BACKGROUNDActinic cheilitis (AC) is a potentially malignant disorder of the lip caused by chronic exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun.OBJECTIVESTo evaluate the clinical, demographic, morphological and therapeutic management in AC cases data associating to the histopathological grading.METHODSDemographic, clinical and management data of 161 patients with AC were analyzed. In biopsied cases, two calibrated examiners performed histopathological grading by binary system.RESULTSThere was a prevalence of males (79.5%), aged 40 years or older (77.5%), light-skinned (85.7%), experiencing occupational exposure to sunlight (80.3%), with AC presenting clinically as white lesions (33.6%). Conservative treatment was adopted in 78 cases and biopsy in 83 cases (60.2% graded as low-risk AC). There were no significant associations between histopathological grading and gender (p= 0.509), age (p=0.416), ethnicity (p=0.388), occupational exposure to sunlight (p=1.000) or clinical presentation (p=0.803).CONCLUSIONThis study reinforces the hypothesis that demographic and clinical characteristics of AC are not related to histopathological grading. Advice on protection from sun exposure should be encouraged to avoid progression of AC and invasive therapies.

Pleomorphic adenoma (PA) is the most frequent benign epithelial lesion of salivary gland origin, showing great histopathological diversity. The aim of this study was to perform a retrospective analysis, with emphasis on histopathologic features of PA of salivary glands. Clinical and histopathologic characteristics of 130 cases of minor and major salivary glands PAs from three Brazilian reference centers were studied. Higher frequency of PAs was observed in female (55.4 %) subjects, with mean age of 49.7 years. The most common affected site was palate (64.5 %) for the PAs of minor salivary glands and parotid for cases affecting major glands (86.2 %). Microscopically, most cases were classified as classic PAs (50 %). Incomplete capsule was observed in 36.2 % of the cases, while 47.2 % showed capsular infiltration. Rounded (66.9 %), angular (49.2 %), oval (46.2 %) and plasmacytoid (39.2 %) cells were widely observed, as well as fibrous (73.8 %) and myxoid (69.2 %) stroma, squamous metaplasia (25.4 %) and cystic degeneration (43.1 %). Crystalloids (3.1 %), increased mitotic activity (5.4 %) and vascular invasion (2.3 %) were rarely observed. PAs arising in minor salivary glands were associated with incomplete capsules, spindle, oval, angular, plasmacytoid and pleomorphic cells, fibrous and hyaline stroma, cystic degeneration, squamous metaplasia and pleomorphism (p < 0.05). No association between capsular features and histological subtype was noted (p ≥ 0.05). These results confirm the findings of previous studies regarding major clinicopathological features of pleomorphic adenomas; and highlighted some important morphologic characteristics like the capsule, vascular invasion, pleomorphism and increased mitotic activity, which can reflect the biological behavior of these tumors.

BackgroundThe agents of spotted fevers in Latin America are Rickettsia rickettsii, R. parkeri, Rickettsia sp. strain Atlantic rainforest, and R. massiliae. In Continental Central America, R. rickettsii remains the only known pathogenic tick-borne rickettsia. In the present study, ticks were collected from wild mammals in natural areas of Belize. Besides providing new data of ticks from Belize, we investigated rickettsial infection in some of these ticks. Our results provide ticks harboring rickettsial agents for the first time in Central America.MethodsBetween 2010 and 2015, wild mammals were lived-trapped in the tropical broadleaf moist forests of central and southern Belize. Ticks were collected from the animals and identified to species by morphological and molecular analysis (DNA sequence of the tick mitochondrial 16S RNA gene). Some of the ticks were tested for rickettsial infection by molecular methods (DNA sequences of the rickettsial gltA and ompA genes).ResultsA total of 84 ticks were collected from 8 individual hosts, as follows: Amblyomma pacae from 3 Cuniculus paca; Amblyomma ovale and Amblyomma coelebs from a Nasua narica; A. ovale from an Eira Barbara; A. ovale, Amblyomma cf. oblongoguttatum, and Ixodes affinis from a Puma concolor; and A. ovale, A. coelebs, A. cf. oblongoguttatum, and I. affinis from two Panthera onca. Three rickettsial agents were detected: Rickettsia amblyommii in A. pacae, Rickettsia sp. strain Atlantic rainforest in A. ovale, and Rickettsia sp. endosymbiont in Ixodes affinis.ConclusionsThe present study provides unprecedented records of ticks harboring rickettsial agents in the New World. An emerging rickettsial pathogen of South America, Rickettsia sp. strain Atlantic rainforest, is reported for the first time in Central America. Besides expanding the distribution of 3 rickettsial agents in Central America, our results highlight the possible occurrence of Rickettsia sp. strain Atlantic rainforest-caused spotted fever human cases in Belize, since its possible vector, A. ovale, is recognized as one of the most important human-biting ticks in the Neotropical region.

BackgroundOral focal mucinosis (OFM) is a rare soft tissue lesion of unknown etiology that exhibits tumor-like growth. It is considered the oral counterpart of cutaneous focal mucinosis or cutaneous myxoid cyst. This is a retrospective study of oral OFM diagnosed over a period of 42 years at an oral pathology service.Material and MethodsClinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical data were analyzed. Alcian blue staining and S-100 immunohistochemistry were performed.ResultsEleven cases were retrieved (4:1 female-to-male ratio). The mean age was 44 years. The gingiva was the most affected site. The main clinical presentation was sessile or pedunculated lesions of fibrous or hyperplasic appearance, most of them asymptomatic. Positive Alcian blue staining and absence of S-100 protein were observed in all specimens, which supported the histological diagnosis of OFM. Surgical excision was the treatment of choice.ConclusionsAlthough rare, this study supports the inclusion of OFM in the differential diagnosis of intraoral myxoid lesions. Key words:Oral focal mucinosis, myxomatous lesion, connective tissue diseases, diagnosis.

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Background.Libidibia ferrea(L. ferrea)is found throughout the northeastern region of Brazil, where it has been used in folk medicine with beneficial effects on many inflammatory disorders.Purpose. This study investigated the phytochemical composition of the crude extract and fractions ofL. ferreafruit and evaluated its anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activitiesin vivoand effect on cell viabilityin vitro.Methods. Characterization of polyphenols present in crude extract (CE), hydroalcoholic fractions of 20-80% ethanol (CE20, CE40, CE60, and CE80), aqueous fraction (AqF), and ethyl acetate (EAF) fractions ofL. ferreafruit was performed by chromatographic analysis.Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by using a carrageenan-induced peritonitis model submitted to a leukocyte migration assay and myeloperoxidase activity (MPO) analysis. Total glutathione and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were assessed to evaluate the oxidative stress level. Antinociceptive activity was evaluated by acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing and hot plate test.In vitrocell viability was determined by using MTT assay in a mouse embryonic fibroblast cell line (3T3 cells).Results. Chromatography revealed the presence of ellagic acid content in EAF (3.06), CE (2.96), and CE40 (2.89). Gallic acid was found in EAF (12.03), CE 20 (4.43), and CE (3.99).L. ferreacrude extract and all fractions significantly reduced leukocyte migration and MPO activity (p<0.001).L. ferreaantioxidant effect was observed through high levels of total glutathione and reduction of MDA levels (p<0.001). Acetic acid-induced nociception was significantly inhibited after administration ofL. ferreacrude extract and all fractions (p<0.001). Crude extract and all fractions significantly increased the viability of the 3T3 cell line (p<0.05).Conclusions. The appropriate extraction procedure preserves the chemical components ofL. ferreafruit, such as gallic acid and ellargic acid. Crude extract and fractions ofL. ferreafruit exhibited anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antinociceptive activitiesin vivoand enhanced cell viabilityin vitro.

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Adult ticks of the species Amblyomma parvum were collected from the vegetation in the Pantanal biome (state of Mato Grosso do Sul) and from horses in the Cerrado biome (state of Piauí) in Brazil. The ticks were individually tested for rickettsial infection via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting three rickettsial genes, gltA, ompA and ompB. Overall, 63.5% (40/63) and 66.7% (2/3) of A. parvum ticks from Pantanal and Cerrado, respectively, contained rickettsial DNA, which were all confirmed by DNA sequencing to be 100% identical to the corresponding fragments of the gltA, ompA and ompB genes of Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae. This report is the first to describe Ca. R. andeanae in Brazil.