Intestinal protozoa parasites association with anemia in people from Brazilian western Amazon communities

Introduction: Nowadays intestinal parasitic infection remains an important public health trouble in Latin and South America, emphasizing the Amazon region. Furthermore, intestinal parasites have been considered important factors in etiology of nutritional anemia and malnutrition. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the intestinal parasitic infection and its possible association with anemia in people from Amazon communities. Methods: The study was a research in documentary records, descriptive, retrospective and cross-sectional, with confirmed cases of parasites infection found in State Hospital of Cacoal-Rondônia, Brazilian Western Amazon. The parameters evaluated were gender, age, race, parasites, hematocrit and hemoglobin. Results: Females where slight higher for the number of cases of parasites occurrence (51%) compared to males (49%) and children had higher parasitic index (43%) followed by adults (37%), teenagers (11%) and seniors (9%). With regards to race, pardos (brown skin color) group was the most affected by the parasites with 69% of cases, followed by caucasians (17%), indians (11%) and blacks (3%). The major parasites diagnosed were Endolimax nana (55%), Giardia lamblia (28%), Entamoeba coli (14%) and Iodamoeba bütschlii (3%). In relation to the association of intestinal parasites and anemia, children had a 60% anemia increase when compared to adults (p <0.05) and the indians increased by 100% anemia when paired against caucasians (p <0.05).Conclusion: Thus, it is suggested that attention should be given to the increase in protozoa parasitic infection prevalence in Amazonian communities and expedite the emergency of improvements in political and sanitation programs of water treatment and waste and sewer management

Medical Management after Lancehead Snakebite in North Amazon: A Case Report of Long-Term Disability

Snakebites are a major public health problem in indigenous communities in Brazil, leading to acute local and systemic damage with resulting deficiencies. Long-term musculoskeletal disabilities related to snakebites have been a neglected area of research. Bothrops (lancehead) snakes are responsible for most of the permanent sequelae related to snakebites in Latin America. Here, we present a case report of a 32-year-old male indigenous patient who was envenomed by a Bothrops species. The patient was clinically followed for a period of approximately 2 years and 6 months, during which time he experienced a loss of musculoskeletal tissue and required several medical procedures such as debridement, tissue reconstruction, and physical therapy, which resulted in a recovery of mobility, though with a permanent sequelae in gait. This case report shows how snakebites have a significant impact on health systems, as victims require physiotherapy, plastic surgery, and orthopedics services, as well as social support for reintegration into their local communities

<i>Crotalus Durissus Ruruima</i>: Current Knowledge on Natural History, Medical Importance, and Clinical Toxinology

Crotalus durissus ruruima is a rattlesnake subspecies mainly found in Roraima, the northernmost state of Brazil. Envenomings caused by this subspecies lead to severe clinical manifestations (e.g. respiratory muscle paralysis, rhabdomyolysis, and acute renal failure) that can lead to the victim’s death. In this review, we comprehensively describe C. d. ruruima biology and the challenges this subspecies poses for human health, including morphology, distribution, epidemiology, venom cocktail, clinical envenoming, and the current and future specific treatment of envenomings by this snake. Moreover, this review presents maps of the distribution of the snake subspecies and evidence that this species is responsible for some of the most severe envenomings in the country and causes the highest lethality rates. Finally, we also discuss the efficacy of the Brazilian horse-derived antivenoms to treat C. d. ruruima envenomings in Roraima state