Fasciola hepatica IN BOVINES IN BRAZIL: DATA AVAILABILITY AND SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION

Fasciolosis is a disease of importance for both veterinary and public health. For the first time, georeferenced prevalence data of Fasciola hepatica in bovines were collected and mapped for the Brazilian territory and data availability was discussed. Bovine fasciolosis in Brazil is monitored on a Federal, State and Municipal level, and to improve monitoring it is essential to combine the data collected on these three levels into one dataset. Data were collected for 1032 municipalities where livers were condemned by the Federal Inspection Service (MAPA/SIF) because of the presence of F. hepatica. The information was distributed over 11 states: Espírito Santo, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Pará, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and São Paulo. The highest prevalence of fasciolosis was observed in the southern states, with disease clusters along the coast of Paraná and Santa Catarina and in Rio Grande do Sul. Also, temporal variation of the prevalence was observed. The observed prevalence and the kriged prevalence maps presented in this paper can assist both animal and human health workers in estimating the risk of infection in their state or municipality

Environmental controls, oceanography and population dynamics of pathogens and harmful algal blooms: connecting sources to human exposure

© 2008 Author et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Environmental Health 7 (2008): S5, doi:10.1186/1476-069X-7-S2-S5.Coupled physical-biological models are capable of linking the complex interactions between environmental factors and physical hydrodynamics to simulate the growth, toxicity and transport of infectious pathogens and harmful algal blooms (HABs). Such simulations can be used to assess and predict the impact of pathogens and HABs on human health. Given the widespread and increasing reliance of coastal communities on aquatic systems for drinking water, seafood and recreation, such predictions are critical for making informed resource management decisions. Here we identify three challenges to making this connection between pathogens/HABs and human health: predicting concentrations and toxicity; identifying the spatial and temporal scales of population and ecosystem interactions; and applying the understanding of population dynamics of pathogens/HABs to management strategies. We elaborate on the need to meet each of these challenges, describe how modeling approaches can be used and discuss strategies for moving forward in addressing these challenges.The authors acknowledge the financial support for the NSF/NIEHS and NOAA Centers for Oceans and Human Healt

Atenção hospitalar perinatal e mortalidade neonatal no município de Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais Perinatal health care and neonatal mortality in the municipality of Juiz de Fora in the9* State of Minas Gerais

OBJETIVOS: identificar os possíveis fatores que têm contribuído para o excesso da mortalidade neonatal no município de Juiz de Fora e avaliar a qualidade do preenchimento dos prontuários hospitalares. MÉTODOS: estudo caso-controle baseado em informações colhidas nos prontuários das três principais maternidades do município. Foram analisados 103 óbitos neonatais e amostra de 232 nascidos vivos. RESULTADOS: as variáveis peso ao nascer e índice de Apgar no quinto minuto foram importantes fatores preditivos para o óbito neonatal, independente do local de nascimento. Quando se comparou, o risco de morrer, entre os hospitais verificou-se que no Hospital 1 o risco foi 3,97 vezes maior que no Hospital 3. Baseado em consulta a especialistas, foi criado um escore para avaliação do prontuário, onde o Hospital 1 apresentou mediana mais baixa, tanto entre casos como em controles. CONCLUSÕES: a ausência de informações adequadamente registradas no prontuário é um indicador de precariedade na assistência, e, certamente, retarda a realização de conduta indicada. A pesquisa apontou deficiências, particularmente nos registros, da assistência perinatal oferecida nos três hospitais.<br>OBJECTIVES: to identify possible causes for the excessive rates of neonatal mortality in the municipality of Juiz de Fora and to assess the quality of hospital records. METHODS: a case control study based on information from the medical records of the three main maternity hospitals in the municipality. One hundred and three neonatal deaths were analyzed together with the sample of 232 liveborn babies. RESULTS: birth weight and Apgar index in the fifth minute were important predictive factors for neonatal deaths regardless of the maternity ward. The odd ratio in Hospital 1 was 3,97 times higher than in Hospital 3. Based on specialists' opinion, a medical record score was implemented which indicated that Hospital 1 had the lowest mean not only in relation to the cases but to the controls as well. CONCLUSIONS: the absence of information adequately registered in medical records is an indicator of poor medical assistance and certainly, delays proper care. The investigation reported deficiencies, particularly in the records, of the perinatal care offered by the three maternity hospitals