recruited at a public hospital in Recife, north east Brazil, an area of marginal vitamin A deficiency. Subjects: 472 children aged 6 to 59 months with clinical diagnosis of pneumonia. Interventions: 200 000 IU (infants) or 400 000 IU (1-4 year olds) of vitamin A in oil or similar capsules of placebo divided into two daily oral doses, in addition to the standard treatment. Main outcome measures: Duration of the episode and incidence of adverse outcomes. Results: The groups were similar with respect to overall duration of pneumonia and incidence of adverse outcomes. Children who received vitamin A, however, were less likely to have fever by day 3 (P = 0.008) and were 29% less likely to fail to respond to the first line antibiotic (P = 0.054). Conclusion: There was little evidence for an effect of vitamin A treatment on the immediate outcome of the pneumonia episode.

No abstract

RSV infection is frequent in Chilean adults with CAP. Microneutralization assay was as sensitive as rtRT-PCR in detecting RSV infection and is a good adjunct assay for diagnostic research. High RSV-specific serum-neutralizing antibody levels were associated with protection against common and severe infection. The development of a vaccine could prevent RSV-related CAP in adults.

To determine the effectiveness of ducks as sentinels for avian influenza virus (AIV) infection, we placed mallards in contact with wild birds at resting sites in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Infections of sentinel birds with different AIV subtypes confirmed the value of such surveillance for AIV monitoring.