In vitro efficacy of four insecticides against eggs of Tunga penetrans (Siphonaptera)

Systematic assessments of control measures against the jigger flea Tunga penetrans are scarce, and there are no published data available on the efficacy of environmental insecticides against immature stages. We tested four environmental contact insecticides used by Brazilian authorities for disease control (deltamethrin, bifenthrin, dichlorvos and etofenprox) against T. penetrans eggs. Eggs were reared in vitro. Hatch rates were observed under standardized conditions and compared to a control group (40 eggs in each group). No larvae hatched after treatment with the organophosphate dichlorvos (100% efficacy). The efficacies of the other products tested varied between 17% and 57%. The data show that the organophosphate dichlorvos had a good in vitro efficacy. The use of dichlorvos can be directed to typical spots where early stages of T. penetrans are expected, considering its toxicity. Disease control should also consist of prevention measures concerning housing and environmental conditions, veterinary and human health measures

High occurrence of disabilities caused by leprosy: census from a hyperendemic area in Brazil's savannah region

Objectives: To describe leprosy-related disabilities, we performed a census including people affected by leprosy in 78 municipalities of Tocantins state in northern Brazil. The study consisted of a review of patient charts, structured questionnaires, and clinical examinations for disabilities of eyes, hands, and feet (August – December 2009), according to WHO standards. Results: A total of 910 individuals diagnosed from 2006 to 2008 were included (clinical examination and application of questionnaires), but information from patient charts was not available in all cases, resulting in different denominators. The majority (783/858; 91·3%) had completed multidrug therapy. The most common clinical findings included: enlarged/painful peripheral nerves (412/910, 45·3%), namely of ulnar (207; 22·7%), posterior tibial (196; 21·6%), peroneal (186; 20·5%), and radial cutaneous nerves (166; 18·2%); reduction/loss of sensibility 201/907 (22·2%) and reduced motor function (185/906, 20·4%). At diagnosis, 142/629 (22·6%) had Grade 1 disability (G1D), and 28/629 (4·5%) had Grade 2 disability (G2D). At the time of the study, 178/910 (19·6%) presented with G1D, and 84/910 (9·2%) with G2D. Disability grading was significantly higher in males ( P , 0·01). Subjects with G2D showed claw hands (26; 2·9%), followed by plantar ulcers (23; 2·5%), abrasion/excoriation on the foot (12; 1·3%), claw foot (7; 0·7%), and drop foot (7; 0·7%). Conclusions: Leprosy- related disabilities were common in a highly endemic area. Prevention and rehabilitation measures, especially after release from treatment, should be intensified by the primary health care system. Policy makers need to be aware of an ongoing demand for leprosy control programmes, even in a world of constantly reducing leprosy detection

Propuesta de un plan de auditoría para el sistema de gestión de calidad e inocuidad en la empresa panadería la promesa

No AplicaEl siguiente trabajo se enfoca en la elaboración de un plan de auditoria el cual va dirigido a la empresa panadería la Promesa y en la integración de las diferentes normas en la gestión de la calidad alimentaria en cuanto a HACCP y BPM, esto con el fin de mejorar y mantener un desempeño en la producción, y estándares de calidad, en el proceso, basándonos en las diferentes no conformidades encontradas en la mismas, para su mejora. Este proceso de auditoria se desarrolló con los conocimientos que fueron adquiridos en cada uno de los documentos que se desarrollaron y así mismo se pudo aplicar los conocimientos en cuanto a la ejecución de las no conformidades y procesos de mejora que se aplicaban en este mismo.The following work focuses on the development of an audit plan which is addressed to the company panadería la Promesa, and on the integration of the different standards in the management of food quality in terms of HACCP and BPM, this with the purpose to improve and maintain performance in production, and quality standards, in the process, based on the different non-conformities found in them, for their improvement. This audit process was developed with the knowledge that was acquired in each of the documents that were developed and likewise it was possible to apply the knowledge regarding the execution of nonconformities and improvement processes that were applied in it

Control of Tungiasis through Intermittent Application of a Plant-Based Repellent: An Intervention Study in a Resource-Poor Community in Brazil

Tungiasis is a parasitic skin disease caused by the female sand flea Tunga penetrans. The disease is frequent in resource-poor communities in South America and sub-Saharan Africa and affects the poorest of the poor. Sand flea disease is associated with a considerable morbidity and may lead to tetanus in non-vaccinated individuals. The degree of morbidity depends on the intensity of infestation, i.e., the number of embedded sand fleas a person has. Since tungiasis is a zoonosis involving a host of animal reservoirs, and because an effective treatment is not at hand, in resource-poor settings elimination is not feasible. Preventing morbidity to develop is therefore the only means to protect exposed individuals from sand flea disease. Similar to other arthropods, sand fleas can be repelled before they penetrate into the skin. In this study we show that the intermittent application of a plant-based repellent, of which the major component is coconut oil, reduces the intensity of infestation dramatically during the whole transmission season and prevents tungiasis-associated morbidity from developing. The prevention can be performed at the household level by the affected individuals themselves with minimal input from the health sector

Risk Factors for Tungiasis in Nigeria: Identification of Targets for Effective Intervention

Tungiasis is a parasitic skin disease caused by the sand flea Tunga penetrans. After penetration into the skin, the flea grows and reaches the size of a pea. The disease is a neglected public health problem in endemic areas in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa, and causes considerable morbidity in the affected communities. We performed a study in a rural community in Nigeria to detect factors associated with tungiasis. People were examined for the presence of sand flea lesions, and a questionnaire was applied. Of the 643 individuals examined, 252 (42.5%) had tungiasis. The most important factors independently associated with the disease were: presence of pigs on the compound (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 17.98), sand or clay floor inside house (OR = 9.33), and having the common resting place outside the house (OR = 7.14). The regular use of closed footwear (OR = 0.34) and the use of insecticides indoors (OR = 0.2) were protective factors. Our data show that tungiasis in this community is determined to an important extent by some variables that may be a target for interventions

A highly efficacious pediculicide based on dimeticone: Randomized observer blinded comparative trial

BACKGROUND: Infestation with the human head louse (Pediculus humanus capitis) occurs worldwide. Existing treatment options are limited, and reports of resistance to commonly used pediculicides have been increasing. In this trial we assessed the efficacy of a product containing a high (92%) concentration of the silicone oil dimeticone (identical in composition to NYDA(R)), as compared to a 1% permethrin lotion. METHODS: Randomized, controlled, observer blinded clinical trial. Participants were recruited from a poor urban neighbourhood in Brazil where pediculosis capitis was highly prevalent. To minimize reinfestation during the trial, participants (145 children aged 5-15 years with head lice infestations) were transferred to a holiday resort outside the endemic area for a period of 9 days. Two applications of dimeticone or 1% permethrin were done, seven days apart. Outcome measures were defined as cure (absence of vital head lice) after first application and before and after second applications, degree of itching, cosmetic acceptability, and clinical pathology. RESULTS: Overall cure rates were: day 2 - dimeticone 94.5% (95% CI: 86.6% - 98.5%) and permethrin 66.7% (95% CI: 54.6% - 77.3%; p < 0.0001); day 7 - dimeticone 64.4% (95% CI: 53.3% - 75.3%) and permethrin 59.7% (95% CI: 47.5% - 71.1%; p = 0.5); day 9 - dimeticone 97.2% (95% CI: 90.3% - 99.7%) and permethrin 67.6% (95% CI: 55.4%-78.2%); p < 0.0001). Itching was reduced similarly in both groups. Cosmetic acceptability was significantly better in the dimeticone group as compared to the permethrin group (p = 0.01). Two mild product-related incidents occurred in the dimeticone group. CONCLUSION: The dimeticone product is a safe and highly efficacious pediculicide. Due to its physical mode of action (interruption of the lice's oxygen supply of the central nervous system), development of resistance is unlikely. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN15117709

Alterations in ALK/ROS1/NTRK/MET drive a group of infantile hemispheric gliomas

© The Author(s) 2019. Open Access. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.Infant gliomas have paradoxical clinical behavior compared to those in children and adults: low-grade tumors have a higher mortality rate, while high-grade tumors have a better outcome. However, we have little understanding of their biology and therefore cannot explain this behavior nor what constitutes optimal clinical management. Here we report a comprehensive genetic analysis of an international cohort of clinically annotated infant gliomas, revealing 3 clinical subgroups. Group 1 tumors arise in the cerebral hemispheres and harbor alterations in the receptor tyrosine kinases ALK, ROS1, NTRK and MET. These are typically single-events and confer an intermediate outcome. Groups 2 and 3 gliomas harbor RAS/MAPK pathway mutations and arise in the hemispheres and midline, respectively. Group 2 tumors have excellent long-term survival, while group 3 tumors progress rapidly and do not respond well to chemoradiation. We conclude that infant gliomas comprise 3 subgroups, justifying the need for specialized therapeutic strategies.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio