Dengue virus type 4 in Niter��i, Rio de Janeiro: the role of molecular techniques in laboratory diagnosis and entomological surveillance

In Niter��i, state of Rio de Janeiro, dengue virus type 4 (DENV-4) was isolated for the first time in March 2011. We analysed the laboratory findings of the first cases and evaluated the use of molecular techniques for the detection of DENV-4 in Aedes aegypti that were field-caught. Conventional reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and SimplexaTM Dengue real-time RT-PCR confirmed DENV-4 infection in all cases. Additionally, DENV-4 was confirmed in a female Ae. aegypti with 1.08 x 10�� copies/mL of virus, as determined by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. This is the first time the SimplexaTM Dengue real-time assay has been used for the classification of cases of infection and for entomological investigations. The use of these molecular techniques was shown to be important for the surveillance of dengue in humans and vectors.

Characteristics of leprosy diagnosed through the surveillance of contacts: a comparison with index cases in Rio de Janeiro, 1987-2010

Contact surveillance is an important strategy to ensure effective early diagnosis and control of leprosy; passive detection may not be as efficient because it is directly tied to the ready availability of heath care services and health education campaigns. The aim of this study was to reinforce that contact surveillance is the most effective strategy for the control of leprosy. The analysed data were obtained from a cohort of contacts and cases diagnosed through a national referral service for leprosy. We analysed data from patients diagnosed between 1987-2010 at the Souza Ara��jo Ambulatory in Rio de Janeiro. Epidemiological characteristics of leprosy cases diagnosed through contact surveillance and characteristics of passively detected index cases were compared using a conditional logistic regression model. Cases diagnosed by contact surveillance were found earlier in the progression of the disease, resulting in less severe clinical presentations, lower levels of initial and final disability grades, lower initial and final bacterial indices and a lower prevalence of disease reaction. In this respect, contact surveillance proved to be an effective tertiary prevention strategy, indicating that active surveillance is especially important in areas of high endemicity, such as Brazil.

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.

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.

Fun����es essenciais de sa��de p��blica no curr��culo de Enfermagem da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul

O referencial das Fun����es Essenciais de Sa��de P��blica (FESP), da Organiza����o Pan-Americana da Sa��de, foi desenvolvido para melhorar o desempenho da sa��de p��blica, o qual depende da forma����o dos profissionais de sa��de. Foi realizado um estudo de caso com objetivo de identificar a inser����o das FESP no Curr��culo do Curso de Gradua����o em Enfermagem da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Foram definidas palavras-chave a partir das defini����es das onze FESP, procedendo-se �� busca nos planos de ensino das disciplinas do Curr��culo. Verificou-se a inser����o de dez FESP, sendo a de maior ocorr��ncia a de desenvolvimento de recursos humanos e capacita����o em sa��de p��blica. O Curr��culo em estudo contempla algumas FESP de forma mais intensa, o que deve propiciar a forma����o de enfermeiras capazes de contribuir para o desempenho destas. �� necess��rio inserir as demais, contribuindo para o bom desempenho da sa��de p��blica pelos profissionais formados na institui����o.

Carte de la c��te du Br��sil, de Rio de Janeiro �� l'Ihla Grande / Grav��e par G. Lema��tre, ...

��chelle(s) : [1:448 000 environ], Lieues de Portugal 5 [= 6,8 cm]

Carte de la c��te du Br��sil, de Rio de Janeiro �� l'Ihla Grande / Grav��e par G. Lema��tre, ...

��chelle(s) : [1:448 000 environ], Lieues de Portugal 5 [= 6,8 cm]

Carte de la c��te du Br��sil, de Rio de Janeiro �� l'Ihla Grande / Grav��e par G. Lema��tre, ...

��chelle(s) : [1:448 000 environ], Lieues de Portugal 5 [= 6,8 cm]

Estudantes cabo-verdianos no Rio de Janeiro: identidades em (re)constru����o

Apesar de n��o ser a primeira op����o da maioria dos estudantes cabo-verdianos, o Brasil se configura como um importante p��lo de forma����o de recursos humanos qualificados para o arquip��lago. Mais de mil jovens j�� se instalaram no pa��s, que oferece baixo custo de vida e facilidade de idioma. No Rio de Janeiro, onde se concentrou a pesquisa, os estudantes se deparam com uma sociedade em transforma����o, em meio a uma ampla pol��tica de valoriza����o das identidades negra e africana. Tais pol��ticas, somadas ��s expectativas dos brasileiros em rela����o a manifesta����es de ���africanidade���, geram um impacto nesses jovens. Provenientes de um pa��s que atribui �� mesti��agem a especificidade da identidade nacional, parte dos entrevistados passou a se identificar como negro e africano, construindo um olhar cr��tico em rela����o a esse discurso. Como futura elite intelectual, cabe perguntar qual poder�� ser a influ��ncia dessa forma����o nos rumos do arquip��lago.

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.