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Nocardia is a ubiquitous microorganism related to pyogranulomatous infection, which is difficult to treat in humans and animals. The occurrence of the disease is on the rise in many countries due to an increase in immunosuppressive diseases and treatments. This report of cases from Brazil presents the genotypic characterization and the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern using the disk-diffusion method and inhibitory minimal concentration with E-test® strips. In summary, this report focuses on infections in young adult men, of which three cases were cutaneous, two pulmonary, one neurological and one systemic. The pulmonary, neurological and systemic cases were attributed to immunosuppressive diseases or treatments. Sequencing analysis of the 16S rRNA segments (1491 bp) identified four isolates of Nocardia farcinica, two isolates of Nocardia nova and one isolate of Nocardia asiatica. N. farcinica was involved in two cutaneous, one systemic and other pulmonary cases; N. nova was involved in one neurological and one pulmonary case; and Nocardia asiatica in one cutaneous case. The disk-diffusion antimicrobial susceptibility test showed that the most effective antimicrobials were amikacin (100%), amoxicillin/clavulanate (100%), cephalexin (100%) and ceftiofur (100%), while isolates had presented most resistance to gentamicin (43%), sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (43%) and ampicillin (29%). However, on the inhibitory minimal concentration test (MIC test), only one of the four isolates of Nocardia farcinica was resistant to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim.

The COVID‐19 pandemic had a great impact on the mortality of older adults and, chronic non‐ transmissible diseases (CNTDs) patients, likely previous inflammaging condition that is common in these subjects. It is possible that functional foods could attenuate viral infection conditions such as SARS‐CoV‐2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), the causal agent of COVID‐19 pandemic. Previous evidence suggested that some fruits consumed by Amazonian Diet from Pre‐Colombian times could present relevant proprieties to decrease of COVID‐19 complications such as oxidative‐cytokine storm. In this narrative review we identified five potential Amazonian fruits: açai berry (Euterpe oleracea), camu‐camu (Myrciaria dubia), cocoa (Theobroma cacao), Brazil nuts (Bertholletia excelsa), and guaraná (Paullinia cupana). Data showed that these Amazonian fruits present antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory and other immunomodulatory activities that could attenuate the impact of inflammaging states that potentially decrease the evolution of COVID‐19 complications. The evidence compiled here supports the complementary experimental and clinical studies exploring these fruits as nutritional supplement during COVID‐19 infection. Practical applications: These fruits, in their natural form, are often limited to their region, or exported to other places in the form of frozen pulp or powder. But there are already some companies producing food supplements in the form of capsules, in the form of oils and even functional foods enriched with these fruits. This practice is common in Brazil and tends to expand to the international market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This work evaluated the antioxidant properties and in vivo antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of extracts obtained from fruit peels of Myrciaria floribunda (H. West ex Willd.) O. Berg (Myrtaceae). This plant is popularly known in Brazil as Cambuí or camboim. Different extracts were submitted to comparative analysis to determine the content of selected phytochemical classes (levels of total phenols, flavonoids, and monomeric anthocyanins) and the in vitro antioxidant potentials. The extract with higher potential was selected for in vivo evaluation of its antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory action. Finally, the chemical characterization of this extract was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). MfAE (extract obtained using acetone as solvent) showed the higher levels of phenols (296 mg GAE/g) and anthocyanins contents (35.65 mg Cy-3-glcE/g) that were associated with higher antioxidant activity. MfAE also exhibited in vivo anti-inflammatory and analgesic propertiers. This fraction inhibited the inflammatory and neurogenic phases of pain, and this effect was reversed by naloxone (suggesting the involvement of opioidergic system). MfAE reduced the abdominal contortions induced by acetic acid. The HPLC analysis revealed the presence of gallic acid (and its derivatives) and ellagic acid. Taken together, these data support the use of M. floribunda fruit peels for development of functional foods and nutraceutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nocardia sp. causes a variety of clinical presentations. The incidence of nocardiosis varies geographically according to several factors, such as the prevalence of HIV infections, transplants, neoplastic and rheumatic diseases, as well as climate, socio-economic conditions and laboratory procedures for Nocardia detection and identification. In Brazil the paucity of clinical reports of Nocardia infections suggests that this genus may be underestimated as a cause of human diseases and/or either neglected or misidentified in laboratory specimens. Accurate identification of Nocardia species has become increasingly important for clinical and epidemiological investigations. In this study, seven clinical Nocardia isolates were identified by multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) and their antimicrobial susceptibility was also determined. Most Nocardia isolates were associated to pulmonary disease. Methodology/Principal Findings: The majority of Brazilian human isolates in cases reported in literature were identified as Nocardia sp. Molecular characterization was used for species identification of Nocardia nova, Nocardia cyriacigeorgica, Nocardia asiatica and Nocardia exalbida/gamkensis. Data indicated that molecular analysis provided a different Nocardia speciation than the initial biochemical identification for most Brazilian isolates. All Nocardia isolates showed susceptibility to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, the antimicrobial of choice in the treatment nocardiosis. N. nova isolated from different clinical specimens from one patient showed identical antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and two distinct clones. Conclusions/Significance: Although Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country in terms of land mass and population, pulmonary, extrapulmonary and systemic forms of nocardiosis were reported in only 6 of the 26 Brazilian states from 1970 to 2013. A least 33.8% of these 46 cases of nocardiosis proved fatal. Interestingly, coinfection by two clones may occur in patients presenting nocardiosis. Nocardia infection may be more common throughout the Brazilian territory and in other developing tropical countries than is currently recognized and MLSA should be used more extensively as an effective method for Nocardia identification. Author Summary: Nocardiosis is an in common and potentially life-threatening infection. Most cases occur in immunocompromised patients, and a delay in establishing the diagnosis is due to the difficulties in clinical diagnosis and in cultivating and detecting Nocardia. Growth of Nocardia species in culture media is slow and incubation should be carried out for at least two weeks to detection this microorganism from clinical specimens. Accordingly, high levels of suspicion on the part of the clinician and of experience on the part of laboratory personnel are essential for detection of nocardiosis. In Brazil, clinical reports of Nocardia infections are scarce and the knowledge of the clinical impact of nocardiosis is fragmentary, suggesting that this genus may be underestimated as a cause of human diseases and/or neglected. In this study conventional biochemical method led to the misidentification of Brazilian isolates. Herein, molecular characterization of four loci was precisely identified as N. nova, N. cyriacigeorgica, N. asiatica and N. exalbida or N. gamkensis species. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first reported cases of human infection due to these Nocardia species in Brazil. Molecular methods offer a time-saving and accurate identification of the Nocardia genus at the species level and thus, play an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of nocardiosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Higher intakes of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids that are abundant in marine fishes have been long described as a 'good nutritional intervention' with increasing clinical benefits to cardiovascular health, inflammation, mental, and neurodegenerative diseases. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of daily fish oil (FO-10 mg EPA/kg body weight (BW) and 7 mg DHA/kg BW) intake by oral gavage associated with the antioxidant astaxanthin (ASTA-1 mg/kg BW) on the redox metabolism and the functional properties of lymphocytes from rat lymph nodes. Methods: This study was conducted by measurements of lymphocyte proliferation capacity, ROS production [superoxide (O) and hydrogen peroxide (HO)], nitric oxide (NO) generation, intracellular calcium release, oxidative damage to lipids and proteins, activities of major antioxidant enzymes, GSH/GSSG content, and cytokines release. Results: After 45 days of FO + ASTA supplementation, the proliferation capacity of activated T- and B-lymphocytes was significantly diminished followed by lower levels of O, HO and NO production, and increased activities of total/SOD, GR and GPx, and calcium release in cytosol. ASTA was able to prevent oxidative modification in cell structures through the suppression of the oxidative stress condition imposed by FO. l-selectin was increased by FO, and IL-1β was decreased only by ASTA supplementation. Conclusion: We can propose that association of ASTA with FO could be a good strategy to prevent oxidative stress induced by polyunsaturated fatty acids and also to potentiate immuno-modulatory effects of FO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on combinations of nine variable nucleotides at nine different base positions in the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region, Cryptococcus gattii strains were classified into six genotypes. A new genotype of C. gattii, designated as ITS type 8, was isolated from an AIDS patient in Brazil. The ITS type 8 strain is closely related to the ITS type 4 strain, which has been frequently isolated in Brazil and the USA, but which shows ITS-signatured nucleotide difference at each nucleotide position. The ITS type 8 strain is also differentiated from all heretofore reported ITS types of C. gattii strains in the RAPD band patterns and IGS sequence information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]