Investigações sôbre infecções por enterovírus no Distrito Federal

Os autores descrevem os resultados de investigações realizadas pelo Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, com material colhido pelo Serviço de Epidemiologia de Brasília, de casos paralíticos, durante um periódo de 13 meses (janeiro de 1964 a janeiro de 1965). De um total de 47 materiais examinados, foram isoladas 28 amostras de Polivírus do tipo 1, 4 do tipo 2 e duas não-pólio. Destas, uma mostrou-se patogênica para o camundongo recém-nascido, onde as lesões histopatológicas foram compatíveis com as reproduzidas por uma amostra do grupo Coxsackie A. A distribuição por idade dos pacientes sugere a necessidade de serem os grupos etários de até, no máximo, 4 anos de idade, os que devem ser fundamentalmente atingidos por campanhas de imunização contra a poliomielite, na região estudada.The authors describe results of isolations from rectal and throat swabs of paralitic polio-like cases in Brasilia. The specimens have been collected during a period of 13 months (January 64 to January 65) and sent by plane to the Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. From 47 samples examined, were isolated 28 strains of Poliovirus type 1, 4 of type 2, and two non-polio agents. One of the non-polio agents was pathogenic for baby-mice with typical lesions of Coxsackie A virus group. The age distribution suggests that children less than 4 years ol should be vaccinated as the first step in order to control polio infections in the studied area

Anticorpos para o vírus Vaccínia na infecção experimental em bovinos

Antibody formation for Vaccinia virus, after inoculation in calves, used for Smallpox vaccine preparation, have been tested. Complement-fixing, hemagglutination inhibition, neutralizing and precipitating antibodies have been demonstrated. The globulin class of these antibodies has also been determined after gel filtration in Sephadex G-200. A fast antibody formation in the animals has been observed like the one observed in human re-vaccination and faster than that observed in the human prime vaccination. The pattern observed on formation and decrease of globulins IgM suggest its use in the diagnosis of recent infections by Pox viruses. This is particularly important in order to make a differential diagnosis with other vesicular virus infections and older infections or vaccinations with members of Pox viruses group.Anticorpos para o vírus Vaccínia, formados após inoculação em bovinos usados no preparo de vacina antivariólica, foram testados. Titularam-se os anticorpos inibidores de hemaglutinação, fixadores do complemento, neutralizantes e precipitantes. A classe de globulinas a que pertenciam estes anticorpos foi determinada, através de prévia filtração em gel de Sephadex G-200. Observou-se uma rápida formação de anticorpos nos animais, aparentemente mais rápida do que a resposta em pessoas primo-vacinadas e próxima à resposta em revacinados. O padrão de formação e o desaparecimento precoce das globulinas IgM sugere sua utilidade no diagnóstico de infecções recentes do grupo Pox, o que teria aplicação importante no diagnóstico diferencial de outras infecções vesiculares, bem como na caracterização de anticorpos devidos a antigas vacinações ou infecções por membros deste grupo de vírus

Risk factors for hepatitis B virus infection in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

BACKGROUND: Despite international efforts to prevent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection through global vaccination programs, new cases are still being reported throughout the world. METHODS: To supply data that might assist in improving preventive measures and national surveillance for HBV infection, a cross-sectional study was conducted among individuals referred to the Brazilian National Reference Center for Viral Hepatitis (Rio de Janeiro) during a two-year period. Reported risk factors among infected subjects ("HBV-positive") were compared to those of subjects never exposed ("HBV-negative") to HBV. Two subgroups were further identified within the HBV-positive group, "acute" infection and "non-acute" infection. RESULTS: A total of 1,539 subjects were tested for HBV, of which 616 were HBV-positive (79 acute infection and 537 non-acute infection). HBV-positive subjects were more likely to be of male gender (63% versus 47%); and to report multiple sexual partners (12% versus 6%) and illicit drug use (IDU and/or intranasal cocaine use) (6% versus 3%). Among the HBV-positive subgroups, age differed significantly, with 48% being under 30 years of age in subjects acutely infected compared to 17% in those with non-acute infection. CONCLUSIONS: The association of multiple sexual partners with past HBV infection and the age distribution of currently infected subjects suggest that sexual transmission played a major role in the transmission of HBV in this study population. Thus, vaccination during adolescence should be considered