Abstract BACKGROUND: Currently, the cosmetic industry is overwhelmed in keeping up with the safety assessment of the increasing number of new products entering the market. To meet such demand, research centers have explored alternative methods to animal testing and also the large number of volunteers necessary for preclinical and clinical tests. OBJECTIVES: This work describes the human skin ex-vivo model (hOSEC: Human Organotypic Skin Explant Culture) as an alternative to test the effectiveness of cosmetics and demonstrate its viability through cutaneous keratinocytes' proliferative capacity up to 75 days in culture. METHODS: The skin explants obtained from surgeries were cultured in CO2-humid incubator. After 1, 7, 30 and 75 days in culture, skin fragments were harvested for analysis with histomorphological exam (HE staining) on all days of follow-up and immunohistochemistry for Ck5/6, Ck10 and Ki-67 only on the 75th day. RESULTS: On the 7th day, the epidermis was perfect in the dermoepidermal junction, showing the viability of the model. On the 30th day, the epidermis was thicker, with fewer layers on the stratum corneum, although the cutaneous structure was unaltered. On the 75th day, the skin became thinner but the dermoepidermal junctions were preserved and epidermal proliferation was maintained. After the 75th day on culture, the skin was similar to normal skin, expressing keratinocytes with Ck5/6 on supra-basal layers; Ck10 on differentiated layers; and viability could be assessed by the positivity of basal cells by Ki-67. CONCLUSION: The hOSEC model seems a good alternative to animal testing; it can be used as a preclinical test analogous to clinical human skin test with similar effectiveness and viability proven by immunohistological analyses.

Os helmintos podem ser transmitidos ao homem de várias maneiras, mas pouca ênfase é dada para a transmissão vetorial ou mecânica das formas infectantes por insetos. Neste estudo, procurou-se fazer um levantamento das espécies de helmintos presentes em três ordens de insetos que convivem próximo ao ambiente humano. Foram coletados e examinados, externa e individualmente, 700 exemplares sendo 54 pertencentes à ordem Blattodea, 275 à ordem Diptera e 371 à ordem Hymenoptera. Com relação à Blattodea, foi capturada apenas a espécie Periplaneta americana e, em 58,3% dos espécimes, as seguintes formas de helmintos foram encontradas: ovos de Oxyuridae (36,40%), ovos de Ascaridae (28,04%), larvas de Nematoda (4,80%), ovos de Cestoda (3,50%), Nematoda (0,08%) e ovos de Toxocaridae (0,08%). Nos exemplares das ordens Diptera e Hymenoptera, não foi observada qualquer forma de parasita. Este estudo possibilitou avaliar a importância e o papel de insetos como vetores de helmintos parasitas, correlacionando-o às condições ambientais e sociais, sugerindo a aplicação destes dados para medidas profiláticas.

Helminths can be transmitted to human beings in several ways, but little attention has been given to vector or mechanical transmission of infective forms by insects. The present study surveys the helminth species present in three orders of insects that coexist in proximity with the human environment. A total of 700 insects (54 Blattodea, 275 Diptera, and 371 Hymenoptera) were collected and examined externally and individually. In the Blattodea order, only specimens of Periplaneta americana were collected, and 58.3% were carrying the following helminth forms: Oxyuridae eggs (36.4%), Ascaridae eggs (28.04%), Nematoda larvae (4.8%), Cestoda eggs (3.5%), other Nematoda (0.08%), and Toxocaridae eggs (0.08%). No Diptera and Hymenoptera were found to contain parasitic forms. This study evaluates the importance and role of insects as mechanical vectors of helminth parasites, correlated with social and environmental conditions, and suggests the use of these data for preventive purposes.

Os helmintos podem ser transmitidos ao homem de várias maneiras, mas pouca ênfase é dada para a transmissão vetorial ou mecânica das formas infectantes por insetos. Neste estudo, procurou-se fazer um levantamento das espécies de helmintos presentes em três ordens de insetos que convivem próximo ao ambiente humano. Foram coletados e examinados, externa e individualmente, 700 exemplares sendo 54 pertencentes à ordem Blattodea, 275 à ordem Diptera e 371 à ordem Hymenoptera. Com relação à Blattodea, foi capturada apenas a espécie Periplaneta americana e, em 58,3% dos espécimes, as seguintes formas de helmintos foram encontradas: ovos de Oxyuridae (36,40%), ovos de Ascaridae (28,04%), larvas de Nematoda (4,80%), ovos de Cestoda (3,50%), Nematoda (0,08%) e ovos de Toxocaridae (0,08%). Nos exemplares das ordens Diptera e Hymenoptera, não foi observada qualquer forma de parasita. Este estudo possibilitou avaliar a importância e o papel de insetos como vetores de helmintos parasitas, correlacionando-o às condições ambientais e sociais, sugerindo a aplicação destes dados para medidas profiláticas.

Helminths can be transmitted to human beings in several ways, but little attention has been given to vector or mechanical transmission of infective forms by insects. The present study surveys the helminth species present in three orders of insects that coexist in proximity with the human environment. A total of 700 insects (54 Blattodea, 275 Diptera, and 371 Hymenoptera) were collected and examined externally and individually. In the Blattodea order, only specimens of Periplaneta americana were collected, and 58.3% were carrying the following helminth forms: Oxyuridae eggs (36.4%), Ascaridae eggs (28.04%), Nematoda larvae (4.8%), Cestoda eggs (3.5%), other Nematoda (0.08%), and Toxocaridae eggs (0.08%). No Diptera and Hymenoptera were found to contain parasitic forms. This study evaluates the importance and role of insects as mechanical vectors of helminth parasites, correlated with social and environmental conditions, and suggests the use of these data for preventive purposes.