Some aspects of dermatophytoses seen at University Hospital in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil

Dermatophytoses comprise mycoses which are very frequently diagnosed in the routine of clinical laboratories of Florianópolis, like any other Brazilian cities. However, no clinical or epidemiological studies data have been published for that city so far. To partially clarify these questions, we carried out a study on this subject on patients who sought the mycology services of Hospital of Federal University of Santa Catarina, from January 1995 to November 1996. The most prevalent dermatophyte was Trichophyton rubrum (58.6%), followed by T. mentagrophytes (25.3%), Epidermophyton floccosum (7.2%), Microsporum canis (4.8%), T. tonsurans (1.6%) T. violaceum (1.6%) and M. gypseum (0.8%). The prevalence of T. mentagrophytes was significantly higher for females than for males, with a frequency of 37.3% and 16.0% respectively, which could be explained by higher infection of T. mentagrophytes in feet and nails, which were percentually more affected in females than in males. These results suggest that, in general, the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of dermatophytoses of our study have similar patterns of those occurring in other southern and southeastern Brazilian cities

Onychomycosis by Scytalidium dimidiatum: report of two cases in Santa Catarina, Brazil

Onychomycoses constitute pathologies frequently seen in dermatological practice worldwide. Usually, they are caused by two groups of pathogenic fungi: dermatophytes and yeasts of the Candida genus. However, in a small fraction of the cases, the etiologic agents comprise nondermatophyte molds, belonging to several genera and species. The objective of this study was to present two cases of onychomycosis associated to the mold Scytalidium dimidiatum in patients residing in two cities of Santa Catarina State, Brazil. Aspects of fungal pathogenesis, as well as the epidemiological characteristics and laboratory diagnosis, are discussed.

A gestão do território municipal em Cabo Verde: o caso de Santa Catarina de Santiago

Dissertação apresentada para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em Gestão do Território/especialidade em Planeamento e Ordenamento do Território.

Tungiasis in schoolchildren in Criciúma, Santa Catarina State, South Brazil

Tungiasis is a common parasitic skin disease in Brazil, caused by the flea Tunga penetrans. We conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate the occurrence of infestation with T. penetrans in primary schoolchildren in Criciúma, Santa Catarina State (South Brazil). In total, 917 children (6-10 years) of 68 schools were included in the study (11% of target population). Physical examination was followed by residential visits of those infested, to assess housing conditions and to interview the children's guardians. Of the 917, 15 (1.6%) children were infested with the parasite. The prevalence was twice as high in females (10 children - 2.2%) as compared to males (five children - 1.1%), but due to the low number of infested individuals, the difference was statistically not significant (p = 0.18). The mean number of lesions found was 1.4 per child. One child presented bacterial superinfection. Of the 15 children infested, 10 (66.7%) studied in schools built on pyritiferous soil. The families of 12 children (79.9%) had been living in the area in which the study was conducted for less than eight years and were considered underprivileged families with the head of the household having a low education status. We conclude that in Criciúma tungiasis occurs in primary school children, but prevalence and parasite load are low.

Seabather's eruption: a clinical and epidemiological study of 38 cases in Santa Catarina State, Brazil

Seabather's eruption (SBE) is an intensely itchy, papule-erythematous dermatitis that occurs predominantly in regions of the body covered by bathing costumes, after exposure to marine water. The planulae larvae of Linuche unguiculata scyphomedusae (thimble jellyfish) are the etiologic agent of the dermatitis, which is frequent in waters of Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and Florida. The authors report 38 cases of SBE in the State of Santa Catarina (Southern region of Brazil), with emphasis on their clinical and epidemiological aspects, such as profile of victim, topography of the papules and conditions predisposing to the accident.

Clinical and epidemiological study of 27 poisonings caused by ingesting puffer fish (Tetrodontidae) in the states of Santa Catarina and Bahia, Brazil

Puffer fish can be poisonous due to the presence of the potent neurotoxins such as Tetrodotoxin (TTX) and Saxitoxin (STX) found in its tissues. The authors report 27 human poisonings from ingestion of puffer fish in patients treated at Toxicology Centers in the states of Santa Catarina and Bahia, Brazil, between 1984 and January 2009. Poisonings were classified as moderate (52%) and severe (33%), two deaths were observed. Early diagnosis is very important to ensure respiratory support.

Antibody levels to hantavirus in inhabitants of western Santa Catarina State, Brazil

Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) is an infectious disease caused by hantaviruses of the family Bunyaviridae, and is transmitted by aerosols of excreta of infected rodents. The aim of the present study was to determine antibody levels to hantavirus in the population that lives at frontier of Brazil and Argentina. Participated of the study 405 individuals living in the municipalities of Bandeirante, Santa Helena, Princesa and Tunapolis, state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. IgG antibodies to hantavirus were analyzed in sera by an ELISA that uses a recombinant N protein of Araraquara hantavirus as antigen. The results were also confirmed by immunofluorescent test. Eight individuals showed antibodies to hantavirus (1.97% positivity), with serum titers ranging from 100 to 800. Six seropositives were males, older than 30 years and farmers. Our results reinforce previous data on hantavirus circulation and human infections in the southern border of Brazil with Argentina.

TEMPORAL TRENDS IN THE DETECTION RATES OF HEPATITIS B IN THE SANTA CATARINA STATE, BRAZIL

Hepatitis B is a serious public health problem. The state of Santa Catarina presents areas of high endemicity. The aim of this study was to describe temporal trends in detection rates of hepatitis B in the period from 2002 to 2009 in Santa Catarina and in its regions. A time series study was carried out. Crude rates were calculated and standardized by age using the direct method. Annual variation percentages were estimated by Joinpoint regression. There were two distinct and significant trends in Santa Catarina. From 2002 to 2006 a significant increase of 5.9% per year was observed. From 2006, there was a significant decrease of 6.4% per year. In this same period the southern and far-western regions had significant increases of 15.9% and 4.6% and significant decreases of 7.5% and 4.8%, respectively. Greater Florianópolis and Northeast also showed significant increases until 2006, of 15.4% and 17.4%, respectively. In the following period, non-significant decreases of 5.8% and 9.8% respectively were observed. Foz do Rio Itajaí and Planalto Serrano showed non-significant increases up to half of the studied period of 21.1% and 12.0%, respectively and after, significant decreases of 21.5% and 18.0%, respectively. Vale do Itajaí showed a significant decrease of 9.7%; Planalto Norte showed a non-significant decrease of 0.6% and Midwest a non-significant increase of 2.7% per year, in the period from 2002 to 2009.

SEROLOGIC SURVEY ON HANTAVIRUS IN BLOOD DONORS FROM THE STATE OF SANTA CATARINA, BRAZIL

Emergent diseases such as Hantavirus Cardio-pulmonary Syndrome (HCPS) are able to create a significant impact on human populations due to their seriousness and high fatality rate. Santa Catarina, located in the South of Brazil, is the leading state for HCPS with 267 reported cases from 1999 to 2011. We present here a serological survey on hantavirus in blood donors from different cities of the state of Santa Catarina, with an IgG-ELISA using a recombinant nucleocapsid protein from Araraquara hantavirus as an antigen. In total, 314 donors from blood banks participated in the study, geographically covering the whole state. Among these, 14 individuals (4.4%) had antibodies to hantavirus: four of 50 (8% positivity) from Blumenau, four of 52 (7.6%) from Joinville, three of 50 (6%) from Florianópolis, two of 50 (4%) from Chapecó and one of 35 (2.8%) from Joaçaba. It is possible that hantaviruses are circulating across almost the whole state, with important epidemiological implications. Considering that the seropositive blood donors are healthy individuals, it is possible that hantaviruses may be causing unrecognized infections, which are either asymptomatic or clinically nonspecific, in addition to HCPS. It is also possible that more than one hantavirus type could be circulating in this region, causing mostly benign infections.

OCCURRENCE OF Calodium hepaticum (BANCROFT, 1893) MORAVEC, 1982 EGGS IN FECES OF DOGS AND CATS IN LAGES, SANTA CATARINA, BRAZIL

This study aims to report the incidence of Calodium hepaticum among dogs and cats, pets or stray animals, captured by the Zoonosis Control Center (CCZ) in Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Fecal samples from 108 pet dogs and eight pet cats, and from 357 stray dogs and 97 stray cats, captured by CCZ, were analyzed within the period from July 2010 to November 2012. Coproparasitological exams were performed by techniques of sedimentation, centrifuge-flotation, and simple flotation. Among 465 fecal samples from dogs and 105 from cats, the overall spurious infections for C. hepaticum eggs were 1.05%. For dogs, this positivity was 0.43% and for cats it was 3.81%. The two positive dogs were stray and out of the four cats, three were stray and one was a pet. Although the occurrence of C. hepaticum eggs was low, these data reveal the existence of infected rodents, especially in public places, since, out of the six infected animals, five (83.33%) were stray. These results are discussed and analyzed with an emphasis on the risk to public health.

Symptomless Plasmodium vivax parasitemias and malaria eradication in Santa Catarina State, Brazil

Thirty-nine symptomless carriers of P. vivax parasites in the blood gave blood films at monthly intervals for four to six months during the non- transmission season. It was found that parasitaemias can continue for many months. Thirteen of those studied relapsed with symptoms and were treated with chloroquine at a dosage of 600 mg for adults with proportionate doses for children. Of these nine relapsed silently while under observation: a symptomless relapse rate of approximately 70 per cent. One case had symptoms attributable to malaria close to the time of the original survey (the day before). Of the remaining 38 asymptomatic parasite carriers four showed microgametocytes in a density that suggested a potentially high infectivity and six showed microgametocytes in a density suggesting a potentially low to moderate infectivity for mosquito vectors. There was thus a proportion of one smptomatic case of malaria to 10 potentially infective symptomless parasite carriers. Because they feel no need to seek treatment, such persons may form an important reservoir of infection when vectors cannot be fully controlled by spraying. Some possible methods of dealing with such situations are discussed.

Novos dados sôbre a distribuição geográfica dos triatomíneos em Sta. Catarina, Brasil

Os autores fizeram pesquisas em triatomíneos, com auxílio de pó insetífugo, em domicílios de quase todos os municípios de duas das três regiões em que se divide o Estado de Santa Catarina. Foram encontrados triatomídeos domiciliares em quatro municípios situados no extremo oeste do Estado. Num outro inquérito feito quatro anos mais tarde, só uma localidade se revelou positiva. A única espécie encontrada foi o Triatoma infestans e a maioria dos insetos foi capturada em galinheiros. São, também, enumeradas as localidades de onde os autores têm recebido exemplares adultos de Panstrongylus megistus capturados nos domicílios pelos próprios moradores. Èsses achados têm-se verificado nas seguintes zonas fisiográficas: Litoral de São Francisco, Bacia do Itajaí, Florianópolis, Laguna, Canoinhas, Campos de Lajes e Rio do Peixe.