Bernardo Guerra Tenorio

Abstract Caves serve as natural reservoirs for diverse microbial species due to their unique biotic and abiotic conditions. Histoplasma spp. is frequently associated with guano-enriched soil, low luminosity, and high humidity, particularly in Latin America, a region highly endemic for histoplasmosis. Despite the continent’s diverse biomes, local environmental and host distributions of Histoplasma remain poorly understood.

Abstract Background: Novel antiretroviral drugs are in constant need for HIV/AIDS patients to face the continuous emerging resistance to the commonly prescribed combination of anti-HIV synthetic agents and their side effects. Methods: Amazonian medicinal plants, Licania macrophylla (Chrysobalanaceae) and Ouratea hexasperma (Ochnaceae) were assayed for antiretroviral and immunomodulatory activity, utilizing an established human leukocyte cell line and the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus.