Determination of serum growth factors of patients with Paracoccidioidomycosis

• Grant number: 16/14850-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2016
• End date: October 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo de Souza Cavalcante
• Grantee: Rodolfo Ferreira dos Santos
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FMB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a systemic mycosis caused by fungi of the genus Paracoccidioides, leading to either acute / subacute (AF) or chronic (CF) clinical forms. Confined to Latin America, PCM exhibits high incidence in Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela, especially among rural works. The social, economic and psychological problems trigged by pulmonary fibrosis is underestimated; furthermore, fibrosis in PCM patients (PCM-p) remains neglected because there is no treatment. In PCM, fibrogenesis is recognized as an early process; however, their mechanisms are unknown. To address these shortcomings, this study aims to determine serum levels of TGF-²1, VEGF, FGF and PDGF of patients with PCM before, during and after antifungal treatment. (AU)