Situação epidemiológica da doença meningocócica no Estado do Paraná, Brasil / Epidemiological situation of meningococcal disease in the State of Paraná, Brazil

Este trabalho tem por objetivo analisar a situação epidemiológica da doença meningocócica (DM) no estado do Paraná. Foi realizado um estudo retrospectivo dos casos confirmados de DM disponibilizados no DATASUS, no estado do Paraná, no período de 2010 até 2019. As variáveis analisadas foram macrorregião/município de residência, sexo, raça e faixa etária do paciente, forma clínica e evolução, sorogrupo do agente etiológico e critérios para o diagnóstico. Foram consideradas diferenças estatisticamente significativas quando p<0,05. No período do estudo, foram notificados 699 casos da DM no Paraná, sendo a forma clínica meningite meningocócica (MM) responsável por 276 casos (39,48%) seguida pela MM com meningococcemia (MCC) (248; 35,8%) e MCC apenas (166; 23,75%). A doença acometeu todas as faixas etárias, principalmente crianças menores de 4 anos. Houve associação entre a forma clínica da doença e a faixa etária (p<0,01), e entre a forma clínica e desfecho (p<0,01), mas não houve associação com sexo, raça e sorogrupo. Quanto à evolução clínica, um total de 150 casos (21,74%) evoluíram para óbito, sendo a forma clínica MCC a mais expressiva.  Quanto ao diagnóstico, a maior parte dos casos foram confirmados por PCR viral (182; 26,38%), cultura (177; 25,65%) e aglutinação do látex (162; 23,48%). Os sorotipos B e C foram responsáveis por 45% dos casos notificados no período. Esse panorama reforça a necessidade de intervenções e investimentos que visem a redução da morbimortalidade associada à DM

Eficácia e pH de caldas de glifosato após a adição de fertilizantes nitrogenados e utilização de pulverizador pressurizado por CO2

This work was developed with the objective of evaluating the efficacy and the pH of glyphosate spray solutions after the addition of nitrogen fertilizers and the use of CO2-pressurized sprayer. In field conditions, two rates of glyphosate (360 and 720 g ha-1) were applied either alone or combined with two concentrations of urea (2.5 and 5.0 g L-1) or ammonium sulfate (7.5 and 15.0 g L-1). In laboratory, the pH of the glyphosate solutions was measured after using different concentrations of the product and nitrogen fertilizers and after using a CO2-pressurized sprayer. For all field condition evaluations, the lowest glyphosate rate had higher biological efficacy after the addition of ammonium sulfate (15 g L-1) to the spray solution. Urea (5 g L-1) promoted benefits only at the 28th-day evaluation. In laboratory, the increase of glyphosate concentration promoted gradual acidification of the spray solution, which stabilized at pH 4.5. Ammonium sulfate caused minor acidification of the herbicide solution, whereas urea did not change the pH. The use of CO2-pressurized sprayer had small effect on the solution's pH. Highest glyphosate efficacy identified after the addition of nitrogen fertilizers has little relation with changes on the solution's pH.Este trabalho foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de avaliar a eficácia e o pH de caldas de glifosato após a adição de fertilizantes nitrogenados e utilização de pulverizador pressurizado por CO2. Em campo, foram aplicadas duas doses de glifosato (360 e 720 g ha-1), isoladas ou combinadas a duas concentrações de ureia (2,5 e 5,0 g L-1) ou sulfato de amônio (7,5 e 15,0 g L-1). Em laboratório, mensurou-se o pH de caldas de glifosato após o uso de diferentes concentrações do produto e dos fertilizantes nitrogenados e após a utilização do pulverizador pressurizado por CO2. Em todas as avaliações do experimento em campo, a menor dose de glifosato teve maior eficácia biológica após a adição de sulfato de amônio (15 g L-1) à calda. A ureia (5 g L-1) proporcionou efeitos benéficos somente na avaliação aos 28 dias após a aplicação. Em laboratório, o aumento da concentração de glifosato promoveu gradativa acidificação da calda de pulverização, com estabilização do pH da solução em 4,5. O sulfato de amônio causou pequena acidificação da calda herbicida, enquanto a ureia não alterou o pH. O uso do pulverizador pressurizado por CO2 pouco alterou o pH da calda de glifosato. A maior eficácia do glifosato após a adição de fertilizantes nitrogenados à calda está pouco relacionada com alterações no pH da solução

Genetic Characterization of Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 in Mozambique: Transcontinental Lineages Drive the HTLV-1 Endemic

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the causative agent of Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma (ATL), the Tropical Spastic Paraparesis/HTLV-1-associated Myelopathy (TSP/HAM) and other inflammatory diseases, including dermatitis, uveitis, and myositis. It is estimated that 2–8% of the infected persons will develop a HTLV-1-associated disease during their lifetimes, frequently TSP/HAM. Thus far, there is not a specific treatment to this progressive and chronic disease. HTLV-1 has means of three transmission: (i) from mother to child during prolonged breastfeeding, (ii) between sexual partners and (iii) through blood transfusion. HTLV-1 has been characterized in 7 subtypes and the geographical distribution and the clinical impact of this infection is not well known, mainly in African population. HTLV-1 is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa. Mozambique is a country of southeastern Africa where TSP/HAM cases were reported. Recently, our group estimated the HTLV prevalence among Mozambican blood donors as 0.9%. In this work we performed a genetic analysis of HTLV-1 in blood donors and HIV/HTLV co-infected patients from Maputo, Mozambique. Our results showed the presence of three HTLV-1 clusters within the Cosmopolitan/Transcontinental subtype/subgroup. The differential rates of HIV-1/HTLV-1 co-infection in the three HTLV-1 clusters demonstrated the dynamic of the two viruses and the need for implementation of control measures focusing on both retroviruses

FREQUÊNCIA DE ANTICORPOS ANTI-TOXOPLASMA GONDII EM CÃES COM SINAIS CLÍNICOS COMPATÍVEIS COM TOXOPLASMOSE

O objetivo deste trabalho foi detectar anticorposcontra T. gondii emcãescom sinais clínicoscompatíveis com toxoplasmose atendidos em um Hospital Veterinário. Foram submetidos a sorologia 598 cães no período de 1993 a 2013. A pesquisa de anticorpos da classe IgG contra T. gondii foi realizada pela Reação de Imunofluorescência Indireta (RIFI); amostras com título ≥ 16 foram consideradas positivas. Entre os cães com sinais clínicos, 259 (43,31%) foram soropositivos para T. gondii com títulos variando de 16 a 4096; já entre os animais hígidos, 79 (22,25%) foram reagentes. Os sinais mais evidentes foram os neurológicos (30,43%) e uveíte (8,03%). Entre as variáveis raça, sexo e idade, apenas a última exerceu influência sobre os resultados observados, com maior frequência de soropositivos em cães idosos. Palavras-chave: caninos; RIFI; sinais clínicos; sorologia; Toxoplasma gondii; zoonose

Socioeconomic vulnerability associated to Toxoplasma gondii exposure in southern Brazil.

Human toxoplasmosis, a protozoonosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii, has been described as a worldwide foodborne disease with important public health impact. Despite infection has reportedly varied due to differences in alimentary, cultural and hygienic habits and geographic region, social vulnerability influence on toxoplasmosis distribution remains to be fully established. Accordingly, the present study has aimed to assess T. gondii seroprevalence and factors associated to social vulnerability for infection in households of Ivaiporã, southern Brazil, with 33.6% population making half minimum wage or less, ranked 1,055th in population (31,816 habitants), 1,406th in per capita income (U$ 211.80 per month) and 1,021st in HDI (0.764) out of 5,570 Brazilian cities. Serum samples and epidemiological questionnaires were obtained from citizen volunteers with official City Secretary of Health assistance in 2015 and 2016. In overall, serosurvey has revealed 526/715 (73.57%) positive samples for anti-T. gondii antibodies by Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test. Logistic regression has shown a significant increase associated to adults (p = 0.021) and elderly (p = 0.014) people, illiterates (p = 0.025), unemployment (p <0.001) and lack of household water tank (p = 0.039). On the other hand, sex (male or female), living area (urban or rural), yard hygiene, meat ingestion, sand or land contact, owning pets (dog, cat or both) were not significant variables of positivity for anti-T. gondii antibodies in the surveyed population. Although no significant spatial cluster was found, high intensity areas of seropositive individuals were located in the Kernel map where the suburban neighborhoods are located. In conclusion, socioeconomic vulnerability determinants may be associated to Toxoplasma gondii exposure. The increased risk due to illiteracy, adult or elderly age, unemployment and lack of household water tank were confirmed by multivariate analysis and the influence of low family income for seropositivity by the spatial analysis

Genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from eared doves (Zenaida auriculata) in Brazil

<div><p>Eared doves (Zenaida auriculata), which are common in urban, rural and wild areas in many regions of Brazil, are frequently prey for domestic cats. Therefore Toxoplasma gondii isolates obtained from doves may reflect greater environmental diversity than those from other hosts. The aim of the present study was to evaluate T. gondii seroprevalence, isolate and genotype strains from Z. auriculata. Serum and tissue samples were collected from 206 doves for use in the modified agglutination test (MAT) and mouse bioassay. The prevalence of T. gondii antibodies in the doves was 22.3% (46/206), with titers ranging from 16 to 4096, and T. gondii strains were isolated from 12 of these doves. Five genotypes were detected by means of PCR-RFLP, including ToxoDB genotypes #1, #6, #17 and #65, and one genotype that had not previously been described (ToxoDB#182). This was the first report on isolation of T. gondii from Z. auriculata. This study confirmed the genetic diversity of T. gondii isolates and the existence of clonal type II (ToxoDB genotype #1) in Brazil.</p></div

An outbreak of caprine toxoplasmosis - investigation and case report

ABSTRACT: The present study aimed to investigate an abortion outbreak in a dairy goat herd in the municipality of Arapoti, Parana, Brazil. At the beginning of the outbreak, blood samples were collected from 33 goats with clinical signs; later, of the whole goat herd, two cats and two dogs. Milk samples were collected from 78 lactating goats. Four environmental soil samples and four samples of feed residue from goat feeders were collected too. Immunofluorescence antibody test (IFA) was used for serodiagnosis, the molecular analysis was conducted by means of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), for the isolation of the etiological agent the bioassay was used. The results of the IFA revealed that 76.53% (137/179) of the goats, two dogs and two cats were seropositive for Toxoplasma gondii. Bioassay revealed one buffy coat and two milk sample having viable T. gondii. In the PCR, 11 whole blood samples, eight milk, three feeder troughs, and all soil samples were positive. The findings of the present study confirmed an outbreak caused by environmental contamination (of soil and feed) with T. gondii oocysts that could have been shed by kittens that lived on the farm and had access to the stock of goat food, facilitating this contamination, which reinforces the need for veterinary assistance and good management practices on farms