Melioidosis, Northeastern Brazil

Melioidosis was first recognized in northeastern Brazil in 2003. Confirmation of additional cases from the 2003 cluster in Ceará, more recent cases in other districts, environmental isolation of Burkholderia pseudomallei, molecular confirmation and typing results, and positive serosurveillance specimens indicate that melioidosis is more widespread in northeastern Brazil than previously thought

Clinical and epidemiological aspects of hemorrhagic dengue in Ceará in the period 1994 to 2006

Made available in DSpace on 2012-09-06T01:11:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) 1127.pdf: 717747 bytes, checksum: c7c15610b1574d6917143d4ff761a777 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Casos de dengue hemorrágico começaram a ser notificados no Estado do Ceará em 1994, com letalidade elevada. O objetivo desse trabalho foi analisar as características clinicas e epidemiológicas dos casos de dengue hemorrágico no Ceará, no período de 1994 a 2006, buscando fatores associados à ocorrência de casos graves e óbitos. Foram analisados 868 casos confirmados pela Secretaria da Saúde do Ceará, que apresentaram início dos sintomas entre 1º de Janeiro de 1994 a 31 de dezembro de 2006. As análises foram realizadas utilizando os programas Terra View, Epi-Info 6.0 e Stata. Houve um aumento significativo no percentual de casos de dengue hemorrágico em relação aos casos clássicos, passando de 0,05 por cento em 1994 para 0,67 por cento em 2006. A letalidade no período foi de 10,7 por cento, variando de 6,8 a 75,0 por cento. O número de municípios com casos hemorrágicos passou de 3 em 1994 para 36 em 2003. A maioria dos casos (64 por cento) foram confirmados na capital. Não houve diferença significativa entre os sexos. Foi observado um aumento de casos em menores de 12 anos (p menor ou igual a 0,000), e uma diminuição nos maiores de 19 anos. As manifestações hemorrágicas mais freqüentes foram petéquias (40 por cento), gengivorragia (18,7 por cento) e sangramento gastrointestinal (17,3 por cento). A prova do laço foi realizada em 52,5 por cento dos pacientes e positiva em 36,5 por cento do total de casos. O sinal de alerta mais freqüente foi a dor abdominal (48,3 por cento). Os pacientes do interior apresentaram maior percentual de choque, com 20 por cento e na capital 11,9 por cento (p=0,007). A letalidade foi maior nos pacientes residentes do interior, com 16,1vpor cento na capital e 9,6 (p=0,016). A média dos valores de hematócrito foi mais elevada nos pacientes que evoluíam para cura com 41,6 por cento e os valores médios de menor contagem de plaquetas foram menores nos que evoluíram para óbito com 41.400 por mm3 enquanto que nos que sobreviveram foi de 51.063 por mm3. Percebeu-se um agravamento da situação epidemiológica no Estado, com destaque para Fortaleza aumento da proporção de casos graves em relação aos casos de dengue clássico e um aumento dos casos nas faixas etárias mais jovens. Sugere-se a realização de estudos com o objetivo de determinar valor prognóstico dos fatores associados ao óbito encontrados

Clinical and epidemiological characterization of dengue hemorrhagic fever cases in northeastern, Brazil Caracterização clínica e epidemiológica dos casos de dengue hemorrágica no nordeste do Brasil

INTRODUCTION: The dengue hemorrhagic dengue (DHF) remains an important public health problem in Brazil. The objective of this study was to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of DHF cases during the 2003 epidemic in Ceará. METHODS: Suspected DHF cases with onset of symptoms between January and December 2003 were investigated. RESULTS: 37,964 classic dengue cases and 291 DHF cases were reported. Among the cases discarded, 75.5% were serologically positive but did not meet the criteria recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The DHF patients' median age was 30 years (2 - 88). Among the hemorrhagic manifestations, petechiae were the most (32.6%) frequent. Cases of gastrointestinal bleeding, ascites, pericardial pleural effusion, hepatomegaly, hypotension and shock showed higher risk of progression to death (p <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of a new serotype (DENV-3) in Ceará, which encountered a susceptible population and high vector density, may have been the primary agent responsible for the magnitude of the epidemic. Timely and appropriate medical care, along with an organized care structure are essential for reducing its lethality.<br>INTRODUÇÃO: A febre hemorrágica do dengue (FHD) permanece como um importante problema de saúde pública no Brasil. O objetivo deste estudo é analisar os aspectos epidemiológicos dos casos de dengue hemorrágico durante a epidemia de 2003, no Ceará. MÉTODOS: Foram investigados os casos suspeitos de FHD, com início de sintomas no período de janeiro a dezembro de 2003. RESULTADOS: Foram reportados 37.964 casos de dengue clássica, com 291 casos de FHD. Entre os casos descartados, 75,5% apresentaram sorologia positiva, mas não preenchem os critérios recomendados pela Organização Mundial de Saúde. A mediana de idade dos pacientes com FHD foi de 30 anos (2 - 88). Para manifestações hemorrágicas, as petéquias com 32,6% foram as mais frequentes. Os casos de hemorragia digestiva, ascite, derrame pleural e pericárdico, hepatomegalia, hipotensão e choque apresentaram maior risco de progressão para óbito (p <0,05). CONCLUSÕES: A introdução de um novo sorotipo (DENV-3) no Ceará, encontrando a população suscetível e a alta densidade do vetor podem ter sido os principais responsáveis pela magnitude da epidemia. A atenção médica oportuna e adequada, bem como uma estrutura organizada de cuidado aos pacientes são indispensáveis para reduzir a letalidade

Pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009: epidemiological analysis of cases in a tropical/semi-arid region of Brazil

Introduction The year 2009 marked the beginning of a pandemic caused by a new variant of influenza A (H1N1). After spreading through North America, the pandemic influenza virus (H1N1) 2009 spread rapidly throughout the world. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of cases of pandemic influenza in a tropical/semi-arid region of Brazil. Methods A retrospective study analyzed all suspected cases of pandemic influenza (H1N1) 2009 reported in the Ceará State through the National Information System for Notifiable Diseases during the pandemic period between 28 April, 2009 and November 25, 2010. Results A total of 616 suspected cases were notified, 58 (9.4%) in the containment phase and 558 (90.6%) in the mitigation phase. Most cases were of affected young people resident in the City of Fortaleza, the largest urban center in the State of Ceará. The most frequent symptoms presented by the cases with confirmed infection were fever, cough, myalgia, arthralgia, and nasal congestion. Mortality rate was 0.0009/1,000 inhabitants and lethality was 5.6%. Deaths were observed only in the mitigation phase. Mortality rates were similar for both sexes but were higher in the age group under 5 years. Conclusions The study suggests that the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic in this tropical/semi-arid region had a lower magnitude when compared to states in the Southern and Southeastern regions of Brazil

Pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009: epidemiological analysis of cases in a tropical/semi-arid region of Brazil

IntroductionThe year 2009 marked the beginning of a pandemic caused by a new variant of influenza A (H1N1). After spreading through North America, the pandemic influenza virus (H1N1) 2009 spread rapidly throughout the world. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of cases of pandemic influenza in a tropical/semi-arid region of Brazil.MethodsA retrospective study analyzed all suspected cases of pandemic influenza (H1N1) 2009 reported in the Ceará State through the National Information System for Notifiable Diseases during the pandemic period between 28 April, 2009 and November 25, 2010.ResultsA total of 616 suspected cases were notified, 58 (9.4%) in the containment phase and 558 (90.6%) in the mitigation phase. Most cases were of affected young people resident in the City of Fortaleza, the largest urban center in the State of Ceará. The most frequent symptoms presented by the cases with confirmed infection were fever, cough, myalgia, arthralgia, and nasal congestion. Mortality rate was 0.0009/1,000 inhabitants and lethality was 5.6%. Deaths were observed only in the mitigation phase. Mortality rates were similar for both sexes but were higher in the age group under 5 years.ConclusionsThe study suggests that the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic in this tropical/semi-arid region had a lower magnitude when compared to states in the Southern and Southeastern regions of Brazil

Severe coinfection of melioidosis and dengue fever in northeastern Brazil: first case report

This report focuses on a fatality involving severe dengue fever and melioidosis in a 28-year-old truck driver residing in Pacoti in northeastern Brazil. He exhibited long-term respiratory symptoms (48 days) and went through a wide-ranging clinical investigation at three hospitals, after initial clinical diagnoses of pneumonia, visceral leishmaniasis, tuberculosis, and fungal sepsis. After death, Burkholderia pseudomallei was isolated in a culture of ascitic fluid. Dengue virus type 1 was detected by polymerase chain reaction in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF); this infection was the cause of death. This description reinforces the need to consider melioidosis among the reported differential diagnoses of community-acquired infections where both melioidosis and dengue fever are endemic