Background Leishmaniasis caused by different species of Leishmania affect 98 countries worldwide. Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) is the mortal clinical presentation of the disease that causes the dead to more than 90% of the patients who suffer it. The diagnosis of VL is made by the direct observation of the parasite in bone marrow, spleen and/or liver aspirates that requires complex proceedings. Therefore, serum samples are submitted to Indirect Immunofluorescence to identify the presence of anti- Leishmania antibodies. Despite the variability in the diagnostic performance of the Immunochromatographic Tests (ICTs), there are many evidences that suggest that ICTs can be used for epidemiological screening. However, in Colombia there are not any evidence about the performance of the ICTs for VL diagnosis , both for human and canine serum samples. Therefore, this study evaluated the diagnostic performance of 4 ICTs for VL (2 ICTs in human sera and 2 ICTs in canine sera) in samples from endemic areas of Colombia. Methods We selected a total of 156 human serum samples (82 positive and 74 negative for VL) and 126 canine serum samples (71 positive and 54 negative) diagnosed by in house Indirect Immunofluorescence (IIF). The samples were submitted to the ICTs following the manufacturers’ instructions. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of each ICT in comparison with the IIF. PCR for HSP70 gene and sanger sequencing was performed in samples with negative results for both ICTs. Results The sensitivity (S) of both ICTs for human samples (Ad-bio Leishmania IgG/IgM Combo Rapid Test and Kalazar Detect™) was 91.5% and specificity (E) were 93.2 and 89.2% respectively, while for the ICTs tested on canine samples (Kalazar Detect™ Rapid Test, Canine and DPP® CVL rapid test) we found S values between 82.9 and 85.7% and E values between 79.6 and 92.6%. We found L. infantum by PCR and sequencing in 2 human samples, and L. braziliensis and L. amazonensis in canine serum samples that were negative by both ICTs. Conclusions We conclude that both tests evaluated on human samples have a similar diagnostic performance, while the Kalazar Detect™ Rapid Test, Canine showed a better diagnostic performance than the DPP® CVL rapid test evaluated on canine samples. Also, we suggest that it is necessary to design tests with antigens of the circulating strains to increase its diagnostic utility.

Background1E10 monoclonal antibody is a murine anti-idiotypic antibody that mimics N-glycolyl-GM3 gangliosides. This antibody has been tested as an anti-idiotypic cancer vaccine, adjuvated in Al(OH)3, in several clinical trials for melanoma, breast, and lung cancer. During early clinical development this mAb was obtained in vivo from mice ascites fluid. Currently, the production process of 1E10 is being transferred from the in vivo to a bioreactor-based method.ResultsHere, we present a comprehensive molecular and immunological characterization of 1E10 produced by the two different production processes in order to determine the impact of the manufacturing process in vaccine performance. We observed differences in glycosylation pattern, charge heterogeneity and structural stability between in vivo-produced 1E10 and bioreactor-obtained 1E10. Interestingly, these modifications had no significant impact on the immune responses elicited in two different animal models.ConclusionsChanges in 1E10 primary structure like glycosylation; asparagine deamidation and oxidation affected 1E10 structural stability but did not affect the immune response elicited in mice and chickens when compared to 1E10 produced in mice.

Antecedentes: Pocos estudios en países tropicales y en desarrollo han utilizado el diagnóstico molecular para caracterizar las respuestas específicas a los aeroalérgenos.Objetivo: Investigar las respuestas de anticuerpos IgE in vivo e in vitro a alérgenos inhalantes en pacientes alérgicos con rinitis o asma.Métodos: Estudio prospectivo que incluyó pacientes con rinitis alérgica o asma. Se realizaron pruebas cutáneas por punción con 16 extractos de alérgenos inhalantes y se determinaron los niveles de IgE total y específica para alérgenos y sus componentes moleculares en el suero.Resultados: De 189 pacientes, en 73.5 % se observó niveles elevados de IgE total en el suero. Las pruebas de punción fueron positivas a los siguiente alérgenos: extractos de ácaros más de 60 %, gato 29.6 %, perro 23.4 % y Periplaneta americana 21.6 %. La IgE específica para Dermatophagoides farinae y pteronyssinus estuvo presente en 66.6 %, para Blomia tropicalis, Ascaris lumbricoides, gato, plumas de perico, Penicillium notatum en 45.0, 24.7, 17.3, 14.8 y 12.3 %, respectivamente. Anticuerpos de clase IgE a alérgenos de ácaros de los grupos 1 y 2 estuvieron presentes en 59.0 y 70.1 % de los sueros; 39.1, 30.4, 19.9, 11.8, 11.2, 9.9, 9.3, 9.3 y 8.7 % contenían IgE a rBlot5, rBla g4, rFel d1, rArt v3, Derp 10, rBla g2, rPer a7, nFel d2 y rCan f1, respectivamente.Conclusiones: Se confirma a los ácaros como los principales agentes sensibilizantes en pacientes con enfermedades alérgicas respiratorias en el trópico. Existió buena correlación entre los resultados de las pruebas cutáneas y las pruebas in vitro.

Atherosclerosis, the underlying pathology of most cardiovascular diseases, is triggered by the retention of apolipoprotein B (apoB)-containing lipoproteins in the arterial wall through electrostatic interactions with glycosaminoglycan (GAG) side chains of proteoglycans. Previously, we reported the antiatherogenic properties of the chimeric monoclonal antibody (mAb) chP3R99-LALA, which binds sulfated GAGs, inhibits low-density lipoprotein (LDL)–chondroitin sulfate (CS) association, and abrogates LDL oxidation and foam cell formation. In preventive and therapeutic settings, apoE-deficient (apoE−/−) mice immunized with 50 μg of this mAb showed reduced atherosclerotic lesions related with the induction of autologous anti-GAG antibodies. Knowing that age and sex are major non-modifiable risk factors in the development of atherosclerosis, the present study aimed to assess the influence of these variables on the capacity of chP3R99-LALA mAb to generate an anti-CS antibody response. Also, we aimed at defining the impact of the dose of chP3R99-LALA on the anti-CS antibody induction and the atheroprotective effect of this mAb in apoE−/− mice. Neither age nor sex had an impact in the IgG anti-CS antibody response induced by s.c. immunization with this mAb. Moreover, chP3R99-LALA mAb reduced atherosclerotic lesions to a similar extent in both young male and female apoE−/− mice fed a hypercholesterolemic diet and, in middle-aged female apoE−/− mice, with spontaneous lesions. On the other hand, increasing the dose of chP3R99-LALA (200 vs. 50 μg) elicited an anti-idiotype antibody cascade characterized by higher levels of anti-idiotype (Ab2), anti-anti-idiotype (Ab3), and anti-CS antibody responses. Moreover, this dose increment resulted in a striking reduction of aortic atherosclerotic lesions in immunized mice.

No abstract