Browsing by Author "Machado, J."
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- Curcumin inhibits gastric inflammation induced by Helicobacter pylori infection in a mouse modelPublication . Santos, A.M.; Lopes, T.; Oleastro, Mónica; Gato, Inês Vale; Floch, P.; Benejat, L.; Chaves, P.; Seixas, E.; Machado, J.; Guerreiro, A.S.Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection triggers a sequence of gastric alterations starting with an inflammation of the gastric mucosa that, in some cases, evolves to gastric cancer. Efficient vaccination has not been achieved, thus it is essential to find alternative therapies, particularly in the nutritional field. The current study evaluated whether curcumin could attenuate inflammation of the gastric mucosa due to H. pylori infection. Twenty-eight C57BL/6 mice, were inoculated with the H. pylori SS1 strain; ten non-infected mice were used as controls. H. pylori infection in live mice was followed-up using a modified 13C-Urea Breath Test (13C-UBT) and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Histologically confirmed, gastritis was observed in 42% of infected non-treated mice at both 6 and 18 weeks post-infection. These mice showed an up-regulation of the expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, as well as of toll-like receptors (TLRs) and MyD88, at both time points. Treatment with curcumin decreased the expression of all these mediators. No inflammation was observed by histology in this group. Curcumin treatment exerted a significant anti-inflammatory effect in H. pylori-infected mucosa, pointing to the promising role of a nutritional approach in the prevention of H. pylori induced deleterious inflammation while the eradication or prevention of colonization by effective vaccine is not available.
- Demographic characterization and spatial cluster analysis of human Salmonella 1,4,[5],12:i:- infections in Portugal: A 10 year studyPublication . Seixas, R.; Nunes, T.; Machado, J.; Tavares, L.; Owen, S.P.; Bernardo, F.; Oliveira, M.Salmonella 1,4,[5],12:i:- is presently considered one of the major serovars responsible for human salmonellosis worldwide. Due to its recent emergence, studies assessing the demographic characterization and spatial epidemiology of salmonellosis 1,4,[5],12:i:- at local- or country-level are lacking. In this study, a analysis was conducted over a 10year period, from 2000 to the first quarter of 2011 at the Portuguese National Laboratory in Portugal mainland, with a total of 215 Salmonella 1,4,[5],12:i:- serotyped isolates obtained from human infections by a passive surveillance system. Data regarding source, year and month of sampling, gender, age, district and municipality of the patients were registered. Descriptive statistical analysis and a spatial scan statistic combined with a geographic information system were employed to characterize the epidemiology and identify spatial clusters. Results showed that most districts have reports of Salmonella 1,4,[5],12:i:-, with a higher number of cases at the Portuguese coastland, including districts like Porto (n=60, 27.9%), Lisboa (n=29, 13.5%) and Aveiro (n=28, 13.0%). An increased incidence was observed in the period from 2004 to 2011 and most infections occurred during May and October. Spatial analysis revealed 4 clusters of higher than expected infection rates. Three were located in the north of Portugal, including two at the coastland (Cluster 1 [RR=3.58, p≤0.001] and 4 [RR=10.42 p≤0.230]), and one at the countryside (Cluster 3 [RR=17.76, p≤0.001]). A larger cluster was detected involving the center and south of Portugal (Cluster 2 [RR=4.85, p≤0.001]). The present study was elaborated with data provided by a passive surveillance system, which may originate an underestimation of disease burden. However, this is the first report describing the incidence and the distribution of areas with higher risk of infection in Portugal, revealing that Salmonella 1,4,[5],12:i:- displayed a significant geographic clustering and these areas should be further evaluated to identify risk factors in order to establish prevention programs.
- A large community outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal, October to November 2014Publication . Shivaji, T.; Sousa Pinto, C.; San-Bento, A.; Oliveira Serra, L.A.; Valente, J.; Machado, J.; Marques, T.; Carvalho, L.; Nogueira, P.J.; Nunes, Baltazar; Vasconcelos, P.An outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease with 334 confirmed cases was identified on 7 November 2014 in Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal and declared controlled by 21 November. Epidemiological, environmental and microbiological analysis identified industrial wet cooling systems to be the probable source of infection. Preliminary results from sequence-based typing of clinical specimens and environmental isolates confirmed this link. A series of meteorological phenomena are likely to have contributed to the scale of this outbreak.
- Ongoing monkeypox virus outbreak, Portugal, 29 April to 23 May 2022Publication . Duque, M.P.; Ribeiro, S.; Martins, J.V.; Casaca, P.; Leite, P. P.; Tavares, M.; Mansinho, K.; Duque, L.M.; Fernandes, C.; Cordeiro, R.; Borrego, M.J.; Pelerito, A.; Lopes de Carvalho, I.; Núncio, S.; Manageiro, V.; Minetti, C; Machado, J.; Haussig, J.M.; Croci, R.; Spiteri, G.; Casal, A.S.; Mendes, D.; Souto, T.; Pocinho, S.; Fernandes, T.; Firme, A.; Vasconcelos, P.; Freitas, G.Up to 27 May 2022, Portugal has detected 96 confirmed cases of monkeypox. We describe 27 confirmed cases (median age: 33 years (range: 22–51); all males), with an earliest symptom onset date of 29 April. Almost all cases (n = 25) live in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley health region. Most cases were neither part of identified transmission chains, nor linked to travel or had contact with symptomatic persons or with animals, suggesting the possible previously undetected spread of monkeypox.
- Outbreak of monkeypox in an STD clinic in LisbonPublication . Caldeira, M.; Fernandes, C.; Neves, J.; João, A.; Calado, R.; Pinto, A.R.; Borrego, M.J.; Cordeiro, R.; Machado, J.; Pelerito, A.; Lopes de Carvalho, I.; Vieira, L.; Núncio, M.S.; Lopes, M.J.P.We present the preliminary results of the first 43 patients with a definitive diagnosis of human infection with monkeypox virus, from the dermatovenereology department of Hospital Santo António dos Capuchos, Lisbon, in May 2022 [...].
- Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak associated with cantaloupe consumption, the United Kingdom and Portugal, September to November 2023Publication . McGeoch, L.J.; Hoban, A.; Sawyer, C.; Rabie, H.; Incident Team; Painset, A.; Browning, L.; Brown, D.; McCarthy, C.; Nelson, A.; Firme, A.; Pista, A.; Moreno, J.; Martins, J.V.; Silveira, L.; Machado, J.; Vasconcelos, P.; Olufon, O.; Inzoungou-Massanga, C.; Douglas, A.; McCormick, J.; Larkin, L.; Balasegaram, S.; , ,In September 2023, the UK Health Security Agency identified cases of Salmonella Saintpaul distributed across England, Scotland, and Wales, all with very low genetic diversity. Additional cases were identified in Portugal following an alert raised by the United Kingdom. Ninety-eight cases with a similar genetic sequence were identified, 93 in the United Kingdom and 5 in Portugal, of which 46% were aged under 10 years. Cases formed a phylogenetic cluster with a maximum distance of six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and average of less than one SNP between isolates. An outbreak investigation was undertaken, including a case-control study. Among the 25 UK cases included in this study, 13 reported blood in stool and 5 were hospitalized. One hundred controls were recruited via a market research panel using frequency matching for age. Multivariable logistic regression analysis of food exposures in cases and controls identified a strong association with cantaloupe consumption (adjusted odds ratio: 14.22; 95% confidence interval: 2.83-71.43; p-value: 0.001). This outbreak, together with other recent national and international incidents, points to an increase in identifications of large outbreaks of Salmonella linked to melon consumption. We recommend detailed questioning and triangulation of information sources to delineate consumption of specific fruit varieties during Salmonella outbreaks.