National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge
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Fungi in a One Health Perspective
Get PDF(This article belongs to the Collection Encyclopedia of Fungi)ReviewFungi constitute a diverse group with highly positive and negative impacts in different
environments, having several natural roles and beneficial applications in human life, but also causing
several concerns. Fungi can affect human health directly, but also indirectly by being detrimental
for animal and plant health, influencing food safety and security. Climate changes are also affecting
fungal distribution, prevalence, and their impact on different settings. Searching for sustainable
solutions to deal with these issues is challenging due to the complex interactions among fungi and
agricultural and forestry plants, animal production, environment, and human and animal health. In
this way, the “One Health” approach may be useful to obtain some answers since it recognizes that
human health is closely connected to animal and plant health, as well as to the shared environment.
This review aims to explore and correlate each of those factors influencing human health in this “One
Health” perspective. Thus, the impact of fungi on plants, human, and animal health, and the role of
the environment as an influencing factor on these elements are discussed.FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, I.P., supported D.S. via a Ph.D. fellowship, UI/BD/154444/2022.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Genome-Scale Characterization of Mycobacterium abscessus Complex Isolates from Portugal
Get PDF(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Molecular Biology on Mycobacteria)The Mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABC) is an emerging, difficult to treat, multidrug-resistant nontuberculous mycobacteria responsible for a wide spectrum of infections and associated with an increasing number of cases worldwide. Dominant circulating clones (DCCs) of MABC have been genetically identified as groups of strains associated with higher prevalence, higher levels of antimicrobial resistance, and worse clinical outcomes. To date, little is known about the genomic characteristics of MABC species circulating in Portugal. Here, we examined the genetic diversity and antimicrobial resistance profiles of 30 MABC strains isolated between 2014 and 2022 in Portugal. The genetic diversity of circulating MABC strains was assessed through a gene-by-gene approach (wgMLST), allowing their subspecies differentiation and the classification of isolates into DCCs. Antimicrobial resistance profiles were defined using phenotypic, molecular, and genomic approaches. The majority of isolates were resistant to at least two antimicrobials, although a poor correlation between phenotype and genotype data was observed. Portuguese genomes were highly diverse, and data suggest the existence of MABC lineages with potential international circulation or cross-border transmission. This study highlights the genetic diversity and antimicrobial resistance profile of circulating MABC isolates in Portugal while representing the first step towards the implementation of a genomic-based surveillance system for MABC at the Portuguese NIH.Funding: The acquisition of equipment for whole-genome sequencing used in this study was funded by the HERA (Human and Environmental Risk Assessment) project (Grant/2021/PHF/23776) supported by the European Commission through the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). This work was also partially funded by the GenomePT project (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-022184) supported by COMPETE 2020 (Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (POCI)), Lisboa Portugal Regional Operational Programme (Lisboa2020), Algarve Portugal Regional Operational Programme (CRESC Algarve2020) under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT). SC was supported by a PhD fellowship from the FCT (2020.08503.BD).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Time trend prevalence of helicobacter pylori infection and endoscopic findings in symptomatic children in Portugal: A retrospective study based on three time points in 2009, 2014, and 2019
No full textBackground: Helicobacter pylori infection acquisition occurs mainly in childhood and
may be a critical factor in developing long-term
complications. In contrast to other developed
countries, previous studies have reported a relatively high H. pylori infection
prevalence in Portugal, both in children and adults. However, there are no recent data
concerning pediatric population.
Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective observational study concerning
an 11 years period (2009, 2014, 2019), that included patients under 18 years old
who underwent upper endoscopy at a pediatric tertiary center. Demographic, clinical-pathological,
and microbiological data were collected.
Results: Four hundred and sixty one children were included. The average age was
11.7 ± 4.4 years. In total, H. pylori infection was confirmed in 37.3% of cases (histology
and/or culture) and a decreasing infection trend was observed (p = .027). The most
common indication for endoscopy was abdominal pain, which was a good predictor of
infection. Antral nodularity was present in 72.2% of the infected children (p < .001).
In the oldest age groups, moderate/severe chronic inflammation, H. pylori density
and lymphoid aggregates/follicles were positive predictors for the presence of antral
nodularity. For all ages, the presence of antral nodularity, neutrophilic activity in
the antrum and corpus and lymphoid follicles/aggregates in the antrum were positive
predictors for the presence of H. pylori infection. Among the 139 strains tested for
antibiotic susceptibility, 48.9% were susceptible to all tested antibiotics. Resistance
to clarithromycin, metronidazole, and both was detected in 23.0%, 12.9%, and 6.5%
of the strains, respectively; furthermore, resistance to ciprofloxacin and to amoxicillin
was observed in 5.0% and 1.4% of the strains, respectively.
Conclusions: The present study reports (for the first time in Portugal) a significant
decreasing trend in the prevalence of pediatric H. pylori infection, although it remains
relatively high compared to the recently reported prevalence in other South
European countries. We confirmed a previously recognized positive association ofsome endoscopic and histological features with H. pylori infection, as well as a high
prevalence rate of resistance to clarithromycin and to metronidazole.
The clinical relevance of these findings requires confirmation with further studies at a
national level, taking into account the high incidence rate of gastric cancer in Portugal
and the potential need for country-specific
intervention strategies.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Analytical methods to assess inorganic contaminants in foods. Quality control on food composition, including trace elements
No full textComunicação oral internacional a conviteContaminants in food can be of different origins and types. Adequate analytical methods are fundamental to assess contaminants in food. The methodology of Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) is currently used in numerous research fields, including biomedicine, pharmaceutics, geochemistry, proteomics, materials science, food safety and the nuclear industry. The principal advantages of this methodology are multielement capacity, high sensitivity, hyphenated techniques, wide working range (linearity) and high sample throughput. The reliability of ICP-MS results is ensured by rigorous quality control. Some trace elements analysed by ICP-MS integrate the Portuguese Food Composition Database, a national reference document for the composition of foods consumed in Portugal. This document includes information about 42 nutrients in different foodstuffs.N/
Extending beef meat shelf life: an approach using active food packaging with pomegranate extract and peels
Get PDFMore than 50% of the pomegranate fruit (Punica granatum L.) is not considered edible, being composed
by peels (50%) and seeds (10%). Pomegranate peels represent an excellent source of bioactive
compounds with excellent antioxidant and antimicrobial activities due to the peels’ high content in
phenolic compounds, specially punicalagin (A+B) and ellagic acid.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential effects of a polylactic acid (PLA) based active
packaging incorporated with pomegranate peels and an ethanolic extract from pomegranate peels in
the shelf-life extension of fresh meat. Two PLA-based active packaging incorporating 3% (w/w) of
pomegranate peels (PLA/3PP) and 3% (w/w) of pomegranate peels extract (PLA/3PPE) were used to
pack beef meat. The samples were stored at 4 °C, for a maximum of 11 days. The meats’ lipid oxidation
and microbial contamination was evaluated at the end of 1, 4, 6, 8 and 11 storage days. Lipid oxidation
was measured by the Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances assay (TBARS)[1]. Meat’s total
microorganisms count at 30 °C was performed using the automated method TEMPO® Aerobic Count-
AFNOR BIO 12/35–05/13.
Both PLA active packaging significantly delayed meat’s lipid oxidation and microbial growth. The meat
with PLA/3PP and PLA/3PPE presented a difference up to 3 log CFU/g on the 11th storage day. Even
though both active packaging were able to inhibit meat’s lipid oxidation, these results showed that
PLA/3PP was more efficient, providing insights for the use of this bio-waste towards environmental
sustainability.Cássia H. Barbosa thanks the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal for the
Ph.D. Grant 2021.08154.BD. The authors also would like to thank Talho Girassol, LDA, for kindly supplying the
beef meat samples and Sidney Tomé for his contribution to the statistical analysis. This work was carried out under the MobFOOD Project (This work was carried out under the MobFOOD Project (POCI-01-0247-FEDER-024524 and LISBOA-01-0247-FEDER-024524), funded by POCI (Operational Programme “Competitiveness and Internationalization”) and POR Lisboa (Lisbon Regional Operational Programme), through ANI, and by the Programa de Cooperación Interreg-A España–Portugal (POCTEP) 2014–2020 (project 0377_IBERPHENOL_6_E). This research was also funded by PT national funds (FCT/MCTES, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia and Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior) through the grant UIDB/00211/2020). and LISBOA-01-0247-FEDER-024524), funded by POCI (Operational Programme “Competitiveness and Internationalization”) and POR Lisboa (Lisbon Regional Operational Programme), through ANI, and by the Programa de Cooperación Interreg-A España–Portugal (POCTEP) 2014–2020 (project 0377_IBERPHENOL_6_E). This research was also funded by PT national funds (FCT/MCTES, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia and Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior) through the grant UIDB/00211/2020).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Investigating the role of symptom valorisation in tuberculosis patient delay in urban areas in Portugal
Get PDFURBANTB group: Patrícia Soares (Representative of the consortium), Mário Carreira, Sofia Pereira, Catarina Alves, Filipe Alves, Ana Rodrigues, Ana Moreira, Márcia Cardoso, Sandra Mota, Ana Gomes, Liliana Ferreira, Marta Lopes, Isabel Correia, Juan Rachadell, Maria Gameiro, Ângela Dias, Manuel Pereira, Jorge Gonçalves, Maria Gonçalves, Adriana Taveira, Celene Neves, Lucinda Silva, Maria Mendes, Maria Teixeira, Maria Pereira, Milena Piedade, Antónia Teixeira & Carlos Carvalho.Background: Diagnosis delay contributes to increased tuberculosis (TB) transmission and morbimortality. TB incidence has been decreasing in Portugal, but median patient delay (PD) has risen. Symptom valorisation may determine PD by influencing help-seeking behaviour. We aimed to analyse the association between symptom valorisation and PD, while characterising individuals who disregarded their symptoms.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among TB patients in Lisbon and Oporto in 2019 - 2021. Subjects who delayed seeking care because they did not value their symptoms or thought these would go away on their own were considered to have disregarded their symptoms. PD was categorised using a 21-day cut-off, and a 30-day cut-off for sensitivity analysis. We estimated the effect of symptom valorisation on PD through a directed acyclic graph. Then, a multivariable regression analysis characterised patients that disregarded their symptoms, adjusting for relevant variables. We fitted Poisson regression models to estimate crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR).
Results: The study included 75 patients. Median PD was 25 days (IQR 11.5-63.5), and 56.0% of participants had PD exceeding 21 days. Symptom disregard was reported by 38.7% of patients. Patients who did not value their symptoms had higher prevalence of PD exceeding 21 days compared to those who valued their symptoms [PR 1.59 (95% CI 1.05-2.42)]. The sensitivity analysis showed consistent point estimates but wider confidence intervals [PR 1.39 (95% CI 0.77-2.55)]. Being a smoker was a risk factor for symptom disregard [PR 2.35 (95% CI 1.14-4.82)], while living in Oporto [PR 0.35 (95% CI 0.16-0.75)] and having higher household incomes [PR 0.39 (95% CI 0.17-0.94)] were protective factors.
Conclusions: These findings emphasise the importance of symptom valorisation in timely TB diagnosis. Patients who did not value their symptoms had longer PD, indicating a need for interventions to improve symptom recognition. Our findings also corroborate the importance of the socioeconomic determinants of health, highlighting tobacco as a risk factor both for TB and for PD.This work was supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) [Grant: PTDC/SAU-PUB/31346/2017]. The present publication was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) national support through Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC) [UIDP/04923/2020].info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Detection of mpox using polymerase chain reaction from the skin and oropharynx over the course of infection: A prospective study
No full textResearch LettersTo the Editor: Since early May 2022, 86,746 mpox virus (MPV) infections have been reported worldwide.1,2 However, its in vivo viral kinetics and infectivity remain unclear.3
We conducted a prospective observational study to determine how long MPV remains detectable in skin lesions and the oropharynx. (...)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Long-term cryopreservation of potassium bromate positive assay controls for measurement of oxidatively damaged DNA by the Fpg-modified comet assay: results from the hCOMET ring trial
No full textThe formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (Fpg)-modified comet assay is widely used for the measurement of oxidatively generated damage to DNA. However, there has not been a recommended long-term positive control for this version of the comet assay. We have investigated potassium bromate as a positive control for the Fpg-modified comet assay because it generates many Fpg-sensitive sites with a little concurrent generation of DNA strand breaks. Eight laboratories used the same procedure for the treatment of monocytic THP-1 cells with potassium bromate (0, 0.5, 1.5, and 4.5 mM) and subsequent cryopreservation in a freezing medium consisting of 50% foetal bovine serum, 40% RPMI-1640 medium, and 10% dimethyl sulphoxide. The samples were analysed by the Fpg-modified comet assay three times over a 3-year period. All laboratories obtained a positive concentration-response relationship in cryopreserved samples (linear regression coefficients ranging from 0.79 to 0.99). However, there was a wide difference in the levels of Fpg-sensitive sites between the laboratory with the lowest (4.2% Tail DNA) and highest (74% Tail DNA) values in THP-1 cells after exposure to 4.5 mM KBrO3. In an attempt to assess sources of inter-laboratory variation in Fpg-sensitive sites, comet images from one experiment in each laboratory were forwarded to a central laboratory for visual scoring. There was high consistency between measurements of %Tail DNA values in each laboratory and the visual score of the same comets done in the central laboratory (r = 0.98, P < 0.001, linear regression). In conclusion, the results show that potassium bromate is a suitable positive comet assay control.Certain authors have acknowledged funding as follows:
statutory funding for INTC and IRH (Maria Wojewódzka
and Marcin Kruszewski); Spanish Ministry of Science
and Innovation MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033
(grants PID2020-113788RB-I00 and PID2020-114908
GA-I00), and Xunta de Galicia (grant ED431B 2022/16)
(Vanessa Valdiglesias and Blanca Laffon); Università degli
Studi di Firenze fund RICATEN21 and RICATEN22 (Lisa
Giovannelli).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
The HBM4EU e-waste study: exploratory survey of worker’s exposure to toxic contaminants
No full textHBM4EU E-Waste Study Team: Kukka Aimonen, Lasma Akulova, Rob Anzion, Radia Bousoumah, Argelia Castaño, Adam Clarke, Maurice van Dael, Marta Esteban López, Martien Graumans, Ogier Hanser, Beata Janasik, Kate Jones, Laura Komarovska, Sirpa Laitinen, Inese Martinsone, Linda Matisane, Rodrigo Moreira, Darren Musgrove, An van Nieuwenhuyse, Ana Nogueira, Linda Paegle, Hermínia Pinha, Tiina Rantio, Sílvia Reis Santos, Edna Ribeiro, Anita Seile, Ovnair Sepai, Marina Silva, Marjo Vänskä, Riitta Velin, Célia Ventura and Wojciech WasowiczSo far, human biomonitoring (HBM) has not been much used to study exposure of workers involved in the processing of e-waste in the EU. In this study we aimed to explore exposures of workers to chemical contaminants, contribute to raise awareness of potential hazards and to further improve work practices. The study was conducted in eight European counties in a target population of 195 exposed and 73 controls. Biomarkers of exposure were used for selected metals and organic contaminants. Occupational hygiene sampling methods and contextual information were collected to facilitate the interpretation of the biomarker results. We found somewhat elevated exposures in workers for cadmium and mercury in blood and urine compared to controls. Blood analysis indicated high lead levels in post-shift compared to pre-shift in battery workers. Some urinary phthalate metabolite levels indicated a contribution from work-related exposures and were more pronounced in battery workers. Only small differences were observed in urinary excretion before and after the shift for organophosphorus flame retardants. Brominated flame retardant and PCB serum levels were in the range of general population background. From this exploratory study we conclude that more studies are needed to better understand chemical exposure in the processing of e-waste.This study was funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 101057014 and co-funded by the author’s institutes and/or Ministries.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Construction of PARC’s indicator framework: design of outcome and impact indicators
No full textPartnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals aims to develop next-generation chemical risk assessment to protect human health and the environment. It supports the European Union's Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability and the European Green Deal's “Zero pollution” ambition with new data, knowledge, methods and tools, expertise and networks.PARC has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No 101057014.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio