Abstract INTRODUCTION: Chagas disease (CD) prevention and control rely on studies of its distribution, characteristics of individuals affected and mode of transmission. CD data in Brazil are scarce; a retrospective analysis of the clinical characteristics of 80 patients treated at the Clinical Hospital of UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil, was performed. METHODS: Patient data records were analyzed. RESULTS: Thirty percent of the patients probably got infected through vector-borne transmission, 65% came from endemic areas, a predominance of cardiac and cardiodigestive forms was found among males, and the cardiac form prevailed (51%). CONCLUSIONS: The results update the view on the epidemiology of CD in Campinas, Brazil.

The 70 kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) is a molecular chaperone that assists the parasite Leishmania in returning to homeostasis after being subjected to different types of stress during its life cycle. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of HSP70 transfection of L. amazonensis promastigotes (pTEX-HSP70) in terms of morphology, resistance, infectivity and mitochondrial bioenergetics. The pTEX-HSP70 promastigotes showed no ultrastructural morphological changes compared to control parasites. Interestingly, the pTEX-HSP70 promastigotes are resistant to heat shock, H2O2-induced oxidative stress and hyperbaric environments. Regarding the bioenergetics parameters, the pTEX-HSP70 parasites had higher respiratory rates and released less H2O2 than the control parasites. Nevertheless, the infectivity capacity of the parasites did not change, as verified by the infection of murine peritoneal macrophages and human macrophages, as well as the infection of BALB/c mice. Together, these results indicate that the overexpression of HSP70 protects L. amazonensis from stress, but does not interfere with its infective capacity.

INTRODUÇÃO: Analisou-se a positividade da reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR) na detecção de DNA de Leishmania em pacientes. MÉTODOS: DNA extraído foi submetido a L150/L152, 13Y/13Z e PCR seminested (snPCR). RESULTADOS: Resultados foram evidenciados por bandas de aproximadamente 120; 720 e 670pb para L150/L152, 13Y/13Z e snPCR, respectivamente. Positividades para L150/L152, 13Y/13Z e snPCR foram 76,9; 56,4 e 69,2 (p > 0,05), para suspeitos; e 93,7; 68,7 e 84,4 (p < 0,05) para confirmados, respectivamente. CONCLUSÕES: Resultados preliminares mostraram que os ensaios, principalmente L150/L152 e snPCR, podem detectar DNA de Leishmania e têm potencial para diagnóstico laboratorial das leishmanioses.

INTRODUCTION: The study analyzed positivity of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on detection of DNA from Leishmania in patients' samples. METHODS: Extracted DNA was submitted to L150/L152, 13Y/13Z, and seminested PCR (snPCR). RESULTS: Results were evidenced by bands of approximately 120, 720, and 670 bp for L150/L152, 13Y/13Z, and snPCR, respectively. L150/L152, 13Y/13Z, and snPCR positivity indexes were 76.9, 56.4, and 9.2 (p>0.05), respectively, for suspected and 93.7, 68.7, and 84.4 (p<0.05), respectively, for confirmed. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary results showed that these assays, mainly L150/L152 and snPCR, can detect Leishmania DNA and carry potential on laboratory diagnosis of leishmaniasis.