Márcia Sperança

By Márcia Aparecida Sperança, Rodrigo Buzinaro Suzuki, Aline Diniz Cabral and Andreia Moreira dos Santos Carmo

In this chapter, the immense contribution of nucleic acid discovery to the diagnosis and molecular epidemiology of pathogenic microorganisms and its relevance for veterinary and human health will be discussed. The development of nucleic acid detection, amplification, and sequencing techniques, principally after the introduction of polymerase chain reaction (PCR), allowed the improvement of different strategies to diagnose and to quantify infectious microbiological agents in a variety of organisms and biological samples. Pos-PCR associated techniques such as fragment enzyme restriction and sequence analysis permit the determination of nucleic acid sequence diversity to detect drug resistance, to associate pathogen genetic markers with disease outcome, and to predict temporal and spatial distribution of microorganisms which can be used to prevent and treat infectious diseases efficiently.

Part of the book: Nucleic Acids

By Juliana Sá Teles de Oliveira Molina, Andreia Moreira dos Santos Carmo, Gabriel Lopes Pereira, Leticia Abrantes de Andrade, Felipe Trovalim Jordão, Rodrigo Buzinaro Suzuki, Luana Prado Rolim de Oliveira, Aline Diniz Cabral and Márcia Aparecida Sperança

Anthropogenic actions, including deforestation, disorganized urbanization, and globalization, contribute to emergence and reemergence of arboviruses worldwide, where Flavivirus is the most prevalent, and its continuous monitoring can help in preventive control strategies. Thus, the aim of this study was to detect flavivirus RNA in single hematophagous insects, which are used as sentinels. Total RNA was extracted from six Aedes aegypti stored since 2003 and from 100 Culicidae and collected through CDC trap in a public park of a Brazilian Northwest city of São Paulo State. Flavivirus was detected through RT/PCR targeting 230–250 bp of the RNA polymerase coding sequence (NS5). PCR amplicons were sequenced by Sanger method, used in comparative analysis over Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) in GenBank, and subjected to Neighbor-Joining phylogenetic analyses. Efficiency of Flavivirus diagnosis was confirmed by detection of Dengue virus serotype 2 in Ae. aegypti. From the 100 collected insects, 19 were positive for Culex flavivirus (CxFV). NS5 partial sequence phylogenetic analysis clustered all CxFV in one branch separated from vertebrate flaviviruses, being applicable to the identification of Flavivirus species. The dipteran RNA extraction methodology described in this work supports detection of flaviviruses in single insects maintained in 80% ethanol, which can be used to constant arbovirus surveillance.

Part of the book: Dengue Fever in a One Health Perspective

By Carla Moreira Santana, Max Mario Fuhlendorf, Felipe Baena Garcia, Edmar Silva Santos, Ângela Maria Lourenço, Cristiane Castro Faccini, Abílio Augusto Fragata Filho, Aline Diniz Cabral and Márcia Aparecida Sperança

Enzymes called proteases play important roles in the physiology of all living organisms and in the interaction of a parasite/symbiont with its host. Different types of peptidases act on specific substrates and are regulated by specific inhibitors. Ecotins, described firstly in Eschericchia coli, are inhibitors of serine peptidases (ISP) from S1A family including trypsin, chymotrypsin, neutrophil elastase, and cathepsin G. Ecotin-like inhibitors are present in parasites from Trypanosomatidae family, including Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas’ disease. This chapter explores the evolutive origin of the T. cruzi TcISP2 and its possible interactions with proteins of the human immune system and in Chagas’ disease. The phylogenetic relationship of TcISP2 with trypanosomatids ISPs, comparative loci analysis among trypanosomatids, and the occurrence of bacteria endosymbionts in the group strongly suggest horizontal transfer as the main origin mechanism for trypanosomatids ISPs, followed by duplication events and losses that could explain its current genomic pattern. The relationship of TcISP2 with the vertebrate host immune system can be inferred by its antigenicity in Chaga’s disease murine model, presenting high antibody titer after 60 days post-infection, which could indicate the inhibition of TcISP2 activity associated with chronic phase of the Chaga’s disease.

Part of the book: New Advances in Neglected Tropical Diseases

By Felipe Trovalim Jordão, Aline Diniz Cabral, Felipe Baena Garcia, Edmar Silva Santos, Rodrigo Buzinaro Suzuki, Max Mario Fuhlendorf and Márcia Aparecida Sperança

Leishmaniasis, an infectious disease that affects humans, domestic dogs, and wild animals, is caused by 20 of the 53 Leishmania genus species and is transmitted by sandflies. Despite its significant impact, the disease is often neglected. Leishmania genus, belong to Trypanosomatide Family and Kinetoplastida Order, are grouped in five subgroups according to biogeographic and evolution history of parasites and hosts. The GH18 Leishmania chitinase is encoded by a specie-specific single copy gene, conserved in basal groups of trypanosomatids, and is absent in the genus Trypanosoma. Preservation of the chitinase genomic locus in the aquatic free-living protozoan Bodo saltans, discloses a primitive common origin. Trypanosomatid chitinase amino acid sequence comparative analysis revealed high similarity with chitinase from sea living prokaryotes and protozoan microorganisms, indicating a probable marine origin. Amino acid sequence comparative analysis revealed that perhaps the trypanosomatid chitinase derived from a water living Kinetoplastida ancestor and its phylogenetic reconstruction corroborates the Supercontinent Origins theory for Leishmania. The chitinase-encoding gene was effective for differential molecular diagnosis among Leishmania clinical important species worldwide.

Part of the book: Chitin and Chitosan

By Maira Andretta, Edmar Silva Santos, Vitória Luiza Santos Damasceno, Carla Moreira Santana, Felipe Trovalim Jordão, Diego Marin Fermino, Verônica Nikoluk Friolani, Thaís Costa dos Santos, Ana Lucia Geraldo, Andressa Moreira Siqueira, Livia Jesus Ferreira, Alisson Galdino Costa, Rafael Lagler and Márcia Aparecida Sperança

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Universities studied safe ways to return to activities, which pointed out that the effective biosecurity measures were the use of masks, social distancing, personal hygiene, and monitoring programs by testing and isolation of contaminated individuals. Not only monitoring and testing itself but also the entire community orientation process is essential for the successful mitigation of SARS-CoV-2 infections. The aim of this study was the development of communication tools for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 by testing a Brazilian University community, during the gradual return to face-to-face activities, from May 2021 to December 2022. The tests were performed by RTqPCR, in a laboratory with biosafety level 2, using saliva samples self-collected, on dry cotton, in a dry collection tube, wrapped in a 70% isopropyl alcohol wipe, transported in an envelope with individual epidemiological and symptoms data, and maintained at room temperature until analysis. The results were delivered by a health professional by email and WhatsApp which was a humanized channel constituted to receive doubts and anxieties, as well as contact and guidance regarding the biosafety protocols adopted at the university, and health issues in general, which subsidized the monitoring by providing a rich and detailed collection of data.

Part of the book: Epidemic Preparedness and Control [Working title]