The epidemiology of infection with hepatitis E virus (HEV) in Tepehuanos (a Mexican ethnic group living in rural areas) is largely unknown. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of and ...risk factors associated with HEV infection in Tepehuanos in Durango, Mexico, and to compare this seroprevalence with that in non-Tepehuanos.
Through a case–control seroprevalence study, we studied 146 Tepehuanos and 146 age- and gender-matched control subjects of the general population from rural settings. The frequency of anti-HEV IgG antibodies was determined using an enzyme-linked immunoassay. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess the association between seropositivity and socio-demographic, clinical and behavioral characteristics of the Tepehuanos.
IgG antibodies against HEV were found in 5 (3.4%; 95% CI: 1.1–7.8) of 146 Tepehuanos and in 46 (31.5%; 95% CI: 24.1–39.7) of 146 control subjects (OR=0.01; 95% CI: 0.0007–0.20; P<0.000001). Bivariate analysis showed that HEV seropositivity was associated with age, consumption of meat from goat, sheep, boar, turkey and pigeon, and concrete flooring at home. However, these variables were no longer significant when analyzed by logistic regression.
This is first study on the epidemiology of HEV exposure in Tepehuanos. We demonstrated serological evidence of HEV infection in this ethnic group. The seroprevalence of HEV exposure in Tepehuanos is low as compared with that found in non-Tepehuano people living in rural Durango. Further studies to determine the risk factors associated with HEV exposure in Tepehuanos are needed.
The association between Toxoplasma gondii infection and thyroid disease has been poorly studied. Therefore, we sought to determine the association between T. gondii seropositivity and thyroid ...dysfunction. We performed an age- and gender-matched case-control study of 176 patients suffering from hypothyroidism (n = 161) or hyperthyroidism (n = 15) and 528 control subjects without these diseases in a public hospital in Durango City, Mexico. Anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies were determined in sera from cases and controls using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunoassay. Anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies were found in 11 (6.3%) of 176 patients suffering from thyroid dysfunction and in 48 (9.1%) of 528 control subjects (OR = 0.66; 95% CI: 0.33-1.31; P = 0.23). Stratification by two groups of age (50 years and younger, and 51 year and older) showed that the youngest group of patients with thyroid dysfunction had a significantly lower seroprevalence of T. gondii infection than its age- and gender-matched control group (1/83: 1.2% vs 23/257: 8.6%; OR = 0.12; 95% CI: 0.01-0.93; P = 0.01). This stratification also showed that the youngest group of patients with hypothyroidism had a significantly lower seroprevalence of T. gondii infection than its age- and gender matched control group (0/75: 0% vs 21/233: 9.0%; P = 0.003). Our results suggest that thyroid dysfunction is not associated with seropositivity to T. gondii in general; however, in young (50 years or less) patients, a negative association between infection and thyroid dysfunction and hypothyroidism was found. Further research to confirm this negative association is needed.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Whether waste pickers are a risk group for hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is largely unknown. This study aimed to determine the association between HEV exposure and the occupation of waste pickers ...and the work characteristics of waste pickers. An age‐and gender‐matched case‐control seroprevalence study of 86 waste pickers and 86 control subjects of the general population was performed. We determined anti‐HEV IgG antibodies in sera of cases and controls using a commercially available enzyme‐linked immunoassay. The McNemar's test was used to assess the association between HEV seropositivity and the occupation of waste picker. The association between HEV seropositivity and work characteristics of waste pickers was assessed by bivariate and logistic regression analyses. Anti‐HEV IgG antibodies were detected in 14 (16.3%) of the 86 waste pickers and in 8 (9.3%) of the 86 control subjects (McNemar's pair test: odds ratio (OR) = 13.0; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.73–230.77; p = .02). Bivariate analysis showed that HEV exposure was associated with an ill status (p = .01) and reflexes impairment (p = .009). Logistic regression analysis showed that HEV seropositivity was associated with increasing age (OR = 6.52; 95% CI: 1.95–21.78; p = .002) and raising pigs (OR = 12.01; 95% CI: 1.48–97.26; p = .02). This is the first age‐ and gender‐matched case‐control study on the association between HEV infection and the occupation of waste picker. Waste pickers represent a risk group for HEV infection. Factors associated with HEV seropositivity found in this study may help in the design of optimal planning to avoid HEV infection.
Butyrate is a promising candidate for an antitumoral drug, as it promotes cancer cell apoptosis and reduces hormone receptor activity, while promoting differentiation and proliferation in normal ...cells. However, the effects of low-dose butyrate on breast cancer cell cultures are unclear. We explored the impact of sub-therapeutic doses of butyrate on estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) transcriptional activity in MCF-7 cells, using RT-qPCR, Western blot, wound-healing assays, and chromatin immunoprecipitation. Our results showed that sub-therapeutic doses of sodium butyrate (0.1 - 0.2 mM) increased the transcription of ESR1, TFF1, and CSTD genes, but did not affect ERα protein levels. Moreover, we observed an increase in cell migration in wound-healing assays. ChIP assays revealed that treatment with 0.1 mM of sodium butyrate resulted in estrogen-independent recruitment of ERα at the pS2 promoter and loss of NCoR. Appropriate therapeutic dosage of butyrate is essential to avoid potential adverse effects on patients' health, especially in the case of estrogen receptor-positive breast tumors. Sub-therapeutic doses of butyrate may induce undesirable cell processes, such as migration due to low-dose butyrate-mediated ERα activation. These findings shed light on the complex effects of butyrate in breast cancer and provide insights for research in the development of antitumoral drugs.
T cells are components of adaptive immunity and are involved in the resolution of respiratory infections, which are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in young children worldwide. Activation ...and differentiation of T cells is given mostly by the cytokine IL-2. This study aimed to determine the phenotype of T cells and IL-2 expression in children suffering from upper respiratory tract infection with Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes). For this purpose, IL-2 expression at its gene and protein levels and quantitation of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T lymphocytes were assessed in children aged 0-5 years old suffering from upper respiratory tract infection with S. pyogenes and healthy children of the same age. Children with S. pyogenes infection had a higher expression of IL-2 gene and a lower level of this cytokine expression at protein level than healthy children. The numbers of CD4(+) T lymphocytes were similar among the groups. In contrast, difference in the numbers of CD8(+) T lymphocytes among the groups was found. We conclude that infections by S. pyogenes in young children lead to an increased expression of IL-2 mRNA.
Very few case-control studies to assess the risk of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection in meat workers have been published. Therefore, we sought to determine: 1) the association of HEV IgG ...seropositivity and the occupation of butcher; and 2) the sociodemographic, work, clinical and behavioral characteristics of butchers associated with HEV exposure.
We performed a case-control seroprevalence study of 101 butchers (mean age: 38.50 ± 12.52 years) and 101 age-, gender- and residence-matched control subjects of the general population. Anti-HEV IgG antibodies were determined using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunoassay. Bivariate and regression analyses were used to assess the association between HEV seropositivity and characteristics of butchers.
Anti-HEV IgG antibodies were found in 18 (17.8%) of the 101 butchers and in 14 (13.9%) of the 101 control subjects (odds ratio (OR): 1.34; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.63 - 2.88; P = 0.44). Stratification by sex, age and area of residence (rural or urban) in cases and controls showed similar seroprevalences of HEV infection among groups. Bivariate analysis showed that HEV seroprevalence was associated with low education (up to 6 years), work place, seniority, eating while working, a history of raising farm animals and national trips. However, further analysis by logistic regression showed that only the variable of national trips was associated with HEV exposure (OR: 5.38; 95% CI: 1.02 - 28.16; P = 0.04). Concerning clinical characteristics of butchers, no association between HEV exposure and health status, history of surgery or blood transfusion was found.
Results from this first age-, gender- and residence-matched serosurvey of HEV infection in butchers in Mexico suggest that this population group does not have a higher risk for HEV infection than people from the general population. However, further studies to confirm the lack of association between HEV infection and the occupation of butcher are needed.
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