Blood serum components and serum protein test of Hybro-PG broilers of different ages

Blood serum samples of HYBRO PG broilers were analyzed, with 30 samples collected from 21-day-old broilers (G1), 30 from 35-day-old birds (G2), and 30 from 42-day-old birds (G3), with the aim of establishing normal values of some blood serum parameters. The activities of the enzymes gamma-glutamyl-transferase (GGT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine kinase (CK), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serum levels of total calcium, calcium ion, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, magnesium, chlorides, creatinine, uric acid, triglycerides, cholesterol, total protein, albumin, total and indirect and direct bilirubin, and electrophoretic profile of serum proteins in acrylamide (SDS-PAGE) and agarose gel were determined. There was no influence of age on total bilirubin and albumin levels. All the other evaluated parameters presented differences in at least one age group. Protein electrophoretic profile also changed as a function of age. The obtained results can be considered as normal for the studied ages, and therefore be used as references for the interpretation of laboratory exams of broilers of this genetic line in the evaluated ages

Spatial Vulnerability to Dengue in a Brazilian Urban Area During a 7-Year Surveillance

This study considers the vulnerability of the urban area of the City of Belo Horizonte to dengue. A total number of 89,607 cases registered in the surveillance system from 1996 to 2002 were analyzed. Seven epidemic waves were identified during this period. Cases were grouped into 2,563 census areas, and three risk categories were proposed based on how many times each area reached a threshold established for each epidemic wave. The association between the risk categories and the socioeconomic, demographic and urban-infrastructure characteristics was evaluated. Analysis included Kruskal–Wallis test variance comparisons and multivariate regression using multinomial models. Incidence rates differed significantly among the three risk categories in most of the epidemic waves. The factors that best characterized the areas were low educational level (≤4 years of schooling), low income of the head of the family (≤2 minimum wages per household), household density, and proportion of children and elderly women. Information related to basic sanitation was not enough to discriminate levels of susceptibility to dengue, and study of population density and concentration of establishments considered vulnerable to vector infestation yielded questionable results. It is important to consider different levels of exposure of the population to explain the heterogeneous pattern of distribution of dengue cases in an urban setting. Understanding the dynamics of dengue fever is essential for surveillance purposes, to improve control measures and to avoid epidemics of this disease

Hepatite crônica por vírus C: Parte 1. Considerações gerais Hepatitis C virus: Part 1. General considerations

O vírus da hepatite C foi identificado em 1989 como sendo o principal agente causador das hepatites não-A não-B e o seu reconhecimento como agente de alta prevalência nas infecções pós-tranfusionais e/ou uso de derivados do sangue ou em associação com o abuso de drogas endovenosas. A descoberta e a maior disponibilidade de novas técnicas para a seleção adequada de doadores de sangue, reduziu sensivelmente a incidência das hepatites pós-transfusionais. Cerca de 95% dos indivíduos infectados pelo vírus da hepatite C podem ser identificados pelos testes anti-vírus da hepatite C de terceira geração. Os estudos retrospectivos de infecções pelo vírus da hepatite C iatrogênicas, são as principais fontes de reconhecimento da história natural da doença. A distribuição dos diferentes genótipos do vírus da hepatite C varia de acordo com as regiões geográficas. Na América do Sul, Europa, Estados Unidos e Japão 1, 2, e 3 representam a maioria das infecções, sendo o subtipo 1-b o mais prevalente. Os parâmetros epidemiológicos (idade, fatores de risco e duração da infecção) podem estar associados com os genótipos do vírus da hepatite C, sendo os tipos 1-a e 3-a mais freqüentes nos drogaditos endovenosos e o 1-b nas hepatites pós-transfusionais. O subtipo 1-b ocasiona lesões hepáticas mais graves e prolongadas, com alterações ultraestruturais mitocondriais freqüentes e grande comprometimento dos processos de fosforilização oxidativa. A produção aumentada de radicais livres pode influenciar negativamente a evolução da doença hepática pelo reforço da ação citopática do vírus da hepatite C que provoca. O significado clínico dos níveis de vírus C no interior do fígado, nesses pacientes, não é determinado pelos fatores hospedeiro (idade, tipo e duração da infecção) ou pelos fatores virais (genótipos) e os repetidamente vírus da hepatite C RNA RT-PCR negativos no soro, não indicam necessariamente ausência de vírus da hepatite C no fígado. A associação de autoimunidade à hepatite C é questionável. Os marcadores imunes são freqüentemente detectados em baixos níveis. A modulação da resposta imune ao envelope protéico E2, após injeção de plasmídios DNA, tem sido usada para induzir respostas imunes específicas ao vírus da hepatite C. O espectro de tais respostas poderia ser ampliada mediante combinação de plasmídios, vias de administração e outras formas de imunógenos codificados (vacinas a base de peptídios). Tais estratégias podem vir a ser importantes, em breve, no combate aos altamente mutantes vírus da hepatite C. O papel patogênico dos novos vírus G e TT das hepatites está em estudos, porém é de consenso que suas associações com doença hepática ativa é fortuita.<br>Hepatitis C virus was identified in 1989 as the main causative agent of non-A, non-B and was followed by the recognition of a high prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection after transfusion of infected blood or blood products and in association with intravenous drug abuse. The availability of sensitive and reliable techniques to screen blood for hepatitis C virus has reduced the incidence of post-transfusion hepatitis. True healthy carriers of hepatitis C virus did not exist. Aproximately 95% of hepatitis C virus infected individuals can be identified by third generation anti- hepatitis C virus testing. Retrospective studies of iatrogenic hepatitis C virus infection are the main source of the natural history of the disease. The distribution of different hepatitis C virus genotypes varies according to the grographic region. In South America, Europe, The United States and Japan hepatitis C virus genotypes 1, 2 and 3 account for the majority of the infections, being (sub)type 1b the most prevalent. Epidemiological parameters (age, risk factors and duration of infection) may be associated with hepatitis C virus genotypes (intravenous drug abuse with types 1-a and 3-a and 1-b with post-transfusion hepatitic C). Subtype 1-b, lead to a more severe course of viral infection, with ultrastructural alterations of the mitochondria, and greater impairment of the process of oxidative phosphorylation. No increased production of free radicals may influence the evolution of the liver disease by an enhancement of the cytopathic effect of hepatitis C virus. The clinical significance of intrahepatic hepatitis C virus level in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection is not determined by host factors (age of patient, mode or duration of infection) or by virus factors (hepatitis C virus genotypes) and, repeatedly negative RT-PCR for hepatitis C virus RNA in serum does not indicate absence of hepatitis C virus from the liver. The association between autoimmunity and hepatitis C virus is questioned. Markers of its does occur with high frequency in these patients. Modulation of immune responses to hepatitis C virus envelope E2 protein following injection of plasmid DNA, has been used for induction of specific response to hepatitis C virus. The spectrum of such responses could likely be broadened by combining plasmids, delivery routes, and other forms of encoded immunogens (peptide vaccines). These may be important to the development of a vaccine against the high mutable hepatitis C virus. The pathogenic role of novel DNA virus (TTV) is under spotlight. As with hepatitis G, however, the association of TTV with disease is far from clear