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E C Moreira

Publications and source records attributed to E C Moreira.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Molecular typing of Mycobacterium bovis isolates from south-east Brazil by spoligotyping and RFLP.

The identification of 163 strains of Mycobacterium bovis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and microbiological tests was carried out on 252 tuberculous-like lesions (TLLs) collected from slaughtered cattle in south-east Brazil. This study compared the usefulness of three genotyping techniques, IS6110-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), polymorphic guanine-cytosine-rich sequence (PGRS)-RFLP and direct repeat (DR)-spoligotyping, as applied to M. bovis isolates. Based on IS6110-RFLP genotyping we selected a group of 23 isolates containing more than one IS6110 copy, along with 16 samples containing one IS6110 copy from different geographical areas, evenly distributed among dairy (eight) and beef cattle (eight). These selected isolates were analysed by PGRS-RFLP and DR-spoligotyping genotyping. Dairy cattle (17%) display a higher frequency of multiple IS6110 copies than beef cattle (10%). A comparison between the genotype data obtained fails to show a correlation between the main clusters found by the three techniques. However, the clustering of each genotyping procedure revealed that the majority of strains are closely related. The RFLP-PGRS patterns showed a sizable group (20.5%) containing a 5.5 kb fragment and the predominant spoligotype is similar to that from the BCG vaccine strain. Unexpectedly, four strains (2.4%) showed drug resistance to 0.2 microg/ml isoniazid and 20 microg/ml ethionamide, but none of them was resistant to rifampicin or other antibiotics tested.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Mycobacterium bovis: polymerase chain reaction identification in bovine lymphonode biopsies and genotyping in isolates from Southeast Brazil by spolygotyping and restriction fragment length polymorphism.

Diagnosis of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex by direct PCR of mediastinal lymphnode DNA and microbiological tests were compared in cattle suspicious of bearing tuberculous-like lesions detected during slaughter. The PCR procedure applied on DNA samples (n=54) obtained by adding alpha -casein into the thiocyanate extraction mix was positive in 70% of the samples. PCR confirmed the identification of 23 samples (100%) that grew in culture, 9 samples (60%) that failed to grow in culture, plus 6 (37.5%) samples that resulted in growth of bacterial contaminants. Genotyping by IS6110-RFLP and DR-spoligotyping analysis of seven samples revealed the presence of several polimorphisms. Seven of the isolates contained multiple copies of IS6110, thus defining the existence of five singular genotypes.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Characterization of a novel bacteriocin-encoding plasmid found in clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus.

Plasmids specifying bacteriocin production and immunity to its action were found in three clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus obtained in different hospitals located in Rio de Janeiro. These plasmids (pRJ28, pRJ29 and pRJ30) of 8.0 kb were found to generate identical restriction fragment patterns upon digestion with several enzymes, although the range of strains susceptible to the respective bacteriocin varied among the producer strains, when different Gram-positive bacteria were used as indicators, pRJ29 was then chosen for further characterization in order to compare it with pRJ6 and pRJ9, two small bacteriocin-encoding plasmids previously described in strains isolated from food. pRJ29 was found to code for a bacteriocin with chemical properties (sensitivity to proteases, heat resistance, activity under anaerobiosis, and estimated molecular weight) similar to those of pRJ6-encoded bacteriocin, conferring cross-immunity to it. However, its restriction map differed from those of pRJ6 and pRJ9. These studies together with hybridization, incompatibility, and mobilization analyses using a derivative of pRJ29 tagged with Tn917-lac suggest that pRJ29 is a mosaic composed of genetic determinants found on pRJ6 and pRJ9, and that IS257 was not involved in the recombination events which gave rise to pRJ29.

Bacteriocins↗
PubMed1999

Evaluation of an ELISA-PPD for the diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis in field trials in Brazil.

Bovine tuberculosis is a major health problem in Brazil. The intradermal tuberculin test is the standard test for its detection, but it can lack both sensitivity and specificity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a bovine enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay- (ELISA - PPD) under field conditions in Brazil. A total of 1632 animals from 13 dairy farms were tested with the intradermal tuberculin test (ITT). Two hundred and seven cows gave a positive reaction, which represents 12.7 per cent of the cattle studied. The sensitivity and specificity rates to ITT were 87.7 per cent and 95.2 per cent, respectively. From the 1632 animals 15 per cent of each herd (220 in total) were selected to be tested by the ELISA. Differences between mean optical density (OD) of the control group, ITT -positive and ITT -negative groups were all significant (P<0.01). The sensitivity rates to ELISA - PPD were 86.7 per cent, while specificity was 90.6 per cent. The use of ELISA - PPD is suggested for situations where the investigation of the whole herd is more important than the individual testing of each cow. In addition, the ELISA - PPD can also be helpful when a collective diagnosis is desired to elucidate clinical suspicions of disease, or in the first steps of a control program, for identification of foci.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Comparison between a gamma-IFN assay and intradermal tuberculin test for the diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis in field trials in Brazil.

Bovine tuberculosis is a major problem in Brazil. The intradermal tuberculin test is the standard test for detection of bovine tuberculosis in Brazil but can lack both sensitivity and specificity. The purpose of this study was to compare a bovine gamma-IFN assay with the tuberculin test under field conditions in Brazil. A total of 1632 animals from 13 dairy farms were tested using the single cervical tuberculin test (SCTT). Among those animals, about 15% of each herd, 220 in total, represented a high-risk group and were selected to be tested using the gamma-IFN test. Of the 1632 animals tested, 207 presented significant reactions representing 12.7% of the cattle studied. In the selected group the number of animals positive by the gamma-IFN assay was 126/220 (57.3%) and the total number of reactive cows on SCTT was 106/220 (48.2%). The real number of infected cattle, following standards, was 120/220 (54.5%). From these results the relative sensitivity rate of gamma-IFN test was 100% including the false-positive results and 88.3% for the SCTT--a significant (P < 0.01) difference in favour of the gamma-IFN test of 11.7%. The gamma-IFN assay also identified some positive animals 60-120 days earlier than the SCTT. In conclusion, we believe that the gamma-IFN assay can be used alone or in combination with the SCTT, as a valuable tool for the control of bovine tuberculosis in the Brazilian national herd.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Detection of Mycobacterium bovis in milk by polymerase chain reaction.

A simple method was developed for DNA extraction of Mycobacterium bovis in milk and further detection of the bacterium by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Milk previously seeded with M. bovis was used as the starting material. The procedure involved overnight digestion of a milk sample with proteinase K at 56 degrees C and phenol extraction, followed by ethanol precipitation and PCR. The amplification pattern obtained was analyzed with primers BW8-BW9 which amplify a 248 bp in strains of M. bovis. By using the BW8-BW9 primers, 10(3) CFU were detected on silver-stained PAGE gels. The procedure was validated by PCR analysis of milk in tuberculin-positive animals. It is anticipated that this method can be used for routine diagnosis of M. bovis in milk samples.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Effect of gamma irradiation on the behavioral properties of crotoxin.

Crotoxin has been detoxified with gamma radiation in order to improve crotalic antiserum production. Nevertheless, present knowledge of the biological characteristics of irradiated crotoxin is insufficient to propose it as an immunizing agent. Crotoxin is known to increase the emotional state of rats and to decrease their exploratory behavior (Moreira EG, Nascimento N, Rosa GJM, Rogero JR and Vassilieff VS (1996) Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research, 29: 629-632). Therefore, we decided 1) to evaluate the effects of crotoxin in the social interaction test, which has been widely used for the evaluation of anxiogenic drugs, and 2) to determine if irradiated crotoxin induces behavioral alterations similar to those of crotoxin in the social interaction, open-field and hole-board tests. Male Wistar rats (180-220 g) were used. Crotoxin (100, 250, and 500 micrograms/kg) was injected intraperitoneally 2 h before the social interaction test. Similarly, irradiated crotoxin (2000 Gy gamma radiation from a 60Co source) was administered at the doses of 100, 250, and 500 micrograms/kg for the hole-board test, and at the doses of 1000 and 2500 micrograms/kg for the open-field and social interaction tests. ANOVA complemented with the Dunnett test was used for statistical analysis (P < 0.05). Crotoxin decreased the social interaction time(s) at the doses of 100, 250 and 500 micrograms/kg (means +/- SEM) from 51.6 +/- 4.4 to 32.6 +/- 3.7, 28.0 +/- 3.6 and 31.6 +/- 4.4, respectively. Irradiated crotoxin did not induce behavioral alterations. These results indicate that 1) crotoxin may be an anxiogenic compound, and 2) in contrast to crotoxin, irradiated crotoxin was unable to induce behavioral alterations, which makes it a promising compound for the production of crotalic antiserum.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Is there a relationship between antipsychotic blood levels and their clinical efficacy? An analysis of studies design and methodology.

There are now more than 50 studies concerning neuroleptic blood levels and clinical outcome relationships. Haloperidol, the most studied, is the only antipsychotic permitting some conclusions. A number of authors suggest that the striking lack of agreement between different studies results from heterogeneity of their quality. Here, we have used a scoring system for assessing the quality of those studies. According to this system, none (0/14) of the studies having a score < 0.60 was able to show a therapeutic window, as compared to 53% (10/19) of those having a score > or = 0.60 (p = 0.002, Fisher exact test). Also, the studies able to identify the presence of a therapeutic window during haloperidol treatment were those having sample size > 20 (p = 0.06) and those whose patients were treated with fixed doses (p = 0.02). The diagnosis of schizophrenia in the studies seems not to be an exclusive condition, as compared with those also including schizophreniform and schizoaffective disorders (p = 0.12). Our qualitative analysis of haloperidol blood level publications seem to indicate that an upper limit may exist for haloperidol efficacy; values above this limit seem not to provide any supplementary clinical improvement and may even reduce therapeutic effect.

Antipsychotic Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A comparison of three DNA extractive procedures with Leptospira for polymerase chain reaction analysis.

Three DNA extraction methods were evaluated in this study: proteinase K followed by phenol-chloroform; a plant proteinase (E6870) followed by phenol-chloroform; and boiling of leptospires in 0.1 mM Tris, pH 7.0 for 10 min at 100 degrees C, with no phenol treatment. Every strain treated with proteinase K or E6870 afforded positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) reaction. On the other hand, from five strains extracted by the boiling method, three did not feature the 849 bp band characteristic in Leptospira. We also evaluated by RAPD-PCR, DNAs from serovars isolated with proteinase K and proteinase 6870 with primers B11/B12. Each of the DNA samples provided PCR profiles in agreement with previous data. Moreover, the results with E6870 showed less background non-specific amplification, suggesting that removal of nucleases was more efficient with E6870. The limit for detection by PCR using Lep13/Lep14 was determined to be 10(2) leptospira, using the silver stain procedure.

Chloroform↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Hypochondriasis by proxy in children: report of two cases]

OBJECTIVE: To emphasize important aspects for the diagnosis and approach of patients with history of child abuse, related with the Munchausen Syndrome by proxy, and its variant, Hypochondriases by proxy. METHODS: The authors describe two cases followed in the Pediatric Service in a terciary hospital of Salvador, Bahia, in which they found aspects of the medical history and physical examination of these children and in the mothers' behavior compatible with Munchausen by proxy (Factitious disorder by proxy). RESULTS: In the two cases presented, we observed a standard in the clinical history, described as recurrent inpatient and outpatient medical support, through the last three years, without the identification of abnormal results. These facts do not decreased the certainty of the mothers about their children's disease (hypochondriases by proxy). Furthermore we observed cooperation on the part of the children by incorporating the role of the sick one, which made their school and social adaptation more difficult. CONCLUSIONS: The pediatrician must be aware of the diagnosis of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy and its variation, hypochondriases by proxy, in those cases of unsuitable and recurrent disease, lack of symptoms and signs in the absence of parents, and diagnostic methods with meaningless results. When absolutely certain about diagnosis, the physician must establish the risk for the child (increased mortality in these cases) and suggest psychotherapy for the mother or perpetrator.

Journal Article↗