SummaryTo determine whether there is an association between atopy and recurrent vaginal candidiasis (RVC) and to evaluate the type-2 immune response in patients with RVC. Evaluation of immediate hypersensitivity skin tests to aeroallergens, measurement of total IgE and Candida albicans specific IgE and levels of IL-5 in 44 women with RVC and 26 with sporadic vaginal candidiasis (SVC). Statistical analyses were performed by Mann-Whitney test and c c c c 2 test with Yates correction. History of atopy (68%) and positive skin test (42%) were higher ( P < < < < 0·05) in RVC than in patients with SVC. No significant difference was found in total IgE, C. albicans specific IgE and IL-5 levels. There was a strong association between atopy and RVC, but type-2 immune response to C. albicans antigen was absent or similar in the two groups of patients.

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Women with a history of recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis have more easily detectable Candida in their vagina, even when asymptomatic, than do other women. A relative inefficiency in regulating the proliferation of Candida in the vagina may increase susceptibility to periodic symptomatic recurrences.

The expression of trans-sialidase and sialidase activities in the kinetoplastid protozoa was explored as a potential marker to discriminate between the morphologically indistinguishable flagellates isolated from human, insects and vertebrate reservoir hosts. By virtue of the differences observed in the ratios of these enzyme activities, a collection of 52 species and strains comprising the major taxa of these parasites could be separated into four expression types. Type-I parasites express comparable levels of both trans-sialidase and sialidase activities (Endotrypanum species and Trypanosoma lewisi). Type-I1 parasites express predominantly trans-sialidase activity (Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma conorhini).Type-I11 parasites express sialidase activity exclusively (Trypanosoma rangeli and Trypanosoma leeuwenhoeki). Type-IV parasites do not express either activity (Leishmania species and Trypanoplasma borreli). The measurement of trans-sialidase and sialidase activities thus permits the differentiation of parasites frequently found in the same insect vectors that are difficult to distinguish, such as T. cruzi and 7: rangeli, or in the same sylvatic vertebrate and invertebrate hosts, such as Leishmania and Endotrypanum.Trans-sialidases are a class of recently described cell-surface-exposed trans-glycosidases that differ from the Golgiassociated sialyltransferases in that they catalyze the transfer of N-acylneuraminate (sialic acid) residues from substrates other than cytidine monophosphate (CMP)-sialic acid to glycoproteins, glycolipids and polysaccharides. Like all transglycosidases, the trans-sialidases also exhibit hydrolase (i.e. sialidaseheuraminidase) activity in the absence of suitable acceptors.Trans-sialidase activity was discovered in the protozoan parasite Tqpanosoma cruzi (order Kinetoplastida, family Trypanosomatidae) [ 1 -51, the agent of Chagas' disease in the American continent, and shortly after in their African counterparts Trypanosoma brucei ssp. [6, 71, the causative organisms of sleeping sickness in humans and of nagana in domestic mammals. Trans-sialidases are, however, not restricted to trypanosomes as they also occur in the non-pathogenic trypanosomatids of the genus Endotrypanum [8], and in the pathogenic fungus Pneumocystis carinii (L. Trimble, N. Pavia & M. E. A. Pereira, unpublished results). Although unequivocal evidence for the specific biological roles of the trans-sialidases in these parasite systems is lacking, the T. cruzi trans-sialidase is believed to be involved in the process Currently, it is difficult to discriminate between pathogenic and non-pathogenic trypanosomatids. Striking similarities at the morphological, molecular and biological levels exist between many trypanosomatids isolated from sylvatic insects and/or vertebrate reservoir hosts that make the identification of the medically important parasites demanding (reviewed in [15, 161). Moreover, the geographical distributions of the different vectors and vertebrate reservoirs overlap. For example, the neotropical tre...

Patients with RVC refractory to standard antifungal therapy and a history of allergy may respond to the combination of antihistamine and antifungal therapy.

RESUMO:O conhecimento popular é o passo inicial para a investigação científica de atividades terapêuticas de remédios caseiros. Diversas patologias podem ser tratadas ou amenizadas através de preparações de origem natural e muitos fármacos disponíveis são oriundos de fontes naturais. Este trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar o uso de remédios caseiros derivados de plantas para tratamento de asma em crianças residentes no município de Salvador. Os dados foram obtidos a partir de estudo realizado em Salvador sobre fatores de risco, uso de medicações e vias imunológicas relacionadas à asma em crianças. Foram calculadas as freqüências de uso de preparações caseiras para tratamento de asma por esta população e realizado uma revisão bibliográfica sobre os efeitos das plantas mais usadas. Dentre as espécies mais citadas, destacam-se o Allium sativum (alho) que teve a maior freqüência de utilização na preparação dos remédios caseiros (25%), seguido da Allium cepa (cebola, 19,74%). Após a revisão crítica de literatura, constatou-se que a maioria das espécies é utilizada com base em relatos fundamentados no saber popular, sendo assim carente de evidências científicas para as atividades farmacoterapêuticas esperadas. Neste sentido, há necessidade de mais estudos farmacológicos para comprovação das atividades terapêuticas peculiares a cada produto de origem natural bem como para avaliar possíveis efeitos tóxicos destes produtos.Unitermos: medicina popular, asma, etnofarmacologia.ABSTRACT: "Natural products used for asthma treatment in children living in Salvador-BA, Brazil". The popular knowledge is the initial step for the scientific inquiry of therapeutical activities of herb-based remedies. Several pathologies can be treated or brightened up through this kind of preparations and also many of the available drugs in the market have natural sources. The objective of this work was to evaluate the use of herb-based remedies for treatment of asthma in children in the city of Salvador. Data were collected by a standard questionnaire during a transversal study carried out in Salvador on risk factors, use of medications and immunological pathways involved in asthma. Among the most frequently mentioned species, the Allium sativum had the highest frequency of use in the preparation of home remedies (25%), followed by the Allium cepa (19.74%). The literature review showed that the majority of the species is empirically used based on popular knowledge and lacks on scientific evidences that prove their pharmacotherapeutic activities and safety for human use. In this way, this work not only new species unexplored in the context of anti-asthmatic drugs but it also highlights the need for new pharmacological studies in order to identify and prove the popular use of herb-based remedies.Keywords: medicine knowledge, asthma; ethnopharmacology. INTRODUÇÃOA asma é uma doença inflamatória crônica caracterizada por hiperresponsividade das vias aéreas inferiores e por limitação variável ao fluxo aéreo, manifestando-se clinicamente por episódios r...

Recurrent cutaneous or mucosal candidiasis is characterized by the occurrence of at least four candidiasis episodes within a one-year period. The factors involved in recurrence of infection are still unknown. In the present study the lymphoproliferative response and the IFN-gamma production by candidiasis patients were evaluated. The stimulation index of mononuclear cell cultures of candidiasis patients stimulated with Candida albicans antigen, PPD and TT were 6 +/- 8, 17 +/- 20 and 65 +/- 30, respectively. The addition of monoclonal antibody anti-IL-10 to Candida albicans antigen stimulated cultures raised the lymphoproliferative response from 735 +/- 415 to 4143 +/- 1746 cpm. The IFN-gamma production by cells of candidiasis patients stimulated with Candida albicans antigen was 162 +/- 345 pg/ml. Candidiasis patients have an impairment in the lymphoproliferative response specific to C. albicans antigen and on IFN-gamma production and the lymphoproliferative response can be partially restored, in vitro, by IL-10 neutralization.