Detection of HTLV-IIa in blood donors in an urban area of the Amazon Region of Brazil (Belém, PA)

The human lymphotropic viruses type I (HTLV-I) and type II (HTLV-II) are members of a group of mammalian retroviruses with similar biological properties, and blood transfusion is an important route of transmission. HTLV-I is endemic in a number of different geographical areas and is associated with several clinical disorders. HTLV-II is endemic in several Indian groups of the Americas and intravenous drug abusers in North and South America, Europe and Southeast Asia. During the year of 1995, all blood donors tested positive to HTLV-I/II in the State Blood Bank (HEMOPA), were directed to a physician and to the Virus Laboratory at the Universidade Federal do Pará for counselling and laboratory diagnosis confirmation. Thirty-five sera were tested by an enzyme immune assay, and a Western blot that discriminates HTLV-I and HTLV-II infection. Two HTLV-II positive samples were submitted to PCR analysis of pX and env genomic region, and confirmed to be of subtype IIa. This is the first detection in Belém of the presence of HTLV-IIa infection among blood donors. This result emphasizes that HTLV-II is also present in urban areas of the Amazon region of Brazil and highlights the need to include screening tests that are capable to detect antibodies for both types of HTLV.

Plasmodium vivax resistance to chloroquine (R2) and mefloquine (R3) in Brazilian Amazon region

We report for the first time a patient with malaria due to Plasmodium vivax who showed R2 resistance to chloroquine and R3 resistance to mefloquine in the Brazilian Amazon region based on WHO clinical criteria for diagnosis of malaria resistance. Failure was observed with unsupervised oral chloroquine, chloroquine under rigorous supervision and mefloquine in the same scheme. Finally, the patient was cured with oral artesunate.

Prevalência de parasitismo intestinal nas aldeias indígenas da tribo Tembé, Amazônia Oriental Brasileira

Para determinar a prevalência de enteroparasitismo nas aldeias Tembé, foi realizado um inquérito coproparasitológico em toda a população (93 índios), em dezembro de 1996. Os parasitos mais freqüentes foram ancilostomídeos (29,0%), Ascaris lumbricoides (34,4%), Entamoeba histolytica (12,9%) e Giardia lamblia (4,3%). As maiores prevalências de ancilostomídeos e A. lumbricoides foram observadas na aldeia Turé-Mariquita, enquanto que as de E. histolytica e G. lamblia na Acará-Mirim. Não foi observada diferença significativa sob ponto de vista prático entre a média de idade dos índios parasitados e a dos não parasitados. Sexo esteve relacionado apenas a freqüência de ancilostomídeos, bem maior no sexo masculino. Desse modo, a prevalência de enteroparasitas ainda se encontra elevada para alguns agentes, sugerindo que as medidas de atenção devem ser imediatamente incrementadas a fim de se obterem resultados mais positivos no combate ao enteroparasitismo.

A cerâmica oriental da carreira da Índia no contexto da carga de uma nau - A presumível Nossa Senhora dos Mártires

Dissertação apresentada para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em Arqueologia

Estudo epidemiológico da leptospirose bovina e humana na Amazônia oriental brasileira

Realizou-se o estudo da soroprevalência da leptospirose em bovinos e humanos especificamente em propriedades familiares na região de fronteira agrícola da rodovia Transamazônica, na Amazônia Oriental. A prevalência da leptospirose bovina foi 97% [90,9 - 99,5%] de propriedades com pelo menos um animal positivo na soroaglutinação microscópica para o diagnóstico da leptospirose. Em 61,2% dos rebanhos o sorotipo hardjo foi apontado como o mais provável, em 9% deles o sorotipo bratislava e em 4,5% o shermani. A prevalência sorológica da leptospirose humana foi 32,8% [23,4 - 43,5%] de núcleos familiares com pelo menos um indivíduo positivo na soroaglutinação microscópica para o diagnóstico da leptospirose. Em 9% dos núcleos familiares o sorotipo bratislava foi apontado como o mais provável, em 6% deles o sorotipo hardjo e em 4,5% o grippotyphosa. Foi discutido o impacto desses achados sobre a produção animal e saúde pública na região e feitas sugestões para minorar o problema.

Molecular evidence of mother-to-child transmission of HTLV-IIc in the Kararao Village (Kayapo) in the Amazon Region of Brazil

Blood samples from native Indians in the Kararao village (Kayapo), were analysed using serological and molecular methods to characterize infection and analyse transmission of HTLV-II. Specific reactivity was observed in 3/26 individuals, of which two samples were from a mother and child. RFLP analysis of the pX and env regions confirmed HTLV-II infection. Nucleotide sequence of the 5' LTR segment and phylogenetic analysis showed a high similarity (98%) between the three samples and prototype HTLV-IIa (Mot), and confirmed the occurrence of the HTLV-IIc subtype. There was a high genetic similarity (99.9%) between the mother and child samples and the only difference was a deletion of two nucleotides (TC) in the mother sequence. Previous epidemiological studies among native Indians from Brazil have provided evidence of intrafamilial and vertical transmission of HTLV-IIc. The present study now provides molecular evidence of mother-to-child transmission of HTLV-IIc, a mechanism that is in large part responsible for the endemicity of HTLV in these relatively closed populations. Although the actual route of transmission is unknown, breast feeding would appear to be most likely.

Integrated approach to assess vulnerability of the Coastal Region of Bangladesh due to climate change

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geospatial Technologies.

HTLV-I associated myelopathy in the northern region of Brazil (Belém-Pará): serological and clinical features of three cases

Three patients (males, black, ages 37, 40 and 57) attended a university clinic with a progressive paraparesis of obscure origin. One patient who referred disease duration of more than 16 years, showed diminished deep reflexes, bilateral Babinski's sign, diminished sensation of vibration, abnormal bladder function and back pain. The other two patients (with one and six years of disease duration) complained of weakness in one leg, increased deep reflexes and back pain. Babinski's sign and bladder disturbance were also present in the patient with six years of disease. Blood samples tested by an enzyme immune assay and a discriminatory Western blot were positive for HTLV-I. The familial analysis of one patient showed a possible pattern of sexual and vertical transmission of the virus. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first cases of a proven association between HTLV-I and TSP/HAM in Belem, Para, and emphasize the need to actively look for cases of neurological disease associated to the virus.

Case study - Herdade Vale da Rosa – The fruits of passion: The role of a positive entrepreneur vision in the success of an organization from a depressed sector and region

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Vestígios da Expansão Portuguesa na Costa Oriental da Arábia – A Documentação Histórica Face aos Vestígios Arqueológicos

Dissertação apresentada para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em Arqueologia

Preliminary study of community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus infection in Manaus Hospital, Amazonia Region, Brazil

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus is considered a public health problem with a strong potential for dissemination and high rates of morbidity and mortality. In this study we describe bacteriological and epidemiological characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus in Manaus (Amazon region). During the one-year study period (2000-2001), sixteen cases of acute pyogenic multiple abscess were evaluated. Community-acquired S. aureus was identified as causative agent in 10 (62.5%) patients. The strains tested with antimicrobials by discs diffusion method, exhibited a high rate of sensitivity to cephalexin (100%), erythromycin (90%). Oxacillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus was 90%. No isolate was resistant to Vancomycin. To our knowledge, no series of community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus in Manaus hospital has been published. Our partial results showed a high rate of antimicrobial sensitivity among community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus in the hospital of Tropical Medicine Institute of Manaus, Amazon Region.

Structural change in the ruhr region: problems, potentials and developments

Due to the decline of the heavy industries in the Ruhr region, the area has to reinvent itself. The orientation towards service industries proves to be a difficult task for the district and its population. This paper examines the challenges, problems and potentials of the Ruhr region against the backdrop of its economical history out of a sociological perspective. Thereby the economical situation and its outcome towards the population stand in the foreground of the paper.

Characteristics of pulmonary tuberculosis in HIV seropositive and seronegative patients in a Northeastern region of Brazil

The aim of this study was to analyse the clinical, epidemiological and bacteriological features present in 60 pulmonary tuberculosis patients who were also infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and to compare these with 120 TB patients who were not infected with HIV. The patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and HIV coinfection were mostly male (p = 0.001), showed a higher frequency of weight loss >10 kilos (p <0.001), had a higher rate of non-reaction result to the tuberculin skin test (p <0.001), a higher frequency of negative sputum smear examination for acid-fast bacilli (p = 0.001) and negative sputum culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (p = 0.001). Treatment failure was more common in those who were HIV positive (p <0.000). No higher frequency of resistance to antituberculosis drugs was found to be associated with TB/HIV coinfection (p = 0.407). Association between extrapulmonary and pulmonary tuberculosis was more frequent in those seropositive to HIV than those without HIV virus, 30% and 1.6% respectively. These findings showed a predominance of atypical clinical laboratory features in co-infected patients, and suggest that health care personnel should consider the possibility this diagnosis.

Polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the ITS2 region for differatiation of Brazilian Biomphalaria intermediate hosts of the Schistosoma mansoni

We sequenced the internal transcribed spacer 2 of the ribosomal DNA (ITS2-DNAr) from the three Schistosoma mansoni intermediate hosts in Brazil: Biomphalaria glabrata, Biomphalaria tenagophila and Biomphalaria straminea. Analysis of a restriction map from those sequences allowed us to select putative restriction enzymes able to identify the snail species under study. Four restriction enzymes were used and HpaII provided simple species-specific profiles easily visualized in polyacrylamide gels. The use of ITS2 is advantageous as it provides a small fragment of 460 bp which may be easily amplified by PCR. In the current work, we showed that the amplification of ITS2-DNAr together with HpaII enzyme restriction is an auxiliary molecular tool for the morphological identification of such snails as well as for taxonomic and phylogenetic studies of neotropical planorbids.

Prevalência de genótipos e de mutantes pré-core A-1896 do vírus da hepatite B e suas implicações na hepatite crônica, em uma população da Amazônia oriental

A infecção pelo virus da hepatite B apresenta amplo espectro de manifestações clínicas. Objetivando conhecer os genótipos do HBV mais prevalentes e determinar a ocorrência da mutação pré-core A-1896, em uma população da Amazônia oriental, correlacionando com o diagnóstico clínico, foram selecionados 51 pacientes portadores crônicos de HBsAg e HBV-DNA positivos e divididos em três grupos: grupo A (n=14, pacientes assintomáticos); grupo B (n=20, sintomáticos HBeAg positivos) e grupo C (n=17, sintomáticos HBeAg negativos), sendo usado o sequenciador automático ABI modelo 377 para identificação de genótipos e mutantes pré-core. Os resultados evidenciaram o genótipo A como o mais prevalente, 81,8%, 89,5% e 93,7%, nos grupos A, B e C, respectivamente. A mutação pré-core A-1896 foi encontrada em 11,5% (3/26), sendo todos assintomáticos. Concluiu-se que na população estudada o genótipo A foi o mais prevalente e houve baixa ocorrência do mutante pré-core A-1896, ambos não se constituindo fatores agravantes da doença hepática.