Unexpectedly long incubation period of Plasmodium vivax malaria, in the absence of chemoprophylaxis, in patients diagnosed outside the transmission area in Brazil

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In 2010, Brazil recorded 3343,599 cases of malaria, with 99.6% of them concentrated in the Amazon region. <it>Plasmodium vivax </it>accounts for 86% of the cases circulating in the country. The extra-Amazonian region, where transmission does not occur, recorded about 566 cases imported from the Amazonian area in Brazil and South America, from Central America, Asia and African countries. Prolonged incubation periods have been described for <it>P. vivax </it>malaria in temperate climates. The diversity in essential biological characteristics is traditionally considered as one possible explanation to the emergence of relapse in malaria and to the differences in the duration of the incubation period, which can also be explained by the use of chemoprophylaxis. Studying the reported cases of <it>P. vivax </it>malaria in Rio de Janeiro, where there is no vector transmission, has made it possible to evaluate the extension of the incubation period and to notice that it may be extended in some cases.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Descriptive study of every malaria patients who visited the clinic in the last five years. The mean, standard deviation, median, minimum and maximum of all incubation periods were analysed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>From the total of 80 patients seen in the clinic during the study time, with confirmed diagnosis of malaria, 49 (63%) were infected with <it>P. vivax</it>. Between those, seven had an estimated incubation period varying from three to 12 months and were returned travellers from Brazilian Amazonian states (6) and Indonesia (1). None of them had taken malarial chemoprophylaxis.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The authors emphasize that considering malaria as a possible cause of febrile syndrome should be a post-travel routine, independent of the time elapsed after exposure in the transmission area, even in the absence of malaria chemoprophylaxis. They speculate that, since there is no current and detailed information about the biological cycle of human malaria plasmodia's in Brazil, it is possible that new strains are circulating in endemic regions or a change in cycle of preexisting strains is occurring. Considering that a prolonged incubation period may confer advantages on the survival of the parasite, difficulties in malaria control might arise.</p

Fatal Brazilian spotted fever in a healthy military man during field training in Rio de Janeiro city, southeastern Brazil

Brazilian spotted fever, a zoonotic disease transmitted by ticks, is caused by Rickettsia rickettsii. We report a fulminant case of this zoonosis in a healthy 46-year-old military man in the urban region of Rio de Janeiro city, in October, 2021. Ticks and capybaras (Amblyomma sculptum, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, respectively) were identified in the military fields, pointing to the participation of this large synanthropic rodent, recognized as an efficient amplifier host of Rickettsia rickettsii in Brazil. As the military population is considered a risk group for spotted fever, it is necessary to alert health professionals to the importance of the early detection of the disease and its adequate management, mainly in populations that are particularly at risk of exposure to ticks, in order to avoid fatal outcomes

Estudo das Características das principais Doenças Febris Agudas atendidas em serviço de referência do Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas/FIOCRUZ

Made available in DSpace on 2018-09-01T01:22:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) clarisse_bressan_ipec_mest_2010.pdf: 6148916 bytes, checksum: 4fce2c66beafb6a9851812c1afe05fb8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Doenças febris agudas (DFA) são inespecíficas quanto à sua apresentação. Em cidades endêmicas para Dengue este diagnóstico é superestimado. O conhecimento de sinais e sintomas de doenças infecciosas, assim como da frequência com que ocorrem, pode contribuir para a construção de modelos diagnósticos baseados em sinais clínicos precoces. Esse estudo foi realizado em pacientes maiores de 12 anos de idade, atendidos no IPEC no período de 2004 a 2008, com relato de febre de até dez dias na data da primeira consulta. O objetivo é descrever a prevalência das principais doenças febris agudas diagnosticadas. Um terço dos atendimentos foi destinado a viajantes com quadro febril, a maioria proveniente de outras cidades brasileiras. A Febre do Dengue (FD) foi a principal DFA diagnosticada entre os pacientes do estudo (n= 211) seguida da Malária (n=31). Outras doenças virais agudas (DVA) foram Rubéola (n=11), Parvovirose (4), soroconversão pelo HIV (1), Varicela (1), CMV (3), hepatite viral (7), meningite viral (1), infecção EBV (2). Dentre as demais etiologias destacam-se casos de Leptospirose (7), Rickettsiose (5), dentre outros. Uma parcela significativa dos pacientes não teve diagnóstico concluído laboratorialmente (n=224). Desse grupo, 116 (51,8%) receberam diagnóstico presuntivo de Dengue, mas não houve comprovação laboratorial Os sinais e sintomas mais prevalentes nos pacientes com Dengue confirmada foram febre (100%), cefaléia (89,1%), prostração (97,6%), mialgia (91,5%), exantema (76,6%), anorexia (82,5%) e alteração no paladar (69,1%). A presença de calafrios, icterícia, esplenomegalia e hepatomegalia foi significativamente maior nos pacientes com diagnóstico de Malária. Não houve diferença significativa entre a frequência de manifestações hemorrágicas, cefaléia, ou na média do número de plaquetas entre Dengue e Malária. A presença de tosse seca, coriza, adenomegalias palpáveis e icterícia foi significativamente maior nos pacientes com outras doenças virais agudas quando comparado ao grupo com Dengue que, por sua vez, apresentou médias mais baixas de leucócitos totais e plaquetas. Entre pacientes sem diagnóstico laboratorial concluído coriza, icterícia e esplenomegalia foram significativamente mais frequentes do que no grupo com Dengue. Mais da metade dos pacientes com diagnóstico clínico de Dengue teve essa etiologia confirmada e o valor preditivo positivo da suspeita clínica foi de 58%. O valor preditivo negativo encontrado foi de 87%. No período epidêmico esses valores foram de 69 e 85% respectivamente O diagnóstico presuntivo (hipótese clínica inicial) de Febre do Dengue tem baixo valor preditivo positivo, portanto o diagnóstico laboratorial deve ser útil para diferenciá-la de outras vii causas de febre aguda. A pesquisa de malária deve ser solicitada a todo viajante febril proveniente de área endêmica para a doença, pois achados laboratoriais ou clínicos não são suficientemente específicos para a diferenciação segura entra as duas enfermidades.Acute Febrile Diseases are unspecific as to their presentation. In cities endemic for Dengue Fever its diagnosis is overestimated. Being aware of signs and symptoms of infectious diseases, as well as how frequently they occur, may contribute to the construction of diagnostic models based on early clinical signs. This study was performed in patients over 12 years old, treated at IPEC in the period 2004-2008, reporting fever of up to ten days at the first appointment. The aim is to describe the prevalence of major Acute Febrile Diseases diagnosed. One third of the patients was febrile travelers, mostly from other cities in Brazil but also from international departures. Dengue Fever (DF) was the main DFA diagnosed (n = 211) followed by Malaria (n = 31). Other Acute Viral Diseases were Rubella (n = 11), Parvovirus (4), HIV seroconversion (1), Varicella (1), CMV (3), viral hepatitis (7), viral meningitis (1), EBV infection (2). Among other etiologies stands out cases of Leptospirosis (7), Rickettsiosis (5). A significant portion of patients had no confirmed laboratory diagnosis (n = 224). Of that group, 116 (51.8%) received presumptive diagnosis of Dengue, but had no laboratory confirmation. The signs and symptoms more prevalent in patients where Dengue Fever was confirmed (100%), headache (89.1%), prostration (97.6%), myalgia (91.5%), rash (76.6%) anorexia (82.5%) and altered mouth taste (69.1%). The presence of chills, jaundice, splenomegaly and hepatomegaly was significantly higher in patients diagnosed with Malaria. There was no significant difference between the frequency of hemorrhagic manifestations, headache, or the average number of platelets between Dengue and Malaria The presence of cough, runny nose, palpable lymphadenopathy, and jaundice was significantly higher in patients with other Acute Viral Diseases when compared to those with Dengue wich in turn, had lower average total leukocytes and platelets. Among patients without laboratory diagnosis completed coryza, jaundice and splenomegaly were significantly more frequent than in the group with Dengue. More than a half of patients with clinical diagnosis of Dengue has confirmed this etiology and positive predictive value of clinical suspicion was 58%. The negative predictive value found was 87%. In the epidemic period, these values were 69 and 85% respectively. The presumptive diagnosis (initial clinical hypothesis) of Dengue Fever has low positive predictive value, so the laboratory diagnosis should be useful to differentiate it from other causes of acute fever. The exam of Malaria must be requested in any febrile traveler from an endemic area for this disease, because clinical or laboratory findings are not specific enough to differentiate safely between the two diseases

Challenges of acute febrile illness diagnosis in a national infectious diseases center in Rio de Janeiro: 16-year experience of syndromic surveillance.

IntroductionAcute febrile illnesses (AFI) are a frequent chief complaint in outpatients. Because the capacity to investigate the causative pathogen of AFIs is limited in low- and middle-income countries, patient management may be suboptimal. Understanding the distribution of causes of AFI can improve patient outcomes. This study aims to describe the most common etiologies diagnosed over a 16-years period in a national reference center for tropical diseases in a large urban center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.MethodsFrom August 2004-December 2019, 3591 patients > 12 years old, with AFI and/or rash were eligible. Complementary exams for etiological investigation were requested using syndromic classification as a decision guide. Results. Among the 3591 patients included, endemic arboviruses such as chikungunya (21%), dengue (15%) and zika (6%) were the most common laboratory-confirmed diagnosis, together with travel-related malaria (11%). Clinical presumptive diagnosis lacked sensitivity for emerging diseases such as zika (31%). Rickettsia disease and leptospirosis were rarely investigated and an infrequent finding when based purely on clinical features. Respiratory symptoms increased the odds for the diagnostic remaining inconclusive.ConclusionsNumerous patients did not have a conclusive etiologic diagnosis. Since syndromic classification used for standardization of etiological investigation and presumptive clinical diagnosis had moderate accuracy, it is necessary to incorporate new diagnostic technologies to improve diagnostic accuracy and surveillance capacity

Delayed diagnosis of malaria in a dengue endemic area in the Brazilian extra-Amazon: recent experience of a malaria surveillance unit in state of Rio de Janeiro

Submitted by Raphael Rodrigues ([email protected]) on 2017-04-17T16:55:53Z No. of bitstreams: 1 ve_Anielle_de_Pina_costa_INI_2010.pdf: 283067 bytes, checksum: 2c3aa5a79445efb2108cf8be0a2f3f00 (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by Raphael Rodrigues ([email protected]) on 2017-04-17T17:16:11Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 ve_Anielle_de_Pina_costa_INI_2010.pdf: 283067 bytes, checksum: 2c3aa5a79445efb2108cf8be0a2f3f00 (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-17T17:16:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ve_Anielle_de_Pina_costa_INI_2010.pdf: 283067 bytes, checksum: 2c3aa5a79445efb2108cf8be0a2f3f00 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa, Diagnóstico e Treinamento em Malária. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa, Diagnóstico e Treinamento em Malária. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa, Diagnóstico e Treinamento em Malária. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas. Serviço de Farmacovigilância. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa, Diagnóstico e Treinamento em Malária. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas. Serviço de Parasitologia. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa, Diagnóstico e Treinamento em Malária. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas. Serviço de Farmacovigilância. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa, Diagnóstico e Treinamento em Malária. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Pesquisa em Malária. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Pesquisa em Malária. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa, Diagnóstico e Treinamento em Malária. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas. Serviço de Vigilância em Saúde. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.A letalidade da malária na região extra-amazônica é cerca de 80 vezes maior do que na Amazônia, que concentra 99,8% dos casos do país. Em áreas de transmissão de dengue, como o Rio de Janeiro, o atraso no diagnóstico e tratamento da malária dos pacientes com febre, provenientes de áreas endêmicas de malária, pode ser, entre outros fatores, devido à confusão entre o diagnóstico das duas doenças pelos generalistas da rede de assistência médica. Neste trabalho, apresentamos as consequências do atraso diagnóstico em três pacientes com malária por Plasmodium falciparum; P. malariae e P. vivax, que, após o périplo habitual para tratamento de dengue, procuraram a nossa instituição onde foram corretamente diagnosticados e submetidos aos tratamentos adequados. MÉTODOS: Descrição de três casos de malária diagnosticada tardiamente e encaminhados ao IPEC/ FIOCRUZ, entre os anos de 2007 e 2008. RESULTADOS: uma brasileira proveniente de Moçambique, primo-infectada por P. falciparum, com malária diagnosticada após 6 dias do início da febre, morreu com malária cerebral e choque. Outro paciente com malária por P. malariae teve um curso grave e prolongado, mas ficou curado após o tratamento específico. A terceira paciente diagnosticada tardiamente apresentou malária por P. vivax adquirida na região de Mata Atlântica no Estado do Rio. CONCLUSÕES: Os profissionais de saúde do Rio devem ser treinados para aperfeiçoar a vigilância e o tratamento oportuno da malária e evitar desfechos mórbidos e fatais. Sugere-se que uma investigação de focos de malária autóctone em áreas de mata no estado seja realizada.INTRODUCTION: The mortality of malaria in the extra-Amazon region is about 80 times higher than in the Amazon region, where malaria is concentrated (99.8% of cases). In areas of dengue transmission, delay in the diagnosis and treatment of malaria in patients with fever who reside in areas of malaria transmission can be due to the confusion between the clinical diagnoses of both diseases by nonspecialist doctors, among other factors. This work presents some of the consequences of delayed diagnosis in three patients with malaria by Plasmodium falciparum, P. malariae and P. vivax, who, after following the usual route for Dengue treatment, sought our institution, where they were correctly diagnosed and adequately treated. METHODS: Description of three cases of malaria with delayed diagnosed malaria referred to the Outpatient Clinic for Acute Febrile Diseases, IPEC/FIOCRUZ-RJ, between 2007 and 2008. RESULTS: A Brazilian from Mozambique, primo-infected with P. falciparum was diagnosed with malaria six days after the onset of fever and died of cerebral malaria and shock. Another patient with P.malariae malaria presented a severe and prolonged course, but was cured after specific treatment. A third patient, with delayed diagnosis of P. vivax malaria, acquired it in the Atlantic Forest region in the State of Rio. CONCLUSIONS: Health professionals from non-endemic areas for malaria should be trained to optimize the surveillance and early treatment of malaria and prevent morbid and fatal outcomes. An investigation of outbreaks of autochthonous malaria in the State of Rio de Janeiro is suggested

Zika Virus Outbreak in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Clinical Characterization, Epidemiological and Virological Aspects

<div><p>Background</p><p>In 2015, Brazil was faced with the cocirculation of three arboviruses of major public health importance. The emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV) presents new challenges to both clinicians and public health authorities. Overlapping clinical features between diseases caused by ZIKV, Dengue (DENV) and Chikungunya (CHIKV) and the lack of validated serological assays for ZIKV make accurate diagnosis difficult.</p><p>Methodology / Principal Findings</p><p>The outpatient service for acute febrile illnesses in Fiocruz initiated a syndromic clinical observational study in 2007 to capture unusual presentations of DENV infections. In January 2015, an increase of cases with exanthematic disease was observed. Trained physicians evaluated the patients using a detailed case report form that included clinical assessment and laboratory investigations. The laboratory diagnostic algorithm included assays for detection of ZIKV, CHIKV and DENV. 364 suspected cases of Zika virus disease were identified based on clinical criteria between January and July 2015. Of these, 262 (71.9%) were tested and 119 (45.4%) were confirmed by the detection of ZIKV RNA. All of the samples with sequence information available clustered within the Asian genotype.</p><p>Conclusions / Significance</p><p>This is the first report of a ZIKV outbreak in the state of Rio de Janeiro, based on a large number of suspected (n = 364) and laboratory confirmed cases (n = 119). We were able to demonstrate that ZIKV was circulating in Rio de Janeiro as early as January 2015. The peak of the outbreak was documented in May/June 2015. More than half of the patients reported headache, arthralgia, myalgia, non-purulent conjunctivitis, and lower back pain, consistent with the case definition of suspected ZIKV disease issued by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). However, fever, when present, was low-intensity and short-termed. In our opinion, pruritus, the second most common clinical sign presented by the confirmed cases, should be added to the PAHO case definition, while fever could be given less emphasis. The emergence of ZIKV as a new pathogen for Brazil in 2015 underscores the need for clinical vigilance and strong epidemiological and laboratory surveillance.</p></div

Time series for number of cases confirmed (gray background) and not confirmed (white background) for ZIKV between January 1, 2015 and July 31, 2015 in Rio de Janeiro State.

<p>Time series for number of cases confirmed (gray background) and not confirmed (white background) for ZIKV between January 1, 2015 and July 31, 2015 in Rio de Janeiro State.</p

Baseline characteristics of confirmed and unconfirmed ZIKV disease patients.

<p>Baseline characteristics of confirmed and unconfirmed ZIKV disease patients.</p