Biomedical subjects

M B Morais

Publications and source records attributed to M B Morais.

21 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Can bacterial translocation be a beneficial event?

Infection is a major concern in intestinal transplant recipients. Bacterial migration to extraintestinal sites is a central component of the gut hypothesis of sepsis. However, some studies have cited the beneficial effects of bacterial translocation (BT) on the host acquired immune system. We evaluated the role of previous BT on a subsequent BT challenge, examined the BT index in organs as well as changes in white blood cell (WBC) count in mesenteric lymph and blood for correlation with outcomes. Wistar rats (n = 60) were divided into a BT group (n = 20), which underwent inoculation of 10 mL of 10(10) CFU/mL Escherichia coli R-6 confined to the small intestine as opposed to a BT1-14 group (n = 20), which underwent the BT procedure on days 1 and 14 or a S1-BT14 group (n = 20) that received 10 mL of saline on day 1 and the BT procedure on day 14. Half of the animals were killed 2 hours following the BT procedure. Samples from different compartments were collected for culture. Mesenteric lymph and peripheral blood were examined for WBC counts. The other half of the hosts was subjected to outcome evaluation concerning weight gain and mortality. Animals undergoing double BT showed a significantly lower index of bacterial recovery (liver, spleen, and blood) compared with those having a single BT (P < .05). The WBC count of mesenteric lymph cells after double BT was similar to naïve animals, but significantly lower than the single BT group (P < .05). The outcome was unchanged among double BT versus other groups. A previous BT challenge was efficient to generate a host-defense mechanism against a second BT episode induced by intestinal overgrowth with the same bacterial strain.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Association of patterns of Escherichia coli adherence to HEp-2 cells with acute and persistent diarrhea].

In Brazil diarrhea is the cause of approximately 15% of death among infants. Enteropathogenic E coli is the most important bacterial agent causing acute diarrhea, which is defined as less than 14 days of duration. About 30% of these cases may evolve to persistent diarrhea, defined as lasting more than 14 days. In this work it was carried out a case-control study including 34 children under 2 years of age, and admitted to hospital facilities in São Paulo for rehydration therapy. Thirty-four age matched children hospitalized in the same facilities, and presenting no gastrointestinal symptoms were included as controls. Stool samples were analyzed for the presence of bacterial pathogens (diarrheagenic E coli, Shigella, Salmonella, Yersinia, and Campylobacter), protoparasytes, rotavirus, and enteric adenovirus. The E coli strains isolated were analyzed for their ability to adhere to HEp-2 cultured cells, in a 3 h adhesion assay. Search for homology with DNA probes for localized adherence (EAF, eaeA probes), AA (enteroagregative adherence) (AA probe), and diffuse adherence (F1845, AIDA-I probes) was carried out by the colony hybridization method. Twenty-four of the cases were acute diarrhea and 10 persistent diarrhea. Strains with localized adherence were associated with acute and persistent diarrhea. About 23.5% of E coli were associated with typical Enteropathogenic E coli strains (EAF+, eaeA+). Enteroaggregative E coli (EAggEC) (AA+) was isolated only from cases and in similar frequency for acute and persistent diarrhea. Diffusely adherent E coli (DAEC) which did not hybridize with the diffuse adherence probes were isolated among cases and controls. E coli eaeA+ with localized-like adherence was isolated from cases in a frequency three times higher than in controls, suggesting that it may really have a pathogenic potential.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of oral iron therapy on physical growth.

In order to evaluate the effects of iron therapy on weight and height, we studied 65 children with a mean age of 32 months who were assigned to oral iron therapy with 4-5 mg/kg/day of elemental iron as ferrous sulfate or ferric hydroxide polymaltose for 8 weeks. The medicine was distributed to the patients and its consumption was checked fortnightly. Statistically significant increases in hemoglobin, serum iron and transferrin levels and in transferrin saturation and ferritin levels were observed. The weight-for-age and weight-for-height Z-scores were determined using the ANTHRO computer software (CDC/WHO) which, based on birth and examination dates, permits age estimates with centesimal accuracy for the months using the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) standards. Mean Z-scores before and after iron therapy demonstrated a significant increase in weight-for-age (Z = -0.53 after, P < 0.01) and weight-for-height (Z = 0.19 before and -0.08 after, P < 0.01) indices, but not in the height-for-age index (Z = -0.46 before and Z = -0.46 after iron therapy). A significant decrease in the number of children with inadequate weight-for-age (< 90%)) and weight-for-height (< 90%) indices was observed after iron therapy in patients aged less than 60 months. In conclusion, oral iron therapy for a period of 8 weeks led to a significant weight gain.

Body Weight↗