Investigação da poluição por metais tóxicos no córrego do Cintra

Cintra stream is the major receiver of treated effluent from sanitary, hospital and research laboratory sewage from the UNESP campus in Botucatu, Rubião Júnior District, São Paulo state; and it has shown evidence of diffuse contamination by metals along it. Analyses of the most toxic metals (Pb, Cu, Fe, Ni and Zn) were carried out by using an atomic absorption spectrometer AA-6.800 - Perkin Elmer, analyst 700. ANOVA followed by the Tukey test were used for data analyses at 5% significance level. The main objective of this study was to compare current data on metal levels with data from other studies, in the same area, and of the same nature, conducted before and after implementation of chemical residue management by the university in 2008. Also, it aimed at identifying and quantifying possible diffuse and punctual contamination. Sites S1 and S2 showed punctual contamination, while diffuse sources were observed between S4 and S5. The quality of water in the Cintra Stream improved after establishment of the program of laboratory chemical residue management in the Campus of UNESP.

O saneamento e as águas de Bauru: uma perspectiva histórica (1896 -1940)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Desenvolvimento e aceitabilidade de compota de figo convencional e diet

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Avaliação dos riscos assistenciais relacionados ao uso de equipamentos hospitalares na unidade de terapia intensiva de adultos de um hospital público da cidade de São Paulo, Brasil

Pós-graduação em Bases Gerais da Cirurgia - FMB

Estudos parasitológicos em cães domésticos errantes e carnívoros selvagens generalistas no Parque Nacional do Iguaçu, Foz do Iguaçu

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Soroprevalência, isolamento e diagnóstico molecular para leptospirose em bovinos de fazendas de cria e de centrais de receptoras de embrião da região de Bauru- SP: Diagnóstico de leptospirose bovina em Bauru - SP

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Biological and behavioral parameters of the parasitoid Cotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) are altered by the pathogen Nosema sp (Microsporidia: Nosematidae)

A major issue for mass rearing of insects concerns sanitary conditions and disease. Microsporidian infection (Nosema sp.) in laboratory colonies of Diatraea saccharalis (Fabr.) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), used in producing the parasitoid. Cotesia flavipes Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), is representative of the problems faced by growers and industry. Although C. flavipes has been produced for several years in Brazil for biological control of D. saccharalis, we have only recently observed that the parasitoid becomes infected when developing inside hosts infected with Nosema sp. We assessed the effects of Nosema sp. on C. flavipes, including the ability to locate and select hosts, and evaluated pathogen transmission. Third instar larvae of D. saccharalis were inoculated with Nosema sp. spores at different concentrations and were parasitized when larvae reached fifth instar. Heavily infected D. saccharalis larvae did not support parasitism. Parasitoids that developed in infected D. saccharalis larvae exhibited increased duration of larval and pupal stages, decreased adult longevity and number of offspring, and reduced tibia size compared to parasitoids developing in uninfected D. saccharalis larvae. Infection by Nosema sp. reduced the ability of the C. flavipes parasitoid to distinguish between volatiles released by the sugarcane infested by healthy larvae and pure air. Uninfected parasitoids preferred plants infested with uninfected hosts. But infected C. flavipes did not differentiate between uninfected hosts and those infected with Nosema sp. The pathogen is transmitted from host to parasitoids and parasitoids to hosts. Pathogenic effects of the microsporidium in C. flavipes are sufficiently severe to justify disease management efforts, particularly considering the importance of C. flavipes as a biological control agent in sugarcane. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Epidemiological characterization and risk factors associated with leptospirosis in the brazilian semiarid

Alves C. J., Alcino J. F., Farias A. E. M., Higino S. S. S., Santos F. A., Azevedo S. S., Costa D. F. & Santos C. S. A. B. 2012. [Epidemiological characterization and risk factors associated with leptospirosis in the brazilian semiarid.] Caracterizacao epidemiologica e fatores de risco associados a leptospirose em ovinos deslanados do semiarido brasileiro. Pesquisa Veterinaria Brasileira 32(6): 523-528. Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Centro de Sa de e Tecnologia Rural, Unidade Academica de Medicina Veterinaria, Av. Universitaria s/n(o), Patos, PB 58700-970, Brazil. E-mail: clebertja@uol.com.br The aim of this investigation was to determine the herd-level and animal-level prevalence of leptospirosis in sheep from the semiarid of Paraiba State, Northeast Brazil, as well as to identify risk factors. Blood samples were collected from 1,275 sheep from 117 flocks in 19 counties in the Sertao mesoregion, Paraiba. For the serological diagnosis of leptospirosis the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) using 24 Leptospira spp. serovars as antigens was carried out. Of the 117 flocks studied 33 (28.20%) presented at least one seropositive sheep, and of the 1,275 animals 69 (5.41%) were seropositive with titers ranging from 100 to 3,200. Reactant serovars were Autumnalis (49.30%), Andamana (27.53%), Sentot (17.39%), Whitcomb (4.34%) and Australis (1.44%). Herd size > 48 sheep (odds ratio = 2.26; 95% CI = 1.33-5.07; p = 0.021) and participation in animal exhibits (odds ratio = 9.05; 95% CI = 0.96-85.71; p = 0.055) were identified as risk factors. The need was suggested for studies on the isolation of the agent, characterization of its pathogenicity and its economic impact on sheep flocks of the region, and sanitary control in sheep agglomerations was recommended.

Evaluation of tropical water sources and mollusks in southern Brazil using microbiological, biochemical, and chemical parameters

Florianopolis, a city located in the Santa Catarina State in southern Brazil, is the national leading producer of bivalve mollusks. The quality of bivalve mollusks is closely related to the sanitary conditions of surrounding waters where they are cultivated. Presently, cultivation areas receive large amounts of effluents derived mainly from treated and non-treated domestic, rural, and urban sewage. This contributes to the contamination of mollusks with trace metals, pesticides, other organic compounds, and human pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and protozoan. The aim of this study was to perform a thorough diagnosis of the shellfish growing areas in Florianopolis, on the coast of Santa Catarina. The contamination levels of seawater, sediments, and oysters were evaluated for their microbiological, biochemical, and chemical parameters at five sea sites in Florianopolis, namely three regular oyster cultivation areas (Sites 1, 2, and oyster supplier), a polluted site (Site 3), and a heavily polluted site (Site 4). Samples were evaluated at day zero and after 14 days. Seawater and sediment samples were collected just once, at the end of the experiment. Antioxidant defenses, which may occur in contaminated environments in response to the increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by organisms, were analyzed in oysters, as well as organic compounds (in oysters and sediment samples) and microbiological contamination (in oysters and seawater samples). The results showed the presence of the following contaminants: fecal coliforms in seawater samples (four sites), human adenovirus (all sites), human noroviruses GI and GII (two sites), Hepatitis A viruses (one site), JC Polyomavirus in an oyster sample from the oyster supplier, Giardia duodenalis cysts, and Cryptosporidium sp oocysts (one site). Among organochlorine pesticides, only DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) and HCH (hexachlorocyclohexane) were detected in some sediment and oysters samples in very low levels; site 4 had the highest concentrations of total aliphatic hydrocarbons. PAHs, and linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) found either in oysters or in sediment samples. The major concentration of fecal sterol coprostanol was found at site 4, followed by site 3. After 14 days of allocation in the four selected sites, there was a significant difference in the enzymes analyzed at the monitored spots. The detection of different contaminants in oysters, seawater, and sediment samples in the present study shows the impact untreated or inadequately treated effluents have on coastal areas. These results highlight the need for public investment in adequate wastewater treatment and adequate treatment of oysters, ensuring safe areas for shellfish production as well as healthier bivalve mollusks for consumption.

Rationale and knowledge for the universal implementation of sanitation in areas of social vulnerability

The adoption of principles of equality and universality stipulated in legislation for the sanitation sector requires discussions on innovation. The existing model was able to meet sanitary demands, but was unable to attend all areas causing disparities in vulnerable areas. The universal implementation of sanitation requires identification of the know-how that promotes it and analysis of the model adopted today to establish a new method. Analysis of how different viewpoints on the restructuring process is necessary for the definition of public policy, especially in health, and understanding its complexities and importance in confirming social practices and organizational designs. These are discussed to contribute to universal implementation of sanitation in urban areas by means of a review of the literature and practices in the industry. By way of conclusion, it is considered that accepting a particular concept or idea in sanitation means choosing some effective interventions in the network and on the lives of individual users, and implies a redefinition of the space in which it exercises control and management of sewerage networks, such that connected users are perceived as groups with different interests.

Nonculture-based identification of bacteria in milk by protein fingerprinting

Traditional methods for bacterial identification include Gram staining, culturing, and biochemical assays for phenotypic characterization of the causative organism. These methods can be time-consuming because they require in vitro cultivation of the microorganisms. Recently, however, it has become possible to obtain chemical profiles for lipids, peptides, and proteins that are present in an intact organism, particularly now that new developments have been made for the efficient ionization of biomolecules. MS has therefore become the state-of-the-art technology for microorganism identification in microbiological clinical diagnosis. Here, we introduce an innovative sample preparation method for nonculture-based identification of bacteria in milk. The technique detects characteristic profiles of intact proteins (mostly ribosomal) with the recently introduced MALDI SepsityperTM Kit followed by MALDI-MS. In combination with a dedicated bioinformatics software tool for databank matching, the method allows for almost real-time and reliable genus and species identification. We demonstrate the sensitivity of this protocol by experimentally contaminating pasteurized and homogenized whole milk samples with bacterial loads of 10(3)-10(8) colony-forming units (cfu) of laboratory strains of Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, and Staphylococcus aureus. For milk samples contaminated with a lower bacterial load (104 cfu mL-1), bacterial identification could be performed after initial incubation at 37 degrees C for 4 h. The sensitivity of the method may be influenced by the bacterial species and count, and therefore, it must be optimized for the specific application. The proposed use of protein markers for nonculture-based bacterial identification allows for high-throughput detection of pathogens present in milk samples. This method could therefore be useful in the veterinary practice and in the dairy industry, such as for the diagnosis of subclinical mastitis and for the sanitary monitoring of raw and processed milk products.

Microbiological quality assessment of sand and water from three selected beaches of South Coast, Sao Paulo State, Brazil

This study aimed to assess the sanitary quality of water, and wet and dry sand from three beaches located in the South Coast region of Sao Paulo State, Brazil, selected taking into account the frequency of tourists and the water quality (good, fair and poor). Thirty-six water samples each of wet and dry sand and seawater were collected monthly over a period of one year and analyzed for fecal indicator bacteria (FIB: thermotolerant coliforms, Escherichia coli, and enterococci), presumptive Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans and dermatophytes. The results revealed FIB concentrations more elevated in dry sand followed by wet sand and water. P. aeruginosa and presumptive S. aureus were detected with a similar frequency in water and sand samples, but maximum concentrations and geometric means were higher in dry sand. C. albicans was detected only in water samples whereas the dermatophyte Microsporum sp. was isolated exclusively from dry and wet sand samples. This evaluation showed also that the environment had a significant influence on P. aeruginosa but not on presumptive S. aureus concentrations. According to threshold values proposed in the literature for E. coli and enterococci dry sand densities, none of the beaches would be considered of sufficient quality for recreational activities.

Uma história de conceitos na saúde pública: integralidade, coordenação, descentralização, regionalização e universalidade

O Sistema Único de Saúde conferiu visibilidade a uma série de conceitos próprios da organização de sistemas de saúde. Entre eles a integralidade, que delimita fronteiras comuns com quase todos os demais princípios do Sistema, tem sido objeto de ampla literatura no Brasil. Com base em extensa revisão de fontes primárias e secundárias, este artigo apresenta uma recuperação histórica dos conceitos de integralidade, descentralização, regionalização e universalidade - ideias e conceitos que em grande parte se conformam e se interligam no ideário da organização dos serviços sanitários pelo modelo dos Centros de Saúde distritais.

Parasitological risk assessment from wastewater reuse for disposal in soil in developing countries

The purpose of this work is to analyze the parasitological risks of treated wastewater reuse from a stabilization pond in the city of Piracicaba, in the State of Sao Paulo (Brazil), and the level of treatment required to protect public health. Samples were taken from raw and treated wastewater in stabilization ponds and submitted to a parasitological, microbiological and physicochemical analysis. The study revealed on treated wastewater the presence of Ascaris sp. and Entamoeba coli with an average density of 1 cysts L-1 and 6 eggs L-1, respectively. For Ascaris, the annual risks of infection due to the accidental ingestion of wastewater irrigation were 7.5 x 10(-2) in 208 days and 8.7 x 10(-2) in 240 days. For Total Coliforms and Escherichia coli in treated wastewater, the average density was 1.0 x 10(5) MPN/100 ml and 2.7 x 10(4) MPN/100 ml respectively, representing 99% and 94% removal efficiency, respectively. For BOD, COD, TS and TSS removal efficiency was 69, 80, 50 and 71%, respectively. The removal efficiency for nitrogen; ammonia nitrogen and total phosphate was 24, 19 and 68%, respectively. The average density of helminths eggs in treated wastewater is higher compared to the density of the limit value of <= 1 egg L-1 and tolerable risk is above the level recommended by the World Health Organization. Multiple barriers are necessary for the reduction of organic matter, chemical contaminants and parasites from treated wastewater. Standards for the sanitary control of treated wastewater to be reused in agricultural irrigation areas should be compiled for developing countries in order to minimize public health risks.

Critical analysis of the regulations regarding the disposal of medication waste

Expired or unused medication at people's homes is normally disposed of in normal garbage, sewage system or, in certain cases, returned to the public health system. There is still no specific legislation regarding this leftover medication to regulate and orient the handling and correct disposal of medication waste. However, there is defined regulation regarding health services' solid waste. This article has the objective of discussing management models for the disposal of medication waste and the recommendations made by pertinent national and international legislation. By means of literature reviews, the management structure for medication waste of international legislation and the regulations regarding the environment, as well as the national legislation for the solid waste from health services was analyzed. Through the analysis it was possible to present better clarifications as to the possible impacts to the environment, to the public's health and alternatives in order to obtain the efficient disposal of medication, reducing and/or avoiding sanitary risk, guaranteeing the quality and safety of public health.