Selfie dental plaque index : a new tool for dental plaque assessment

Plaque quantification indices are frequently used to evaluate personal oral hygiene. Education in self-care and self-diagnosis is effective in prevention and control of both dental and periodontal disease. Mobile technology has become a ubiquitous techno

Predictors related to the occurrence of a measles epidemic in the city of São Paulo in 1997

A matched case-control study was performed to identify risk factors for measles during an epidemic that occurred in 1997 in the city of São Paulo, in the Brazilian state of the same name. Measles cases from the city of São Paulo from 1 January 1997 to 15 August 1997 were included in the study. The criteria for case definition were age below 30 years, having received no measles vaccine 5-21 days before the onset of rash, and laboratory confirmation by IgM antibodies detection. From a bank of confirmed measles cases, 130 cases for each of five age ranges (under 1 year, 1-5 years, 6-20 years, 21-24 years, and 25-29 years) were picked at random according to a systematic criterion proportional to the number of cases in seven areas of the city. Data were collected through a home survey, and for each measles case studied two controls matched by age and place of residence were selected. The matched conditional logistic regression analysis for the potential risk factors from the univariate analysis showed that the best predictors for acquiring measles during the epidemic were: lack of measles vaccination, previous contact with a measles-like disease at home or on the job, having been born either outside the state of São Paulo or in a rural area, being employed, and spending time in a semiclosed institution, such as a nursery, day care center, or school. The risk factors were not homogeneous for the different age groups. The data in the present survey suggest that, in addition to lack of vaccination, other risk factors should be considered when planning a measles vaccination strategy for a developing country

Evaluation of serological cross-reactivity between yellow fever and other flaviviruses

Objectives: This study was performed to determine whether neutralizing antibodies against yellow fever virus (YFV) generated by YFV vaccine could interfere in the specificity of dengue virus (DENV) and Zika virus (ZIKV) IgG ELISA tests. Methods: Seventy-nine pairs of serum samples (pre- and post-vaccination), collected during the years 1997–1998 from children with no history of yellow fever disease who had been vaccinated against YFV, were tested. The seroconversion post-vaccination was evaluated through plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT), and four different commercial ELISA kits were used for the detection of DENV and ZIKV IgG antibodies. Results: A cross-reactivity rate of 3.9% with DENV IgG antibodies was found only with the Dengue Virus IgG Dx Select kit (Focus Diagnostics). Conclusions: As several countries have local transmission of multiple arboviruses, the absence of cross-reactivity or minimum cross-reactivity of YFV neutralizing antibodies with DENV and ZIKV antigens is a relevant finding, since the interpretation of sero-epidemiological investigations would be seriously impacted in many regions where YFV vaccination is mandatory. Keywords: Serological tests, Yellow fever, Dengue, Zika, Cross-reactivit

Cytomegalovirus infection in AIDS patients: clinical, virological and histopathological correlations

Between April 1986 and June 1987, 50 patients meeting the CDC criteria for AIDS were studied for serological and virological evidence of CMV infection. Attempts for virus isolation from peripheral blood, urine and saliva were performed in cell culture lines of human foreskin fibroblasts and CMV specific IgG and IgM were assayed by IFI and IgG by ELISA. A total of 121 blood, 119 urine and 96 saliva samples were collected. During the study period viremia was noted at least once in 12,5%, viruria in 23,2%, and excretion in saliva in 21,9%. When admitted in the study, 20% (10/50) of the patients had anti-CMV IgM antibodies and 100% (50/50) of them had IgG anti-CMV antibodies (IFI). Five of the 40 patients IgM negative at admission presented anti-CMV IgM antibodies during the study, suggesting CMV reactivation or reinfection. Active CMV infection based on virus isolation and/or IgM positivity was demonstrated in 60% of the patients. Histopathological studies were performed in 24 patients. CMV was found in 50% of the autopsies, mainly in the digestive system, lungs and adrenals. There was no correlation between clinical, virological (serology and isolation) and histopathological diagnosis.Com o objetivo de determinar a prevalência da infecção pelo Citomegalovírus (CMV) em pacientes com AIDS, bem como relacionar os achados clínico-virológicos decorrentes desta infecção com as repercussões anatomopatológicas, estudamos 50 pacientes adultos atendidos entre abril de 1986 a junho de 1987, em dois hospitais públicos de São Paulo (HSP e HSPE). Estes pacientes foram acompanhados clínica e laboratorialmente, por período médio de 2 meses com coletas seriadas de sangue, urina e saliva. Foram realizados isolamento do CMV em monocamadas de fibroblastos humanos e testes sorológicos de Imunofluorescência Indireta (IFI-IgG/IgM) e Reação Imunoenzimática (ELISA-IgG). No momento da admissão no estudo 20% (10/50) dos pacientes apresentavam anticorpos IgM CMV específicos e 100% (50/50) deles anticorpos IgG (IFI). Durante o acompanhamento, 5 pacientes inicialmente IgM negativos tornaram-se IgM positivos, sugerindo reativação ou reinfecção pelo CMV. O CMV foi isolado de sangue periférico em 12,5%, da urina em 23,2%, da saliva em 21,9% dos pacientes. Exames anatomopatológicos foram realizados em 24 pacientes, correspondendo a 60% dos pacientes que evoluiram para óbito durante o período de estudo. Corpúsculos de inclusão citomegálica característicos foram observados em 50% das necrópsias, sendo o aparelho digestivo, pulmões e supra-renais os sítios mais acometidos. Não se observou uma relação estatisticamente significante entre os achados clínicos e os achados virológicos e anatomopatológicos

Comparação entre imunofluorescência direta, cultura convencional de células e reação em cadeia de polimerase para detectar vírus respiratório sincicial em lavados de nasofaringe de crianças

A total of 316 samples of nasopharyngeal aspirate from infants up to two years of age with acute respiratory-tract illnesses were processed for detection of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) using three different techniques: viral isolation, direct immunofluorescence, and PCR. Of the samples, 36 (11.4%) were positive for RSV, considering the three techniques. PCR was the most sensitive technique, providing positive findings in 35/316 (11.1%) of the samples, followed by direct immunofluorescence (25/316, 7.9%) and viral isolation (20/315, 6.3%) (p < 0.001). A sample was positive by immunofluorescence and negative by PCR, and 11 (31.4%) were positive only by RT-PCR. We conclude that RT-PCR is more sensitive than IF and viral isolation to detect RSV in nasopharyngeal aspirate specimens in newborn and infants.Um total de 316 amostras de lavado de nasofaringe obtidas de crianças em acompanhamento ambulatorial com até dois anos de idade durante episódio de doença aguda do trato respiratório foram processadas para detecção do vírus sincicial respiratório (VSR) utilizando três diferentes técnicas: isolamento viral, imunofluorescência direta e reação em cadeia por polimerase (RT-PCR). Destas amostras, 36 (11,4%) foram positivas para o VSR. A RT-PCR foi a técnica mais sensível, com positividade em 35 (11,1%) das amostras, seguindo-se a imunofluorescência direta (25/316, 7,9%) e o isolamento viral (20/315, 6,3%) (p < 0,001). Uma amostra foi positiva pela imunofluorescência e negativa pela RT-PCR, e 11/36 (31,4%) foram positivas somente pela RT-PCR. Concluímos que a RT-PCR é mais sensível que a imunofluorescência e o isolamento viral para detecção do VRS em amostras de aspirado de nasofaringe de recém-nascidos e lactentes.FAPESPCNP