An outbreak of american cutaneous leishmaniasis (Leishmania braziliensis braziliensis) in a periurban area of Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil: clinical and epidemiological studies

From July 1984 to September 1986, 105 cases of American cutaneous leishmaniasis were studied in a locality closely situated to an urbanized area of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Settement in this area was established at least 20 years ago but the first cases were noted six months prior to the beginning of this study. Cases were almost exlusively cutaneous and ulcerated, with one to six months of evolution. Montenegro's skin tests were positive in all cases and anti-Leishmania antibodies were detected by indirect immunofluorescence test in 74.3% of the patients. Parasites were demonstrated in 69.5% of cases. Domestic animals were easily found infected; 32% of the examined dogs and 30.8% of the examined equines were positive to the presence of Leishmania in cutaneous ulcerated lesions. Parasite isolates from human, dog andequines were immunologically characterized and identified as L. b. braziliensis. 73,0% of the sandfly population were Lutzomyia intermedia mainly caught on human baits and on domestic animals. Our observations suggest that this is an area of recent established L. b. braziliensis infection and that transmission probably occurs indoors or outdoors close to the houses.

Capture of Caliptrate flies with different breeding substrates on beaches in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

Muscidae flies belonging to four Familia and 13 species in a total number of 3.652 specimens were collected from beaches at Ilha do Governador, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil using different breeding substrates, and subsequently bred in the laboratory. Captures were done from April to November 1989, using in a first phase different substrates: fruits (banana and papaya), vegtable (tomato), animal viscera (bovine liver), marine animals (fish, crab, shrimp, squid), mouse carcass and feaces (human and canine). The species collected more often were: Fannia sp. (subgroup pusio), Chrysomya megacephala, Phaenicia eximia, Synthesiomyia nudiseta, Peckya chrysostoma, Musca domestica and Atherigona orientalis. In a later phase, only fish was used, as bait and placed directly on the beach sand. From a total of 189 pupae, the following adult specimen were obtained: Peckia chrysostoma (58.06%), Chrysomya megacephala (30.64%) and in lesser numbers Synthesiomyia nudiseta and Phaenicia eximia.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa: study of Antibiotic Resistance and Molecular Typing in Hospital Infection Cases in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit from Rio de Janeiro City, Brazil

This study had the objective of to analyze the demographic and bacteriologic data of 32 hospitalized newborns in an neonatal intensive care unit of a public maternity hospital in Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil, seized by Pseudomonas aeruginosa sepsis during a period ranged from July 1997 to July 1999, and to determine the antimicrobial resistance percentage, serotypes and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns of 32 strains isolated during this period. The study group presented mean age of 12.5 days, with higher prevalence of hospital infection in males (59.4%) and vaginal delivery (81.2%), than females (40.6%) and cesarean delivery (18.8%), respectively. In this group, 20 (62.5%) patients received antimicrobials before positive blood cultures presentation. A total of 87.5% of the patients were premature, 62.5% presented very low birth weight and 40.6% had asphyxia. We detected high antimicrobial resistance percentage to b-lactams, chloramphenicol, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline among the isolated strains. All isolated strains were classified as multi-drug resistant. Most strains presented serotype O11 while PFGE analysis revealed seven distinct clones with isolation predominance of a single clone (75%) isolated from July 1997 to June 1998.

Seroepidemiological markers of enterically transmitted viral hepatitis A and E in individuals living in a community located in the North Area of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

We investigated the seroprevalence of hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection in subjects living in the community of Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and assisted at the Health Unit of Escola Nacional de Sa��de P��blica, Funda����o Oswaldo Cruz. After formal consent, individuals were submitted to an interview using a standardized questionnaire. Anti-HAV and anti-HEV antibodies were detected by ELISA. Statistical analysis was carried out using the Epi-Info 6.04b software, to investigate possible associations between serological markers and risk factors. Results were regarded as significant when p value < 0.05. Although a high prevalence of anti-HAV was observed (87%), almost 50% of subjects under the age of 10 were susceptible to HAV infection, an unexpected rate in endemic areas. This fact could be attributed to improvements in environmental sanitation, occurring in this area in the last years. The increasing proportion of susceptible people may result in outbreaks of HAV infection, since the virus still circulates in this area, as verified by the detection of anti-HAV IgM in some individuals. No statistical association was met between HAV infection and the risk factors here assessed. The anti-HEV IgG prevalence found in this population was 2.4%, consistent with the one found in non-endemic areas.

The type specimens of chewing lice (Insecta, Mallophaga) deposited in the entomological collection of Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

This paper presents a list of 131 Mallophaga type specimens deposited in the Werneck Collection of Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. It includes 69 holotypes, 62 allotypes, 683 paratypes, 1 syntype and 2 neoparatypes, distributed among 6 families and 35 genera. The types are listed with their respective data and literature.

Host-ectoparasite specificity in a small mammal community in an area of Atlantic Rain Forest (Ilha Grande, State of Rio de Janeiro), Southeastern Brazil

The analyses of the ectoparasite species associated with a small mammal community on Ilha Grande, a coastal island in southern of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, evaluated the level of host-ectoparasite specificity. Was used the Jaccard index for qualitative data to analyse the similarity. The lowest value of similarity occurred between Proechimys iheringi and Marmosops incanus and between Sciurus aestuans and Nectomys squamipes (Cj = 0.08) and the highest between P. iheringi and Oxymycterus sp. (Cj = 0.33). This index showed a low value of similarity across the ectoparasite community. The only exception from this pattern of high host specificity occurred with P. iheringi and Oxymycterus sp., which shared five species of ectoparasites. The similarity values, for most of the cases, is smaller than 0.2.

The Alliance for Progress and Housing Policy in Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires in the 1960s

This article explores the construction of publicly financed low-income housing complexes in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, in the 1960s. These housing developments were possible thanks to the arrival of foreign economic and technical assistance from the Alliance for Progress. Urban scholars, politicians, diplomats and urbanists of the Americas sought to promote middle-class habits, mass consumption and moderate political behaviour, especially among the poor, by expanding access to homeownership and ���decent��� living conditions for a burgeoning urban population. As a result, the history of low-income housing should be understood within broader transnational discourses and practices about the ���modernization��� and ���development��� of the urban poor.

Vigil��ncia de fatores de risco para doen��as n��o transmiss��veis entre adolescentes: a experi��ncia da cidade do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Este trabalho apresenta m��todos e resultados da implanta����o de sistema de vigil��ncia de fatores de risco para doen��as n��o transmiss��veis entre adolescentes. Uma amostra (n = 1.699) probabil��stica de alunos de oitava s��rie do ensino fundamental da rede p��blica municipal de ensino do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, respondeu a question��rio autopreenchido an��nimo sobre consumo alimentar, atividade f��sica, atividades sedent��rias de lazer e consumo de cigarro. Estimativas de preval��ncia dos fatores de risco foram calculadas para o total da amostra e segundo sexo. Taxas de n��o resposta variaram de 0,2% a 13,4%. Foram observados: baixo consumo de frutas (45,8%) e hortali��as (20% e 16,5% para saladas e legumes cozidos), consumo freq��ente de refrigerantes (36,7%), balas e doces (46,7%), grande quantidade de horas alocadas em frente �� TV, computador ou videogame (71,7% alocam pelo menos 4h/dia nestas atividades), baixa freq����ncia de pr��tica regular de atividade f��sica (40%) e preval��ncia de 6,4% de fumantes. Meninas apresentaram menores ��ndices de atividade f��sica e maiores de consumo de cigarro. O sistema testado mostrou-se fact��vel e indicou preval��ncias relevantes de fatores de risco para doen��as n��o transmiss��veis.

Padr��es diet��ticos e c��ncer oral e de faringe: um estudo caso-controle no Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Investigou-se a associa����o entre padr��es de dieta e c��ncer oral, como parte de um estudo multic��ntrico latino-americano caso-controle de base hospitalar e incluiu 210 casos incidentes e 251 controles. Dados de consumo alimentar foram coletados por Question��rio de Freq����ncia de Consumo Alimentar (QFCA). An��lise fatorial identificou padr��es alimentares, que foram categorizados em tercis. Calculou-se odds ratio (OR) com intervalo de 95 por cento de confian��a (IC95 por cento ) por regress��o log��stica m��ltipla n��o condicional. Os padr��es "prudente", caracterizado em maioria por frutas e vegetais, e o padr��o tradicional, por arroz e feij��o, apresentaram associa����o inversa com o c��ncer oral para o mais elevado tercil, respectivamente: OR = 0,44; IC95 por cento : 0,25-0,75, valor de p de tend��ncia (ptend) = 0,03; OR = 0,53; IC95 por cento : 0,30-0,93, ptend = 0,06. O padr��o "lanches" n��o foi associado ao c��ncer oral. Al��m da prote����o ao c��ncer oral conferida por dieta rica em vegetais e frutas, nossos dados sugerem que a dieta "tradicional" brasileira contendo em sua maioria arroz e feij��o pode oferecer prote����o ao c��ncer oral

System Identification and Prediction of Dengue Fever Incidence in Rio de Janeiro

Identification, prediction, and control of a system are engineering subjects, regardless of the nature of the system. Here, the temporal evolution of the number of individuals with dengue fever weekly recorded in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during 2007, is used to identify SIS (susceptible-infective-susceptible) and SIR (susceptible-infective-removed) models formulated in terms of cellular automaton (CA). In the identification process, a genetic algorithm (GA) is utilized to find the probabilities of the state transition S -> I able of reproducing in the CA lattice the historical series of 2007. These probabilities depend on the number of infective neighbors. Time-varying and non-time-varying probabilities, three different sizes of lattices, and two kinds of coupling topology among the cells are taken into consideration. Then, these epidemiological models built by combining CA and GA are employed for predicting the cases of sick persons in 2008. Such models can be useful for forecasting and controlling the spreading of this infectious disease.

Trabalho pol��tico em sa��de: a tuberculose no Rio de Janeiro

A interven����o sobre a tuberculose no Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, revela atualmente uma intensifica����o e alargamento das articula����es de pessoas, organiza����es e institui����es envolvidas. Para compreender este processo, recorri ao mapeamento de arenas e mundos sociais. Os mundos sociais definem-se pela partilha de objetivos e de a����es, constituindo unidades de a����o coletiva. Para atingir os seus objetivos precisam de interagir com outros mundos sociais. Os espa��os onde interagem sobre temas de comum interesse, mas sobre os quais t��m perspetivas e at�� objetivos diferentes, denominam-se arenas. O estudo revelou que a arena da tuberculose no Rio de Janeiro se ampliou na ��ltima d��cada, aumentando e diversificando os mundos sociais envolvidos, atrav��s do ���trabalho pol��tico��� de pessoas e organiza����es locais, nacionais e internacionais, isto ��, atrav��s da atribui����o de poder a determinadas inst��ncias com base na valoriza����o ��tica de objetivos comuns. Este trabalho pol��tico tem vindo a implicar a interse����o com as arenas do Sistema ��nico de Sa��de e do VIH-Sida. A amplia����o da arena da tuberculose redefine a pr��pria doen��a e as formas de intervir sobre ela. Os apoios socioecon��micos para as/os pacientes, o tratamento de comorbidades, os direitos humanos, bem como outras quest��es que extravasam a perspetiva biom��dica, integram agora as agendas da tuberculose. Neste processo, os intervenientes alargam tamb��m as fronteiras da a����o na sa��de.

Um festival �� um festival: em Yerevan e no Rio de Janeiro

Cr��tica de teatro a v��rios espectaculos apresentados em festivais em Yerevan, Arm��nia, e no Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

Brazilian spotted fever: description of a fatal clinical case in the State of Rio de Janeiro

We describe a case of Brazilian spotted fever in a previously healthy young woman who died with petechial rash associated to acute renal and respiratory insufficiency 12 days following fever, headache, myalgia, and diarrhea. Serologic test in a serum sample, using an immunofluorescence assay, revealed reactive IgM/IgG.

Pre-travel health advice for human immunodeficiency virus-infected travelers, from Rio de Janeiro

Counseling for human immunodeficiency virus infected travelers is becoming increasingly specialized. Previous studies have reported the experience of HIV-infected travelers from temperate-climate countries but little is known about HIV-infected travelers from tropical countries. A retrospective study was conducted on HIV-infected travelers presenting at a travel health clinic in Rio de Janeiro. Eleven journeys by ten people were recorded. Brazil (Amazon region and Northeast) was the destination for six journeys. Other destinations were Peru, Angola, Europe and Asia. Nine attendees were undergoing antiretroviral therapy. Few HIV-infected people from Rio de Janeiro consulted a travel medicine specialist before traveling. Since they travel to destinations in Brazil and abroad where there are endemic diseases not encountered in Rio de Janeiro, careful pre-travel planning needs to be undertaken. Strategies for increasing the frequency of pre-travel consultations need to be developed, such as closer collaboration between HIV clinics and travel health clinics.

Occurrence of severe dengue in Rio de Janeiro: an ecological study

Introduction This study aimed to analyze the relationship between the incidence of severe dengue during the 2008 epidemic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and socioeconomic indicators, as well as indicators of health service availability and previous circulation of the dengue virus serotype-3 (DENV-3). Methods In this ecological study, the units of analysis were the districts of Rio de Janeiro. The data were incorporated into generalized linear models, and the incidence of severe dengue in each district was the outcome variable. Results The districts with more cases of dengue fever in the 2001 epidemic and a higher percentage of residents who declared their skin color or race as black had higher incidence rates of severe dengue in the 2008 epidemic [incidence rate ratio (IRR)= 1.21; 95% confidence interval (95%CI)= 1.05-1.40 and IRR= 1.34; 95%CI= 1.16-1.54, respectively]. In contrast, the districts with Family Health Strategy (FHS) clinics were more likely to have lower incidence rates of severe dengue in the 2008 epidemic (IRR= 0.81; 95%CI= 0.70-0.93). Conclusions At the ecological level, our findings suggest the persistence of health inequalities in this region of Brazil that are possibly due to greater social vulnerability among the self-declared black population. Additionally, the protective effect of FHS clinics may be due to the ease of access to other levels of care in the health system or to a reduced vulnerability to dengue transmission that is afforded by local practices to promote health.