Acanthamoeba are abundant in a wide range of environments, and some species are responsible for cutaneous infections, keratitis, and granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE). The conventional detection and isolation of amoeba from clinical and environmental samples involves sampling and culture on non-nutrient Ágar medium. Although efficient, this system requires several transfers in order to eliminate contaminants, and is not appropriate for the isolation of individual amoeba from samples with a biodiverse community. In this study we propose an alternative method for the isolation of monocystic clones of Acanthamoeba. The propose method involves sampling, enrichment, encystment induction, and direct cysts micromanipulation and culture on Ágar plates.

A contaminação ambiental por geohelmintos representa um problema mundial de saúde pública e tem sido bem documentada por diversos autores. No entanto, poucos trabalhos descrevem a presença de contaminação em solos salinos de praias litorâneas. Este estudo foi realizado nas praias do município de Santos no período entre maio de 2004 a abril de 2005 com o objetivo de determinar o grau de contaminação, e possíveis correlações entre sazonalidade e características ambientais. Das 2.520 amostras analisadas, 18,2% (458) estavam contaminadas, 32,3% (148) das quais foram localizadas em areas de lazer das crianças(playgrounds). O perfil parasitário encontrado nas amostras analisadas indicaram a presença de vários parasitos com potencial zoonótico: larvas de Ancylostoma (82,5%), ovos de Toxocara sp (59,4%), ovos semelhantes aos de Ancilostomídeos (37,1%), oocistos de coccídeos (13,5%), ovos de Trichostrongylus sp., ovos de Ascaris lumbricoides, (11,6%), cistos de Entamoeba sp. (10,0%), Strongyloides sp. (4,8%), vários nematóides de vida livre e algumas estruturas parasitárias não identificadas que podem corresponder a um parasita (3,3%). Foi estabelecido que a maior frequência de estruturas parasitárias ocorreu nos meses entre maio e outubro de 2004, e de fevereiro a março de 2005. Um aumento na diversidade de formas parasitárias foi documentado nos meses entre fevereiro a dezembro de 2004 e de janeiro a abril de 2005, esses períodos com a maior pluviosidade.

The environmental contamination by geohelminths represents a world public health problem and has been well documented by several authors. However, few papers describe the presence of such contamination in saline soils of coastal beaches. A study was performed on the beaches of the municipality of Santos in the period between May 2004 to April 2005 with the aim of determining the degree of contamination, and the correlation between contamination level and seasonal conditions and characteristics of the environment. Of the 2,520 samples analyzed, 18.2% (458) were contaminated, 32.3% (148) of which were localized in children's recreational areas (playgrounds). The parasite profile found in the analyzed samples indicated the presence of several zoonotic parasites: Ancylostoma larvae (82.5%), Toxocara sp. eggs (59.4%), Ancylostomidae-like eggs (37.1%), coccid oocysts (13.5%), Trichostrongylus sp. eggs and larvae, Ascaris lumbricoides eggs, (11.6%), Entamoeba sp. cysts (10.0%), Strongyloides sp. (4.8%), several free nematoids and some non-identified parasitic structures (3.3%). It was established that the highest frequency of parasitic structures occurred in the months between May and October 2004, and from February to March 2005. An increase in the diversity of parasitic forms was documented in the months between February to December 2004 and from January to April 2005, these periods having the highest rainfall.

Acanthamoeba and Naegleria species are free-living amoebae (FLA) found in a large variety of natural habitats. The prevalence of such amoebae was determined from dust samples taken from public non-hospital internal environments with good standards of cleanliness from two campuses of the same University in the city of Santos (SP), Brazil, and where young and apparently healthy people circulate. The frequency of free-living amoebae in both campuseswas 39% and 17% respectively, with predominance of the genus Acanthamoeba. On the campus with a much larger number of circulating individuals, the observed frequency of free-living amoebae was 2.29 times larger (P< 0.00005). Two trophozoite forms of Naegleria fowleri, are the only species of this genus known to cause primary amoebian meningoencephalitis, a rare and non-opportunistic infection. We assume that the high frequency of these organisms in different internal locations represents some kind of public health risk.

Relata-se o primeiro caso de Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, causando septicemia e morte em um paciente HIV positivo de 34 anos, do sexo feminino, natural e procedente de Santos, S.P.. A paciente apresentava-se com quadro febril inespecífico sendo que o diagnóstico só foi realizado pós morte da paciente através da positividade da hemocultura. Os autores chamam a atenção para a atipia do caso no que se refere ao fato de ser uma mulher em idade fértil e que nasceu e sempre residiu em Santos, área não endêmica para esta infecção.

The first case of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in Santos (Brazil) leading to septicemia and death of an HIV-positive patient is reported here. The patient was a 34-year-old female that presented essential fever and was only diagnosed after death by positive blood culture. The authors underscore the atypical nature of the case, since the patient was a female at fertile age who was born and had always lived in Santos, which is a nonendemic area for this infection.

O efeito de solutos orgânicos no crescimento de Aeromonas trota e A. hydrophila foi avaliado. A prolina e o ácido glutâmico não apresentaram efeito osmoprotetor, mas a betaina exerceu osmoproteção permitindo o crescimento de ambas bactérias em concentrações inibitórias de NaCl. A cinética do crescimento sugere que a diferença em halotolerância entre as linhagens está associada à síntese de osmolitos, mais do que à capacidade de acúmulo de betaina.

The effect of organic solutes on the growth of Aeromonas trota and A. hydrophila was evaluated. Proline and glutamic acid were not effective as osmoprotectors, but betaine exerts osmoprotection allowing the growth of both strains in inhibitory concentrations of NaCl. Growth kinetics suggests that the halotolerance difference between the strains is associated with the synthesis of osmolytes rather than betaine uptake.