Hydroxychloroquine with or without Azithromycin in Mild-to-Moderate Covid-19

BACKGROUND: Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin have been used to treat patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). However, evidence on the safety and efficacy of these therapies is limited. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, randomized, open-label, three-group, controlled trial involving hospitalized patients with suspected or confirmed Covid-19 who were receiving either no supplemental oxygen or a maximum of 4 liters per minute of supplemental oxygen. Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive standard care, standard care plus hydroxychloroquine at a dose of 400 mg twice daily, or standard care plus hydroxychloroquine at a dose of 400 mg twice daily plus azithromycin at a dose of 500 mg once daily for 7 days. The primary outcome was clinical status at 15 days as assessed with the use of a seven-level ordinal scale (with levels ranging from one to seven and higher scores indicating a worse condition) in the modified intention-to-treat population (patients with a confirmed diagnosis of Covid-19). Safety was also assessed. RESULTS: A total of 667 patients underwent randomization; 504 patients had confirmed Covid-19 and were included in the modified intention-to-treat analysis. As compared with standard care, the proportional odds of having a higher score on the seven-point ordinal scale at 15 days was not affected by either hydroxychloroquine alone (odds ratio, 1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.69 to 2.11; P = 1.00) or hydroxychloroquine plus azithromycin (odds ratio, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.57 to 1.73; P = 1.00). Prolongation of the corrected QT interval and elevation of liver-enzyme levels were more frequent in patients receiving hydroxychloroquine, alone or with azithromycin, than in those who were not receiving either agent. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients hospitalized with mild-to-moderate Covid-19, the use of hydroxychloroquine, alone or with azithromycin, did not improve clinical status at 15 days as compared with standard care. (Funded by the Coalition Covid-19 Brazil and EMS Pharma; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04322123.)

Proteocephalidean larvae (Cestoda) in naturally infected cyclopid copepods of the upper Paraná River floodplain, Brazil

The occurrence, prevalence and infection intensity of proteocephalidean larvae in naturally infected intermediate hosts of the Upper Paraná River floodplain are reported. A total of 5,206 zooplanktonic and benthic organisms were analyzed, namely cyclopid (2,621) and calanoid (1,479) copepods, cladocerans (704), rotifers (307), chironomid larvae (41) and ostracods (54). Eight cyclopid copepods - two copepodids, one male and five females - comprising 0.3% of the cyclopid copepods examined, were naturally infected. The male infected belonged to a species of Paracyclops, and the females to Paracyclops sp., Thermocyclops minutus and Mesocyclops longisetus

Autonomia do cuidado: interlocução afetivo-sexual com adolescentes no PET-Saúde

Realizou-se, dentro do Programa de Educação pelo Trabalho para a Saúde (PET-Saúde), uma pesquisa-ação em conjunto com o Centro de Saúde e a Escola Municipal de Glaura, um dos distritos de Ouro Preto/MG, reunindo 123 alunos, entre 11 e 19 anos de idade, que participaram de encontros semanais de abril de 2009 a março de 2010. O projeto visava à integração entre ensino e serviço de saúde, ao desenvolvimento da autonomia do cuidado, à construção de vínculos e ao intercâmbio de conhecimento com os adolescentes. Pautou-se na horizontalidade das relações entre os monitores, o preceptor, a tutora e os adolescentes, sob a óptica da visão freiriana de educação popular. Foram realizadas dinâmicas, encenações cômicas e quizzes, tendo a sexualidade como tema principal. Posteriormente, estimulou-se a confecção de ferramentas multiplicadoras pelos adolescentes, como vídeos e peças de teatro, tornando-os protagonistas do processo de ensino-aprendizagem. Este artigo serve como parâmetro para avaliação qualitativa da eficácia do PET-Saúde, além de discutir a relevância do programa para a formação médica, especialmente no que tange as habilidades dos profissionais de saúde para fornecer orientação afetivo-sexual aos adolescentes