Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases RSS feedThis is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Arachnids of medical importance in Brazil: main active compounds present in scorpion and spider venoms and tick saliva
Arachnida is the largest class among the arthropods, constituting over 60,000 described species (spiders, mites, ticks, scorpions, palpigrades, pseudoscorpions, solpugids and harvestmen). Many accidents are caused by arachnids, especially spiders and scorpions, while some diseases can be transmitted by mites and ticks. These animals are widely dispersed in urban centers due to the large availability of shelter and food, increasing the incidence of accidents. Several protein and non-protein compounds present in the venom and saliva of these animals are responsible for symptoms observed in envenoming, exhibiting neurotoxic, ...
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - October 1, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

A checklist of the scorpions of Ecuador (Arachnida: Scorpiones), with notes on the distribution and medical significance of some species
Ecuador harbors one of the most diverse Neotropical scorpion faunas, hereby updated to 47 species contained within eight genera and five families, which inhabits the “Costa” (n= 17), “Sierra” (n= 34), “Oriente” (n= 16) and “Insular” (n= 2) biogeographical regions, corresponding to the western coastal, Andean, Amazonian, and the Galápagos archipelago regions, respectively. The genusTityus Koch, in the family Buthidae, responsible for severe/fatal accidents elsewhere in northern South America and the Amazonia, is represented in Ecuador by 16 species, including T. asthenes, which has caused fatalities in Colo...
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - October 1, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

Tissue apoptosis in mice infected with Leptospira interrogans serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae
Conclusions:Our results suggest that infection of L interrogans induce in kidney, liver and lung an activation of apoptosis mediated by caspase-3 dependent pathway in later phases of infectious process. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases)
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - August 8, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

Molecular detection and antimicrobial resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from houseflies (Musca domestica) in Iran
ConclusionsHouseflies are important in the epidemiology of P. aeruginosa infections. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases)
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - August 8, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

A comparison between the recombinant expression and chemical synthesis of a short cysteine-rich insecticidal spider peptide
Conclusions:The two recombinant insecticidal peptides and the one synthesized chemically were as active as the native Ba1; however, toxin yields differed drastically. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases)
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - August 8, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

Pharmacological characterization of venoms from three theraphosid spiders: Poecilotheria regalis, Ceratogyrus darlingi and Brachypelma epicureanum
ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that these theraphosid spiders of different habitats produce venoms with different activities. P. regalis venom displays a high level of hyaluronidase activity, which may be associated with its potentially medically significant bite. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases)
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - August 8, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

Antibacterial potential of a basic phospholipase A2(VRV-PL-VIIIa) from Daboia russelii pulchella (Russell's viper) venom
Conclusion:VRV-PL-VIIIa demonstrated potent antibacterial activities against all the human pathogenic strains tested. The study shows that despite a strong correlation between enzymatic and antimicrobial activities of VRV-PL-VIIIa, it may possess additional properties that mimic the bactericidal/membrane permeability-increasing protein. This study encourages further in-depth studies on the molecular mechanisms of antibacterial properties of VRV-PL-VIIIa, which would thereby facilitate development of this protein into a possible therapeutic lead molecule for treating bacterial infections. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animal...
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - August 8, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

New insights into the structural characteristics of irradiated crotamine
Conclusions:Our results indicate that irradiation leads to progressive changes in the structure of the toxin, which could explain a decrease in myotoxic activity. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases)
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - August 8, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

Epidemiological characterization and prognostic factors in patients with confirmed cerebral cryptococcosis in central Taiwan
ConclusionsWe strongly recommend early administration of an antifungal agent to each suspected cryptococcal meningitis patient to decrease both the delay by doctors in administering therapy and the mortality risk. Aggressive and supportive care for severe cryptococcal meningitis patients is critical to decrease overall mortality from this infection. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases)
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - August 8, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

Epidemiology of envenomations by terrestrial venomous animals in Brazil based on case reporting: from obvious facts to contingencies
Conclusion:Mandatory reporting of cases appears to be a useful tool to improve the management of envenomations. However, local studies should be continued to account for the variability of accident circumstances and refine measures necessary for their management. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases)
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - August 8, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

First report of brown widow spider sightings in Peninsular Malaysia and notes on its global distribution
Conclusion:Reports from the Americas and the Far East suggest a global-wide invasion of the brown widow spider. Herein we report the arrival of the brown widow spider in Peninsular Malaysia and provide notes on the identification of the species and its recently expanded range. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases)
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - August 8, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

The History of Venomous Spider Identification, Venom Extraction Methods and Antivenom Production: a Long Journey at the Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
AbstractThe article provides a historical report on venomous spider identification, venom obtainment methods and serum production at the Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil. It is based on literature and personnal experience during the last 50 years. This result is the discovery that the real species causing potential severe human accidents were the spiders of the genus Loxosceles and Phoneutria. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases)
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - August 8, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

The unfulfilled promises of scorpion insectotoxins
AbstractSince the description and biochemical characterization of the first insect-specific neurotoxins from scorpion venoms, almost all contributions have highlighted their potential application as leads for the development of potent bioinsecticides. Their practical use, however, has been hindered by different factors, some of which are intrinsically related to the toxins and other external determinants. Recent developments in the understanding of the action mechanisms of the scorpion insectotoxins and their bioactive surfaces, coupled with the exploration of novel bioinsecticide delivery systems have renewed the expectat...
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - August 8, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

What do we know about some of the most conspicuous scorpion species of the genus Tityus? A historical approach
AbstractIn the present study, comments are proposed on historical aspects of the most conspicuous scorpion species of the genus Tityus found in Brazil. Both Tityus bahiensis (Perty) and Tityus serrulatus Lutz & Mello are better known for their infamous reputation of noxious species. However, the original discovery and description of both species are associated with interesting historical episodes. A short comment is also provided on Tityus costatus (Karsch), the species possibly involved in the first record of a scorpion incident in Brazil. (Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases)
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - August 8, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research

Mycobacterium marinum infection: a case report
Abstract The infection by Mycobacterium marinum in humans is relatively uncommon. When it occurs, it mainly affects the skin, usually with a chronic, indolent and benign evolution. The diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion, and a significant delay may be observed between the first symptoms to the final diagnosis. This present case reports a M. marinum infection in an immunocompetent patient that had a chronic undiagnosed injury on the dominant hand for at least five years. The patient had several medical consultations, without proper suspicion, hampering adequate diagnostic investigation. Histopathology detected tub...
Source: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases - May 16, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research