Clonal multidrug-resistant Corynebacterium striatum within a nosocomial environment, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Corynebacterium striatum is a potentially pathogenic microorganism with the ability to produce outbreaks of nosocomial infections. Here, we document a nosocomial outbreak caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) C. striatum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. C. striatum identification was confirmed by 16S rRNA and rpoB gene sequencing. Fifteen C. striatum strains were isolated from adults (half of whom were 50 years of age and older). C. striatum was mostly isolated in pure culture from tracheal aspirates of patients undergoing endotracheal intubation procedures. The analysis by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) indicated the presence of four PFGE profiles, including two related clones of MDR strains (PFGE I and II). The data demonstrated the predominance of PFGE type I, comprising 11 MDR isolates that were mostly isolated from intensive care units and surgical wards. A potential causal link between death and MDR C. striatum (PFGE types I and II) infection was observed in five cases.

The sandfly fauna (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) of the Parque Estadual da Serra da Tiririca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in the state of Rio de Janeiro is sporadic and can be characterised as a peridomestic transmission that occurs in modified natural environments. The aim of this work was to study the fauna and ecological characteristics of sandflies in an environmentally protected area (the State Park of Serra da Tiririca) within the remnants of the Atlantic Forest in the municipalities of Niter��i and Maric�� and their possible relationship with leishmaniasis. Captures were performed using light traps during the night once a month for one year in both sylvatic environments and areas surrounding homes near the park. A total of 1,037 sandflies were captured, belonging to nine genera and 12 species: Evandromyia tupynambai (34.1%), Migonemyia migonei (20.6%), Brumptomyia cunhai (13.8%), Micropygomyia schreiberi (9.7%), Psathyromyia lanei (6.5%), Brumptomyia nitzulescui (5.7%), Evandromyia edwardsi (5.4%), Nyssomyia intermedia (2.8%), Evandromyia cortelezzii (0.6%), Pintomyia bianchigalatiae (0.5%), Lutzomyia longipalpis (0.2%) and Sciopemyia microps (0.1%). Both Mg. migonei and Ny. intermedia may be acting as vectors of CL in this area.

Malaria in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, an Atlantic Forest area: an assessment using the health surveillance service

The lethality of malaria in the extra-Amazonian region is more than 70 times higher than in Amazonia itself. Recently, several studies have shown that autochthonous malaria is not a rare event in the Brazilian southeastern states in the Atlantic Forest biome. Information about autochthonous malaria in the state of Rio de Janeiro (RJ) is scarce. This study aims to assess malaria cases reported to the Health Surveillance System of the State of Rio de Janeiro between 2000-2010. An average of 90 cases per year had parasitological malaria confirmation by thick smear. The number of malaria notifications due to Plasmodium falciparum increased over time. Imported cases reported during the period studied were spread among 51% of the municipalities (counties) of the state. Only 35 cases (4.3%) were autochthonous, which represents an average of 3.8 new cases per year. Eleven municipalities reported autochthonous cases; within these, six could be characterised as areas of residual or new foci of malaria from the Atlantic Forest system. The other 28 municipalities could become receptive for transmission reintroduction. Cases occurred during all periods of the year, but 62.9% of cases were in the first semester of each year. Assessing vulnerability and receptivity conditions and vector ecology is imperative to establish the real risk of malaria reintroduction in RJ.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection in molluscs in the municipality of S��o Gon��alo, a metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: role of the invasive species Achatina fulica in parasite transmission dynamics

The aim of this study was to analyse the infection dynamics ofAngiostrongylus cantonensisin its possible intermediate hosts over two years in an urban area in the state of Rio de Janeiro where the presence ofA. cantonensis had been previously recorded in molluscs. Four of the seven mollusc species found in the study were exotic.Bradybaena similariswas the most abundant, followed byAchatina fulica, Streptaxissp., Subulina octona, Bulimulus tenuissimus, Sarasinula linguaeformisand Leptinaria unilamellata. Only A. fulicaand B. similariswere parasitised by A. cantonensis and both presented co-infection with other helminths. The prevalence of A. cantonensisin A. fulicawas more than 50% throughout the study. There was an inverse correlation between the population size ofA. fulicaand the prevalence of A. cantonensisand abundance of the latter was negatively related to rainfall. The overall prevalence of A. cantonensisin B. similariswas 24.6%. A. fulicawas the most important intermediary host of A. cantonensisin the studied area andB. similariswas secondary in importance for A. cantonensistransmission dynamics.

Phylogenetic analyses of chikungunya virus among travelers in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2014-2015

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen that emerged in Brazil by late 2014. In the country, two CHIKV foci characterized by the East/Central/South Africa and Asian genotypes, were established in North and Northeast regions. We characterized, by phylogenetic analyses of full and partial genomes, CHIKV from Rio de Janeiro state (2014-2015). These CHIKV strains belong to the Asian genotype, which is the determinant of the current Northern Brazilian focus, even though the genome sequence presents particular single nucleotide variations. This study provides the first genetic characterisation of CHIKV in Rio de Janeiro and highlights the potential impact of human mobility in the spread of an arthropod-borne virus.

A non-enteric adenovirus A12 gastroenteritis outbreak in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

A gastroenteritis outbreak that occurred in 2013 in a low-income community in Rio de Janeiro was investigated for the presence of enteric viruses, including species A rotavirus (RVA), norovirus (NoV), astrovirus (HAstV), bocavirus (HBoV), aichivirus (AiV), and adenovirus (HAdV). Five of nine stool samples (83%) from patients were positive for HAdV, and no other enteric viruses were detected. Polymerase chain reaction products were sequenced and subjected to phylogenetic analysis, which revealed four strains and one strain of non-enteric HAdV-A12 and HAdV-F41, respectively. The HAdV-A12 nucleotide sequences shared 100% nucleotide similarity. Viral load was assessed using a TaqMan real-time PCR assay. Stool samples that were positive for HAdV-A12 had high viral loads (mean 1.9 X 107 DNA copies/g stool). All four patients with HAdV-A12 were < 25 months of age and had symptoms of fever and diarrhoea. Evaluation of enteric virus outbreaks allows the characterisation of novel or unique diarrhoea-associated viruses in regions where RVA vaccination is routinely performed.

A peregrina����o das gestantes no Munic��pio do Rio de Janeiro: perfil de ��bitos e nascimentos

Trata-se de um estudo ecol��gico. Objetivou-se analisar as trajet��rias dos nascimentos no munic��pio do Rio de Janeiro e identificar a rela����o entre oferta de servi��os de sa��de e fluxo de gestantes entre local de resid��ncia e a maternidade. Foram utilizados dados dos Sistemas de Informa����o sobre Mortalidade (SIM) e Nascidos Vivos (SINASC) de 2004. O processamento e mapeamento dos dados foram feitos atrav��s do programa TabWin. O SINASC processou 99.042 declara����es de nascidos vivos e o SIM processou 1.318 declara����es de ��bitos em menores de um ano no Munic��pio do Rio de Janeiro. Concluiu-se que a possibilidade de interven����o no perfil da mortalidade infantil e materna desloca-se cada vez mais para a esfera dos servi��os de sa��de, e o acesso �� assist��ncia de qualidade tem papel fundamental na determina����o da mortalidade. Deve-se investigar a exist��ncia de desigualdades no acesso a tais servi��os.

Hegemonia e contra-hegemonia no processo de implanta����o da Casa de Parto no Rio de Janeiro

Estudou-se o processo de implanta����o da primeira Casa de Parto no Sistema ��nico de Sa��de (SUS) da cidade do Rio de Janeiro. Por meio de pesquisa qualitativa objetivou-se identificar os determinantes do processo de implanta����o da Casa de Parto e analisar a influ��ncia dos grupos hegem��nicos e contra-hegem��nicos neste processo de implanta����o. O referencial te��rico foi o conceito de hegemonia. O m��todo dial��tico orientou a an��lise dos dados por meio das categorias metodol��gicas: contradi����o, totalidade e historicidade. Foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas no per��odo de janeiro a julho de 2007. Os entrevistados foram quatro gestores da sa��de municipal e onze profissionais t��cnico-administrativos designados para implantar a Casa de Parto. A s��ntese deste estudo revelou que a implanta����o da Casa de Parto foi determinada pela contra-hegemonia estabelecida na assist��ncia �� gesta����o e parto fisiol��gicos.

Din��mica populacional e parasitismo de Himen��pteros parasit��ides de Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) (Diptera, Calliphoridae), no Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Este estudo foi realizado no per��odo de agosto de 1999 a julho de 2000 com o objetivo de conhecer os parasit��ides de Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius, 1794) (Diptera, Calliphoridae) e avaliar sua din��mica populacional no Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/ FIOCRUZ) e Jardim Zool��gico, na cidade do Rio de Janeiro, RJ. As coletas foram realizadas semanalmente atrav��s da exposi����o de larvas de terceiro instar da mosca e seu substrato de cria����o, carne bovina mo��da em putrefa����o. Foram identificadas tr��s esp��cies de himen��pteros parasit��ides: Tachinaephagus zealandicus Ashmead, 1904 (Encyrtidae), Pachycrepoideus vindemiae (Rondani, 1875) (Pteromalidae) and Nasonia vitripennis (Walker, 1836) (Pteromalidae). Nos dois locais, T. zealandicus foi a esp��cie com maior taxa de parasitismo de C. megacephala, seguida por P. vindemiae e N. vitripennis. A popula����o de parasit��ides diminuiu drasticamente no ver��o (temperatura m��dia = 28&deg;C; precipita����o = 6,5 mm).O pico populacional desses insetos foi verificado no final do outono e durante todo o inverno. No Jardim Zool��gico, o lixo acumulado no local de coleta exerceu forte influ��ncia na din��mica populacional dos himen��pteros parasit��ides identificados nesse estudo e o pico populacional de parasitismo foi verificado em junho e julho de 2000.

Esp��cie nova de Cariblatta Hebard do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil (Blattaria, Blattellidae)

Uma nova esp��cie de Cariblatta Hebard (C. grandiosa sp. nov.) do Rio de Janeiro �� descrita e as pe��as genitais s��o ilustradas.

Nest distribution and nesting habits of Xylocopa ordinaria Smith (Hymenoptera, Apidae) in a restinga area in the northern Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil

This paper aims to study the distribution of natural nests of Xylocopa ordinaria and characterize its nesting habits in the restinga of Grussai/Iquipari (RJ), supporting future studies on the pollinators management in the northern Rio de Janeiro state. The data obtained from Aug/2003 to Dec/2004, in an area of 11.6ha, were related to the nest distribution, substrate identification and dimensions, emergence, sex ratio, nest structure (n= 23 nests) and pollen content analysis of provisioning masses and feces. X. ordinaria nests were abundant and presented a clustered distribution. These bees do not present taxonomical affinity for nesting substrates, but preferences for wood availability and characteristics, being Pera glabrata the main substrate. X. ordinaria is a multivoltine species that tolerates co-specifics in their nests. These bees were generalist on their nectar and pollen consumption, but presented floral constancy while provisioning brood cells. These behaviors, activity along the year, flights throughout the day, and legitimate visits to flowers indicate the importance of X. ordinaria on the pollination of plants in the restinga.

Flebotom��neos de ��reas com notifica����es de casos aut��ctones de leishmaniose visceral canina e leishmaniose tegumentar americana em Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Fleb��tomos de ��reas com notifica����es de casos aut��ctones de leishmaniose visceral canina e leishmaniose tegumentar americana em Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. O munic��pio de Angra dos Reis apresenta casos humanos de leishmaniose tegumentar americana desde 1945. Inqu��ritos flebotom��nicos realizados em 1978 revelaram a presen��a de Nyssomyia intermedia e a primeira notifica����o de Lutzomyia longipalpis no Rio de Janeiro, Ilha Grande, Angra dos Reis. Em agosto de 2002 foi notificado o primeiro caso canino de leishmaniose visceral na Ilha Grande, Angra dos Reis. Inqu��ritos flebotom��nicos realizados nos peridomic��lios, no per��odo de novembro de 2002 a maio de 2003, em quatro localidades de Angra dos Reis, resultaram em 12.554 flebotom��neos e a presen��a de nove esp��cies: Brumptomyia sp.; Nyssomyia intermedia, Migonemyia migonei, Micropygomyia schreiberi, Pintomyia fischeri, Psychodopygus davisi, Psychodopygus ayrosai, Evandromyia tupinambay, Psathyromyia pelloni. foi Nyssomyia intermedia, predominante em todas as localidades, seguida por M.migonei. O principal vetor da LVA, Lutzomyia longipalpis, n��o foi detectado nas localidades, incluindo ��reas do entorno, onde um c��o infectado residia.

An��lise faun��stica de Calliphoridae (Diptera) da Reserva Biol��gica do Tingu��, Nova Igua��u, Rio de Janeiro

O presente estudo investiga a fauna de califor��deos na Reserva Biol��gica do Tingu�� usando como meios os ��ndices faun��sticos. Realizaram-se coletas mensais com armadilhas contendo sardinha expostas por 48 horas, nos pontos: A- borda da mata; B- 1000 metros para interior da mata; C- 500 metros para interior da mata. Objetivou-se estudar a entomofauna califor��dica em ambiente florestal atrav��s de ��ndices faun��sticos. Foram coletadas 26 esp��cies de califor��deos ao longo do experimento. Definiram-se esp��cies Singletons, Doubletons, Uniques e Duplicates, intermedi��rias e comuns; calcularam-se riqueza e proje����o da riqueza (estimadores Chao 1 e 2, Jackknife 1 e 2, Ace, Ice e Bootstrap); diversidade (��ndice Shannon-Wiener); equidade (��ndice Pielou) e similaridade dos pontos (quociente Sorensen e porcentagem de similaridade Southwood). Os pontos A e B mostraram o mesmo n��mero de esp��cies de califor��deos (23), maior que C (16), diferindo apenas nas esp��cies raras, intermedi��rias e comuns. Em A foi registrado grande n��mero de esp��cies consideradas intermedi��rias. Em B o n��mero de esp��cies raras, intermedi��rias e comuns foi similar. Em C, o n��mero de esp��cies raras foi menor que de intermedi��rias e comuns. Jackknife 2 no ponto B gerou a maior riqueza, indicando possibilidade de serem coletadas mais cinco esp��cies na reserva al��m das coletadas neste estudo, e em A e C mais tr��s esp��cies. Ace e Bootstrap apresentaram-se seguros para estimativa de riqueza de Calliphoridae. A diversidade foi maior em B. A equidade foi semelhante nos pontos. B e C foram mais semelhantes em rela����o ��s esp��cies (dendograma): Laneela nigripes e Mesembrinella bellardiana, principais destes dois pontos aparecem agrupadas; Chrysomya albiceps, Chrysomya megacephala e Hemilucilia semidiaphana, principais esp��cies em A aparecem unidas.

A new species of Buenoa Kirkaldy (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Notonectidae) from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Members of Buenoa are restricted to the Western Hemisphere, with the greatest diversity of species in South America. There are about 50 described species and approximately 20 of them have been reported from Brazil. Buenoa pseudomutabilis Barbosa, Ribeiro and Nessimian, sp. nov. is described here from Maric��, Rio de Janeiro State. This species resembles B. mutabilis Truxal, 1953 because males have a stridulatory area on inner surface of forefemur, forefemur narrowed at apex, with length more than three times its width at apex, and rostral prong longer than third rostral segment. Males of B. pseudomutabilis sp. nov. can be readily recognized by the presence of 21 to 25 teeth in the stridulatory comb of foretibia, whereas in B. mutabilis the stridulatory comb of foretibia consists of approximately 33 to 38 teeth. Males of B. pseudomutabilis sp. nov. bear one nodule on each ventral laterotergite 1 of abdomen. A key to male species of Buenoa occurring in Rio de Janeiro State, including the new species, is provided.