Thesis (DR. P.H.)--University of Michigan.

Thesis (Licenciado en Nutriciʹon y Dietʹtica)--Universidad Tʹecnica del Norte. Facultad Ciencias de la Salud Escuela de Nutriciʹon y Dietʹeica. / Abstract in Spanish and English.

Thesis (MMedVet (Bov.)-University of Pretoria, 1997.

Approximately 2-4 billion cases of infectious diarrhoea occur every year, with the highest numbers recorded in sub-Saharan Africa. It remains the most common public health issue among children in developing nations. The purpose of this research was to unfold the prevalence of diarrhoeagenic E. coli and Campylobacter pathotypes as well as elucidate their antibiogram characteristics in diarrhoeal stool samples collected in some medical facilities in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Two hundred stool samples were collected from both inpatients and outpatients from male and females of all age groups attending selected medical facilities in the study area. Isolation and characterization of both organisms were done using culture based and molecular methods. Antibiotic susceptibility patterns of identified isolates were determined against a panel of 12 antimicrobial agents. One hundred and twenty presumptive E. coli isolates and 42 presumptive isolates of Campylobacter spp. Were isolated. Eighty-two percent (82 percent) of the presumptive E. coli isolates were confirmed as E. coli while 46.3 percent belonged to Campylobacter spp. Pathotyping of the diarrhoeagenic E. coli isolates by Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) showed the following prevalences: DAEC 43 (32 percent), EHEC 18 (17 percent), EIEC 11 (10 percent) and EPEC 18 (17 percent). EAEC and ETEC were not detected, while for Campylobacter spp. 37 (88 percent) were C. jejuni, and C. coli was not detected. A total of 12 (32.4 percent) of the confirmed Campylobacter jejuni isolates were found to possess the fliM gene, 9 (24.3 percent) possessed the flhA gene and only 6 (16.2 percent) harboured the gene flgE2. None were positive for the flaA, flab and flhB genes.The antibiotic resistance patterns observed among the E. coli isolates were high against ampicillin (98.1 percent), chloramphenicol (94.3 percent) and tetracycline (90.6 percent). For Campylobacter spp., resistance observed were: chloramphenicol (91.6 percent), tetracycline (25.2 percent), erythromycin (49.6 percent) and gentamycin (56.4 percent). A lesser resistance against imipenem (35.9 percent) and quinolone (ciprofloxacin) (45.5 percent) were exhibited by the E.coli isolates. 10.8 percent and 20.3 percent of the Campylobacter isolates were resistant to imipenem and ciprofloxacin respectively. The presence of chloramphenicol (CatA1) and tetracycline (tetA) resistance genes were detected in 94 percent and 89 percent of E. coli isolates respectively while 98 percent of Campylobacter spp. Harboured the catA1 resistance gene. It could be deduced from this study that E. coli and Campylobacter spp. are predomiant enteric pathogens as the etiologic agents of diarrhoea in the study community, and that their antimicrobial resistance is high in the study location. The need to develop strategies to prevent infection and control resistant organisms is evident.

Orientador: José Luiz Moraes Vasconcelos / Banca: Amauri Alcindo Alfieri / Banca: Marcos Bryan Heinemann / Resumo: O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar se vacinação contra doenças da reprodução melhora o desempenho reprodutivo de vacas de leite em lactação. Foram realizados quatro experimentos. O experimento 01 foi realizado em 38 fazendas que não utilizavam vacina contra Rinotraqueíte Infecciosa Bovina (IBR), Diarreia Viral Bovina (BVD) e Leptospirose, foram utilizadas 853 vacas Girolando que foram vacinadas (grupo tratado) ou não (grupo controle) no dia -11 (inicio do protocolo de IATF). A segunda dose da vacina foi realizada no dia 30 (diagnóstico de gestação). A vacina que foi utilizada é composta de amostras atenuadas quimicamente alteradas do vírus da IBR associada a amostras citopáticas e não citopáticas do vírus da BVD e culturas inativadas contra cinco sorotipos da Leptospira spp (canicola, grippotyphosa, hardjo, icterohaemorrhagiae e pomona). O experimento 02 foi realizado em 28 fazendas que não utilizavam vacina contra IBR, BVD e Leptospirose, foram utilizadas 287 vacas Girolando que foram pré vacinadas (grupo tratado) ou não (grupo controle) entre os dias -41 a -32, e a segunda dose da vacina foi realizada no dia -11 (inicio do protocolo de IATF). O experimento 03 foi realizado em 17 fazendas que não utilizavam vacina contra IBR/BVDV e Leptospirose, foram utilizadas 1680 vacas holandesas, sendo que vacas com mais de 28 dias em lactação foram vacinadas (grupo tratado) ou não (grupo controle), e a segunda dose da vacina foi realizada 14 dias após a primeira dose. As inseminações foram realizadas entre 15 a 135 dias após a segunda dose da vacina e as perdas de gestação foram avaliadas até 60 dias após a última IA. O experimento 04 foi realizado em 15 fazendas que utilizavam vacina contra IBR, BVD e Leptospirose, foram utilizadas 820 vacas Girolando que foram re-vacinadas... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of vaccination against reproductive diseases on the reproductive performance of lactating dairy cows. The experiment 01 was performed in 38 farms that did not utilize vaccine against IBR/BVD and Leptospirosis, 853 Girolando cows were vaccinated (treated group) or not (control group) on day -11 (beginning of the TAI protocol). The second dose of vaccine was held on day 30 (preganancy diagnosis). The vaccine that was used consists of chemically altered live samples of the IBR virus associated with samples of cytpathic and non cytopathic BVD virus and inactivated cultures against five serotypes of Leptospira spp. (canicola, grippotyphosa, hardjo, icterohaemorrhagiae e pomona). The experiment 02 was performed in 28 farms that did not utilize vaccine against IBR/BVD and Leptospirosis, 287 Girolando cows were pre - vaccinated (treated group) or not (control group), between the days -41 to - 31, the second dose of vaccine was held on day -11 (beginning of the TAI protocol). The experiment 03 was performed in 17 farms that did not utilize vaccine against IBR/BVD and Leptospirosis, 1680 Holstein cows were used in this study, cows with more than 28 days in milk were vaccinated (treated group) or not (control group), the second dose of vaccine was performed 14 days after de first dose. The AI were performed between 15 and 135 days after the second vaccine dose and the pregnancy loss at 60 days after the last AI. The experiment 04 was performed in 15 farms that utilize vaccine against IBR/BVD and Leptospirosis, 820 Girolando cows were vaccinated (treated group) or not (control group) on day -11 (beginning of the TAI protocol). The pregnancy rate was evaluated in the experiments 1, 2 and 4 at 30 and 71 days after TAI, in experiment 03 the pregnancy...(Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgico / Campylobacter sp. à uma importante causa de enterite de origem alimentar com alta incidÃncia na populaÃÃo infantil de paÃses em desenvolvimento. No entanto, o diagnÃstico especÃfico de sua etiologia segue como um desafio, visto que mÃtodos moleculares e imunoenzimÃticos tÃm se mostrado mais sensÃveis. Postulamos que o conhecimento de sua virulÃncia e o diagnÃstico especÃfico possam ajudar na identificaÃÃo e potencial controle da campilobacteriose na infÃncia. Foi determinada a etiologia de diarreia por Campylobacter sp., em um estudo transversal sobre diarreia em crianÃas de 0-36 meses residentes da Ãrea urbana de Fortaleza, CearÃ, Brasil, que necessitaram de atendimento mÃdico de urgÃncia por causa de doenÃa diarreica. ApÃs a aprovaÃÃo Ãtica do estudo, um questionÃrio foi aplicado para qualificar as condiÃÃes clÃnicas apresentadas por cada crianÃa no momento da admissÃo. O DNA foi extraÃdo diretamente de amostras fecais coletadas de 226 crianÃas. Para a detecÃÃo do agente etiolÃgico, utilizamos diagnÃstico molecular (PCR e RT-PCR) e diagnÃstico imunoenzimÃtico (ELISA), alÃm da detecÃÃo de genes associados à virulÃncia de C. jejuni (PCR). Campylobacter sp. foi encontrado em 8,9% (20/225) das amostras, por diagnÃstico microbiolÃgico convencional. C. jejuni e C. coli foram detectados em 19,5% (44/226) e 1,3% (3/226) das amostras diarreicas, respectivamente, por PCR. Os diagnÃsticos por RT-PCR e ELISA alcanÃaram 26,7% (60/225) e 37,9% (58/153), respectivamente. Quando considerada a combinaÃÃo de diagnÃsticos (positividade no diagnÃstico microbiolÃgico ou no imunoenzimÃtico e ao menos em um dos testes moleculares) a prevalÃncia encontrada foi de 16,4% (37/226). A concordÃncia entre os testes para diagnÃstico utilizados foi de moderada a regular, de acordo com o Ãndice de Kappa. Genes associados à virulÃncia foram detectados nas seguintes proporÃÃes de amostras positivas para C. jejuni: flaA, 79,5% (35/44); racR, 97,7% (43/44) e dnaJ, 88,6% (39/44) â relacionados à adesÃo bacteriana e colonizaÃÃo; ciaB, 97,7% (43/44); pldA, 45,4% (20/44) e pVir 0% (0/44) â relacionados à invasÃo; e cdtABC em 95,4% (42/44) das amostras, operon relacionado à produÃÃo da toxina citoletal distensora (CDT). Sinais e sintomas especÃficos, tais como sangue nas fezes, vÃmito, febre e/ou dor abdominal, apesar de bastante frequentes, nÃo foram associados com a detecÃÃo de C. jejuni. O perfil de distribuiÃÃo dos genes de virulÃncia de C. jejuni nÃo apresentou correlaÃÃo com a apresentaÃÃo clÃnica da doenÃa, mesmo quando tal perfil foi categorizado de acordo com a funÃÃo das proteÃnas codificadas pelos genes, o que nos leva a crer que outros fatores, talvez relacionados à susceptibilidade do hospedeiro, possam ser mais importantes do que a variabilidade genÃtica do micro-organismo. ConcluÃmos que Campylobacter sp. foi detectado em percentual relevante da populaÃÃo estudada, principalmente quando os mÃtodos diagnÃsticos foram utilizados de forma combinada. Em geral, os genes de virulÃncia foram detectados em uma alta proporÃÃo das amostras positivas para C. jejuni, embora os genes relacionados à invasÃo tenham sido menos frequentemente encontrados. Corroboramos dados de outros grupos sobre a necessidade de revisÃo do diagnÃstico para Campylobacter sp. em prol da inclusÃo de metodologias mais sensÃveis e espÃcie-especÃficas, alÃm da busca por marcadores para inflamaÃÃo intestinal e fatores preditivos de cultura negativa. / Campylobacter sp. is an important cause of food-borne gastroenteritis with high incidence in children living in developing countries. However, the specific diagnosis of its etiology remains as a challenge, since conventional diagnosis by culture is now challenged by molecular and immunoenzymatic methods, which have greater sensitivity. We postulate that the knowledge of its virulence and specific diagnosis may assist in identifying and potentially controling campylobacteriosis in childhood. We determined the etiology of Campylobacter sp. associated diarrhea, in a cross-sectional study of diarrhea in children aged 0-36 months from the urban area of Fortaleza, CearÃ, Brazil, who required emergency medical care because of diarrheal disease. After ethical approval of the study, a questionnaire was applied to describe the clinical conditions presented by each child at the time of admission. DNA was extracted directly from fecal samples collected from 226 children. For the determination of the etiologic agent we used molecular diagnostics (PCR and RT-PCR) and diagnostic immunoassay (ELISA), besides the detection of virulence associated genes of C. jejuni (PCR). Campylobacter sp. was found in 8.9% (20/225) of the samples by conventional microbiological diagnosis. C. jejuni and C. coli were detected in 19.5% (44/226) and 1.3% (3/226) of the diarrheic samples, respectively. The diagnostic RT-PCR and ELISA reached 26.7% (60/225) and 37.9% (58/153) of positivity, respectively. When considering the combination of diagnostic (positive in microbiological diagnosis or immunoassay and at least one of the molecular tests) the prevalence was 16.4% (37/226). The agreement between the tests used for diagnosis was moderate to regular, according to Kappa index. The presence of C. jejuniÂs virulence-associated genes that encode proteins related to the pathogenesis of micro-organism were detected in the following proportions of C. jejuni-positive DNA samples: flaA, 79.5% (35/44); racR, 97.7% (43/44) and dnaJ, 88.6% (39/44) â related to bacterial adhesion and colonization; ciaB, 97.7 % (43/44); pldA, 45.4% (20/44) and pVir 0% (0/44) â related to invasion, and cdtABC in 95.4% (42/44) of samples related to citoletal distending toxin (CDT). Specific signs and symptoms such as blood in the stool, vomiting, fever and/or abdominal pain, although quite frequent, were not associated with the detection of C. jejuni. The distribution profile of C. jejuniÂs virulence genes was not correlated with the clinical presentation of the disease, even when this profile was categorized according to the function of the proteins encoded by the genes, which leads us to believe that other factors, perhaps related to host susceptibility, may be more important than genetic variability of the microorganism. We conclude that Campylobacter sp. was detected in a significant percentage of the children 0-36 months with diarrhea, especially when the diagnostic methods were used in combination. In general, the virulence genes were detected in a high proportion of C. jejuni-positive samples, although the invasion-related genes have been found less frequently. Our data corroborates findings from other groups on the need to revise the diagnostic for Campylobacter sp. towards the inclusion of more sensitive and species-specific methods, as well as search for extra markers for intestinal inflammation and predictors of negative culture.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Clostridium difficile à um bacilo Gram positivo, anaerÃbio estrito, formador de esporos e produtor de toxinas. Atualmente, representa a principal causa de diarreia hospitalar associada ao uso de antibiÃticos. Pacientes oncolÃgicos sÃo um dos principais grupos de risco para infecÃÃo por C. difficile (CDI), visto que o uso de agentes quimioterÃpicos pode alterar a mucosa intestinal. AlÃm disso, estes pacientes normalmente sÃo imunodeprimidos e frequentemente utilizam antibiÃticos de largo espectro. Tendo em vista a patogenicidade do C. difficile e a importÃncia da doenÃa induzida por essa bactÃria em ambiente hospitalar este estudo visou determinar a incidÃncia e caracterizaÃÃo fenotÃpica e genotÃpica de cepas de C. difficile isoladas de pacientes oncolÃgicos internados do Hospital Haroldo JuaÃaba, Fortaleza, CearÃ. Durante o perÃodo de 12 meses (maio/2013 a maio/2014) foram coletadas 41 amostras de fezes diarreicas. Toxinas A e/ou B foram detectadas a partir das fezes por meio de um kit de detecÃÃo comercial ELISA. Em seguida, as amostras foram cultivadas em Agar Cicloserina, Cefoxitina, Frutose (CCFA) e incubadas em anaerobiose. As cepas isoladas foram processadas e realizadas identificaÃÃo fenotÃpica e anÃlise de detecÃÃo dos genes das toxinas e do fragmento do gene tpi (identificaÃÃo definitiva) por PCR convencional. A sensibilidade das cepas isoladas a 12 antimicrobianos foi determinada por meio de E-test. TambÃm foi realizado a genotipagem das cepas por meio da anÃlise molecular PFGE. 46,3% (19/41) das amostras foram positivas para presenÃa das toxinas A/B por ELISA e/ou cultura do C. difficile. Dessas amostras, foram isolados C. difficile de trÃs amostras (15,8% - 3/19). Em todos os isolados foram detectados os genes tpi, tcdA e tcdB. O domÃnio de ligaÃÃo da toxina binÃria (cdtB) nÃo foi detectado assim como tambÃm nÃo foram observadas deleÃÃes no gene tcdC nos isolados. Todas as cepas apresentaram o mesmo genÃtipo, NAP4. Com relaÃÃo à sensibilidade das cepas aos antimicrobianos foi verificado resistÃncia a dois ou mais antimicrobianos (azitromicina, tetraciclina, ciprofloxacina, levofloxacina, ceftriaxona e cefotaxima). 57,9% (11/19) faziam uso de antibiÃticos e quimioterÃpicos. Este trabalho descreveu a incidÃncia de CDI em pacientes oncolÃgicos, e evidenciou pela primeira vez a presenÃa de C.difficile em casos associados a comunidade (CA-CDI) nesses pacientes no Brasil, ressaltando a importÃncia do estudo dessa bactÃria para a compreensÃo da situaÃÃo epidemiolÃgica dessa infecÃÃo e de sua dispersÃo entre unidades hospitalares brasileiras. / Clostridium difficile is a strictly anaerobic, spore-forming, toxin-producing Gram positive bacillus. Currently, it is the main cause of nosocomial diarrhea associated with antibiotic use. Cancer patients are a major risk group for C. difficile infection (CDI), since the use of chemotherapeutic agents can alter the intestinal mucosa. Furthermore, these patients are often immunosuppressed and often use broad spectrum antibiotics. Considering the pathogenicity of C. difficile and the importance of this infection in hospitalized patients, this study aimed to determine the incidence and the phenotypical and genotypical characterization of strains of C. difficile isolated from cancer patients at Haroldo JuaÃaba Hospital, Fortaleza, CearÃ. During the 12 month period (May/2013 to May/2014) 41 diarrheic fecal samples were collected. Toxins A/B were detected from feces through a commercial ELISA detection kit. Then, the samples were cultivated on cefoxitine-cycloserine-frutose agar (CCFA) and incubated anaerobically. Isolates were submitted to several analyses, including phenotypical identification, detection of toxin genes and of a fragment of the tpi gene (definitive identification) by conventional PCR. The susceptibility of the strains to 12 antimicrobial agents was determined by E-test. Genotyping of the strains was also performed through molecular PFGE analysis. Out of 41 samples, 46.3% (19/41) were positive for either one or both of the performed tests: detection of toxin A/B and/or culture of C. difficile. C. difficile was recovered from three samples (15.8% - 3/19). The tpi, tcdA and tcdB genes were detected in all of the isolates. The binding domain of the binary toxin (cdtB) was not detected as well as no deletions were observed in the tcdC gene of the analysed isolates. All strains belonged to the same genotype, NAP4. Regarding the antimicrobial susceptibility of the strains, resistance to two or more antibiotics (azithromycin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, ceftriaxone and cefotaxime) was observed. Out of the 19 positive patients, 57.9% (11/19) were using antibiotics and under chemotherapy. This paper describes the incidence of CDI in patients with cancer, and shows for the first time the detection of community-associated Clostridium difficile infection (CA-CDI) in those patients in Brazil, highlighting the importance of studying this bacterium for understanding the epidemiological situation of this infection and its spread among Brazilian hospitals.

Orientador: Maria Silvia Viccari Gatti / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-11T09:06:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Martini_IzabelJulien_M.pdf: 1690786 bytes, checksum: ad68ca07a7cffdeef9fcdd571b9ae911 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / Resumo: Gastroenterites e diarréias, doenças comuns em humanos, são responsáveis por altas taxas de morbidade e mortalidade em todo o mundo. Os rotavírus são um dos principais agentes dessas doenças, acometendo principalmente crianças com idade inferior a três anos. Esses vírus pertencem à família Reoviridae, gênero Rotavirus, não envelopados e de simetria icosaédrica. Seu genoma é composto por 11 segmentos de RNA dupla fita que podem separar os rotavírus em sete grupos (RV-A a RV-G), dada a migração desses segmentos em eletroforese em gel de poliacrilamida (EGPA). Os RV-A estão mais frequentemente associados a infecções no homem e em outros animais. Os rotavírus apresentam três camadas protéicas concêntricas, com o capsídeo externo contendo a proteína VP4 e a glicoproteína VP7, indutoras de anticorpos neutralizantes. Variações nas seqüências de nucleotídeos dos segmentos genômicos que codificam para essas proteínas diferenciam os rotavírus em genotipos G (VP7) e [P] (VP4). A distribuição desses genótipos é variável nos diferentes países e a utilização da técnica de semi-nested RT-PCR permite a caracterização dos genotipos circulantes, o que é importante para a definição de estratégias vacinais contra esses vírus. O uso de diferentes vacinas contra a rotavirose vem sendo implementado, inclusive no Brasil. Nesse trabalho o objetivo foi caracterizar os genotipos de rotavírus associados a surtos de diarréia em humanos, ocorridos na cidade de Campinas, SP, Brasil, nos anos de 2003 e 2004. Das 328 amostras de fezes estudadas, 98 foram positivas para rotavírus em EGPA, sendo 96 delas RV-A e duas RV-C. Todas as amostras positivas em EGPA para RV-A e outras 96 amostras negativas nesse teste foram submetidas à genotipagem G (G1 a G6 e G8 a G10) e P (P[4] e P[8]). Com os resultados obtidos concluiu-se que a técnica de seminested RT-PCR foi mais sensível na detecção de rotavírus (73,9%) que a EGPA (50,0%) (?2=67,06, valor-p= 0,000 e Kappa= 0,52).Os genotipos de rotavírus mais freqüentes nas amostras coletadas no ano de 2003 (n=38) foram: G1P[8] (38,4%), G3P[8] (15,4%), G5P[8], G9P[8] (7,8%) e G2P[4] (3,9%). Para as amostras enviadas em 2004 (n=290) os genotipos mais freqüentes foram: G3P[8] (18,7%), G9P[8] (13,9%), G1P[8] (8,4%), G5P[8] (6,0%) e G4P[8] (5,4%). A proporção de identificação do genotipo G1P[8] no ano de 2004 foi significativamente maior no ano de 2004 (Z= 3,07; valor-p=0,002). O genotipo emergente G9 foi identificado em 13,5% (n= 26) das amostras estudadas. Infecções mistas com os genotipos G1 e G2, G1 e G8, G2 e G3, G3 e G5 e G5 e G8 foram identificadas em oito amostras de fezes (4,1%). Nas regiões Sul e Sudoeste de Campinas, consideradas como menos favorecidas socio-economicamente, foi verificada maior variabilidade de genotipos circulantes nos dois anos de análise. Os dados obtidos poderão contribuir para a verificação da eficácia da vacina em uso no Brasil contra a rotavirose / Abstract: Gastroenteritis and diarrhea are a important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Rotavirus is the most important etiologic agent of these disorders in infants and young children. These viruses, which form a genus of the Reoviridae family, are icosahedral, non-enveloped and their genome consists of 11 segments of double stranded RNA. When submitted to electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels the RNAds of rotaviruses classify these viruses into seven groups (RV¿A to RV-G). Group A rotaviruses have been established as the most common cause of severe infections in human and other animals worldwide. The genome of rotaviruses is surrounded by three concentric protein layers. The outer capsid consists of VP4 and VP7 that carry neutralization and protective antigens and allow classification into P and G genotypes, respectively. The VP7 serotype is designated as G serotype (VP7 is a glycoprotein), whereas the VP4 serotype is designated as [P], from protease-sensitive. Many studies have been showed fluctuations in the distribution of rotavirus G-P combinations in many countries, using the seminested RT-PCR. These data, in relation of the circulation of different rotavirus genotypes, are important to establish rotavirus vaccine programs. Since a universal immunization of infants with rotavirus vaccine was introduced in Brazil, it becomes important to characterize rotavirus genotypes associated with diarrhea in humans from Campinas, SP, Brazil, in the years of 2003 and 2004. From 328 faecal samples, 98 were positive to rotavirus in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), being 96 of them belonging to group A and two to RV-C. All the positive samples in PAGE for RV-A and another 96 negative samples to this test were submitted to semi-nested RT-PCR for G (G1 to G6 and G8 to G10) and P (P[4] and P[8]) genotypes determination. The results obtained showed that that semi-nested RT-PCR was more sensitive to the detection of rotavirus (73.9%) than the PAGE (50.0%) (?2=67.06, p= 0,000 and Kappa= 0,52). In 2003, in 38 faecal samples analyzed were identified as the genotypes G1P[8] (38.4%), G3P[8] (15.4%), G5P[8] (7.8%), G9P[8] (7.8%) and G2P 4] (3.9%). For the samples sent in 2004 (n=290), the genotypes G3P[8] (18.7%), G9P[8] (13.9%), G1P[8] (8.4%), G5P[8] (6.0%) and G4P[8] (5.4%) were identified. The genotype G1P[8] was identified in a higher proportion in 2004 than in 2003 (Z=3.07; p=0.002). The emergent genotype G9 was detected in 13.5% of the samples studied. Mixed infections, with G1 and G2, G1 and G8, G2 and G3, G3 and G5 and G5 and G8 were identified in eight faecal samples (4.1%). In the regions of South and Southwestern of Campinas, both of them considered as less socio-economically favored, a high variability of genotypes circulating in the two years of the study was verified. With these data will be able to contribute to the verification of the effectiveness of vaccines in use in Brazil against rotaviruses / Mestrado / Microbiologia / Mestre em Genética e Biologia Molecular

Infectious diarrhea results in 2 to 5 million deaths worldwide per year, and treatments that are safe, effective, and readily available are under investigation. The field of medicinal ethnobotany focuses on plants that are used by different cultural groups for treating various diseases and evaluates these plants for efficacy and cytotoxicity. In the present study, ethnobotanical research was conducted with Central Anatolian villagers in Turkey. Folk concepts and etiologies surrounding diarrhea were analyzed, as were salient plant-based remedies for diarrhea. Reviewing the literature, 91 plant species were described as anti-diarrheal in all of Turkey. In Central Anatolia, villagers described 35 species. For continued research via bactericidal and bacteriostatic bioassays, 15 plants were selected. Methanolic and aqueous extracts of medicinally used plant parts were evaluated for inhibitory properties against 10 diarrhea-causing bacteria in the first bioassay, and later 21 bacteria in a second assay utilizing spectrophotometry. The cytotoxic properties were also evaluated in an Alamar Blue Assay using HepG-2, PC-3, and SkMEL-5 human cell lines. While several extracts showed bactericidal and bacteriostatic properties, the methanolic extract of R. canina galls inhibited the most bacteria at the lowest concentrations. They were not cytotoxic. Thus, R. canina methanolic gall extracts were selected for bio-assay guided fractionation. Antibacterial activity was maintained in the third fraction which was composed of almost pure ellagic acid. The bioassay was repeated with standard ellagic acid, and the polyphenol retained potency in inhibiting multiple bacterial strains. Several other extracts showed promise for safe, effective anti-bacterial remedies for diarrhea.

No description available.