Article
Immunology
Bibiana J. Volta, Patricia L. Bustos, Carolina Gonzalez, Maria Ailen Natale, Alina E. Perrone, Natalia Milduberger, Susana A. Laucella, Jacqueline Bua
Summary: This study evaluated differentially expressed factors in T. cruzi-infected pregnant women and found a proinflammatory cytokine profile associated with Chagas congenital transmission. High parasitemia along with certain cytokine level abnormalities were identified as factors increasing the probability of Chagas congenital transmission.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Amilcar Flores, Cristina Alonso-Vega, Emmanuel Hermann, Mary-Cruz Torrico, Nair Alaide Montano Villarroel, Faustino Torrico, Yves Carlier, Carine Truyens
Summary: Monocytes from newborns born to Trypanosoma cruzi infected mothers are more activated and capable of controlling T. cruzi infection better than monocytes from newborns born to uninfected mothers.
Article
Immunology
Jill M. C. Hakim, Andreea Waltmann, Freddy Tinajeros, Oksana Kharabora, Edith Malaga Machaca, Maritza Calderon, Maria del Carmen Menduina, Jeremy Wang, Daniel Rueda, Mirko Zimic, Manuela Verastegui, Jonathan J. Juliano, Robert H. Gilman, Monica R. Mugnier, Natalie M. Bowman
Summary: Investigating the diversity of parasite strains in congenital Chagas infection, amplicon sequencing of a T. cruzi gene was conducted on clinical samples from Chagas positive mothers and their infected infants. The study found that multiple parasite strains are involved in initiating congenital infection, and the diversity of parasite strains is higher in infants than in mothers. These findings suggest that the probability of vertical transmission is influenced by parasite factors.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Eduardo E. Avalos-Borges, Matilde Jimenez-Coello, Jose I. Chan-Perez, Nohemi Cigarroa-Toledo, Nisha J. Garg, Leonardo Guillermo-Cordero, Jose C. Segura-Correa, Antonio Ortega-Pacheco
Summary: In this study, it was found that congenital transmission of T. cruzi occurs at a high frequency in naturally infected pregnant dogs from endemic areas.
VECTOR-BORNE AND ZOONOTIC DISEASES
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Eduardo E. Avalos-Borges, Lizette E. Rios, Matilde Jimenez-Coello, Antonio Ortega-Pacheco, Nisha J. Garg
Summary: This article reviews the current knowledge of congenital transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in humans and compares the placental architecture of humans and different animals. This is important for evaluating the efficacy of new anti-parasite drugs and therapies.
Review
Immunology
Yerly Useche, Ana Rosa Perez, Juliana de Meis, Adriana Bonomo, Wilson Savino
Summary: The involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) in human acute and chronic Chagas disease (CD) has been widely reported. Meningoencephalitis is common during acute infection, while cognitive and behavioral impairments often accompany CNS involvement during the chronic phase. Studies on rodents infected with Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) have shown abnormal behavior, brain inflammation, production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and parasitism in various brain areas involving microglia, macrophages, astrocytes, and neurons. However, the mechanisms the parasite uses to reach the brain are largely unknown.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Derek J. Matthews, Ryan C. Fries, Nicholas D. Jeffery, Sarah A. Hamer, Ashley B. Saunders
Summary: Trypanosoma cruzi infection causes cardiac damage in dogs, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) can detect the damage. This study aimed to describe CMR in naturally infected dogs with chronic Chagas disease and evaluate the frequency of abnormalities in CMR and other diagnostic tests. The results suggest that CMR can provide useful information and support the use of naturally infected dogs as an animal model for Chagas disease.
Article
Parasitology
Cecilia Gomes Barbosa, Cesar Gomez-Hernandez, Marcos Vinicius da Silva, Karine Rezende-Oliveira, Paula Tatiana Mutao Ferreira, Ana Carolina Morais de Oliveira, Chamberttan Souza Desiderio, Fernanda Rodrigues Helmo, Tamires Marielem de Carvalho-Costa, Ingrid Ketlen Pereira dos Santos, Lorena Kelly Alves Saraiva, Carlo Jose Freire de Oliveira, Juliana Reis Machado, Eloisa Amalia Vieira Ferro, Virmondes Rodrigues, Luis Eduardo Ramirez Jr
Summary: This study investigated the infectivity and modulation of immune responses in human placental explants infected with T. cruzi Ia Mexican strains. The findings suggested that TcIa strains parasitize placental tissue, modulate the innate immune system, and cause detachment of the syncytiotrophoblast, potentially contributing to abortion and premature birth events. It was concluded that this genotype may have a low rate of congenital transmission.
Article
Immunology
Natalia Rego, Maria Gabriela Libisch, Carlos Rovira, Juan Pablo Tosar, Carlos Robello
Summary: Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, can infect various nucleated cells in mammals. This study focused on the role of microRNAs in the host-T. cruzi interaction and found that miR-146a, miR-708, and miR-1246 consistently respond to T. cruzi infection across different human cell types. The response to parasite infection was broad in macrophages, while changes in microRNAs were modest in epithelial and cardiomyocytes. These findings highlight the importance of considering microRNA changes at the cellular level and suggest miR-1246 and miR-708 as potential biomarkers for Chagas disease.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
M. R. Aboubacar Ahidan, S. Buende, L. Osei, N. Hcini, N. Elenga
Summary: This study aims to describe the epidemiological characteristics of children born to mothers living with HIV in Western French Guiana. The prevalence of mother-to-child transmission of HIV was high, and infections were often discovered during pregnancy. The socio-economic situation of the mothers was usually unstable, leading to common interruptions in follow-up.
JOURNAL OF INFECTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Natalia Lins da Silva-Gomes, Leonardo Alexandre de Souza Ruivo, Claudia Moreira, Marcelo Meuser-Batista, Cristiane Franca da Silva, Denise da Gama Jaen Batista, Stenio Fragoso, Gabriel Melo de Oliveira, Maria de Nazare Correia Soeiro, Otacilio C. Moreira
Summary: In this study, genetically modified strains of Trypanosoma cruzi were used to evaluate the role of NTPDases in parasite infectivity. The results showed that parasites overexpressing TcNTPDase-1 had higher infectivity, while hemi-knockout parasites had lower infectivity and no significant electrocardiographic changes. These findings highlight the potential of NTPDases as a therapeutic target for Chagas disease.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
P. T. V. Florentino, F. N. L. Vitorino, D. Mendes, J. P. C. da Cunha, C. F. M. Menck
Summary: By using quantitative proteomic analysis, this study revealed the impact of Trypanosoma cruzi infection on the chromatin of host cells. It was discovered that parasites interfere with DNA metabolism during both early and late infection stages. Proteins related to DNA damage repair, oxidative phosphorylation, and vesicle-mediated transport showed increased abundance in the host chromatin. Additionally, the translocation of Apoptosis-inducing Factor to the host cell nucleus after infection suggests that the parasites can induce a programmed cell death known as Parthanatos. These findings contribute to a better understanding of how parasites manipulate the chromatin of host cells to disseminate infection and provide potential targets for future treatments.
JOURNAL OF PROTEOMICS
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Natalia Romani, Maria Pieras, Marie Antoinette Frick, Elena Sulleiro, Carlota Rodo, Aroa Silgado, Anna Suy, Maria Espiau, Claire Thorne, Carlo Giaquinto, Ana Felipe-Rucian, Pere Soler-Palacin, Antoni Soriano-Arandes
Summary: This study aimed to describe the early neurodevelopmental outcomes of children prenatally exposed to Zika virus (ZIKV) in a non-endemic area. The study found that although there were some adverse outcomes related to ZIKV in children at birth, the prevalence of exposure was low in asymptomatic newborns. Therefore, the study suggests that primary care pediatricians should closely monitor these children.
Review
Pediatrics
Hayder M. Al-kuraishy, Ali I. Al-Gareeb, Francis O. Atanu, Mona A. EL-Zamkan, Hassan M. Diab, Ahmed S. Ahmed, Thabat J. Al-Maiahy, Ahmad J. Obaidullah, Sultan Alshehri, Mohammed M. Ghoniem, Gaber E. Batiha
Summary: Pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2 have a low likelihood of transmitting the virus to their babies during pregnancy, and most studies indicate that COVID-19 is not transmitted through breast milk. While COVID-19-infected newborns may acquire the infection through respiratory contact postnatally, international organizations suggest that breastfeeding is safe as long as proper hygienic measures are followed regardless of the COVID-19 status of the mother or child.
FRONTIERS IN PEDIATRICS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Aggeliki Kontou, Christina Virgiliou, Thomai Mouskeftara, Olga Begou, Thomas Meikopoulos, Agathi Thomaidou, Eleni Agakidou, Helen Gika, Georgios Theodoridis, Kosmas Sarafidis
Summary: Preliminary investigation showed distinct plasma lipidomic and metabolomic profiles in neonates born to Sars-CoV-2 positive mothers without evidence of viral infection at birth, compared to those of uninfected mothers. These findings may indicate maternal metabolic alterations due to the virus or a metabolic response following an unidentified neonatal infection, warranting further investigation.
