Dengue Virus Type 3 Adaptive Changes during Epidemics in Sao Jose de Rio Preto, Brazil, 2006-2007

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Ancient Dispersal of the Human Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus gattii from the Amazon Rainforest

Over the past two decades, several fungal outbreaks have occurred, including the high-profile 'Vancouver Island' and 'Pacific Northwest' outbreaks, caused by Cryptococcus gattii, which has affected hundreds of otherwise healthy humans and animals. Over the same time period, C. gattii was the cause of several additional case clusters at localities outside of the tropical and subtropical climate zones where the species normally occurs. In every case, the causative agent belongs to a previously rare genotype of C. gattii called AFLP6/VGII, but the origin of the outbreak clades remains enigmatic. Here we used phylogenetic and recombination analyses, based on AFLP and multiple MLST datasets, and coalescence gene genealogy to demonstrate that these outbreaks have arisen from a highly-recombining C. gattii population in the native rainforest of Northern Brazil. Thus the modern virulent C. gattii AFLP6/VGII outbreak lineages derived from mating events in South America and then dispersed to temperate regions where they cause serious infections in humans and animals.

Dengue-4 false negative results by Panbio (R) Dengue Early ELISA assay in Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Recent and future environmental suitability to dengue fever in Brazil using species distribution model

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Leucoencefalomalácia em equídeos da região Leste de Mato Grosso

Background: Fumonisins produced by Fusarium verticillioides are among the most important medical mycotoxins known. The intake of concentrate based on corn and corn by-products contaminated with fumonisins can cause severe poisoning in horses. The injuries are observed mainly in the white matter of the brain, and the disease is known as Equine Leukoencephalomalacia (ELEM). This study aims to describe and discuss the epidemiological, clinical and diagnostic aspects of an outbreak of ELEM occurred in three farms in the municipalities of Canarana and Agua Boa, in the eastern region of Mato Grosso, Brazil.Materials, Methods & Results: The outbreak occurred between May and August 2010. The disease affected six horses and four mules of different ages and sex. Clinical examination was only possible in animals with chronic evolution of the disease. All the affected animals showed neurological clinical signs such as ataxia and recumbency, which progressed to death or sudden death. Histopathological analysis showed foci of necrosis that predominantly affected the white matter, and the presence of gitter cells. Degenerative lesions were observed in the liver of the animals. Mortality rate ranged from 12.5 to 71%, and lethality reached 100%. The cases were preceded by sudden drops in the weather temperature. Fumonisins levels of 6.6 ppm were detected in the feed of the animals.Discussion: The presumptive diagnosis of leukoencephalomalacia was consistent and based on clinical and epidemiological studies. However, the definitive diagnosis was based upon the histological features of the brain including the presence of extensive areas of malacia. Moreover, the animals were being fed with corn or corn by-products contaminated with fumonisins levels considered to be toxic to equids. The mortality and lethality rates are in agreement with outbreaks described in previous studies. The animals showed neurological signs as the predominant clinical manifestation, with gait ataxia followed by recumbency, prostration and death between 24 h and 29 days. Similarly to other reports, the disease was more frequent in adult animals, which succumbed in 24-48 h. Conversely, the evolution of the disease in young animals was of 10 to 29 days. Sudden death was more prevalent in the mules. Previous studies have shown a predominance of cerebral and brainstem lesions in horses, whereas in mules the clinical signs are related to brainstem lesions. Corn and corn by-products are commonly used as energy supplementation to horses in the southern of Mato Grosso state, but outbreaks of the disease are uncommon. This may be influenced by the prevalence of hot climate conditions, which does not favor the production of toxin by the fungus. The atypical low weather temperatures (9-11 degrees C) observed prior to the outbreak could have contributed to the mycotoxin production by F. verticillioides, which requires temperatures between 8-12 degrees C to produce toxins. However, the disease in the region may be underestimated, considering that the practice of necropsies is not common among field technicians, mainly in the occurrence of sporadic deaths among horses intended for work. Preventive measures include avoiding the use of corn and corn by-products for horses after periods of sudden drops in temperature in the region. Furthermore, clinical and epidemiological surveys and post-mortem and histopathological analyses are undoubtedly important for appropriate differential diagnosis, especially in equids with neurological signs.

Epidemiology of healthcare-associated infections among patients from a hemodialysis unit in southeastern Brazil

Patients submitted to hemodialysis are at a high risk for healthcare-associated infections (HAI). Presently there are scarce data to allow benchmarking of HAI rates in developing countries. Also, most studies focus only on bloodstream infections (BSI) or local access infections (LAI). Our study aimed to provide a wide overview of HAT epidemiology in a hemodialysis unit in southeastern Brazil. We present data from prospective surveillance carried out from March 2010 through May 2012. Rates were compared (mid-p exact test) and temporally analyzed in Shewhart control charts for Poisson distributions. The overall incidence of BSI was 1.12 per 1000 access-days. The rate was higher for patients performing dialysis through central venous catheters (CVC), either temporary (RR = 13.35, 95% CI = 6.68-26.95) or permanent (RR = 2.10,95% CI = 1.09-4.13), as compared to those with arteriovenous fistula. Control charts identified a BSI outbreak caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in April 2010. LAI incidence was 3.80 per 1000 access-days. Incidence rates for other HAI (per 1000 patients-day) were as follows: upper respiratory infections, 1.72; pneumonia, 1.35; urinary tract infections, 1.25; skin/soft tissues infections, 0.93. The data point out to the usefulness of applying methods commonly used in hospital-based surveillance for hemodialysis units. (C) 2013 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Microsatellite analysis supports clonal propagation and reduced divergence of Trypanosoma vivax from asymptomatic to fatally infected livestock in South America compared to West Africa

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Estudo do grau de conhecimento geral dos donos de cães sobre a leishmaniose visceral canina no município de Lençois Paulista-SP-2012

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FMVZ

As estratégias de desenvolvimento na América Latina e as transformações na economia mundial (1930-2008)

The present article discuss how world economic transformations, meanly in the course of structural crisis, conditioned the development strategies of Latin America in the large period between the Great Depression in the 1930s and the 2007 open crisis in the USA. The article provides special attention to national development projects. This paper defends that the outbreak and crisis of developmentism, as well the neoliberal accumulation standard advent, may only be explained, not disregarding the great importance of internal factors, from the international division of labor transformations, the policies and actions of main countries, the geopolitical position of countries and the forces correlation in international scale.

Eficácia de duas formulações de vacinas autógenas para o controle da lactococose em surubins híbridos Pseudoplatystoma corruscans x Pseudoplatystoma reticulatum

Pós-graduação em Aquicultura - FCAV

Development of a peptide ELISA for the diagnosis of Equine arteritis virus

A peptide-based indirect ELISA was developed to detect antibodies against Equine arteritis virus (EAV). Two peptides for epitope C of protein GP5 and fragment E of protein M were designed, synthesized, purified and used as antigens either alone or combined. Ninety-two serum samples obtained from the 2010 Equine viral arteritis outbreak, analyzed previously by virus neutralization, were evaluated by the ELISA here developed. The best resolution was obtained using peptide GP5. The analysis of the inter- and intraplate variability showed that the assay was robust. The results allow concluding that this peptide-based ELISA is a good alternative to the OIE-prescribed virus neutralization test because it can be standardized between laboratories, can serve as rapid screening, can improve the speed of diagnosis of EAV-negative horses and can be particularly useful for routine surveillance in large populations. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Multiple-Vortex Tornado in Southeastern Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

A distribuição do dengue no estado de São Paulo e suas relações com o clima

This study linked the outbreak of dengue fever occurred in the state of São Paulo in 2007 and the sharp decline in cases reported in the year following the change of El Niño to La Niña. Therefore, raised temperature data for the months of January, February and March 2007 and 2008, recorded in 99 countie, which have allowed maps mean isotherms, maximum and minimum for each of the summers...

Geotecnologias na avaliação da suscetibilidade a movimentos de massa no município de Várzea Paulista (SP)

The disordered occupation in several cities in Brazil, is very common, especially during the rainy season, there are numerous cases of gravitational mass movements, with deads of human and builds destruction. The main objective of this work was to identify and map areas to mass movements, through the geo, the municipality of Várzea Paulista, the state of Sao Paulo. For the purpose, were prepared thematic maps of slope, geology, pedology, geomorphology and land use and occupation, which were overlaid using ArcGIS GIS Multicriteria Analysis. Each subject received a weight of influence to the outbreak of such processes and the final result was obtained map of susceptibility to mass movements of the city of Várzea Paulista. This survey found that there are many occupied areas within the city that require monitoring of the Government, especially in the rainy months, because they are in very fragile in terms of geological and geomorphological features. Considering that the data on the physical and natural aspects are scarce in the literature for this region, the results obtained in this study as well as the gathering of information of the physical and cartographic products developed, will greatly contribute to the administration of the municipality, subsidies they provide for the proper use planning and land tenure, pointing out the weak areas of the city geotechnical point of view

Análise molecular de estirpes de Escherichia coli enteropatogênica (EPEC) isoladas de animais e humanos

Pós-graduação em Microbiologia Agropecuária - FCAV