High incidence of tuberculosis in patients treated for hepatitis C chronic infection

AbstractBrazil is one of the 22 countries that concentrates 80% of global tuberculosis cases concomitantly to a large number of hepatitis C carriers and some epidemiological risk scenarios are coincident for both diseases. We analyzed tuberculosis cases that occurred during α-interferon-based therapy for hepatitis C in reference centers in Brazil between 2001 and 2012 and reviewed their medical records. Eighteen tuberculosis cases were observed in patients submitted to hepatitis C α-interferon-based therapy. All patients were human immunodeficiency virus-negative. Nine patients (50%) had extra-pulmonary tuberculosis; 15 (83%) showed significant liver fibrosis. Hepatitis C treatment was discontinued in 12 patients (67%) due to tuberculosis reactivation and six (33%) had sustained virological response. The majority of patients had a favorable outcome but one died. Considering the evidences of α-IFN interference over the containment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the immune impairment of cirrhotic patients, the increase of tuberculosis case reports during hepatitis C treatment with atypical and severe presentations and the negative impact on sustained virological response, we think these are strong arguments for latent tuberculosis infection screening before starting α-interferon-based therapy for any indication and even to consider IFN-free regimens against hepatitis C when a patient tests positive for latent tuberculosis infection

Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil: setting the baseline knowledge on the animal diversity in Brazil

The limited temporal completeness and taxonomic accuracy of species lists, made available in a traditional manner in scientific publications, has always represented a problem. These lists are invariably limited to a few taxonomic groups and do not represent up-to-date knowledge of all species and classifications. In this context, the Brazilian megadiverse fauna is no exception, and the Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil (CTFB) (http://fauna.jbrj.gov.br/), made public in 2015, represents a database on biodiversity anchored on a list of valid and expertly recognized scientific names of animals in Brazil. The CTFB is updated in near real time by a team of more than 800 specialists. By January 1, 2024, the CTFB compiled 133,691 nominal species, with 125,138 that were considered valid. Most of the valid species were arthropods (82.3%, with more than 102,000 species) and chordates (7.69%, with over 11,000 species). These taxa were followed by a cluster composed of Mollusca (3,567 species), Platyhelminthes (2,292 species), Annelida (1,833 species), and Nematoda (1,447 species). All remaining groups had less than 1,000 species reported in Brazil, with Cnidaria (831 species), Porifera (628 species), Rotifera (606 species), and Bryozoa (520 species) representing those with more than 500 species. Analysis of the CTFB database can facilitate and direct efforts towards the discovery of new species in Brazil, but it is also fundamental in providing the best available list of valid nominal species to users, including those in science, health, conservation efforts, and any initiative involving animals. The importance of the CTFB is evidenced by the elevated number of citations in the scientific literature in diverse areas of biology, law, anthropology, education, forensic science, and veterinary science, among others

A DOENÇA DE ALZHEIMER E O CUIDADO EM SAÚDE BUCAL ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND ORAL HEALTH CARE

A elevação da expectativa de vida de uma população resulta da interaçãode diversos fatores, como a descoberta dos antibióticos; dos imunobiológicosou vacinas, efetivação de políticas públicas para redução dapobreza e desigualdades como: ações de saneamento básico; habitaçãodigna e maior tempo de permanência na escola. Contudo, o processode envelhecimento acarreta maior incidência e prevalência de doençascrônicas não transmissíveis (DCNT), a exemplo das neurodegenerativas,especificamente a doença de Alzheimer (DA). A doença apresenta evoluçãogradual, com deterioração da memória, aprendizado, orientação,estabilidade emocional, capacidade de comunicação, pensamentos abstratos(paranoias e alucinações) tendo como consequência a incapacidadee exclusão social. Inicia-se com redução motora e cognitiva chegandoà perda da autonomia pessoal, inviabilizando a realização das atividadesda vida diária (AVDs) como nutrição e cuidados básicos de higiene oral.É condição essencial que os cirurgiões-dentistas conheçam característicasclinicas da DA para que os cuidados odontológicos sejam planejadosprevendo as etapas evolutivas da doença e a percepção dos pacientes eseus cuidadores. The increase in the life expectancy of a population results from the interactionof several factors, such as the discovery of antibiotics; immunobiológicosor vaccines, effective public policies to reduce poverty andinequalities such as: basic sanitation actions; housing and longer time inschool. However, the aging process leads to a higher incidence and prevalenceof chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as neurodegenerative diseases, specifically Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The diseasepresents gradual evolution, with deterioration of memory, learning, orientation,emotional stability, communication capacity, abstract thoughts(paranoias and hallucinations), resulting in incapacity and social exclusion.It begins with a motor and cognitive reduction, leading to the lossof personal autonomy, making it impossible to carry out activities of dailyliving (ADLs) such as nutrition and basic oral hygiene care. It is essentialthat dental surgeons know the clinical characteristics of AD so that dentalcare is planned by predicting the evolutionary stages of the disease andthe perception of patients and their caregivers

Determinação da amplitude dos movimentos mandibulares em crianças do estado da Bahia

RESUMO Objetivo: determinar a amplitude dos movimentos mandibulares de crianças brasileiras, do Estado da Bahia, de acordo com a idade, gênero e altura. Métodos: participaram do estudo 181 escolares de 8 a 12 anos, todos assintomáticos para Disfunção Temporomandibular, segundo o Research Diagnostic Criteria/ Temporomandibular Disorders, RDC/TMD. Realizaram-se as medidas da amplitude da abertura bucal máxima, lateralidade direita, lateralidade esquerda e protrusão. As medidas foram feitas com o paquímetro digital Starret Serie 799. A análise estatística foi STAT versão 11. Aplicou-se a regressão multivariada das medidas obtidas destacando-se gênero, idade e altura como interferentes para amplitude dos movimentos mandibulares (P˂0,05). Resultados: 1. masculino/altura (131,45 ≥ 146,05cm); abertura bucal máxima 48,07 a 50,29mm; lateralidade direita 8,19 a 8,55mm; lateralidade esquerda 7,88 a 8,51mm e protrusão 6,72 a 8,30mm. 2. feminino/altura (129,68 ≥ 142,64cm): abertura bucal máxima 47,15 a 50,71mm; lateralidade direita 7,27 a 8,58mm; lateralidade esquerda 7,66 a 8,21mm e protrusão 6,51 a 7,22mm. 3. masculino /idade: abertura bucal máxima 47,52 a 50,84mm; lateralidade direita 7,76 a 8,85mm; lateralidade esquerda 7,93 a 9,36mm; protrusão 6,60 a 8,50mm. 4. feminino/idade: abertura bucal máxima 47,16 a 50,7mm; lateralidade direita 7,53 a 8,60mm; lateralidade esquerda 7,42 a 8,30mm; protrusão 6,41 a 7,48mm. Conclusão: os valores da amplitude dos movimentos mandibulares de acordo com idade, gênero e altura, para a população estudada, foram descritos e podem contribuir como um referencial que pode auxiliar na avaliação funcional do sistema mastigatório