Metagenômica comparativa de solo de regiões de mata atlântica e caatinga do estado do Rio Grande do Norte - Brasil

The microorganisms play very important roles in maintaining ecosystems, which explains the enormous interest in understanding the relationship between these organisms as well as between them and the environment. It is estimated that the total number of prokaryotic cells on Earth is between 4 and 6 x 1030, constituting an enormous biological and genetic pool to be explored. Although currently only 1% of all this wealth can be cultivated by standard laboratory techniques, metagenomic tools allow access to the genomic potential of environmental samples in a independent culture manner, and in combination with third generation sequencing technologies, the samples coverage become even greater. Soils, in particular, are the major reservoirs of this diversity, and many important environments around us, as the Brazilian biomes Caatinga and Atlantic Forest, are poorly studied. Thus, the genetic material from environmental soil samples of Caatinga and Atlantic Forest biomes were extracted by direct techniques, pyrosequenced, and the sequences generated were analyzed by bioinformatics programs (MEGAN MG-RAST and WEBCarma). Taxonomic comparative profiles of the samples showed that the phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria and Planctomycetes were the most representative. In addition, fungi of the phylum Ascomycota were identified predominantly in the soil sample from the Atlantic Forest. Metabolic profiles showed that despite the existence of environmental differences, sequences from both samples were similarly placed in the various functional subsystems, indicating no specific habitat functions. This work, a pioneer in taxonomic and metabolic comparative analysis of soil samples from Brazilian biomes, contributes to the knowledge of these complex environmental systems, so far little explored

Análise metagenômica da microbiota de ambientes aquáticos do estado do Rio Grande do Norte - Brasil

The screening for genes in metagenomic libraries from soil creates opportunities to explore the enormous genetic and metabolic diversity of microorganisms. Rivers are ecosystems with high biological diversity, but few were examined using the metagenomic approach. With this objective, a metagenomic library was constructed from DNA soil samples collected at three different points along the Jundiaí-river (Rio Grande do Norte-Brazil). The points sampled are from open area, rough terrain and with the direct incidence of sunlight. This library was analyzed functionally and based in sequence. For functional analysis Luria-Bertani solid medium (LB) with NaCl concentration varied from 0.17M to 0.85M was used for functional analysis. Positives clones resistant to hypersaline medium were obtained. The recombinant DNAs were extracted and transformed into Escherichia coli strain DH10B and survival curves were obtained for quantification of abiotic stress resistance. The sequences of clones were obtained and submitted to the BLASTX tool. Some clones were found to hypothetical proteins of microorganisms from both Archaea and Bacteria division. One of the clones showed a complete ORF with high similarity to glucose-6-phosphate isomerase which participates in the synthesis of glycerol pathway and serves as a compatible solute to balance the osmotic pressure inside and outside of cells. Subsequently, in order to identify genes encoding osmolytes or enzymes related halotolerance, environmental DNA samples from the river soil, from the water column of the estuary and ocean were collected and pyrosequenced. Sequences of osmolytes and enzymes of different microorganisms were obtained from the UniProt and used as RefSeqs for homology identification (TBLASTN) in metagenomic databases. The sequences were submitted to HMMER for the functional domains identification. Some enzymes were identified: alpha-trehalose-phosphate synthase, L-ectoina synthase (EctC), transaminase L-2 ,4-diaminobutyric acid (EctB), L-2 ,4-diaminobutyric acetyltransferase (EctA), L-threonine 3 dehydrogenase (sorbitol pathway), glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, inositol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, chaperones, L-proline, glycine betaine binding ABC transporter, myo-inositol-1-phosphate synthase protein of proline simportadora / PutP sodium-and trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase These proteins are commonly related to saline environments, however the identification of them in river environment is justified by the high salt concentration in the soil during prolonged dry seasons this river. Regarding the richness of the microbiota the river substrate has an abundance of halobacteria similar to the sea and more than the estuary. These data confirm the existence of a specialized response against salt stress by microorganisms in the environment of the Jundiaí river

Desenvolvimento ponderal de bubalinos da raça Murrah criados em pastagem de Brachiaria brizantha no Centro-Oeste do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

Foram analisados os dados de desempenho ponderal de bubalinos Murrah do Sistema de Produção de Leite da Universidade Estadual Paulista, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, campus de Botucatu. Os pesos foram corrigidos às diversas idades-padrão e o modelo incluiu os efeitos de sexo (S), mês (M) e ano (A) de nascimento, classe de idade da búfala ao parto (C) e as interações S x M, S x A, S x C e M x A. As médias ajustadas e respectivos erros-padrão estimados para as características estudadas foram: Peso ao Nascer (PN): 37,71 ± 8,25kg; Peso aos 120 dias (P120): 102,08 ± 16,27kg; Peso aos 240 dias (P240): 169,84 ± 22,83kg; Peso aos 365 dias (P365): 250,59 ± 25,12kg; Peso aos 550 dias (P550): 326,13 ± 39,27kg e Peso aos 730 dias (P730): 389,80 ± 31,26kg. O efeito de sexo (S) foi significativo somente para PN e P365, sendo que machos tenderam a nascer mais pesados que fêmeas. O mês de nascimento (M) exerceu efeito sobre o PN, P120 e P730 sendo que animais nascidos em maio foram os mais pesados ao nascer, enquanto os nascidos em janeiro e maio, foram os mais pesados aos 120 e 730 dias, respectivamente. O efeito de ano de foi significativo sobre o PN, P120, P240 e P730. Os filhos de búfalas das classes de idade 1 (3 anos ou menos) e da classe 6 (10,11 e 12 anos) foram os mais leves e mais pesados ao nascer, respectivamente. O fato de a classe de idade da búfala não exercer efeito sobre os P365, P550 e P730 sugere que, em rebanhos comerciais possa ser feita a substituição de búfalas não gestantes por novilhas prenhes, apesar de esta prática reduzir a média de idade do rebanho de cria. Bubalinos da raça Murrah oriundos de rebanhos leiteiros podem ser utilizados para a produção de carne.

Análise do estado da arte dos aspectos diagnóticos, periciais e jurisprudenciais das LER/DORT no contexto previdenciário das doenças do trabalho no Brasil

Objetivo: analisar o estado da arte dos aspectos diagnósticos, periciais e jurisprudenciais das LER/DORT (Lesões por Esforços Repetitivos / Distúrbios Osteomusculares Relacionados ao Trabalho) no Brasil. Materiais e Método: trata-se de pesquisa descritiva, de natureza qualitativa, com formato documental, utilizando-se a técnica de análise de conteúdo. A avaliação evolutiva da legislação previdenciária relacionada as LER/DORT foi realizada através da pesquisa no banco de dados disponibilizado pelo Governo Federal e mediante a consulta ao DATAPREV/Sislex. A avaliação dos aspectos diagnósticos foi instrumentalizada através, principalmente, de artigos científicos publicados entre 2003 e 2008, nas línguas portuguesa, inglesa, espanhola e francesa, relacionados com os métodos de diagnósticos complementares das LER-DORT (ressonância magnética, tomografia computadorizada, ultrassonografia e eletroneuromiografia). As jurisprudências foram obtidas através da busca dos julgados sobre o tema, entre 2003 e 2008, pertencentes ao Supremo Tribunal Federal, Superior Tribunal de Justiça, Tribunais Regionais Federais, Tribunal Superior do Trabalho e Tribunais Regionais do Trabalho. Resultados: foram identificados 48 artigos abordando os aspectos diagnósticos das LER-DORT, observando-se que os exames por ressonância magnética, ultrassonografia e eletromiografia demonstraram ser mais efetivos, dentro das suas especificidades, para a complementação do exame clínico de patologias relacionadas às LER-DORT. A análise das 123 jurisprudências selecionadas demonstrou, de forma geral, que as LER-DORT equiparam-se ao acidente de trabalho, devendo apresentar nexo de causalidade (atestado através de laudo médico-pericial) e, ainda, ensejam a ação por danos morais, a qual, devido à EC nº 45 passou a ser competência da Justiça do Trabalho. O Estado da arte dos aspectos periciais encontra-se representado pela vigência da Instrução Normativa n. 98/2003, a qual traz como aspecto fundamental a determinação de novos parâmetros a serem considerados na definição de um quadro de LER-DORT, dispondo, ainda, sobre a conduta ética que deve ser adotada pelo médico perito, bem como chama a atenção para a necessidade dessas doenças do trabalho serem comunicadas às autoridadades competentes, através da emissão da Comunicação de Acidente de Trabalho (CAT). Conclusão: as LER-DORT representam, hoje, um problema de importante impacto, não apenas previdenciário, mas também econômico em diversos países, nos quais o Brasil encontra-se inserido. Estudos sobre o estado da arte relacionados às LER-DORT são fundamentais para auxiliar na construção de um modelo crítico e consciente que colabore com a garantia de sustentabilidade do sistema previdenciário no Brasil

Soroepidemiologia da infecção pelo Trypanosoma cruzi na zona rural do semiárido do estado do Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico

Organização e institucionalização política do movimento negro de Uberlândia(MG)

Este trabajo forma parte de una investigación cualitativa empírica que se ha realizado con el Movimiento Negro en Brasil, sobre todo en Uberlandia (MG), en busca de Políticas Públicas para la Promoción de la Igualdad Racial y sus conflictos históricos con la sociedad brasileña entre los años 1980 , 1990 y 2009. En cuanto a los objetivos generales destacan la variación en la forma de organización social y política de la comunidad Uberlandense negro, ya que es un ejemplo de los patrones de producción de la organización política y las correlaciones entre las múltiples formas de organización política de la población por la política pública Promoción de la Igualdad Racial, aprobada por el legislativo y constitucional

A reestruturação produtiva e as novas formas de organização do trabalho: a experiência do transporte alternativo no município de Belém/PA

The study made in this thesis analyzes the new form of work organization at the urban collective transportation sector, so called Altemative Transportation which is a new form of public transportation that appears in the Brazilian urban context by the mid ninety' s, this work is made by independent or sub-contracted workers, usually organized in cooperatives . It reflects the investigation of new forms of precarious work, unformal which has been expanding in the urban transportation sector. Thus, discusses non regulation of the services sector problem the ways of survival of exc1uded workers from the formal work market mainly afier the capital productive restructure. It has as privileged area of investigation, the sector policy of urban transportation that make field of the main nets of political articulations that define the dynamic of the urban space. It is known that the urban collective transportation allows the access to the production, circulation and general consumption being necessary to the mobility of the resident population, mainly to those with low purchasing capacity. It becomes a field of empirical investigation at the Belem municipal, located at the Amazonic region - north Brazil. The main points dealed on this research start from concrete relations from the daily life of workers that deve1op their activity on the altemative transport mediated with theoretical references needed for understanding and interpretation of the studied reality. The investigation strategies were built from the abstract (theorical knowledge produced for the reality analyze) in concrete by the investigation quantitative-qualitative from this area of urban policy, making up possible the formation of a references chart to the analyses of the studied subject. Rescue his historicity, from characterization of the urban space of the metropolitan region of Belem passing true the forms of organization and urban services performances while essential production and reproduction element of the social relations. Identifies the main individuals that historically have been participating in the construction of the municipality transport policy and the ways of expression of the local political strength relations. Outstand the State paper on the net of established relations near the local power, as well as outstand the importance of social sciences in the understanding of urban policies in the transportation area, trying to bring input to the academicals -scientific debate .The above e1ected and mentioned points in this study are crucial for a critical reflection of the transportation policies. That relation is not given, but historically built at the power relation chart that makes up this unique area of the urban policies

A aplicação do acordo sobre subsídios e medidas compensatórias pelo estado brasileiro

The Multilateral Trading System has evolved and presented new international mandatory rules to States. Along with the World Trade Organization constitutive treaty, Brazil has incorporated the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (ASCM) in the national legal system. That treaty limits de scope of subsidies concession by governments since this practice can constitute a mechanism of commercial disloyalty, affecting national industrial development in the importing country. At the same time, the multilateral agreement grants defense legitimate instruments to States, among them the possibility of domestically and unilaterally imposing countervailing measures to subsidized products that enter the national territory. Since the issue concerns both international and domestic level in complementary grounds, this research, besides investigating the treaty related obligation, aims at studying the national legal fundaments to ASCM s application by the Brazilian State. Therefore, the essential point resides in the State s conduction of its international trading and also in its available and constitutionally established mechanisms of economic intervention. State s regulating power reveals itself as a fundamental prerogative to succeed in the internalization of international agreement s requirements in the domestic legal system, which represents a basic prerequisite to the implementation of countervailing measures. Once the whole normative outlines are apprehended, this study shall scan the administrative process of trading defense main elements, along with the means of controlling public administration acts. The action taken by the public organs that directly intervene in foreign trade shall be analyzed as well, so as to enable reasoning if the unilateral application of countervailing duties by the Brazilian State is happening on legitimacy grounds

A missão política do Supremo Tribunal Federal: análise de sua importância como corte constitucional para o controle do poder no Brasil

The following study proposes an analysis of the politic process which the brazilian constitutional justice faces, emphasizing the Supremo Tribunal Federal . For that purpose, we start by examining the intimate relationship between Politics and Law, in view of the most recent social systems theories, so that the political system is distinguished by the exclusiveness of using the physical force, intending to make coletive tying decisions, and the juridical system as a congruent generalization of the expectations towards the rules and principles, brought together under an interdependence by which both gather legitimacy and effectiveness. In this manner we can notice the political effects of the constitutional interpretation conducted by Judges as well as by other juridical professionals, because these ones decrease the overload of expectations which are pointed to the Judicature. Constitutional interpretation is democratized since the participative democracy arises and stablishes a permanent state of awareness around the exercise of power and favours the preservation of the pluralism (counter-majoritary principle) where we can find the origin of the democratic nature of constitutional courts, once, in most cases, their members are not elected by the people. After that, we analyse the historical posture of the Supremo Tribunal Federal as a constitutional court in Brazil, so we can realize the attempts to make it vulnerable to the appeals of governability and economical aims, agains which this court somehow has resisted, stressing its particularities. At the end, it s concluded that even the so-called acts of government, whose judiciary control is mostly repelled, are subjected to a constitutional analysis, last frontier to be explored by the Supremo Tribunal Federal in its role of exposing our republican Constitution

Efeitos das variáveis ambientais locais sobre a abundância, a riqueza e a biomassa da macrofauna de solo em um ecossistema semiárido no estado do rio grande do norte, nordeste do brasil

The soil macrofauna is influenced to several biotic and abiotic environmental factors, from changes in the physical environment to a variety of interactions among the species involved, affecting the patterns of biodiversity of soil fauna. The power and specificity of the mechanisms that act on soil organisms vary greatly depending on environmental conditions at different scales of space and time. The Caatinga has great spatial heterogeneity of vegetation, climate and soil, so the soil macrofauna would follow this local spatial variation in the environment? This study aimed to investigate the effects of local environmental variables on biological parameters (taxa richness, total abundance and biomass) of soil macrofauna in a fragment of caatinga in João Câmara, Rio Grande Norte, Northeast Brazil. The study was conducted in the Cauaçu farm, where a grid of 2000m x 500m was drawn, and later, 30 sampling points were randomly selected. The methodology used to collect the macrofauna was the TSBF method. We tested the effects of 10 environmental variables on macrofauna across the plots and across the layers of soil. The hypothesis that macrofauna soil responds to changes in the environment was not supported throughout the plots, but was confirmed to soil layers. The soil macrofauna shows a pattern of concentration in the surface layer and decreases considerably in the deeper layers. This pattern had significant and positive relationship with the aerial plant biomass and fine root stock. The aerial plant biomass releases plant necromass that accumulates in the surface layer, providing an important source of resource and shelter for soil macrofauna, explaining their greater abundance in this layer. The roots are used as a means for the arrival of nutrients to the soil from the primary production, thus a greater amount of root conditions higher food intake for macrofauna, especially the herbivores

Terceirização versus agenda do trabalho decente : estudo de caso a partir do Banco do Brasil s.a. na Paraíba

This Dissertation examines outsourcing in Bank of Brazil SA, the state of Paraiba. The central research question is to what extent this flexibility of labor relations incorporates items claimed by ´recent´ Decent Work Agenda of the International Labour Organization (OIT) or, on the contrary, the ´epidemic´ of outsourcing makes it even more challenging the world of work in the third millennium. The research hypothesis is that the Bank of Brazil has a growing subcontracting / outsourcing of labor (companies and individuals) and that not only contributes to the deterioration of working conditions, but also opposes the Work Agenda decent. Aiming to prove or disprove the hypothesis, the study includes a survey and secondary field. The literature review focuses on the trend towards casualization of labor in capitalism, and yet, in an effort to systematize data and analysis on ´outsourcing´ from the viewpoint of different actors. This theoretical framework is anchored in important classical sources and present that address the topic in the world and in Brazil. The field research was conducted with the actors related to the theme of ´outsourcing´ the Bank of Brazil - Paraiba, precisely branch managers, permanent employees of the bank, union representatives (bank workers), union bank and outsourced. The results confirm, in part, the study hypothesis, by demonstrating that there are several meanings and forms of precariousness that the contractors surveyed are submitted, highlighting the issue of salaries, the work environment, union representation and health worker. All these themes, each for himself, are contemplated by the Decent Work Agenda of the ILO and show, according to field research, rather fragile

A proposta do estado empregador de ultima instância e o experimentalismo democrático: uma reflexão teórica sobre a compatibilidade desses dois programas

This paper aims to make a theoretical reflection on the theoretical compatibility between the program State Employer of Last Resort (ELR) and the Democratic experimentalism (ED). The ED arises in political thought as an alternative to neo-liberal and social democratic programs in order to rescue the discussion about the institutional organization of society and the market economy. About the involuntary unemployment, it proposes tax changes incidents on payroll and proposes work fronts to the most vulnerable or poorly trained. The hypothesis of this paper is that this approach is compatible with the ELR program, the post- Keynesian line. The ELR is presented as transgression of the mainstream of economic thought by proposing that the State acts as guarantor of employment, working as a stabilizing anchor for the economy. On the edge, the ELR proposes eliminate completely involuntary unemployment. The implementation of the ELR, however, requires the construction of institutions that aim to remake the market economy, as well as deepen and energize politics and democracy, goals that are part of the ED program. Thus, the ED would, in theory, an environment conducive to innovative policies guarantors of training and occupation of the individual, essential for their emancipation institutional environment. In Brazil, which has serious infrastructure problems and qualification of manpower, such a program has enormous potential benefit. However when transposed to the Northeast of Brazil through the Plan for the region based on the principles of the ED and the hypothetical coupling to the ELR could not confirm or reject the hypothesis sub-compatibility of these two theoretical frameworks. The findings point to a partial convergence between these two programs

Infecções por helmintos em Javalis (Sus scrofa scrofa) criados em cativeiro na região Noroeste do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

O estudo foi desenvolvido no período de outubro de 2001 a maio de 2002, com 51 javalis (Sus scrofa scrofa) proveniente de duas propriedades situadas nos municípios de Mirassol e Fernandópolis, Estado de São Paulo, sendo 18 animais variando de 150 a 360 dias (Grupo I) e 33 animais entre 30 a 120 dias de vida (Grupo II). O objetivo da investigação foi identificar a helmintofauna e obter subsídio para melhor conhecimento da instalação das infecções helmínticas. Foram identificadas nos dois grupos, respectivamente, oito espécies de nematódeos com as seguintes prevalências: Trichuris suis (16,7% e 30,3%); Metastrongylus salmi (50,0% e 15,2%), Metastrongylus pudendotectus (5,6% e 3,0%); Strongyloides ransomi (27,8% e 12,1%); Ascaris suum (0,0% e 3,0%), Ascarops strongylina (27,8% e 0,0%); Physocephalus sexalatus (5,6% e 0,0%); Oesophagostomum dentatum (22,2% e 0,0%). O total de nematódeos colhidos e identificados nos dois grupos de animais foi de 7958, assim distribuídos: 6573 no intestino grosso (82,6%), 1246 no pulmão (15,7%), 89 no intestino delgado (1,1%), e 50 no estômago (0,6%). As maiores variações de intensidade foram obtidas por T. suis de 1 a 1764 e por M. salmi 1 a 248 exemplares.

Efeito da idade sobre as principais características andrológicas de touros Brangus- Efeito da idade sobre as principais características andrológicas de touros BrangusIbagé criados extensivamente no estado do Mato Grosso do Sul - Brasil Ibagé criados extensivamente no estado do Mato Grosso do Sul - Brasil

Background: Bull fertility is extremely important for beef cattle production systems and has a multiplier impact on the economical and zootechnical indexes of the herd. Bulls raised in tropical conditions may present varied seminal characteristics due to, among other causes, different management practices and quality of pastures. Another factor that influences the semen characteristics is the age of the sire. The reproductive potential of bull evaluated through the andrological exam aims to ensure the semen quality and to improve the herd reproductive efficiency. The aim of this study was to evaluate the main semen parameters of Brangus-Ibage bulls extensively reared in eastern Mato Grosso do Sul state and to verify the effect of age on the andrological characteristics analyzed. It was also evaluated the correlation between age, scrotal circumference, and physical and morphological sperm characteristics produced by the Brangus bulls.Materials, Methods & Results: The study took place in the month of July 2010, during the routine andrological examination of 168 synthetic Brangus-Ibage bulls (5/8 Angus x 3/8 Nelore), belonging to the same property. For data analysis the animals were divided by age groups: animals younger than 4 years (Age I), animals between 4 and 8 years of age (Age II), and animals between 8 and 15 years of age (Age III). In another analysis, the animals were grouped according to the sperm motility pattern obtained from the semen collection: sperm motility lower than 40% (Motility I), sperm motility between 40 and 70% (Motility II) and sperm motility between 70 and 90% (Motility III). The results of the present study demonstrated an effect of age (P < 0.05) on the following androgical characteristics: scrotal circumference, ejaculate volume, sperm vigor, major defects, minor defects and total defects. It was also observed that the animals with higher sperm motility presented higher (P < 0.05) scrotal circumference, and lower (P < 0.05) percentages of major and total defects. Among the andrological characteristics evaluated in the present work, it was observed positive correlations between age and scrotal circumference (R =0.299; P =0.000), age and volume of ejaculate (R =0.161; P =0.037), age and major defects (R =0.188; P =0.015), sperm motility and scrotal circumference (R =0.245; P =0.001), sperm motility and sperm vigor (R =0.483; P =0.000), and between major defects and total defects (R =0.946; P =0.000). Also, negative correlations were observed between sperm motility and total defects (R =-0.372; P =0.000), sperm vigor and major defects (R =-0.498; P =0.000), and sperm vigor and total defects (R =-0.432; P =0.000).Discussion: Based on the results of this study it was concluded that the Brangus-Ibage bulls utilized for natural breeding in eastern Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, presented satisfactory semen quality taking into account the quality of the pastures where the animals were located. In addition, the scrotal circumference, the ejaculate volume, the sperm vigor, and the percentage of morphological characteristics were influenced by the age of the bulls. Therefore, considering the production system and the environmental conditions, the animals with age between 4 and 8 years were superior regarding the sperm parameters evaluated.

Avaliação do impacto do treinamento de clínica em hanseníase e sua contribuição para o aumento da detecção da doença no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte

Hansen´s disease is considered a serious public health problem. In 2006, the Ministry of Health reported that worldwide, Brazil ranked 2nd in the number of cases of the disease, surpassed only by India. The North region is the geographical area in Brazil that presents the most cases. In the state of Rio Grande do Norte, the disease is considered to be eliminated because its prevalence has been identified as 1 per 10.000 inhabitants, criteria established by the State Elimination Letter of 2005. Training programs have been offered by the Coordination for the Control of Hansen´s Disease Program of Rio Grande do Norte, PCH-RN since 1997, with the support of the English governmental agency Leprosy Relief Association, LRA, with no evaluation having been conducted. The objective of this study was to evaluate the training programs in clinical diagnosis of Hansen´s disease and their contribution to the detection of the disease in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. The study was conducted in seven municipalities that are known as Regional Public Health Units (URSAPs): São José de Mipibu URSAP I, Mossoró URSAP II, João Câmara URSAP III, Caicó URSAP IV, Santa Cruz URSAP V, Pau dos Ferros URSAP VI and Natal, capital city of the State, in the Metropolitan Region. Physicians and nurses of the Family Health Program PSF were interviewed as to their perceptions of the implementation of the training program in clinica diagnosis of Hansen´s Disease conducted by the PCH-RN. They evaluated their own practice and the training program. These professionals presented a positive evaluation of the program and gave suggestions for future courses. The results of this study suggest the need for permanent education. Data of the disease obtained from the official records of the Secretariat of Health and from the interviews indicate that health education is the means to control Hansen´s disease effectively