Currently, direct detection of Leptospira can be done in clinical laboratories by conventional and by real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). We tested a biobank of paired samples of serum and urine from the same patient (202 patients) presenting at the hospital in an area endemic for leptospirosis using qRT-PCR followed by high resolution melting (HRM) analysis. The results were compared with those obtained by conventional nested PCR and with the serologic gold standard microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Differences were resolved by sequencing. qRT-PCR-HRM was positive for 46 of the 202 patients (22.7%, accuracy 100%) which is consistent with known prevalence of leptospirosis in the Azores. MAT results were positive for 3 of the 46 patients (6.5%). Analysis of paired samples allowed us to identify the illness point at which patients presented at the hospital: onset, dissemination or excretion. The melting curve analysis of Leptospira species revealed that 60.9% (28/46) of patients were infected with L. interrogans and 39.1% (18/46) were infected with L. borgpetersenii, both endemic to the Azores. We validated the use of qRT-PCR-HRM for diagnosis of leptospirosis and for identification of the Leptospira species at the earliest onset of infection in a clinical setting, in less than 2 hours.

Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonotic and recognized neglected infectious disease. It has been observed that only a proportion of individuals exposed to pathogenic species of Leptospira become infected and develop clinically evident disease. Moreover, little information is available in subsequent reinfections. In the present study, we determine if a first infection with leptospirosis protects against subsequent reinfection, and investigate which of the host genetic factors are involved in the susceptibility and resistance to leptospirosis. We conducted, in 2011, a retrospective hospital-based case-control study in the São Miguel Island population (Azores archipelago). In order to determine the seropositivity against pathogenic Leptospira after the first episode of leptospirosis, we performed a serological evaluation in 97 unrelated participants diagnosed with leptospirosis between 1992 and 2011. The results revealed that 46.4% of the 97 participants have circulating anti-Leptospira antibodies, and from these participants 35.6% maintained the seroprevalence for the same serogroup. Moreover, three of them were reinfected with unrelated Leptospira serovars. The genetic study was carried out by adding a control group composed of 470 unrelated healthy blood donors, also from São Miguel Island. Twenty five SNPs among twelve innate immune genes – IL1α, IL1β, IL6, IL10, IL12RB1, TLR2, TLR4, TLR9, CD14, CISH, LTA and TNF – were genotyped, as well as HLA class I (–A and –B) genes. Association analysis indicates that genotypes -511GG (OR = 1.6, 95%CI 1.01-2.56, p = 0.04) in IL1β, +1196CG (OR = 2.0, 95%CI 1.26-3.27, p = 0.003) in IL12RB1, -292TA (OR = 1.8, 95% CI 1.06–2.1, p = 0.03) and +3415CG (OR = 1.8, 95% CI 1.08–3.08, p = 0.02), both in CISH confer susceptibility to pathogenic Leptospira. The present study suggests some degree of long-term protection against leptospires with an attenuation of symptoms in case of reinfection. Moreover, our data supports the genetic influence of IL1β, IL12RB1 and CISH genes and the susceptibility to leptospirosis infection.

Epidermolysis bullosa simplex with muscular dystrophy (EBS-MD; OMIM #226670) is an autosomal recessive disease, characterized mainly by skin blistering at birth or shortly thereafter, progressive muscle weakness, and rarely by alopecia. EBS-MD is caused by mutations in the PLEC gene (OMIM *601282), which encodes plectin, a structural protein expressed in several tissues, including epithelia and muscle. We describe a patient affected with EBS-MD and diffuse alopecia in which we identified a novel pathogenic mutation by PCR amplification of all coding exons and exon–intron boundaries of PLEC gene, followed by bidirectional Sanger sequencing. The patient, a 28-year-old female and only child of consanguineous healthy parents, was born after uneventful pregnancy. At 2 days of age, she developed skin and oral mucosal blistering, accompanied by voice hoarseness. On physical examination as an adult, we observed diffuse non-scarring alopecia on the scalp, onychodystrophy (pachyonychia) in all 20 nails, dental decay, mild dysphonia, and severe muscle atrophy mainly affecting the extremities. Neurological examination showed profoundly diminished reflexes. Mutation analysis revealed the patient to be homozygous for the novel PLEC nonsense mutation − c.7159G > T (p.Glu2387*) − located in exon 31. Thismutation predicts the lack of expression of the full-length plectin isoform. The present case appears to be the second association of EBS-MD with diffuse alopecia, both cases having different mutations involving PLEC exon 31. It remains to be elucidated whether diffuse alopecia results from PLEC mutations and/or from environmental factors.

Background: The Azores are an archipelago located in the North Atlantic Ocean (parallel 38) composed of nine islands, dispersed over three geographical groups: The Eastern group (São Miguel and Santa Maria), the Central group (Terceira, Graciosa, Pico, São Jorge and Faial) and the Western group (Flores and Corvo). Taking into consideration the geographical and settlement history differences of the archipelago, the genetic diversity pattern and the internal migration of the Azorean population were assessed, based on the analysis of 15 STR loci in 592 unrelated individuals. Results: The results of this evaluation reveal that Terceira displays the highest value of gene diversity (0.7979) and Corvo the lowest (0.7717). Gene flow analysis indicates that Corvo has the lowest value for migration, 23.35, where as São Miguel and Terceira have the highest values for emigration, 108.14 and 87.66, respectively. Taken together, the data demonstrate that, despite settlement diversity, no genetic difference between the populations of the nine islands is observable today. This may be explained by internal migration. Conclusion: Overall, the Azorean population can be analysed as a homogeneous genetic group, which consequently, would present, possibly, the same drug-reaction profile. In terms of genomic medicine, these results will have a significant impact on the design of future genetic and pharmacogenomic studies in the Azorean population.