Epidemology and clinical aspects of human rabies in Minas Gerais, Brasil: misdiagnosis and misunderstandings on the psychopathological disturbances

This paper reports 40 cases of human rabies studied at the Carlos Chagas Hospital of UFMC, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, from 1963 through 1976. From the epidemioiogical point of view it is concluded that the magnitude of the problem of human rabies in underdeveioped countries remains quite unknown. Speciai emphasis is given to the lack of apropriate knowledge of the recommended preventive measures, and to the influence of health education and socio-economic-cultural structure of the communities. The classic clinical picture of human rabies is briefiy described, particular attention being drawn to psychopathologic features of rabies encephalomyeiitis. it is pointed out that in some cases the mental symptoms may predominate from the onset of the illness, adding difficuity to the diagnosis. According to the Authors, human rabies must be differentiated from several psychopathologic syndromes and also from encephalomyelitis due to other central nervous system infections. It is discussed whether the fataiistic concept of human rabies would be somehow contributing to delay a better understanding of the natural history of the disease.

Aspects of the granulomatous reaction in the liver of mice infected and reinfected with two different geographical strains of Schistosoma mansoni

In this study, which was undertaken in relation to the histopathologic behavior of two different strains (LE-Belo Horizonte, MG and SJ - São José dos Campos, SP) in infections and reinfections (homologous or heterologous) with Schistosoma mansoni, the authors confirmed a more accentuated pathogenicity of the SJ strain. All the reinfections showed the presence of typical granulomas of the acute phase, when performed either with the same strain (homologous) or with a different strain (heterologous) of the parasite of the primo infection. The possible mechanisms responsible for reactivation of the immunopathologic response in reinfections are discussed.

Epidemiological aspects of the Brazilian spotted fever: seasonal activity of ticks collected in an endemic area in São Paulo, Brazil

Ticks were collected from vegetation and animals at monthly intervals during one year (1993-1994) in an endemic area of Brazilian spotted fever in the County of Pedreira, State of São Paulo. Six species of ticks were identified Amblyomma cajennense, Amblyomma cooperi, Amblyomma triste, Anocentor nitens, Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Boophilus microplus. Only the first species was sufficiently numerous to permit a quantitative study with seasonal activity, although the distribution and source of capture of other species were observed and are reported. This information is correlated with the epidemiology of tick-borne rickettsiosis.