Perfil da Automedicação em Estudantes do Município de Laranjal-MG.

A automedicação é entendida como um procedimento que tem como característica principal a iniciativa, do paciente ou de seu responsável, de utilizar um medicamento ao qual ele acredita proporcionar benefícios no tratamento de doenças e alívio sintomático. Esta prática pode constituir-se em um sério problema de saúde pública, podendo trazer muitos riscos ao paciente. Propôs-se neste trabalho avaliar a ocorrência da automedicação em estudantes da Escola Estadual Coronel Francisco Gama, situado no município de Laranjal-MG e os motivos que levam a tal prática. Participaram deste trabalho alunos do 9º ano do ensino fundamental, Educação de Jovens e Adultos (EJA) e 3º ano do ensino médio. Através da análise de questionários aplicados, foi possível verificar elevado índice desta prática entre eles, sendo os medicamentos mais consumidos pelos estudantes os analgésicos, as vitaminas, os antibióticos e os antiinflamatórios. Admitiram se automedicar 91% dos alunos, e 41% afirmaram já ter consumido medicamentos motivados por propagandas. A arriscada prática da interrupção do tratamento após aparente melhora foi declarada por 60% dos alunos entrevistados. A análise dos dados coletados mostrou que a prática da automedicação é motivada por falta de informação dos riscos associados a ela, além da influência familiar ou da mídia a qual os alunos estão submetidos. Tendo em vista a impossibilidade de execrar tal prática, torna-se extremamente importante conhecer seus riscos, sendo a educação fundamental para que os indivíduos saibam se portar diante dessa problemática.The self-medication is understood as a procedure that has as main feature the initiative of the patient or of his/her responsible, for use of a drug which he believes provide benefits in the treatment of diseases and symptomatic relief. This practice can lead to a serious problem of public health, and can bring many risks to the patient. The objective of this work was to evaluate the occurrence of self-medication by students of the Escola Estadual Coronel Francisco da Gma, situated in the city of Laranjal-MG and the reasons leading to such practice. Participated, in this work, students of the 9th year of the fundamental teaching, Education of Youths and Adults (EJA) and 3rd year of the medium teaching. Through the analysis of applied questionnaires, it was possible to verify an elevated rate of this practice among the students being the most used drugs the analgesics, vitamins, antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. 94% of the students has admitted to self-medicate and 41% of the students admitted self-medication motivated by advertisements, and 60% of the students admitted stopping self-medication for feeling better. The analysis of these and other collected data showed that the practice of the self-medication is motivated by lack of information of the risks associated to it, besides the family influence or of the media which the students are submitted. Because of the impossibility of execrate such practice, it is extremely important to know its risks, showing that the education is fundamental for the people to face that problem

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the interferon gamma gene are associated with distinct types of retinochoroidal scar lesions presumably caused by Toxoplasma gondii infection

The association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the interferon (IFN)-γ gene ( IFNG ) with different types of retinal scar lesions presumably caused by toxoplasmosis were investigated in a cross-sectional population-based genetic study. Ten SNPs were investigated and after Bonferroni correction, only the associations between SNPs rs2069718 and rs3181035 with retinal/retinochoroidal scar lesions type A (most severe scar lesions) and C (least severe scar lesions), respectively, remained significant. The associations of two different IFNG SNPs with two different types of retinal lesions attributable to toxoplasmosis support the hypothesis that different inflammatory mechanisms underlie the development of these lesions. The in vitro analysis of IFN-γ secretion by peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with Toxoplasma gondii antigens was also investigated. The association between SNP rs2069718 and type A scar lesions revealed that differential IFN-γ levels are correlated with distinct genotypes. However, no correlation was observed with IFN-γ secretion levels and the SNP rs3181035 , which was significantly associated with type C scar lesions. Our findings strongly suggest that immunogenetic studies of individuals with congenital or postnatally acquired infection are needed to better understand the role of IFN-γ and its polymorphisms in the pathogenesis of ocular toxoplasmosis

Host immune response to Toxoplasma gondii and Ascaris lumbricoides in a highly endemic area: evidence of parasite co-immunomodulation properties influencing the outcome of both infections

Toxoplasmosis and ascaridiasis evoke polar Th-1 and Th-2 host immune responses, respectively. A study to investigate the specific cytokine profile production by in vitro cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from individuals living under precarious sanitary conditions in a highly endemic area for the parasites Toxoplasma gondii and Ascaris lumbricoides was conducted. High levels of both IFN-γ (Th-1) and IL-13 (Th-2) were observed in groups of co-infected individuals presenting toxoplasmic ocular lesions. Significantly lower IL-10 and TGF-β levels were produced by co-infected individuals in comparison with groups of individuals not infected with A. lumbricoides and either positive or negative for T. gondii living under good sanitary conditions (control groups). The possible influence of co-parasitism on the clinical presentation of ocular toxoplasmosis is discussed