Yellow fever (YF) is a pansystemic disease caused by the yellow fever virus (YFV), the prototype species of the family Flaviviridae and genus Flavivirus, and has a highly complex host-pathogen relationship, in which endothelial dysfunction reflects viral disease tropism. In this study, the in situ endothelial response was evaluated. Liver tissue samples were collected from 21 YFV-positive patients who died due to the disease and five flavivirus-negative controls who died of other causes and whose hepatic parenchyma architecture was preserved. Immunohistochemical analysis of tissues in the hepatic parenchyma of YF cases showed significantly higher expression of E-selectin, P-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, and very late antigen-4 in YFV-positive cases than in flavivirus-negative controls. These results indicate that endothelium activation aggravates the inflammatory response by inducing the expression of adhesion molecules that contribute to the rolling, recruitment, migration, and construction of the inflammatory process in the hepatic parenchyma in fatal YF cases.

A melhoria na qualidade de vida tem sido uma das necessidades da sociedade nos últimos anos, refletindo principalmente na alimentação, com a inserção de alimentos funcionais, ressaltando-se os probióticos. A cultura de Kefir é um exemplo de probiótico natural, composto pela simbiose de microrganismos que pode ser consumida com adição de frutas como o açaí. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar as características microbiológicas da polpa de açaí utilizada no cultivo do Kefir, bem como análise de pH, Sólidos Solúveis Totais (SST) e crescimento microbiano no fermentado obtido em culturas de 24, 48, 72 e 96 horas. Foram analisadas 5 diferentes concentrações de polpa de açaí, 0% (controle), 25%, 50%, 75% e 100%. Os resultados da análise microbiológica mostraram que a polpa de açaí estava apta para ser utilizada, os valores de pH e ºBrix se mantiveram constantes durante o período avaliado, semelhante ao encontrado na literatura. A contagem de microrganismos em câmara de Neubauer permitiu a visualização de maior número de bactérias quando comparada com as Leveduras e fungos filamentosos. Em 24 horas, o maior crescimento microbiano foi observado na amostra 3 contendo 50% de polpa de açaí; em 96 horas todas as amostras tiveram grande crescimento, com destaque para a que continha 25% de polpa de açaí. Dessa forma a adição de polpa de açaí favoreceu o crescimento da colônia de Kefir, sendo um potencial, a partir de mais pesquisas, para a fabricação industrial de um novo produto de valor agregado, saudável, natural e regional.

Long COVID affects many individuals following acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and hematological changes can persist after the acute COVID-19 phase. This study aimed to evaluate these hematological laboratory markers, linking them to clinical findings and long-term outcomes in patients with long COVID. This cross-sectional study selected participants from a ‘long COVID’ clinical care program in the Amazon region. Clinical data and baseline demographics were obtained, and blood samples were collected to quantify erythrogram-, leukogram-, and plateletgram-related markers. Long COVID was reported for up to 985 days. Patients hospitalized in the acute phase had higher mean red/white blood cell, platelet, and plateletcrit levels and red blood cell distribution width. Furthermore, hematimetric parameters were higher in shorter periods of long COVID than in longer periods. Patients with more than six concomitant long COVID symptoms had a higher white blood cell count, a shorter prothrombin time (PT), and increased PT activity. Our results indicate there may be a compensatory mechanism for erythrogram-related markers within 985 days of long COVID. Increased levels of leukogram-related markers and coagulation activity were observed in the worst long COVID groups, indicating an exacerbated response after the acute disturbance, which is uncertain and requires further investigation.

Yellow fever (YF), a non-contagious infectious disease, is endemic or enzootic to the tropical regions of the Americas and Africa. Periodic outbreaks or epidemics have a significant impact on public health. Programmed cell death, or apoptosis, is generally characterised by distinct morphological changes and energy-dependent biochemical pathways. In this study, we performed immunohistochemistry analysis to identify and quantify proteases and protein targets involved in the cascade that triggers apoptosis in YF virus (YFV)-infected human hepatocytes. Liver tissue samples were collected from 26 individuals, among whom 21 were diagnosed as YF-positive, and five were flavivirus-negative and died due to other causes. The histopathological alterations in YFV-positive cases were characterised by the presence of apoptotic bodies, steatosis, cellular swelling, and extensive necrosis and haemorrhage in the hepatic lobules. Additionally, we observed an abundance of inflammatory infiltrates in the portal tract. The expression of various apoptotic markers in the hepatic parenchyma, including CASPASE 3, CASPASE 8, BAX, FAS, FASL, GRANZYME B, and SURVIVIN, differed between YFV-positive cases and controls. Collectively, this study confirmed the complexity of YFV infection-induced apoptosis in situ. However, our data suggest that apoptosis in liver parenchyma lesions may significantly contribute to the pathogenesis of fatal YF in humans.

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