Repercussões psico-sociais da síndrome dos ovários policísticos: estudo quali-quantitativo

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrame (PCOS) has been shown to cause a reduction in quality of life. Little is known on the psychosocial aspects associated with PCOS, especially on women s own experiences regarding the syndrome. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the psychosocial impact of PCOS by measuring the health-related quality of life and exploring the women s own experiences of PCOS. METHODS: A two-phase model of combination of quantitative and qualitative research approaches was conducted, a crass-sectional survey to pravide quantitative data on the quality of life and a qualitative approach to understand the women s experience in relation to the PC OS sympt?ms. For the first phase, 109 women with PC OS and 104 healthy contrais were evaluated with the 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36). Additionally, semi-structured interviews (n=30) were conducted to facilitate in-depth exploration of PC OS women s experience. RESUL TS: PCOS patients showed significant reductions in almost ali SF-36 domains of quality of life when compared with healthy contrais (physical function 76.5:!:20.5 and 84.6:!:15.9, respectively; physical rale function 56.4:!:43.3 and 72.6:!:33.3; general health 55.2:!:21.0 and 62.5:!:17.2; vitality 49.6:!:21.3 and 55.3:!:21.3; social function 55.3:!:32.4 and 66.2:!:26.7; emotional rale function 34.2:!:39.7 and 52.9:!:38.2; mental health 50.6:!:22.8 and 59.2:!:20.2). Thematic analysis revealed reports of feeling abnormal , sadness, afraid and anxiety. These feelings were related to four symptoms commonly experienced by women with PCOS: excess hair grawth; irregular or absent menstruation, infertility and obesity. CONCLUSIONS: Polycystic ovary syndrame impacts women both physically and psychosocially. Owing to this, women with PCOS need not only medical treatment for. the reproductive, esthetic and metabolic repercussions, but also the care of a multidisciplinary team, since PCOS is not just a physical condition, but also an important psychosocial problem that affects various aspects of a woman s life

Avaliação de diferentes formas de preservação e desenvolvimento in situ de folículos ovarianos pré-antrais caprinos

This study evaluated the effect of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in the activation of goats preantral follicles (FOPA). Were used four pairs of ovaries of adult mixed breed goats. Each ovarian pair was divided into 23 fragments. One fragment was fixed for histology and other fragment was using to follicular isolation procedure. The remaining fragments were cultured in 1.0 ml of Minimum Essential Medium (MEM) or MEM supplemented with IAA at concentrations of 10, 40, 100, 500 or 1000 ng/mL. The in vitro culture was performed at 39°C in incubator with 5% CO2 for 1, 3 and 5 days. After in vitro culture was evaluated histological integrity and viability of FOPA. The addition of 100 ng/ml of IAA to MEM showed a significant increase in follicles transition in the third day of in vitro culture, characterizing follicular activation. Moreover, this concentration was obtained maintaining the histological integrity of PAF by the fifth day of in vitro culture. The viability test confirmed the results of histology. Thus, we conclude that IAA can promote the activation of goats FOPA

Efeito de um extrato de Artemísia Vulgaris L. marcação in vitro de constituintes sanguíneos com tecnécio-99m em ratos wistar

Artemisia vulgaris L..is used in folk medicine and in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). This medicinal plant has been utilized as anticonvulsive, analgesic, antispasmodic effect, rheumatic pains, menstrual dyspepsia, asthenia, epilepsy, hepatitis, fevers, anemia and to expel parasites. In nuclear medicine, blood constituents are labeled with technetium-99m (99mTc) and used as radiopharmaceuticals (radiobiocomplexes). Authors have been described that synthetic and/or natural drugs could modify the labeling of blood constituents with 99mTc. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of an aqueous extract of Artemisia vulgaris L. on the labeling of blood constituents with 99mTc. Blood samples withdrawn of Wistar rats were incubated with Artemisia vulgaris L, stannous chloride and 99mTc, as pertechnetate ion. Aliquots of plasma (P) and blood cells (BC) were isolated. Aliquots of P and BC were also precipitated with trichloroacetic acid and soluble (SF) and insoluble (IF) fractions were separated. The radioactivity in each fraction was counted and the percentages of radioactivity (%ATI) were calculated. Artemisia vulgaris L. extract decreased significantly (p<0.05) the %ATI on BC and on IF-BC. The analysis of the results indicates that the extract could have substances that could interfere on the transport of stannous through the erythrocyte membrane altering the labeling of blood cells with 99mTc. Working in this study was a multidisciplinary group, with Phisical therapists, Biomedicals, Physicals, Pharmacists, Biologists, Statistics and Physicians.

Aspectos clínicos e imunológicos da infecção por Leishmania Infantum Chagasi em cães do Rio Grande do Norte / Paula Vivianne Souza de Queiroz. Natal/RN

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico

Resistotipagem e transferência genética de plasmídios de resistência entre coliformes e vibrios potencialmente patogênicos para o homem isolados de camarão (litopenaeus vannamei) comercializado em Natal-Rio Grande do Norte

Cinquenta amostras de camarão fresco e refrigerado (Litopenaeus vannamei) foram coletadas em diferentes pontos de comercialização na cidade de Natal RN. As amostras foram maceradas em um gral estéril e 25 gramas semeadas em 225mL de APA contendo 1% de NaCl e 25g em 225mL de CL incubadas a 35ºC - 24 horas. O crescimento em APA foi semeado em placas de Ágar TCBS, incubadas a 35ºC-24h para isolamento de Vibrio e Aeromonas. O crescimento do CL foi semeado em Agar EAM, para isolamento de coliformes. Dos 102 isolados, 91 (89,2%) pertenciam ao gênero Vibrio e 11 (10,8%) ao gênero Aeromonas, com predominância de V. cholerae não O1/não O139, V. alginolyticus, V. carchariae e V. parahaemolyticus K- e A. veronii biogrupo sobria , A. jandaei, A. schubertii, A. veronii biogrupo veronii e A. hydrophila. A menor eficiência entre os antimicrobianos foi da AMP (57,8% de resistência) seguida da AMK (29,4%) e TCY (21,6%). As 39 cepas de Vibrio e Aeromonas multirresistentes se distribuíram em 10 perfis distintos, sendo que um revelou cinco marcos (AMP, CHL, NIT, SXT e TCY) em um isolado de V. carchariae de camarão, adquirido em supermercados. O índice MAR, nas 39 cepas variou de 0,28 a 0,42, sugerindo que são de risco na transferência e difusão da resistência na cadeia alimentar. Após a cura plasmidial pelo tratamento com AO de 24 cepas multirresistentes e com resistência intermediária de víbrio e aeromonas escolhidas aleatoriamente, 13 perderam totalmente a resistência e 7 perderam parcialmente, sendo que o maior percentual de perda da resistência ocorreu nas cepas de V. cholerae não O1 e não O139 (6 cepas), se concentrando nos marcos de resistência a AMP (13), AMK (11), TCY(8) e CIP(3). Os resultados da conjugação realizada entre amostras de Vibrio xvi curadas e a E. coli K12C600 demonstraram que 78,5% das culturas de Vibrio testadas revelaram capacidade de transferência para o gene que confere resistência a AMP e 28,5% para a TCY. Dos coliformes, E. coli foi a mais frequente, seguida de Citrobacter spp, isoladas em 40,3% e 27,5% das amostras respectivamente. AMP foi o antimicrobiano menos eficaz, seguido de TCY. As 11 cepas multirresistentes se distribuíram em 9 perfis distintos, um deles constituído de cinco marcos (AMP, NIT, TCY, CHL, SXT), albergados em uma cepa de Klebsiella spp, oriunda de camarão adquirido em supermercado, similar ao resultado obtido em V. carchariae. Conclui-se que, os camarões marinhos frescos e refrigerados, comercializados em Natal-RN evidenciaram contaminação com coliformes, víbrios e aeromonas multirresistentes a antimicrobianos comumente utilizados na terapia médica e veterinária, e que, possivelmente, a transferência de genes de resistência entre bactérias se constitui um sério problema de saúde pública

Identificação e fatores de virulência de Candida spp isoladas da cavidade bucal de transplantados renais do hospital universitário Onofre Lopes em Natal-RN

Despite Candida species are often human commensals isolated from various oral sites such as: tongue, cheek and palatal mucosa plus subgingival region, there are some properties linked to the organism commonly known as virulence factors which confer them the ability to produce disease. Oral candidiasis is one of the main oral manifestations reported in literature related to kidney transplant patients. The objectives of the present study were to identify and investigate virulence factors of yeasts isolated from the oral cavity of kidney transplant recipients admitted at the Hospital Universitário Onofre Lopes, in Natal RN. Seventy Candida species isolated from 111 kidney transplant recipients were investigated in this study. Identification of the isolates was performed by using the evidence of germ tube formation, hypertonic broth, tolerance to grow at 42°C, micromorphology and biochemical profiles. We observed a high rate of isolation of yeasts from the oral cavity of kidney transplant recipients (63.1%) being C. albicans was the most prevalent species. Oral candidiasis was diagnosed in 14.4% of transplant recipients. We evaluated virulence properties of the isolates regarding to: biofilm formation on polystyrene microplates as well as XTT reduction, adherence to acrylic resin and human buccal epithelial cells and proteinase activity. Most isolates were able to form biofilm by the method of adhesion to polystyrene. All isolates of Candida spp. remained viable during biofilm formation when analyzed by the method of XTT reduction. The number of CFU attached to the acrylic resin suggested high adherence for C. parapsilosis. C. albicans isolates showed higher median adherence to human buccal epithelial cells than non-C. albicans Candida isolates. Nevertheless, this difference was not statistically significant. C. dubliniensis showed low ability to adhere to plastic and epithelial cells and biofilm formation. Proteolytic activity was observed for all the isolates investigated, including the unique isolate of C. dubliniensis. There was a statistically significant association between proteinase production and the presence of oral candidiasis. Studies related to oral candidiasis in renal transplant recipients are limited to clinical and epidemiological data, but investigations concerning Candida spp. virulence factor for this group of individuals are still scarce. We emphasize the importance of studies related to virulence factors of yeasts isolated from this population to contribute to the knowledge of microbiological aspects of oral candidiasis

Soroprevalência da infecção pelo Trypanosoma cruzi no município de Caicó, RN, e caracterização genética por RAPD do parasito isolado de humanos e de triatomíneos no semiárido potiguar

Trypanosoma cruzi infection was evaluated in 390 resident individuals in different rural communities of Caicó municipality, State of Rio Grande do Norte (RN). Of 28 investigated communities the soroprevalence of T. cruzi infection was 2.8% in eight rural communities individuals. The epidemiological characteristics of seropositive shown that the age ranged from 22 to 64 years, being significantly raised from 31 years (90.9%). The female gender was predominant and low education degree. Those individuals reported that they never donated blood, but they had direct contact with triatomines bug. The isolation of the parasite was performed by blood culture and xenoculture methods to determine the genetic variability of the samples. Twenty seven T. cruzi isolates were analyzed by RAPD as genetic marker using three random primers (M13-40, gt11-F and L15996). The T. cruzi isolates showed 73.7% of shared bands considering the average obtained with the three primers, and were genetically well correlated. Using this marker it was possible to separate the populations of the parasite in three distinct groups. The first group composed by isolates obtained of triatomines and humans from four different districts (Caicó, Caraúbas, Serra Negra doNorte and Governador Dix-Sept Rosado); the second contained isolates obtained of triatomines of two different species (T. brasiliensis and P. lutzi) captured in Caraúbas and Serra Negra do Norte. The third grouped isolates obtained from humans of Angicos and Caicó municipalities. In different localities of distinct mesoregions, State of RN, a profile genetic well correlated was identified among all isolates and the presence of three distinct groups of the parasite circulating among vertebrate and invertebrate hosts

Caracterização e quantificação de marcadores químicos do extrato hidroetanólico das folhas de Kalanchoe brasiliensis Cambess

Kalanchoe brasiliensis Cambess (Crassulaceae), commonly known as saião , coirama branca , folha grossa , is originally from Brazil and commonly found in São Paulo to Bahia, mainly in the coastal zone. Regarding of biological activities, most preclinical studies were found in the literature, mainly about the anti-inflammatory activity of extracts obtained from leaves and / or aerial parts of K. brasiliensis. As regards the chemical constitution, it has been reported mainly the presence of flavonoids in the leaves of the species, but until this moment did not knows which are the active compounds. Although it is a species widely used in traditional medicine in Brazil, there is no monograph about the quality parameters of the plant drug. In this context, this study aims to characterize and quantify the chemical markers of hydroethanolic extract (HE) from the leaves of K. brasiliensis, which can be used in quality control of plant drug and derivatives obtained from this species. The methodology was divided into two parts: i. Phytochemical study: to fractionate, isolate and characterizate of the chemical (s) marker (s) of the HE from the leaves of K. brasiliensis; ii. To Developed validate of analytical method by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)-diode array detector (DAD) to quantify the chemical (s) marker (s) of the EH. i. The EH 50% was prepared by turbo extraction method. It was then submitted to liquid-liquid partition, obtaining dichloromethane, n-butanol and ethyl acetate (AcOEt) fractions. The AcOEt fraction was selected to continue the fractionation process, because it has a chemical profile rich in flavonoids. The acOEt fraction was submitted to column chromatography using different systems for obtaining the compound Kb1. To identify this compound, it was submitted to UV analysis ii. For quantitative analysis, the EH was analyzed by HPLC, using different methods. After selecting the most appropriate method, which showed satisfactory resolution and symmetrical peaks, it was validated according to parameters in the RE 899/2003. As result, it was obtained from the AcOEt fraction the compound Kb1 (2.7 mg). Until this moment, the basic nucleus was characterized by UV analysis using shift reagents. The partial chemical structure of the compound Kb1 was identified as a flavonol, containing hydroxyls in 3 , 4 position (ring A), 5 and 7 free (ring B) and a replacement of the C3 hydroxyl by a sugar. As the analysis were performed in the HPLC coupled to a DAD, we observed that the UV spectrum of the major peaks of EH from K. brasiliensis shown similar UV spectrum. According to the literature, it has been reported the presence of patuletin glycosydes derivatives in the leaves of this species. Therefore, it is suggested that the compound Kb1 is glycosylated patuletin derivative. Probably the sugar (s) unit(s) are linked in the C3 in the C ring. . Regarding the development of HPLC analytical method, the system used consists of phase A: water: formic acid (99,7:0,3, v / v) and phase B: methanol: formic acid (99,7:0,3, v / v), elution gradient of 40% B - 58% B in 50 minutes, ccolumn (Hichrom ®) C18 (250x4, 0 mm, 5 μm), flow rate 0.8 mL / min, UV detection at 370 nm, temperature 25 ° C. In the analysis performed with the co-injection of thecompound Kb1 + HE of K. brasiliensis was observed that it is one of the major compounds with a retention time of 12.47 minutes and had a content of 15.3% in EH of leaves from K. brasiliensis. The method proved to be linear, precise, accurate and reproducible. According to these results, it was observed that compound Kb1 can be used as a chemical marker of EH from leaves of K. brasiliensis, to assist in quality control of drug plant and its derivatives

Um lugar que passa e sobrevive:o passado e o presente na Vila de Ponta Negra

The Ponta Negra borough is a part and the originally core of Ponta Negra quarter, placed on the South area of Natal/RN city. Its population was constituted by fishermen whose, beyond the fishing work, cultivated small plantations, made carbon and lace. For a long period of time, the borough was isolated from the rest of the city because of the great ground distance and due the fact that the local inhabitants found their own maintenance on the place. The scenery was being little by little modified from de 80 s because of the neighborhood urban development, that became one of the most searching tourism places in the city that turns the borough into a expensive place to live, with plenty of entertainment and high income, due the new habitation standards, new economic activities, new inhabitants belonging to higher social classes, new habits and way of living. The present work aims to verify weather or not, in the middle of all changes, the original social actors that still live in the Ponta Negra borough, are able to keep the traditional community bounds that once guided their existences. On that sense, we will analyze the conflicts that pass through the community, with attention on the sociability, space usage and appropriation

Estrutura genética populacional de Heliconius erato e Heliconius melpomene (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) em fragmentos de Mata Atlântica do Rio Grande do Norte

Extensive studies using molecular markers on butterflies have shown how a highly fragmented landscape may result in the reduction of gene flow among patches of habitat and, consequently, increase genetic differentiation among populations. However, little is known about Heliconius geographical structure and the effects of fragmentation on the connectivity of populations. Furthermore, findings on the effects of the population structure on the dynamics of mimicry evolution in Heliconius butterflies need to be tested in H. erato and H. melpomene specimens found in other locations other than Central and northern South Americas. For the present study, we had two motivations: (1) compare the population structure of H. erato and H. melpomene given the highly fragmented Brazil s Atlantic Forest habitat; and (2) studying population structure of co-mimics could give us insights into the dynamics of mimicry evolution. For this, we analysed the spatial structure and connectivity of eight populations of Heliconius butterflies, in a total of 137 H. erato specimens and 145 H. melpomene specimens, using nine microsatellites loci, 1144 AFLPs markers and 282 mitochondrial DNA sequences. In general, both species exhibited evidence of population subdivision but no isolation by distance indicating some extent of genetic differentiation among populations. Contrary to Kronforst & Gilbert s (2008) Costa Rican Heliconius, H. melpomene exhibited more genetic differentiation than H. erato based on nuclear markers. However, for mitochondrial DNA, H. erato populations showed more genetic differentiation than H. melpomene. Our results corroborate to other studies on Heliconius butterflies concerning the pronounced population subdivision and local genetic drift found in this genus. Nevertheless, the pattern of this differentiation varies significantly from the pattern found in studies conducted in Central America, where H. erato is generally more differentiated and structured than H. melpomene, based on nuclear markers. This different pattern may reflect different evolutionary histories of Heliconius species in Northeastern Brazil s Atlantic Forest

A Poética do corpo no mito e na dança butô: por uma educação sensível

The thesis presents the body poetry and its inscribing in the myth and Butô dance. The argumentation highlights the sensitive dimension present in these itineraries, as a possibility to operate the emergency of knowing inscribed in the body, bringing a kind of rationality that links the fragments, that allows the knowing to break through the barriers of disciplinary isolation, that abandons the certainties and goes through the ways of creation and that gives the body new space and time, featuring epistemological elements, ethical and esthetical, that can permit a sensitive education. All along the way, we comprehend by sensitive education, a education that considers the relinking of logical, analogical, symbolic and artistic knowledge and therefore reconsiders the own act of knowing as a continuous and inconcluded process. That sensitive education is also understood as retaking the body experience, its sensitive nature, as well as being meaningful to reading the world. It includes the body memory, its history and creativity, opening it to innovation, change, sense amplification and dialogue with other bodies and world, because it is within them. It is about an investigation of phenomenologic nature, that dialogues philosophy and art, pointing breakdowns of this reflection foe the body and education studies. We find it necessary to notice the body language, that allows one to think through movements, articulate a thought that is risen from articulations, guts and all the body. This incarnated reason starts the expressive body action, that makes us move to mean, communicate, inaugurate senses. Among these senses, we present a possibility of approach of the elements of Butô dance teaching and physical education, as ways of sensitive education showings of body poetry

Educação matemática, ciência e tradição: tudo no mesmo barco

Les connaissances de la tradition et position de la Science dehors pour un non-hiérarchique dialoguez qui frappe pour les distinguer mais ils sont undésavouer inséparable étant donné les compléments ils composent. Cet essai assume la possibilité de ce roi de dialogue dans un place spéciale: la classe. Sur ce qui vient au connaissance de la tradition, le centre remarquable est pour la construction de bateaux du travail manuel, una pratique culturellement déployé dans la ville d'Abaetetuba, dans le État de Pará, Brésil. En revanche, la Science est concentrée par le le contenu d'école a adopté dans l'Ensino Fundamental (École primaire). La construction du dialogue est faite en utilisant des activités de l'enseignement qui accentuez des aspects géométriques (solide, géométrique, angles et symétries) aussi bien que par information qui implique le tableau, poésie, histoire, géographie et physique - les deux inspiré dans le chiffre de bateau résumé dans un CD-ROM interactif. Les activités ont eu lieu dans D'Escola Ensino Pedro Teixeira Fondamental (Abaetetuba-Pa), avec étudiants du 6e niveau (plus spécifiquement avec un groupe de 13 étudiants) d'août à octobre2004. Ethnomathématiques et transdisciplinarité sont le support théorique sous-jacent du projet. Dans résumé, c'est possible pour dire que l'interaction entre Science et Tradition, à travers activités au-delà lesquelles vont le le contenu a restreint à mathématiques d'école, contribuées à,: identifiez le contenu a appris pas sur dans série antérieure; renouveler le rôle joué par école dans ses fonctions didactique pédagogiques; réduire le isolement entre information passée historique et les étudiants présent culturel; indiquer des obstacles à l'érudition des mathématiques intéresser aux aspects cognitifs et behavioristes; et provoquer un participation affective qui rôle principal à la qualité d'apprendre l'école contenu aussi bien que les connaissances de la tradition

Vivências de familiares do paciente internado em unidade de terapia intensiva: estudo fenomenológico

This study originated from my concerns as critical care nurse, regarding the lived experience of the family member of the patient that is hospitalized in the intensive care unit - ICU. The purpose of the study was to comprehend the experience of the family members while having a loved one interned in an ICU, and to identify the common elements of the phenomenon, based on the descriptions of their experiences. Considering that the object of study involves subjective and social questions, the study was conducted using some fundamental ideas of descriptive phenomenology as a referential and the situated phenomenon as suggested by Martins and Bicudo (1989). Ten (10) family members of patients that were interned in the ICU of private hospital in Natal, RN were interviewed using the following leading question: What is it like to have a member of your family interned in the ICU? Five thematic structural categories emerged from the comprehensive analysis of the interviews: Fear of the family member s death; Lack of humanization; Social isolation; Confidence in the ICU; and Overload to the personal life. The description of the phenomenon enabled a new look at how the care team relates to the family members of the patients interned in the ICU, providing some guidance on how to construct a humanized care that involves the family and that is based on affective human relations. This involves a rethinking of the care provided by team to the family and stimulates the reformulation of personal and social attitudes, and of hospital organizational norms

Beirando a vida, driblando os problemas: estratégias de bem viver

The purpose of this study is to analyze the strategies used by families living in at-risk-and-vulnerable situations registered with the Estratégia Saúde da Família (ESF) ( Family Health Strategy ) as they face their daily problems. This is an investigation of a qualitative nature, using interview as the main tool for an empirical approach. Ten women from the Panatis location in northern Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, whose families live in precarious social-economical situations were interviewed. The interviews occurred between the months of April and June, 2007. The reports revealed that a mixture of improvisations and creativity was used as strategies for overcoming the privations and necessities of daily life. We also reached the conclusion that these families sought solutions for their problems through religiosity and a gift reciprocity system as resources for obtaining personal recognition and support in adversity. The results, in addition, point to ESF as one of the strategies used by these families in the search for attention and care. From this perspective, ESF has proven to be a place for listening and the construction of ties that are consolidated through home visits, organized groups, in parties and outings that are promoted in the community, reestablishing contact and support among people and signaling a way out of abandonment and isolation. Holders of knowledge constructed through life experiences, the participants of the study led us to induce and infer the need to amplify space that will allow them to express meanings, values and experiences, and consider that becoming ill is a process that incorporates dimensions of life that go beyond the physical. As health professionals, we need to be aware of the multiple and creative abilities used in the daily lives of these families, so that we can, along with them, reinvent a new way of dealing with health

Tuberculose: conhecimentos, representações sociais e experiências da doença na visão do portador

Tuberculosis is considered one of the most ancient human diseases, cases were registered 3900 years before Christ, and it is currently regarded as a serious public health problem in the world due to several factors such as income mismanagement, precarious standard of life and some sort of prejudice comprised by the word tuberculosis. Taking this into consideration, it was developed a descriptive and exploratory study aiming at analyzing the social representations of tuberculosis made by its patient from the Unidades de Saúde da Família (Family Health Units a public health program) in Campina Grande City PB, in relation to the decentralization of the policies that administrate the disease. It was interviewed 34 tuberculosis patient that were being treated from 2007 to 2008. The age group of the interviewees varied from 10 to 60 years old, but most of them were between 36 and 60 years old (58,8%, n=20), some were young adult and adult (21 35 years old), with 11 (32,3%) respondents, and, less frequent, children and teenagers (11 20 years old), with 03 (8,8%) participants. Data was collected through semi-structured interview. The questions that guided the research were elaborated based on the operational recommendations of DOTS strategy; that is: access to laboratory examinations; medication guarantee; directly observed treatment. Besides that, the experiences of the patient were considered in their relation with the family and the different social groups. The analysis of the discursive material was submitted to the Analyse Lexicale par Context d un Ensemble de Segments de Texte software - ALCESTE 4.7. Data interpretation showed five categories for the social representations of the tuberculosis patient that participated in DOTS strategy: 1) the accessibility of the health assistance service; 2) the patient perspective of the disease; 3) the change in the operation of the productive life; 4) the signals and symptoms of the tuberculosis disease; 5) the rearrangement and mechanisms used to face the disease. The Central Nucleus reveals that tuberculosis is a transmissible disease that can be prevented by people through educational practices, health promotion, active search for symptomatic respiratory and control of the carriers communication; these mechanisms should be incorporated to the routine of all participants of the family health groups. The Intermediate Elements, based on quotidian life, as well as the individual experiences of the tuberculosis patient, reveals prejudiced attitude and beliefs that lead to isolation and restriction of interpersonal relationship. Peripheral Elements were constituted by themes that showed the patient feelings of indignation because of the social barriers they had to face in the Family Health Units during the treatment. These elements demonstrate a negative perspective of the representation concerning the accessibility, i.e. inadequate structure of the health service; long distance to the Health Centre, this factormakes it difficult for the patient to continue the treatment; scheduling delay; and limited service regarding other requests (doctor, dentist etc). One expects to contribute for the construction of a new perspective of the health question between the different agents who make the assistencial institutions and formation of professionals, either in central or local scope