O Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) é uma espécie do gênero Potyvirus, sendo que a maioria dos isolados pertence a duas estirpes distintas: "papaya" (P) e "watermelon" (W). O Papaya ringspot virus - estirpe W (PRSV-W) tem sido considerado um dos vírus mais importantes no cultivo de cucurbitáceas pela predominância e pelos prejuízos significativos que causa no Brasil. O controle do mosaico da abobrinha-de-moita, causado pelo PRSV-W, tem sido obtido de forma satisfatória através da premunização com as três estirpes fracas, designadas PRSV-W-1, PRSV-W-2 e PRSV-W-3. O principal objetivo desse estudo foi comparar essas estirpes fracas com estirpes severas PRSV-W-C, PRSV-W-PR e PRSV-W-PE, com base na seqüência de nucleotídeos do gene que codifica a proteína da capa protéica e na mobilidade dessa proteína em SDS-PAGE. A seqüência de nucleotídeos da capa protéica das estirpes fracas PRSV-W-1 e PRSV-W-2 apresentou 100 % de homologia. Quando comparadas com a estirpe fraca PRSV-W-3, a homologia foi de 98 %. As estirpes fracas PRSV-W-1 e PRSV-W-2 apresentaram 95 % de homologia com as estirpes severas PRSV-W-C e PRSV-W-PE. Essas duas estirpes severas, por sua vez, apresentaram respectivamente, 93 e 95 % de homologia com a estirpe fraca PRSV-W-3. O alinhamento das seqüências de nucleotídeos entre as estirpes fracas e as severas evidenciou a inserção de 6 nucleotídeos na região conservada desse gene nas estirpes fracas. Essa inserção refletiu na adição de dois amino ácidos (Asn e Asp) na seqüência de amino ácidos deduzidos dessa proteína. A mobilidade da capa protéica em SDS-PAGE foi semelhante para todas as estirpes estudadas. / Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV), a species of the enus Potyvirus, is classified into two strains: "papaya" (P) and "watermelon" (W). Papaya ringspot virus - type W (PRSV-W) has been considered one of the most important viruses infecting cucurbits in Brazil due to its predominance and significative damage caused on the crops. The control of the disease caused by this virus has been efficiently achieved by means of cross protection with three mild strains, namely PRSV-W-1, PRSV-W-2, and PRSV-W-3. The main purpose of the present study was to compare these mild strains with the severe strains PRSV-W-C, PRSV-W-PR, and PRSV-W-PE, based on the nucleotide sequence of the coat protein gene and on the mobility of the capsid protein in SDS-PAGE. The nucleotide sequence of the coat protein gene of the mild strains PRSV-W-1 and PRSV-W-2 showed 100 % of homology. When compared with the coat protein gene of the mild strain PRSV-W-3, the homology was 98 %. The mild strains PRSV-W-1 and PRSV-W-2 showed 95 % of homology with the severe strains PRSV-W-C and PRSV-W-PE. These two severe strains, otherwise, showed respectively, 93 and 95 % of homology with the mild strain PRSV-W-3. The alignment of the nucleotide sequences of the mild and the severe strains indicated an insertion of 6 nucleotides in the conserved region of the coat protein gene of the mild strains. This insertion reflected on the addition of two amino acids (Asn e Asp) in the amino acid deduced sequence of this protein. The mobility of the coat protein in SDS-PAGE was similar for all the strains studied.

O Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) é uma espécie do gênero Potyvirus, sendo que a maioria dos isolados pertence a duas estirpes distintas: "papaya" (P) e "watermelon" (W). O Papaya ringspot virus - estirpe W (PRSV-W) tem sido considerado um dos vírus mais importantes no cultivo de cucurbitáceas pela predominância e pelos prejuízos significativos que causa no Brasil. O controle do mosaico da abobrinha-de-moita, causado pelo PRSV-W, tem sido obtido de forma satisfatória através da premunização com as três estirpes fracas, designadas PRSV-W–1, PRSV-W–2 e PRSV-W-3. O principal objetivo desse estudo foi comparar essas estirpes fracas com estirpes severas PRSV-W-C, PRSV-W-PR e PRSV-W-PE, com base na seqüência de nucleotídeos do gene que codifica a proteína da capa protéica e na mobilidade dessa proteína em SDS-PAGE. A seqüência de nucleotídeos da capa protéica das estirpes fracas PRSV-W-1 e PRSV-W-2 apresentou 100 % de homologia. Quando comparadas com a estirpe fraca PRSV-W-3, a homologia foi de 98 %. As estirpes fracas PRSV-W–1 e PRSV-W–2 apresentaram 95 % de homologia com as estirpes severas PRSV-W-C e PRSV-W-PE. Essas duas estirpes severas, por sua vez, apresentaram respectivamente, 93 e 95 % de homologia com a estirpe fraca PRSV-W-3. O alinhamento das seqüências de nucleotídeos entre as estirpes fracas e as severas evidenciou a inserção de 6 nucleotídeos na região conservada desse gene nas estirpes fracas. Essa inserção refletiu na adição de dois amino ácidos (Asn e Asp) na seqüência de amino ácidos deduzidos dessa proteína. A mobilidade da capa protéica em SDS-PAGE foi semelhante para todas as estirpes estudadas. / Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV), a species of the enus Potyvirus, is classified into two strains: "papaya" (P) and "watermelon" (W). Papaya ringspot virus - type W (PRSV-W) has been considered one of the most important viruses infecting cucurbits in Brazil due to its predominance and significative damage caused on the crops. The control of the disease caused by this virus has been efficiently achieved by means of cross protection with three mild strains, namely PRSV-W-1, PRSV-W-2, and PRSV-W-3. The main purpose of the present study was to compare these mild strains with the severe strains PRSV-W-C, PRSV-W-PR, and PRSV-W-PE, based on the nucleotide sequence of the coat protein gene and on the mobility of the capsid protein in SDS-PAGE. The nucleotide sequence of the coat protein gene of the mild strains PRSV-W-1 and PRSV-W-2 showed 100 % of homology. When compared with the coat protein gene of the mild strain PRSV-W-3, the homology was 98 %. The mild strains PRSV-W-1 and PRSV-W-2 showed 95 % of homology with the severe strains PRSV-W-C and PRSV-W-PE. These two severe strains, otherwise, showed respectively, 93 and 95 % of homology with the mild strain PRSV-W-3. The alignment of the nucleotide sequences of the mild and the severe strains indicated an insertion of 6 nucleotides in the conserved region of the coat protein gene of the mild strains. This insertion reflected on the addition of two amino acids (Asn e Asp) in the amino acid deduced sequence of this protein. The mobility of the coat protein in SDS-PAGE was similar for all the strains studied.

Foram feitas comparações morfológicas, patogénicas, serológicas e eletroforéticas, de isolados de Exserohilum turcicum (Pass.) Leonard & Suggs. de diferentes hospedeiros (milho, sorgo e capim). Morfologicamente, os conídios dos isolados de capim apresentaram-se significativamente maiores do que os dos isolados de milho e sorgo em relação aos diâmetros. Testes de patogenicidade em milho, sorgo e capim massambará, mostraram que: isolado de milho dos Estados Unidos com lesão somente no milho, pode ser classificado como Exserohilum turcicum f.sp. zeae; e que isolados de sorgo, virulentos ao milho, sorgo e capim massambará podem ser classificados como Exserohilum turcicum f.sp. complexa; entretanto isolados de milho do Brasil, patogênicos ao milho e ao sorgo; e isolados de capim virulentos ao capim, fracamente virulentos ao milho e avirulentos ao sorgo não podem ser enquadrados em nenhuma formae speciales descritas. Os testes de dupla-difusão em ágar de antígenos extraídos de conídios e\ou micélios não conseguiram detectar qualquer distinção serológica entre os isolados. No teste de ELISA o antissoro do isolado de milho distinguiu os isolados de milho e sorgo dos isolados de capim. O antissoro do isolado de capim distinguiu isolados de capim dos de milho e sorgo, sendo que aparentemente os de sorgo apresentaram-se como intermediários. Análises eletroforéticas isoenzimáticas envolvendo esterase e peroxidase permitiram diferenciar os isolados entretanto, somente foi possível associar os resultados de serologia com a eletroforese-esterase. Através da extração do DNA, digestão com enzima de restrição HpaI e análise eletroforética com coloração por prata, foi possível observar que o tamanho dos DNAs de todos os isolados foram iguais. Os resultados sugerem que testes serológicos e eletroforéticos podem auxiliar no estudo taxonômico para análise de variação inter-específica (ou inter-forma especial). / Morphological, pathogenic, serological and electrophoretic comparisons were made among isolates of Exserohilum turcicum (Pass.) Leonard & Suggs. from maize, sorghum and Johnson grass. Concerning morphology, it was observed that diameters of conidia of Johnson grass isolates were significantly larger than those of maize and sorghum. In laboratory and greenhouse conditions, plants from maize, sorghum and Johnson grass inoculated with isolates of Exserohilum turcicum showed: isolate of maize from the United States produced lesions only in maize stating that this isolate can be considered as Exserohilum turcicum f. sp. zeae; isolates of sorghum were virulent to sorghum, maize and Johnson grass stating that these isolates can be considered as Exserohilum turcicum f. sp. complexa; iso1ates of maize from Brazil were pathogenic to maize and sorghum; isolates of Johnson grass were virulent only to Johnson grass, inducing flecks to maize and a virulent to sorghum. These observations concerning isolates of maize from Brazil and of Johnson grass suggest that they can not be treated of formae speciales. Serological reactions in agar double diffusion tests with antigens extracted from conidia and mycelium did not distinguish any isolate from the others. In the DAS-ELISA test it was observed that antiserum produced against isolates of maize distinguished isolates of maize and of sorghum from isolates of grass. The antiserum produced against isolates of Johnson grass distinguished isolates of Johnson grass from isolates of maize and sorghum, and revealed that apparentely isolates of sorghum are intermediaries. Electrophoretic analysis with the isoenzimatic variation (peroxidase and esterase) differentiated the isolates however only the results from electrophoretic-esterase could an be associated with serological results. DNA extraction, digestion with HpaI enzyme, electrophoretic analyses and silver coloration demonstrated that the sizes of DNA from all isolates are the same. The results suggest that serological and electrophoretic tests can help the taxonomic studies in the analyse of inter-specific (or inter-formae speciales> variations.

Abstract Chlamydia trachomatis epidemic continues at a slowly, albeit steadily increasing rate in the Western world despite health education, easy/user-friendly diagnostic measures, and effective treatment. In Finland, 8,031 and 13,227 C.trachomatis infections were reported in 1995 and 2012, respectively. Over half of the Chlamydia cases were diagnosed among young women, who suffer from the Chlamydia-related complications such as infertility many years after initial infection. The rates of all but first of the following major Chlamydia-related complications: cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, ectopic pregnancy, hospitalized pelvic inflammatory disease, tubal factor infertility have, however, decreased since the 1990s. The aim of this study was to clarify the discordance between the apparently increasing incidence of C. trachomatis and decreasing C.trachomatis IgG antibody rates (seroprevalence). The study material consisted of a random subsample of first trimester serum samples of 7,999 women from the population-based Finnish Maternity Cohort (FMC) registry from 1983 to 2005, and 147,148 women and men with a total of 177,138 C. trachomatis genital infections reported to the Finnish National Infectious Diseases Registry (NIDR) during 1995–2009. Both registries are maintained by the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). Serum IgG antibodies were measured by a C.trachomatis major outer membrane protein-specific peptide enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and the standard micro-immunofluorescence (MIF) method. We found that while C. trachomatis seroprevalences decreased >50% among fertile-aged women the seroconversion rates (seroincidences) were comparable to the NIDR reported rates. The numbers of annual repeated C. trachomatis infection in the NIDR increased until 2009 by 49% in women and 39% in men. In 2009, about 25% of the females and 20% of the males had had an earlier C.trachomatis infection. During the whole follow-up time, 34% of all the repeat diagnoses occurred within 12 months. Most of the first infections were observed among females and males under 25 years of age, but the numbers of repeated chlamydial infections increased up to the age of 30 years. The C. trachomatis serotype distribution changed between the 1980s and 1990s, but the leading 1980 serotypes bounced back by 2005. The numbers of women with multiple serotype infections peaked in the 1990s, and serotypes G and J were temporarily replaced by serotypes E and D. In conclusion, the serological observations fit the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) -based data on C. trachomatis epidemiology. The observed increases in the repeated chlamydial infections among young women and men comply with increasing sexual risk-taking behaviour in Finland. Our observations help to understand the discrepancy between C. trachomatis occurrence and sequelae rates as the overall C. trachomatis infection burden in the population may be decreasing despite the increasing incidence trend. / Tiivistelmä Chlamydia trachomatis -epidemia jatkuu yhä länsimaissakin terveyskasvatuksesta, helposta diagnostiikasta sekä tehokkaasta hoidosta huolimatta. Vuonna 1995 maassamme raportoitujen klamydiainfektioiden määrä oli 8 031 ja viime vuonna 13 227. Näistä yli puolet todettiin nuorilla naisilla, joilla klamydian pitkäaikaishaitat, kuten hedelmättömyysongelmat, tulevat esille usein vasta usean vuoden kuluttua. Klamydiainfektioon liittyvät komplikaatiot, eli kohdunkaulan syövän esiasteet, kohdunulkoinen raskaus, vaikea sisäsynnytintulehdus ja munanjohdinperäinen hedelmättömyys ovat ensimmäistä lukuun ottamatta olleet maassamme laskussa 1990-luvulta lähtien. Tämän väitöskirjatyön tarkoituksena oli selvittää klamydian ilmaantuvuuden nousun ja C. trachomatis IgG vasta-ainetasojen laskun välistä ristiriitaa. Väestötasoisen tutkimuksen aineisto koostui äitiseerumipankista (Finnish Maternity Cohort, FMC) vuosilta 1983–2005 satunnaistetusti poimittujen 7 999 naisen verinäytteistä ja kansalliseen tartuntatautirekisteriin vuosina 1995–2009 raportoiduista klamydiatapauksista, joita havaittiin 147 148 naisella ja miehellä yhteensä 177 138 tapausta. Molemmat rekisterit ovat Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitoksen (THL) ylläpitämiä. Klamydia IgG vasta-aineet määritettiin entsyymi-immunologisesti (EIA) sekä mikroimmunofluoresenssimenetelmällä (MIF) verinäytteistä. Keskeisinä tuloksina havaittiin klamydian seroprevalenssin lasku > 50 % hedelmällisessä iässä olevilla naisilla, vaikka infektion ilmaantuvuus serologisessa aineistossa oli samaan aikaan samankaltainen kuin tartuntatautirekisterissä. Lisäksi havaitsimme, että vuositasolla toistuvien klamydiainfektioiden määrä on tartuntatautirekisterin perusteella lisääntynyt tutkimusaikana naisilla 49 % ja miehillä 39 %. Vuonna 2009 neljännes naisten ja viidennes miesten klamydiainfektioista oli uusintainfektioita. Koko seuranta-aikana 34 % toistuvista tapauksista ilmaantui 12 kuukauden sisällä. Suurin osa klamydiainfektioista todettiin alle 25-vuotiailla naisilla ja miehillä, mutta toistuvia infektioita havaittiin vielä runsaasti 30 ikävuoteen asti. Klamydiaserotyyppien jakaumassa tapahtui muutoksia 1980- ja 1990-lukujen välissä, mutta jakauma palautui vuoteen 2005 mennessä samankaltaiseksi kuin 1980-luvulla. Useamman serotyypin infektioiden lukumäärä oli korkeimmillaan 1990-luvulla, jolloin serotyypit G ja J korvautuivat väliaikaisesti serotyypeillä E ja D. Yhteenvetona voimme todeta, että serologiset havaintomme ovat yhteneväisiä polymeraasiketjureaktiolla (PCR) tutkittujen klamydiaepidemiologisten tulosten kanssa. Toistuvien klamydiainfektioiden määrän nousu aineistossamme sopii havaintoon nuorten naisten ja miesten lisääntyneestä seksuaalisesta riskikäyttäytymisestä maassamme. Tutkimustuloksemme auttavat ymmärtämään ristiriitaa klamydian ilmaantuvuuden nousun ja klamydiaperäisten komplikaatioiden laskun välillä, koska kaiken kaikkiaan klamydiaan liittyvä pitkäaikaissairastavuus väestötasolla voi olla vähenemässä.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:32:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 4909.pdf: 1046515 bytes, checksum: ace6b1d8402f547fa086d3b55feda1ca (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-08 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / Aphids (Hemiptera: Aphidoidea) are insects considered as pests in many crops. Acyrthosiphon pisum, Aphis craccivora and Therioaphis trifolii f. maculata, occur often in alfalfa crops (Medicago sativa) in Brazil, causing direct and indirect damage to the plants. In this study designed to determine the seasonal fluctuation of aphids and their predators in alfalfa crop and its relationships with climatic variables by canonical correspondence analysis; to verify if there is in laboratory selectivity predators feeding, Cycloneda sanguinea, Harmonia axyrids and Hippodamia convergens for aphid A. pisum, A. craccivora and T. trifolli f. maculata to establish their predators in field culture, as well as to compare the various predators, as their efficiency in preying upon aphids using the serological technique. This technique is based on reactions such as antigen / antibody where the antibodies are obtained for the pest of interest and how antigens are used on many pest consumers. The gathering of aphids and their predators were conducted from August 2011 to July 2012 in experimental fields of alfalfa Crioula located at the Embrapa Unit, São Carlos SP. Acyrthosiphon pisum was the predominant aphid in the culture during the study period. Considering all the species, the highest population peak was observed in March/2012 and the lower in January/2012. According to canonical correspondence analysis, none of the environmental variables influenced significantly the seasonal fluctuation of aphids. Regarding the predators, 2.161 specimens were collected including insects and spiders. Among the insects the following families: Coccinellidae, Carabidae, Nabidae, Syrphidae, Dolichopodidae, Geocoridae, Reduviidae, Pentatomidae, Chrysopidae and Dermaptera. Among the spiders, Salticidae, Thomisidae; Lycosidae; Ctenidae; Nephilidae; Araneidae; xi Sparassidae; Theridiidae; Pholcidae; Trocantheriidae; Lymphidae and Sicariidae ocurred. The coccinellids were the most abundant insects and Harmonia axyridis was the most abundant species. It was also observed that the population of aphids and coccinellids follow the typical pattern of predator-prey relationship. The presence of natural enemies and the management of cutting the alfalfa influenced the dynamics of aphid populations. According to the results of the serological tests of all predators tested, 508 reacted with any of the antisera, resulting in 23,5% of positive results. Heterologous positive reactions were recorded with predators stored in a freezer at -2 °C for over a year showing that freezing does not affect the results of serological reactions. Syrphid and chrysopids were the predators with the highest percentage of positive serological reactions. The food preference tests in the laboratory showed that the coccinellids C. sanguinea, H. axyridis and H. convergens have a preference for A. craccivora when one compare to other species of aphids offered / Os afídeos (Hemiptera: Aphidoidea) são insetos considerados praga em várias culturas. Acyrthosiphon pisum, Aphis craccivora e Therioaphis trifolii f. maculata, ocorrem frequentemente em cultura de alfafa (Medicago sativa) no Brasil, causando danos diretos e indiretos ás plantas. No presente trabalho buscou-se determinar a flutuação sazonal dos afídeos e seus predadores em cultura de alfafa e suas relações com as variáveis climáticas, mediante análise de correspondência canônica; verificar em laboratório se há seletividade alimentar dos predadores, Cycloneda sanguínea, Harmonia axyrids e Hippodamia convergens pelos afídeos A. pisum, A. craccivora e T. trifolli f. maculata e determinar em campo seus predadores na cultura, bem como comparar os diversos predadores, quanto a sua eficiência em predar os afídeos utilizando-se a técnica serológica. Esta técnica é baseada em reações do tipo antígeno/anticorpo onde os anticorpos são obtidos para a praga que se quer investigar e como antígenos são utilizados os vários consumidores da praga. As coletas de afídeos e seus predadores foram realizadas de agosto de 2011 a julho de 2012, em campos experimentais de alfafa do cultivar Crioula situados na Unidade da Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste, São Carlos SP. Acyrthosiphon pisum foi o afídeo predominante na cultura no período avaliado. Considerando-se o conjunto das espécies o maior pico populacional foi observado em março de 2012 e o menor em janeiro de 2012. De acordo com a análise de correspondência canônica, nenhuma das variáveis ambientais influenciou significativamente a flutuação sazonal de afídeos. Em relação aos predadores, foram coletados 2.161 exemplares entre insetos e aranhas. Dentre os insetos ocorreram representantes das seguintes famílias: Coccinellidae, Carabidae, Nabidae, Syrphidae, Dolichopodidae, Geocoridae, Reduviidae, Pentatomidae, Chrysopidae e Dermaptera. ix Dentre as aranhas, Salticidae, Thomisidae; Lycosidae; Ctenidae; Nephilidae; Araneidae; Sparassidae; Theridiidae; Pholcidae; Trocantheriidae; Lynphidae e Sicariidae. Os coccinelídeos foram os insetos mais abundantes e Harmonia axyridis a espécie mais coletada. Observou-se também que a população de coccinelídeos e a de afídeos seguem o padrão típico da relação predador-presa. A presença de inimigos naturais e o manejo dos cortes da alfafa influenciaram a dinâmica populacional dos afídeos. De acordo com os resultados dos testes serológicos, do total de predadores testados, 508 reagiram com algum dos antissoros resultando em 23,5% de resultados positivos. Reações heterólogas positivas foram registradas com predadores armazenados em freezer a -2°C por mais de um ano evidenciando que o congelamento não interferiu nos resultados das reações serológicas. Os sirfídeos e crisopídeos foram os predadores para os quais se obteve a maior porcentagem de reações serológicas positivas. Os testes de preferência alimentar em laboratório apontaram que os coccinelídeos C. sanguínea, H. axyridis e H. convergens tem preferência por A. craccivora em relação às outras espécies de afídeos oferecidas.

Abstract Around 3% of pregnant women in Finland have genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection, which can be transmitted from mother to newborn at birth. The risk of transmission has been reported to be 10–70% in vaginal deliveries resulting in conjunctivitis in 10–30% of cases and lower respiratory tract infection in 0–20% of cases. Although usually benign, Chlamydia trachomatis infections in infancy may result in long-term consequences, including conjunctival and corneal scarring, chronic cough and abnormal lung function. Based on the transmission rates published in prior studies, chlamydial conjunctivitis should occur in approximately 200 infants and chlamydial lower respiratory tract infection in 100 infants each year in our country, but in clinical practice we rarely encounter or diagnose infants with Chlamydia trachomatis infections. To investigate the reason for this discrepancy and to improve the recognition of Chlamydia trachomatis-infected infants, we set out to study the risk of vertical transmission of Chlamydia trachomatis in a population-based setting, to describe the typical features of Chlamydia trachomatis infections in infants and to evaluate the occurrence of Chlamydia trachomatis in both neonatal conjunctivitis and lower respiratory tract infections in infants. When studying the probability of vertical transmission of Chlamydia trachomatis a search through two national health registers for 1996–2011 yielded 206 children aged less than four years with a possible Chlamydia trachomatis infection. In a cohort of 933 823 births this represented an occurrence of 0.22 per 1000 live births (95% confidence interval 0.19–0.25). The risk of vertical transmission of Chlamydia trachomatis leading to a symptomatic infection in infancy was 0.8–1.8%. A review of patient charts to evaluate the typical features of Chlamydia trachomatis infections in infants (124/206) revealed that one-third of the infants with chlamydial conjunctivitis (33/124) had spontaneous bloody discharge from the infected eyes. Almost half of the infants with chlamydial lower respiratory tract infection (15/32) had wheezing, but the characteristic staccato cough was not recorded in any of them. The median diagnostic delay from the onset of symptoms was 13 (range 4–374) days for conjunctivitis and 25 (range 10–149) days for lower respiratory tract infection. One neglected child developed bilateral corneal scars due to untreated chlamydial conjunctivitis. To investigate the occurrence of Chlamydia trachomatis in neonatal conjunctivitis, 173 neonates with clinical conjunctivitis at child health clinics were examined prospectively during 2010–2015 and none of the 163 cases tested had chlamydial or gonococcal conjunctivitis (0%; 95% confidence interval 0%–2.2%). Viral conjunctivitis was diagnosed in 8/167 cases (4.8%; 95% confidence interval 2.1%–9.2%) and non-chlamydial bacterial conjunctivitis in 58/160 (36%; 95% confidence interval 29%–44%). To investigate the occurrence of Chlamydia trachomatis in lower respiratory tract infections, 228 infants aged less than six months with lower respiratory tract infection presenting at the paediatric emergency department of Oulu University Hospital were examined prospectively over a period of a complete epidemiological year. One infant (0.4%; 95% confidence interval 0.01%–2.4%) had lower respiratory tract infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis and another was diagnosed with whooping cough (0.4%; 95% confidence interval 0.01%–2.4%). The majority of the infants with lower respiratory tract infection (203/228) had a respiratory viral infection. It may be concluded that the risk of mother-to-child transmission of Chlamydia trachomatis leading to a clinical illness in the infant in this era of nucleic acid-based diagnostics was less than 2%, which is significantly lower than in earlier studies. The population-based prevalence of neonatal chlamydial conjunctivitis in primary care was less than 2% and that of chlamydial lower respiratory tract infection in a hospital setting less than 2.5%. The long-term prognosis for Chlamydia trachomatis infections in infancy was good. Common respiratory viruses were detected in 5% of the neonatal conjunctivitis cases. / Tiivistelmä Noin 3 %:lla suomalaisista raskaana olevista naisista on klamydian (Chlamydia trachomatis) aiheuttama sukupuolitauti, joka voi tarttua äidistä lapseen synnytyksessä. Tartuntariskin on raportoitu olevan alatiesynnytyksessä noin 10–70 %. Noin 10–30 % tartunnan saaneista lapsista sairastuu silmätulehdukseen ja 0–20 % keuhkokuumeeseen. Vaikka imeväisten klamydiainfektiot ovat useimmiten lieviä tauteja, imeväisiällä sairastettu klamydiainfektio voi aiheuttaa silmän side- ja sarveiskalvon arpeutumista, pitkittynyttä yskää ja keuhkofunktion alenemaa. Aiempien tutkimusten perusteella arvioimme, että Suomessa sairastuu vuosittain noin 200 imeväistä klamydian aiheuttamaan silmätulehdukseen ja noin 100 imeväistä klamydiakeuhkokuumeeseen. Kliininen kokemuksemme on kuitenkin, että kohtaamme klamydiaa sairastavia imeväisiä varsin harvoin. Tämän ongelman ratkaisemiseksi ja klamydiaa sairastavien imeväisten paremmaksi tunnistamiseksi suunnittelimme tutkimuksen, jonka tarkoituksena on selvittää väestöpohjainen riski klamydian tarttumiselle äidistä vastasyntyneeseen, kuvata imeväisten klamydiainfektioiden tyypilliset piirteet sekä selvittää klamydian osuus imeväisten silmätulehduksissa ja alle kuuden kuukauden ikäisten imeväisten alahengitystieinfektioissa. Klamydian sairastaneet lapset poimittiin kahdesta suomalaisesta terveydenhuoltorekisteristä vuosina 1996–2011. Tuona aikana 206 lasta oli sairastanut mahdollisen klamydiainfektion, joten klamydian ilmaantuvuus oli 0,22/1000:tta elävänä syntynyttä kohti (95 % luottamusväli 0,19–0,25). Väestöpohjainen riski äidin sukupuoliklamydian tarttumiselle vastasyntyneeseen niin että lapselle aiheutuu oireinen infektio oli 0,8–1,8 %. Saatavilla olevien potilasasiakirjojen (124/206) perusteella kolmasosalla (33/124) imeväisistä, jotka sairastivat klamydian aiheuttamaa silmätulehdusta, oli oireena spontaani verinen kyynel- tai rähmäerite. Klamydiakeuhkokuumetta sairastavista puolella (15/32) esiintyi hengityksen vinkumista, mutta klamydiakeuhkokuumeelle tyypillistä hakkaavaa yskää (”staccato-yskä”) ei todettu yhdelläkään imeväisellä. Diagnostinen viive oli verrattain pitkä: 13 päivää (vaihteluväli 4–374) silmätulehduksessa ja 25 päivää (vaihteluväli 10–149) keuhkokuumeessa. Yhdelle laiminlyödylle lapselle kehittyi molemminpuoliset sarveiskalvoarvet hoitamattoman klamydiainfektion seurauksena. Vastasyntyneen silmätulehdustutkimukseen rekrytoitiin 173 alle 30 päivän ikäistä lasta Oulun kaupungin lastenneuvoloissa vuosina 2010–2015. Klamydian tai tippurin aiheuttamaa silmätulehdusta ei todettu yhdelläkään 163:sta tutkitusta vauvasta (0 %; 95 % luottamusväli 0 %–2,2 %). Viruksen aiheuttama silmätulehdus todettiin kahdeksalla vauvalla (4,8 %; 95 % luottamusväli 2,1 %–9,2 %) ja jonkin muun bakteerin kuin klamydian aiheuttama silmätulehdus 58:lla vauvalla (36 %; 95 % luottamusväli 29 %–44 %). Imeväisten alahengitystieinfektiotutkimukseen rekrytoitiin 228 alle kuuden kuukauden ikäistä imeväistä yliopistosairaalan lastenpäivystyksessä yhden epidemiologisen vuoden aikana. Klamydian aiheuttama hengitystieinfektio diagnosoitiin yhdellä imeväisellä (0,4 %; 95 % luottamusväli 0,01 %–2,4 %) ja hinkuyskä niin ikään yhdellä (0,4 %; 95 % luottamusväli 0,01 %–2,4 %). Valtaosalla (203/228) alahengitystieinfektio-oireisista imeväisistä oli viruksen aiheuttama infektio. Yhteenvetona voimme todeta, että klamydia tarttui äidistä lapseen alle 2 %:ssa synnytyksistä, mikä on huomattavasti harvinaisempaa kuin aiemmin on luultu. Klamydian aiheuttamien silmätulehdusten esiintyvyys oli alle 2 % ja alahengitystieinfektioiden alle 2,5 % alueemme lapsiväestössä. Klamydian aiheuttamat pitkäaikaishaitat olivat harvinaisia. Tavallisten hengitystievirusten osuus vastasyntyneiden silmätulehduksissa oli 5 %.