Interlaborial study for evaluation of serological diagnosis of paracoccidioidomycosis

• Grant number: 11/22467-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: March 01, 2012
• End date: February 28, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Pelleschi Taborda
• Grantee: Carlos Pelleschi Taborda
• Host Institution: Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo (IMT). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Gil Benard ; Gilda Maria Barbaro Del Negro ; Monica Scarpelli Martinelli Vidal

Abstract

The endemic mycoses have defined geographical distribution and occur where environmental conditions and geo-climatic factors favor the presence and survival of the agents in nature. Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a systemic fungal infection, endemic, the most prevalent in Latin America. The causative agent of PCM is the dimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis that presents heterogeneous distribution and whose habitat is the soil. Infection occurs by inhalation of fungal propagules causing granulomatous lesions in the lungs that can spread via hematogenous and / or lymphatic. Despite the significant progress in several areas of knowledge, PCM was described by Adolpho Lutz in 1908 and has high rates of morbidity and mortality and low visibility, setting it as the eighth leading cause of death by disease predominantly chronic or repetitive, among infectious and parasitic diseases. The diagnosis of PCM is accomplished through direct fresh examination and dyes, histopathological examination of biopsies of affected tissues and culture with subsequent isolation and identification of fungi, including the reversal phase filamentous at 25 ° C for yeast at 37 ° C. However, the growth of this fungus is slow and may take 15 to 30 days, and the serological reactions contribute to the diagnostic aid fast, simple and inexpensive, and have prognostic value and assist in monitoring therapeutic efficacy. In our setting there is a large diversity of methods and antigens used in serological diagnosis of PCM, due to lack of commercially available kits for this purpose. Therefore, each laboratory has developed its own methodology that has contributed much to aid in the diagnosis of this mycosis. However, the differences in the isolates used, culture media and culture time may result in conflicting results. This study aims to evaluate the methodological diversity and perform a comoparative analysis of the serology results used in the diagnosis of systemic mycoses from different mycological laboratories. The project provides for the inclusion of at least five centers of excellence in the diagnosis of PCM in the main endemic areas of São Paulo. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MARTINELLI VIDAL, MONICA SCARPELLI; BARBARO DEL NEGRO, GILDA MARIA; VICENTINI, ADRIANA PARDINI; ESTIVALET SVIDZINSKI, TERESINHA INEZ; MENDES-GIANNINI, MARIA JOSE; FUSCO ALMEIDA, ANA MARISA; MARTINEZ, ROBERTO; DE CAMARGO, ZOILO PIRES; TABORDA, CARLOS PELLESCHI; BENARD, GIL. Serological Diagnosis of Paracoccidioidomycosis: High Rate of Inter-laboratorial Variability among Medical Mycology Reference Centers. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, v. 8, n. 9, SEP 2014. (11/22467-2)