DESREGULADORES ENDÓCRINOS NO AMBIENTE E SEUS EFEITOS NA BIOTA E SAÚDE HUMANA

O presente artigo teve como objetivo efetuar revisão de literatura sobre os desreguladores endócrinos. Os tópicos abordados incluíram a caracterização e a classificação dos desreguladores endócrinos, sua ocorrência no ambiente, possíveis efeitos na biota e na saúde humana. De acordo com a pesquisa bibliográfica, ainda existem poucos estudos no Brasil relatando a ocorrência de desreguladores endócrinos no ambiente e seus possíveis efeitos nos seres vivos. Tais trabalhos se concentram em países desenvolvidos, localizados na maioria das vezes em regiões temperadas. Essas pesquisas indicam que mesmo em baixas concentrações, os desreguladores endócrinos afetam toda a biota e causam prejuízos à saúde humana, interferindo principalmente no sistema reprodutor dos organismos. O estudo dos desreguladores endócrinos torna-se importante para definição de medidas que minimizem sua liberação no ambiente e para o desenvolvimento de metodologias que reduzam ou removam essas substâncias das matrizes ambientais

Herpes zoster-associated acute urinary retention in immunocompetent patient

Herpes zoster-associated urinary retention is an uncommon event related to virus infection of the S2-S4 dermatome. The possible major reasons are ipsilateral hemicystitis, neuritis-induced or myelitis-associated virus infection. We report a case of a 65-year-old immunocompetent female patient who presented an acute urinary retention after four days under treatment with valacyclovir for gluteal herpes zoster. The patient had to use a vesical catheter, was treated with antibiotics and corticosteroids and fully recovered after eight weeks

A PROBLEMÁTICA AMBIENTAL DA CONTAMINAÇÃO DOS RECURSOS HÍDRICOS POR FÁRMACOS

A degradação dos recursos hídricos e a escassez de água potável são assuntos de crescente preocupação mundial, principalmente em razão da presença de contaminantes emergentes (CE) como os fármacos. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo levantar informações por meio de estudos publicados sobre a presença de fármacos em matrizes ambientais e os seus efeitos no meio aquático, assim como para os organismos aquáticos e os seres humanos expostos. Observou-se aumento no número de pesquisas, tanto daquelas voltadas à contaminação dos recursos hídricos por fármacos quanto daquelas voltadas aos efeitos desses nos seres vivos. Verificou se que os fármacos estudados (diclofenaco, ibuprofeno e paracetamol) podem ser encontrados em diversas matrizes ambientais e causar efeitos ecotoxicológicos a diversos organismos não alvos como algas, moluscos, peixes e plantas aquáticas. Para os contaminantes estudados, não existe legislação associada à sua presença em matrizes ambientais, no entanto a União Europeia (UE) inseriu o diclofenaco na lista dos contaminantes que devem ser monitorados. A problemática ambiental da contaminação dos recursos hídricos pelos fármacos envolve grandes desafios, entre eles a busca por medidas que visem à prevenção de possíveis impactos ao meio ambiente e à saúde humana

Disseminated cutaneous histoplasmosis in elderly patients. An uncommon presentation

Background: Human fungal infections have increased at an alarming rate in recent years, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. Cryptococcosis is the second most prevalent systemic fungal infection worldwide, and the most prevalent systemic infection in immunocompromised individuals, representing more than 70% of cases. The incidence of cryptococcosis is high in people with HIV/acquired immunodefi- ciency syndrome (AIDS), with recent estimates indicating that there are one million cases of cryptococcal meningitis globally per year in AIDS patients. Aims: The aim of this research was to develop a rapid flow cytometric antifungal susceptibility test and to compare the results with the standard methods. Methods: A reference strain and clinical isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii were tested for susceptibility to amphotericin B by flow cytometry using propidium iodide as indicator of viability. Flow cytometry (FC) results were compared with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values determined by microdilution. Results: The antifungal activity of amphotericin B ranged from MICs of 0.06 to 2 g/ml for the 11 isolates studied. The same results were found by FC. Conclusions: The FC method allows same-day results, assisting in the selection of appropriate antifungal therapies. These results demonstrate an excellent correlation between FC and the classic methods of testing for susceptibility to antifungal agents. This rapid diagnosis method makes it possible to quickly administer effective therapeutic interventions, often saving lives

Detection of hormones in surface and drinking water in Brazil by LC-ESI-MS/MS and ecotoxicological assessment with Daphnia magna

The growing use of pharmaceutical drug is mainly due to several diseases in human and in animal husbandry. As these drugs are discharged into waterways via wastewater, they cause a major impact on the environment. Many of these drugs are hormones; in which even at low concentrations can alter metabolic and physiological functions in many organisms. Hormones were found in surface water, groundwater, soil, and sediment at concentrations from nanograms to milligrams per liter of volume-quantities known to cause changes in the endocrine system of aquatic organisms. This study aimed to develop a methodology for hormone detection (estriol, estrone, 17 beta-estradiol, 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol, progesterone, and testosterone) on surface and treated water samples. Sample toxicity was assessed by ecotoxicology tests using Daphnia magna. A liquid chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer with an electrospray ionization source (LC-ESI-MS/ MS) was used for the analysis. The results showed that samples were contaminated by the hormones estriol, estrone, progesterone, 17 beta-estradiol, and 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol during the sampling period, and the highest concentrations measured were 90, 28, 26, 137, and 194 ng.L-1, respectively. This indicates the inflow of sewage containing these hormones at some points in the Piracicaba River in the State of Sao Paulo-Brazil. Results indicated little toxicity of the hormone estriol in D. magna, indicating that chronic studies with this microcrustacean are necessary.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP