Prevalência de helmintos em escolares de 7-14 anos na cidade de Salvador

O autor apresenta os resultados obtidos na pesquisa de ovos de helmintos, em uma única amostra de fezes coletadas de 1537 escolares, na faixa etária de 7-14 anos, de Escolas Públicas Municipais localizadas em toda a zona urbana de Salvador, utilizando o método de Kato. De um modo geral, os índices encontrados foram bastante elevados, sobretudo em relação ao Trichocephalus trichiurus, alcançando 100% de positivos em deis sub-distritos (Mares e Pilar) e Ascaris lumbricoides, com um percentual máximo de 89,3%. de positivos em São Caetano. Relativamente ao sexo oi percentuais obtidos para Trichocephalus trichiurus, Ascaris lumbricoides e Enterobius vermicularis foram mais altos no sexo feminino, diferindo dos índices de Ancilostomídeos e principalmente, Schistosoma mansoni, os quais foram superiores nos escolares do sexo masculino.

Estudo comparativo entre estibogluconato de sódio BP 88R e antimoniato de meglumina no tratamento da leishmaniose cutânea: I. Eficácia e segurança

A eficácia e segurança do antimoniato de meglumina e do estibogluconato de sódio BP 88R foram comparadas no tratamento da leishmaniose cutânea em Corte de Pedra, Bahia, área endêmica de leishmaniose causada por Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis. Realizou-se um estudo quase-experimental que incluiu 127 pacientes cujo diagnóstico baseou-se na observação clínica e a intradermorreação de Montenegro. Cinqüenta e oito pacientes receberam antimoniato de meglumina e 69 estibogluconato de sódio. Utilizou-se a dose de 20 mg/Sb v/kg/dia por 20 dias, em ambos os grupos. Os pacientes foram acompanhados a cada dez dias durante o tratamento e mensalmente por três meses. Observou-se a cura em 62% dos pacientes tratados com antimoniato de meglumina e em 55% daqueles tratados com estibogluconato de sódio (p = 0,42). A cefaléia foi mais freqüente na primeira metade do tratamento no grupo tratado com estibogluconato de sódio (p = 0,026). Na segunda metade do tratamento, os pacientes tratados com estibogluconato de sódio apresentaram maior freqüencia de mialgia/artralgia (p = 0,004) e dor abdominal/anorexia (p = 0,004). Três pacientes tratados com o estibogluconato de sódio apresentaram efeitos colaterais graves.

Estudo comparativo entre estibogluconato de sódio BP 88® e antimoniato de meglumina no tratamento da leishmaniose cutânea II. Toxicidade bioquímica e cardíaca

Foi avaliada a toxicidade de dois antimoniais pentavalentes em 111 pacientes com leishmaniose cutânea. Quarenta e sete pacientes receberam antimoniato de meglumina (Grupo I) e 64 pacientes, estibogluconato de sódio BP 88® (Grupo II), 20mg SbV/kg/dia por 20 dias. Realizou-se a avaliação de aminotransferases, fosfatase alcalina, amilase, creatinina, uréia, exame de urina e eletrocardiograma, antes do tratamento e no décimo e vigésimo dias. Observou-se maior freqüência de valores anormais de aminotransferases no décimo e vigésimo dias de tratamento no grupo II (p < 0,001) e maior proporção de valores anormais de amilase no décimo dia no mesmo grupo (p < 0,001). Houve maior variação dos níveis de aminotransferases, fosfatase alcalina e amilase nos primeiros dez dias no grupo II (p < 0,01). No vigésimo dia observou-se maior variação nos níveis de aminotransferases no grupo II (p = 0,02 e p = 0,03, respectivamente). Quarenta e três porcento dos pacientes do grupo I e 54% dos pacientes do grupo II apresentaram alterações eletrocardiográficas (p = 0,30).

Óbito durante tratamento da leishmaniose tegumentar americana com stibogluconato de sódio bp 88® (shandong xinhua)

Os autores relatam a ocorrência de óbito em paciente portador da forma cutânea da LTA no município de Caxias-MA. Trata-se de paciente do sexo masculino, 22 anos, gari, portador de lesão ulcerada no membro inferior (perna esquerda), diagnosticado, após encontro do parasita (Leishmania) na lesão, tratado com stibogluconato de sódio BP88® (Shandong Xinhua) na dose de 10mg/Sb+5/kg/dia/20 dias. Após a 3ª dose apresentou dores articulares, naúseas, mal estar geral. Com a continuação da medicação houve agravamento do quadro com dor epigástrica e no hipocôndrio direito irradiando-se para o hemitórax homolateral. Após a 7ª dose apresentou dispnéia associado à dor torácica de leve intensidade. Na 9ª dose houve piora do quadro, mesmo assim continuou a usar o medicamento até a 11ª dose quando seu estado agravou-se. Foi internado, necessitando de tratamento intensivo. Nos exames realizados apresentou: 4,4 milhões de eritócitos, 10,6% de hemoglobina, 35% de hematócrito, 26.400 de leucócitos, basófilos e mielócitos (0), 59% de segmentados, 30% de linfócitos, 2% de monócitos, plaquetas (normais), glicose 42mg%, uréia 73mg%, creatinina (2,4mg%), eletrocardiograma (bloqueio de ramo direito). Veio a falecer tendo como causa do óbito, insuficiência cárdio respiratória. O relato atual mostra a necessidade de esclarecimento das equipes de saúde quanto ao uso dos Sb+5 e também lembrar o Ministério da Saúde quando da aquisição de novos produtos, preocupar-se com a qualidade e procedência do mesmo.

A list of mosquito species of the Brazilian State of Pernambuco, including the first report of Haemagogus janthinomys (Diptera: Culicidae), yellow fever vector and 14 other species (Diptera: Culicidae)

INTRODUCTION: Besides mosquito species adapted to urban environments (Culex quinquefasciatus, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus), only 15 species of Anopheles had been recorded in the State of Pernambuco. METHODS: Human-landing mosquitoes were collected in Dois Irmãos Park, in Recife. RESULTS: The first report for the state of Haemagogus janthinomys, an important vector of yellow fever virus, and 14 other species, including Trichoprosopon lampropus, a first reported for Brazil. CONCLUSIONS: The mosquito fauna in the area is diversified and has potential medical and veterinary importance.

Detection and molecular analysis of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum from dogs with neurological disorders

INTRODUCTION: Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are related Apicomplexa parasites responsible for systemic diseases in many species of animals, including dogs. METHODS: This study aimed to determine the occurrence of T. gondii and N. caninum infections in 50 dogs with neurological signs that were admitted to the Veterinary Hospital of Universidade Estadual Paulista, City of Botucatu, Brazil. All animals were screened for antibodies using an immunofluorescent antibody test for both parasites. Tissues of positive animals were bioassayed in mice (T. gondii) and gerbils (N. caninum), and DNA was analyzed using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Positive samples for T. gondii by PCR were typed using restriction fragment length polymorphism-PCR for 11 markers: SAG1, SAG2 (5′-3′-SAG2 and alt.SAG2), SAG3, Btub, GRA6, L358, c22-8, c29-6, PK1 and Apico, and CS3 marker for virulence analysis. RESULTS: Specific antibodies were detected in 11/50 (22%; 95% confidence interval (CI95%), 12.8-35.3%) animals for T. gondii and 7/50 (14%; CI95%, 7.02-26.3%) for N. caninum. In the bioassay and PCR, 7/11 (63.6%; CI95%, 34.9-84.8%) samples were positive for T. gondii and 3/7 (42.9%; CI95%I, 15.7-75.5%) samples were positive for N. caninum. Three different genotypes were identified, but only 1 was unique. CONCLUSIONS: These data confirm the presence of T. gondii and N. caninum in dogs from Brazil, indicating the importance of this host as a sentinel of T. gondii for human beings, and the genotypic variation of this parasite in Brazil.

Genetic polymorphism for IFNγ +874T/A in patients with acute toxoplasmosis

INTRODUCTION: A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the gene encoding gamma interferon influences its production and is associated with severity of infectious diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the association of IFNγ+874T/A SNP with duration of disease, morbidity, and development of retinochoroiditis in acute toxoplasmosis. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted among 30 patients and 90 controls. RESULTS: Although statistical associations were not confirmed, A-allele was more common among retinochoroiditis cases and prolonged illness, while T-allele was more frequent in severe disease. CONCLUSIONS: Despite few cases, the results could indicate a relation between IFNγ+874T/A single nucleotide polymorphism and clinical manifestations of toxoplasmosis.

Impact of the IL-18 gene polymorphism in response to antiviral therapy in chronic HCV genotype 4 patients

^a Introduction Interleukin (IL)-18 is a well-known major proinflammatory cytokine with broad biological effects. The major immunomodulatory functions of IL-18 include enhancing T cell and natural killer cell cytotoxicity. Serum levels of this cytokine were shown to increase in chronic hepatitis C patients compared to non-infected healthy people. An association between IL-18 gene promoter polymorphisms and pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin treatment outcomes has been reported for individuals with chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 1 (HCV-1). In this study, HCV genotype 4 (HCV-4) patients were assessed for IL-18 gene polymorphisms and treatment outcomes or severity of liver disease because data concerning the impact of IL-18 gene polymorphisms on patients with HCV-4 infections are limited. Methods This study included 123 chronic HCV-4 Egyptian patients and 123 apparently healthy volunteer blood donors who served as a control group. HCV genotyping was performed using the line probe assay. IL-18 genotyping was performed using the TaqMan Real-Time PCR method in all 246 patient and control samples. Results In our study, all patients had HCV-4. IL-18 gene single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (-607C/A) genotype distributions and allele frequencies did not differ between HCV patients and normal healthy subjects or between patient groups when compared according to the therapeutic response. Moreover, the presence of an IL-18 SNP was not associated with histological disease severity. We conclude that the presence of the IL-18 SNP rs1946518 does not affect the outcome of chronic HCV-4 treatment in Egyptian patients. Conclusions The IL-18 SNP rs1946518 does not affect response to treatment in chronic HCV-4 patients.

Diagnosing lymphoma in a setting with a high burden of infection: a pediatric case of Epstein-Barr virus-associated aggressive B-cell lymphoma with t(8;14) (q23;q32) and extensive necrosis mimicking tuberculosis

The association of lymphoma with necrotic granuloma can pose diagnostic challenges and delay treatment, especially in settings with a high burden of infection. In these settings, the timely use of cytogenetic and molecular methods is most relevant. Here, we report a case of B-cell lymphoma with t (8;14) in a 5-year-old male child. The lymphoma was associated with necrotic granuloma and was initially misdiagnosed as tuberculosis. Polymerase chain reaction was used to detect clonal lymphoproliferation and to rule out Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Tumor cells harbored Epstein-Barr virus and expressed CD20, CD10, BCL6, and Ki67 (30%), leading to the diagnosis of B-cell lymphoma with features intermediate between diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and Burkitt lymphoma.

The absence of the human platelet antigen polymorphism effect on fibrosis progression in human immunodeficiency virus-1/hepatitis C virus coinfected patients

AbstractINTRODUCTION:Hepatic fibrosis progression in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infections has been associated with viral and host factors, including genetic polymorphisms. Human platelet antigen polymorphisms are associated with the rapid development of fibrosis in HCV-monoinfected patients. This study aimed to determine whether such an association exists in human immunodeficiency virus-1/hepatitis C virus-coinfected patients.METHODS:Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid from 36 human immunodeficiency virus-1/hepatitis C virus-coinfected patients was genotyped to determine the presence of human platelet antigens-1, -3, or -5 polymorphisms. Fibrosis progression was evaluated using the Metavir scoring system, and the patients were assigned to two groups, namely, G1 that comprised patients with F1, portal fibrosis without septa, or F2, few septa (n = 23) and G2 that comprised patients with F3, numerous septa, or F4, cirrhosis (n = 13). Fisher's exact test was utilized to determine possible associations between the human platelet antigen polymorphisms and fibrosis progression.RESULTS:There were no deviations from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in the human platelet antigen systems evaluated. Statistically significant differences were not observed between G1 and G2 with respect to the distributions of the allelic and genotypic frequencies of the human platelet antigen systems.CONCLUSION:The greater stimulation of hepatic stellate cells by the human immunodeficiency virus and, consequently, the increased expression of transforming growth factor beta can offset the effect of human platelet antigen polymorphism on the progression of fibrosis in patients coinfected with the human immunodeficiency virus-1 and the hepatitis C virus.

P53 and Rb tumor suppressor gene alterations in gastric cancer

Inactivation of tumor suppressor genes has been frequently observed in gastric carcinogenesis. Our purpose was to study the involvement of p53, APC, DCC, and Rb genes in gastric carcinoma. METHOD: Loss of heterozygosity of the p53, APC, DCC and Rb genes was studied in 22 gastric cancer tissues using polymerase chain reaction; single-strand conformation polymorphism of the p53 gene exons 5-6 and exons 7-8 was studied using 35S-dATP, and p53 expression was detected using a histological immunoperoxidase method with an anti-p53 clone. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: No loss of heterozygosity was observed in any of these tumor suppressor genes; homozygous deletion was detected in the Rb gene in 23% (3/13) of the cases of intestinal-type gastric carcinoma. Eighteen (81.8%) cases showed band mobility shifts in exons 5-6 and/or 7-8 of the p53 gene. The presence of the p53 protein was positive in gastric cancer cells in 14 cases (63.6%). Normal gastric mucosa showed negative staining for p53; thus, the immunoreactivity was likely to represent mutant forms. The correlation of band mobility shift and the immunoreactivity to anti-p53 was not significant (P = .90). There was no correlation of gene alterations with the disease severity. CONCLUSIONS: The inactivation of Rb and p53 genes is involved in gastric carcinogenesis in our environment. Loss of the Rb gene observed only in the intestinal-type gastric cancer should be further evaluated in association with Helicobacter pylori infection. The p53 gene was affected in both intestinal and diffuse histological types of gastric cancer.

Urethral catheter removal 7 or 14 days after radical retropubic prostatectomy: clinical implications and complications in a randomized study

PURPOSE: To evaluate the hypothesis that a 7-day period of indwelling catheter after radical retropubic prostatectomy is effective and safe without the need of performing cystography. METHODS: In the period from January of 2000 to July of 2002, 73 patients underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy, and these patients were prospectively randomized in 2 groups: Group 1-37 patients who had the urethral catheter removed 7 days after the procedure, and Group 2-36 patients who had the catheter removed 14 days after the surgery. The 2 groups were similar, the surgeons and the technique were the same, and no cystography was performed to evaluate the presence of leaks. RESULTS: Two patients in Group 1 had bleeding and clot retention after having the catheter taken out in the seventh postoperative day and were managed by putting the catheter back in for 7 more days. Two patients in Group 2 developed bladder neck stricture and were treated by bladder neck incision with success. The continence rate was the same, with 2 cases of incontinence in each group. About 2 pads a day were used by the patients with incontinence. The average follow-up was 17.5 months (12-36 months). No urinary fistula, urinoma, or pelvic abscesses developed after catheter removal. Two patients were excluded from the analysis of this series: 1 died with a pulmonary embolus in the third postoperative day, and 1 developed a urinary suprapubic fistula before catheter withdrawal, which was maintained for 16 days. CONCLUSION: Withdrawal of the urethral catheter 7 days after radical retropubic prostatectomy, without performing cystography, has a low rate of short-term complications that are equivalent to withdrawal 14 days after the surgery.

SUSCEPTIBILIDADE DE Anopheles triannulatus(NEIVA & PINTO, 1922) E ESPÉCIES NÃO ALVO A LARVICIDAS À BASE DE TEMEPHOS E DE Bacillus thuringiensiaH-14

O presente trabalho foi desenvolvido em uma área com ríeco de malária do Projeto Carajás (Carajás, PA). Foi avaliado um larvicida químico amplamente utilizado, o temephos, e um formulado a base da bactéria Bacillus thuringiensis H-14 (Bti), isoladamente ou em conjunto, contra larvae de Anopheles triannulatus; vetor da malária. A susceptibilidade foi expressa em termos do TL50 e da mortandade final. A mistura dos dois larvicidas mostrou sinergismo temporal, larvas de Culex rorotaensis e notonectideos também tiveram sua susceptibilidade avaliada respectivamente ao Bti e ao temephos. Discute-se a relevância dos resultados no manejo integrado de A. triannulatus.