Serological, epidemiological and molecular aspects of hepatitis C virus infection in a population from Londrina, PR, Brazil, 2001-2002

Serological, epidemiological and molecular aspects of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection were evaluated in 183 subjects from Londrina, Paraná, Brazil, and adjacent areas. Serum samples which tested anti-HCV positive by microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA) obtained from eight patients with chronic hepatitis C, 48 blood donors, and 127 patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were submitted to another enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) and to the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). About 78.7% of samples were also reactive by ELISA, with the greater proportion (70.8%) of discordant results verified among blood donors. A similar finding was observed for HCV-RNA detection by PCR, with 111/165 (67.3%) positive samples, with higher rates among HIV-positive subjects and patients with chronic hepatitis than among blood donors. Sixty-one PCR-positive samples were submitted to HCV genotyping, with 77.1, 21.3 and 1.6% of the samples identified as types 1, 3 and 2, respectively. Finally, analysis of some risk factors associated with HCV infection showed that intravenous drug use was the most common risk factor among HIV/HCV co-infected patients, while blood transfusion was the most important risk factor in the group without HIV infection. The present study contributed to the knowledge regarding risk factors associated with HCV infection and the distribution of HCV genotypes in the population evaluated.

National exchange rate policies and international debt crises: how Brazil did not follow Argentina into a default in 2001-2002

This paper examines how exchange rate policies and IMF Stand-By Arrangements affect debt crises using econometrics and a comparison between Argentina and Brazil. It refines an existing diagram outlining crisis development to propose crisis prevention strategies. Flexible exchange rate policies reduce a country's probability of default by over 4%, but Stand-By Arrangements increase it by an inconsequential percentage. Unlike Argentina, Brazil avoided a default via a freely-floating exchange rate system, fiscal deficit reduction, and a cooperative and coordinated relationship with the IMF. The results provide policymakers from developing countries with lessons to manage their countries' default risks more effectively.

The boom and crisis of the Convertibility Plan in Argentina

This article analyses the relationship between state policies and economy in Argentina 1991-2001. In 1991 the currency board regime named 'convertibility' was implemented, within the framework of important neoliberal reforms introduced by the State. These neoliberal reforms facilitated capitalist restructuring, characterized by a leap in productivity, investment and profits. Likewise, these reforms generated imbalances which, along with the changes in the world market conditions from 1998, led to the deepest crisis in Argentina's history. The inefficiency of state neoliberal policies in managing the crisis, based on fiscal adjustment to guarantee the continuity of external financing, led to an economic depression and a financial crash, sparking a mass rebellion and the end of convertibility.

Intestinal parasitoses and environmental factors in a rural population of Argentina, 2002-2003

We evaluate the prevalence of intestinal parasites in 504 people and the degree of association between environmental variables and parasites found in population, soil and water in a rural area of Argentina during 2002-2003. A structured survey was used to evaluate the environmental variables and fecal-human, soil and water samples were analyzed. The prevalence of parasites was 45.4%. Most prevalent protozoa were Blastocystis hominis (27.2%) and Giardia lamblia (6.9%), while the most prevalent helminth was Ascaris lumbricoides (3.8%). The analyzed environmental variables showing association (p < 0.05) with presence of parasites in population were: cardboard-tin or wooden house, dirt floor, home or communal water pump, faucet outside the house or public faucet and cesspool or latrine. Parasite forms were found in 82.3% of the soil samples and in 84.2% of the water samples. In both samples we found parasites that were also found in people. In this study we have found deficient sanitary conditions associated with presence of parasites in population and we have evidenced that contaminated soil and water were the source of these parasites.

Diferenças clínicas observadas em pacientes com dengue causadas por diferentes sorotipos na epidemia de 2001/2002, ocorrida no município do Rio de Janeiro

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar as diferenças clínicas e epidemiológicas das infecções causadas pelos distintos sorotipos do vírus do dengue na epidemia 2001-2002 no município do Rio de Janeiro. Foram analisados 362 casos com isolamento viral, sendo 62 do sorotipo 1,62 do sorotipo 2, e 238 do sorotipo 3. Estes casos foram notificados ao Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação (SINAN) de janeiro/2001 até junho/2002. Os indivíduos infectados com o sorotipo 3 tiveram uma chance 6,07 vezes maior de apresentar choque em relação aos indivíduos com o sorotipo 2 (OR=6,07; IC:1,10-43,97). A chance de apresentar dor abdominal foi 3,06 maior nos infectados pelo sorotipo 3 do que naqueles por sorotipo 1 (OR=3,06; IC:0,99-9,66). Nos infectados com o sorotipo 3, a chance de ocorrer exantema foi 3,61 vezes maior que naqueles com o sorotipo 1 (OR=3,61; IC:1,16-11,51) e 3,55 vezes maior que aqueles com o sorotipo 2 (OR=3,55; IC:1,28-9,97). Este estudo mostra que indivíduos acometidos pelo sorotipo 3 apresentaram dengue com maior gravidade.

A epidemia de dengue/dengue hemorrágico no município do Rio de Janeiro, 2001/2002

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a ocorrência dos principais sinais e sintomas dos casos de dengue clássico e dengue hemorrágico na epidemia de 2001-2002 do município do Rio de Janeiro. Foram analisados os 155.242 casos notificados ao Sistema de Informações de Agravos de Notificação, desde janeiro/2001, até junho/2002; deste total, excluindo-se os ignorados, 81.327 casos foram classificados como dengue clássico e 958 como dengue hemorrágico, com um total de 54 óbitos. Avaliaram-se as variáveis referentes à sintomatologia da doença. Manifestações gerais como febre, cefaléia, prostração, mialgia, náuseas e dor retro-orbitária tiveram alta incidência tanto no dengue clássico como no dengue hemorrágico. Por outro lado, manifestações hemorrágicas e algumas de maior gravidade como choque, hemorragia digestiva, petéquias, epistaxe, dor abdominal e derrame pleural, estiveram significativamente associadas ao dengue hemorrágico. Além disso, a evolução do quadro clínico para o óbito foi 34,8 vezes maior no dengue hemorrágico que no dengue clássico (OR=34,8; IC 19,7-61,3).

Activity of oil-formulated Beauveria bassiana against Triatoma sordida in peridomestic areas in central Brazil

Field tests were carried out during the rainy season of 2001/2002 in São Luís de Montes Belos, Goiás, Brazil, to evaluate the potential of the entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana, against peridomestic Triatoma sordida. An oil-water formulation of the isolate CG 14 (Embrapa) was applied in triatomine infested hen houses of four farms at a final concentration of 10(6) conidia/cm². Numbers of T. sordida decreased over the next 25 days, after application of the fungus, and B. bassiana developed on dead insects in one hen house. A high number of B. bassiana colonies was detected in substrates collected in treated hen houses 24 h after application of CG 14. In the following three months the presenceof B. bassiana declined to values found before treatment.

Análise do custo de produção e lucratividade na cultura de pinha (Annona squamosa L.) na região de Jales-SP, ano agrícola 2001-2002

Este trabalho foi realizado na região de Jales-SP, com objetivo de analisar economicamente o cultivo da pinha. Para estimar a matriz de coeficientes técnicos, os custos de produção, os indicadores de lucratividade e os dados foram levantados com cinco produtores de pinha, no ano de 2001-2002. Apesar do custo superior do sistema de produção tecnificado quando comparado com o convencional na cultura da pinha, o sistema tecnificado apresentou-se mais rentável para os produtores rurais da região de Jales, com um lucro operacional por hectare de R$5.301,07 (US$2.031,06) e para o convencional de R$1.720,48 (US$659,19). Isto se deve principalmente por proporcionar benefícios, como antecipação da colheita para períodos de melhores preços, melhoria na qualidade e na quantidade dos frutos.

Estimation of phenotypic diversity in field populations of Magnaporthe grisea from two upland rice cultivars

The phenotypic diversity of Magnaporthe grisea was evaluated based on leaf samples with blast lesions collected from eight commercial fields of the upland rice cultivars 'BRS Primavera' and 'BRS Bonança', during the growing seasons of 2001/2002 and 2002/2003, in Goias State. The number of M. grisea isolates from each field utilized for virulence testing varied from 28 to 47. Three different indices were used based on reaction type in the eight standard international differentials and eight Brazilian differentials. The M. grisea subpopulations of ´Primavera' and 'Bonança', as measured by Simpson, Shannon and Gleason indices, showed similar phenotypic diversities. The Simpson index was more sensitive relation than those of Shannon and Gleason for pathotype number and standard deviation utilizing Brazilian differentials. However, the Gleason index was sensitive to standard deviation for international differentials. The sample size did not significantly influence the diversity index. The two sets of differential cultivars used in this study distinguished phenotypic diversity in different ways in all of the eight subpopulations analyzed. The phenotypic diversity determined based on eight differential Brazilian cultivars was lower in commercial rice fields of 'Primavera' than in the fields of 'Bonança,' independent of the diversity index utilized, year and location. Considering the Brazilian differentials, the four subpopulations of 'BRS Primavera' did not show evenness in distribution and only one pathotype dominated in the populations. The even distribution of pathotype was observed in three subpopulations of 'BRS Bonança'. The pathotype diversity of M. grisea was determined with more precision using Brazilian differentials and Simpson index.

Teste de Papanicolaou: cobertura em dois inquéritos domiciliários realizados no município de São Paulo em 1987 e em 2001-2002

OBJETIVO: comparar a cobertura da citologia convencional de Papanicolaou em mulheres de 15 a 59 anos entre dois inquéritos domiciliários, relacionando a alguns atributos pessoais e à tendência da mortalidade por câncer de colo do útero. MÉTODOS: analisou-se os dados coletados por meio de dois inquéritos domiciliários, com amostragem complexa, realizados no município de São Paulo nos anos de 1987 e 2001 a 2002. Foram comparadas as respostas autorreferidas de 968 mulheres no primeiro inquérito e 1.125 mulheres no segundo inquérito, na resposta à pergunta sobre a realização "alguma vez na vida" do teste de Papanicolaou, relacionando com faixa etária, cor da pele, situação conjugal, escolaridade e tendência da mortalidade por câncer de colo no período de 1980 a 2007. Foi aplicado o teste exato de Fisher em cada uma das comparações entre as amostras, consideradas como devidas ao acaso as diferenças que ocorreram com probabilidade p>5%. RESULTADOS: do primeiro inquérito para o segundo houve aumento de 24% na realização da citologia convencional de Papanicolaou (de 68,8% para 85%). As maiores variações do aumento de cobertura relacionadas com atributos pessoais das mulheres foram encontradas nas de cor da pele preta, solteiras e de nível de escolaridade mais baixo. Quanto à tendência nas taxas de mortalidade por câncer de colo, não se observou nítida disposição de ascensão e nem de declínio ao longo dos 28 anos estudados (1980 a 2007). CONCLUSÃO: houve aumento no acesso ao exame citológico de Papanicolaou nas mulheres mais vulneráveis. Desde 2001 e 2002, a cobertura de 85% já atingia a recomendação da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS), porém sem nítida tendência de declínio nas taxas de mortalidade por câncer de colo nos anos seguintes, indicando que o rastreamento é apenas parte de um programa efetivo e organizado para o controle do câncer do colo, cujo modelo deve garantir a integralidade da atenção à saúde da mulher.

Health-related behavior and quality of life among the elderly: a population-based study

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between health-related behaviors and quality of life among the elderly. METHODS: A population-based cross-sectional study was carried out including 1,958 elderly living in four areas in the state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil, 2001/2002. Quality of life was assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study SF-36-Item Short Form Health Survey instrument. This instrument's eight subscales and two components were the dependent variables. Independent variables were physical activity, weekly frequency of alcohol consumption and smoking. Multiple linear regression models were used to control for the effect of gender, age, schooling, work, area of residence and number of chronic conditions. RESULTS: Physical activity was positively associated with the eight SF-36 subscales. The stronger associations were found for role-physical (β=11.9), physical functioning (β=11.3) and physical component. Elderly individuals who consumed alcohol at least once a week showed a better quality of life than those did not consume alcohol. Compared to non-smokers, smokers had a poorer quality of life for the mental component (β=-2.4). CONCLUSIONS: The study results showed that physical activity, moderate alcohol consumption and no smoking are positively associated with a better quality of life in the elderly.

The importance of Anopheles albitarsis E and An. darlingi in human malaria transmission in Boa Vista, state of Roraima, Brazil

In several districts of Boa Vista, state of Roraima, Brazil we found Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) albitarsis E to be the primary vector of human malaria parasites, and during 2001-2002 it was significantly more abundant than An. darlingi (p < 0.001). Other species sampled were An. (Nys.) braziliensis, An. (Ano.) peryassui, An. (Nys.) nuneztovari, An. (Nys.) oswaldoi s.l., and An. (Nys.) triannulatus. As determined by the ELISA technique An. darlingi had a higher overall infection rate (2.1%) compared with An. albitarsis E (1.2%). However, a marginally higher proportion of An. albitarsis E was infected with Plasmodium vivax compared with An. darlingi, and the An. albitarsis E biting index was also much higher. These results suggest the importance of An. albitarsis E in malaria transmission in a savannah ecoregion of northern Amazonian Brazil, and reconfirm the importance of An. darlingi even if at lower abundance.

Long-term outcomes of school-based treatment for control of urinary schistosomiasis: a review of experience in Coast Province, Kenya

Urinary schistosomiasis remains a significant burden for Africa and the Middle East. The success of population-based control programs will depend on their impact, over many years, on Schistosoma haematobium reinfection and associated disease. In a multi-year (1984-1992) control program in Kenya, we examined risk for S. haematobium reinfection and late disease during and after annual school-based treatment. In this setting, long-term risk of new infection was independently associated with location, age, hematuria, and incomplete treatment, but not with sex or frequency of water contact. Thus, very local environmental features and age-related factors played an important role in S. haematobium transmission, such that population-based control programs should optimally tailor their efforts to local conditions on a village-by-village basis. In 2001-2002, the late benefits of earlier participation in school-based antischistosomal therapy were estimated in a cohort of formerly-treated adult residents compared to never-treated adults from the same villages. Among age-matched subjects, current infection prevalence was lower among those who had received remote therapy. In addition, prevalence of bladder abnormality was lower in the treated group, who were free of severe bladder disease. Treatment of affected adults resulted in rapid resolution of infection and any detectable bladder abnormalities. We conclude that continued treatment into adulthood, as well as efforts at long-term prevention of infection (transmission control) are necessary to achieve optimal morbidity control in affected communities.