Trypanosoma cruzi infection in blood donors

INTRODUCTION: Transmission of American trypanossomiasis by transfusion has been reduced by expansion of control measures of blood quality in Brazil. A research project was, therefore, undertaken to evaluate soropositivity for Trypanosoma cruzi infection on blood donors and to compare this rate with those found in 1958 and 1975 in blood banks. METHOD: A transversal study was carried out on blood donors in Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. ELISA and Immunofluorescence were the serological test techniques used in the diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi infection. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: A serumprevalence rate of 1.3% was found with a tendency for positive serum findings for Trypanosoma cruzi infection on blood donors to decrease over Aime (1958, 1975, and 1995).INTRODUÇÃO: A transmissão transfusional da tripanossomíase americana tem-se reduzido no Brasil, com a progressiva ampliação do controle de qualidade do sangue. Nesse sentido, realizou-se pesquisa para avaliar a atual soro-prevalência da infecção por Trypanosoma cruzi em candidatos a doador de sangue em Londrina, Paraná (Brasil), e comparar essa taxa com a encontrada em candidatos a doador estudados em 1958 e 1975, na mesma cidade. MÉTODO: Estudo transversal para determinação da soroprevalência. O imuno-diagnóstico de infecção por Trypanosoma cruzi foi realizado através das técnicas imunoenzimática (ELISA) e imunofluorescência indireta. RESULTADOS E CONCLUSÃO: A taxa de soroprevalência encontrada foi de 1,3%. Foi detectada tendência de queda temporal da taxa de positividade dos testes sorológicos para o diagnóstico de infecção por Trypanosoma cruzi nos bancos de sangue do município estudado nos anos de 1958, 1975 e 1995.Universidade Estadual de LondrinaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)UNIFESPSciEL

Infecção por Trypanosoma cruzi em candidatos a doador de sangue

INTRODUCTION: Transmission of American trypanossomiasis by transfusion has been reduced by expansion of control measures of blood quality in Brazil. A research project was, therefore, undertaken to evaluate soropositivity for Trypanosoma cruzi infection on blood donors and to compare this rate with those found in 1958 and 1975 in blood banks. METHOD: A transversal study was carried out on blood donors in Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. ELISA and Immunofluorescence were the serological test techniques used in the diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi infection. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: A serumprevalence rate of 1.3% was found with a tendency for positive serum findings for Trypanosoma cruzi infection on blood donors to decrease over Aime (1958, 1975, and 1995).INTRODUÇÃO: A transmissão transfusional da tripanossomíase americana tem-se reduzido no Brasil, com a progressiva ampliação do controle de qualidade do sangue. Nesse sentido, realizou-se pesquisa para avaliar a atual soro-prevalência da infecção por Trypanosoma cruzi em candidatos a doador de sangue em Londrina, Paraná (Brasil), e comparar essa taxa com a encontrada em candidatos a doador estudados em 1958 e 1975, na mesma cidade. MÉTODO: Estudo transversal para determinação da soroprevalência. O imuno-diagnóstico de infecção por Trypanosoma cruzi foi realizado através das técnicas imunoenzimática (ELISA) e imunofluorescência indireta. RESULTADOS E CONCLUSÃO: A taxa de soroprevalência encontrada foi de 1,3%. Foi detectada tendência de queda temporal da taxa de positividade dos testes sorológicos para o diagnóstico de infecção por Trypanosoma cruzi nos bancos de sangue do município estudado nos anos de 1958, 1975 e 1995

Intradermal vaccination of adults with three low doses (2 µg) of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine. II. Persistence of immunity and induction of immunologic memory

Of the 110 dentists who had presented seroconversion 50 days after the intradermal application of three 2 µg doses of the Belgian recombinant vaccine against hepatitis B (HB), administered eight years before at an interval of one month between the 1st and 2nd doses and of five months between the 2nd and 3rd doses, 51 were included for the assessment of the persistence of immunity. None of the dentists had hepatitis or had received HB vaccine during this period. All subjects were submitted to serological tests for the detection of the following markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection: HBsAg, anti-HBc, HBeAg, anti-HBe, and anti-HBs, with no HBsAg, anti-HBc, HBeAg or anti-HBe being detected. A microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA) revealed the presence of anti-HBs at protective titers (> 10 mIU/ml) in 42 dentists (82.4%), with the anti-HBs titer being higher than 100 mIU/ml in 36 of them (70.6%) (good responders), between 10 and 100 mIU/ml in 6 (11.8%) (poor responders), and lower than 10 mIU/ml in 9 (17.6%) (non-responders). According to clinical data and serological tests, none of the dentists had presented disease or latent HBV infection during the eight years following the first vaccination. A 2 µg booster dose was administered intradermally to eight dentists with anti-HBs titers lower than 10 mIU/ml (non-responders) and to six dentists with titers ranging from 10 to 100 mIU/ml (poor responders); the determination of anti-HBs one month later demonstrated the occurrence of seroconversion in the eight non-responders and an increase in anti-HBs titer in the six poor responders. In summary, the present results demonstrated the prolonged persistence of protection against HBV infection and the development of immunologic memory provided by vaccination against HB - with intra-dermal application of three 2 µg doses of the Belgian recombinant vaccine at 0, 1, and 6 months - carried out eight years before in 51 dentists

Socio-demographic and epidemiological characteristics associated with human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-1) infection in HIV-1-explosed but uninfected individuals, and in HIV-1-infected patients from a southern brasilian population Características sociodemográficas e epidemiológicas associadas com a infecção pelo vírus da imunodeficiência humana tipo 1 (HIV-1) em indivíduos expostos ao HIV-1 mas não infectados e em pacientes infectados pelo HIV-1, provenientes da população da região Sul do Brasil

The ability to control human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection and progression of the disease is regulated by host and viral factors. This cross-sectional study describes the socio-demographic and epidemiological characteristics associated with HIV-1 infection in 1,061 subjects attended in Londrina and region, south of Brazil: 136 healthy individuals (Group 1), 147 HIV-1-exposed but uninfected individuals (Group 2), 161 HIV-1-infected asymptomatic patients (Group 3), and 617 patients with AIDS (Group 4). Data were obtained by a standardized questionnaire and serological tests. The age of the individuals ranged from 15.1 to 79.5 years, 54.0% and 56.1% of the Groups 3 and 4 patients, respectively, were men. The major features of groups 2, 3, and 4 were a predominance of education level up to secondary school (55.8%, 60.2% and 62.4%, respectively), sexual route of exposure (88.4%, 87.0% and 82.0%, respectively), heterosexual behavior (91.8%, 75.2% and 83.7%, respectively), and previous sexually transmitted diseases (20.4%, 32.5%, and 38.1%, respectively). The patients with AIDS showed the highest rates of seropositivity for syphilis (25.6%), of anti-HCV (22.3%), and anti-HTLV I/II obtained by two serological screening tests (6.2% and 6.8%, respectively). The results documenting the predominant characteristics for HIV-1 infection among residents of Londrina and region, could be useful for the improvement of current HIV-1 prevention, monitoring and therapeutic programs targeted at this population.<br>Este estudo transversal descreve as principais características sociodemográficas e epidemiológicas associadas com a infecção pelo HIV-1 em 1.061 indivíduos atendidos em Londrina e região, Sul do Brasil: 136 indivíduos saudáveis (Grupo 1), 147 indivíduos expostos ao HIV-1 mas não infectados (Grupo 2), 161 pacientes infectados pelo HIV-1 assintomáticos (Grupo 3) e 617 pacientes com aids (Grupo 4). Os dados foram obtidos pela aplicação de um questionário padronizado e realização de testes sorológicos. A idade dos indivíduos variou de 15,1 a 79,5 anos; 54,0% e 56,1% dos pacientes dos Grupos 3 e 4, respectivamente, eram homens. As principais características dos indivíduos dos Grupos 2, 3 e 4 foram o predomínio do nível educacional com até oito anos de escolaridade (58,8%, 60,2% e 62,4%, respectivamente), a via sexual de transmissão (88,4%, 87,0% e 82,0%, respectivamente), o comportamento heterossexual (91,8%, 75,2% e 83,7%, respectivamente) e antecedentes de doenças sexualmente transmissíveis (20,4%, 32,5% e 38,1%, respectivamente). Os pacientes com aids apresentaram os valores mais elevados de soropositividade para sífilis (25,6%), anti-HCV (22,3%) e anti-HTLV I/II em dois testes de triagem sorológica (6,2% e 6,8%, respectivamente). Os resultados documentando as características predominantes associadas com a infecção pelo HIV-1 observada nos indivíduos de Londrina e região, poderá ser útil na melhoria dos atuais programas de prevenção, monitoramento e de tratamento da infecção pelo HIV-1 dirigidos a esta população