MONITORIA ACADÊMICA EM PARASITOLOGIA HUMANA: UM RELATO DE EXPERIÊNCIA

A monitoria é um programa que contribui para a qualidade do ensino nas universidades, buscando oferecer aos estudantes a possibilidade de aprofundar e sanar dúvidas acerca de conteúdos vistos em sala de aula. O objetivo desse estudo foi descrever, através de um relato de experiência, as atividades realizadas durante a monitoria da disciplina de Parasitologia Humana da Unidade Acadêmica da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Campus Cuité entre outubro de 2016 a abril de 2017. Nesse período, foi possível desenvolver atividades práticas e teóricas com discussões ativas, resolução de listas de exercícios, identificação de parasitas e vetores através de microscópios ópticos e estereomicroscópios, além da produção de materiais de apoio

Synergistic antibacterial activity of monoterpenes in combination with conventional antimicrobials against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria

Introduction: bacterial infections are a public health problem. Besides, the emergence of strains resistant to antimicrobials hascontributed to the search for new alternatives, such for the terpenes with antimicrobial potential. Objectives: the objective of thisstudy was to determine the possible interaction of isolated monoterpenes (-)-Carveol, Geraniol, Citronellol, α-terpineol, R-(-) Carvone,(-)-Menthol, Linalool, D-Dihydrocarvone, and (-)-Terpine-4-ol with conventional antimicrobials (Chloramphenicol, Minocycline,Amoxicillin and Ciprofloxacin) when they are evaluated on Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus subtilis,Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. Methodology: the minimum inhibitory concentrations of these test drugswere determined using the microdilution method. The Checkerboard method was used to assess the interactions, by determiningthe fractional inhibitory concentration index (FIC index). Results: aamong the monoterpenes, only Carveol, Citronellol, and Geraniolpresented antimicrobial activity (MIC < 1024 μg/mL). They presented synergistic effects against Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC-9027(FIC index ≤ 0.5) when in combination with Minocycline. Conclusion: this study contributes to the development of new approachesto control bacterial resistance and to the possibility of discovering new drugs

Irrational use of antifungals:: Resistance and toxicity

Os fungos são micro-organismos responsáveis pelo surgimento de diversos tipos de afecções, o uso frequente pode favorecer o uso irracional de antifúngicos. O presente estudo teve como objetivo realizar uma revisão de literatura abordando acerca dos prejuízos ocasionados pelo uso incorreto de fármacos antifúngicos, destacando-se fenômenos de resistência e toxicidade. Trata-se de uma revisão bibliográfica do tipo narrativa, em que houve a recuperação de artigos publicados entre os anos de 2010 a 2020 e que se encontravam nas bases de dados: Lilacs (Centro América Latina e Caribe em Ciências da Saúde), Scielo (Scientific Eletronic Library Online), Science Direct e MedLine. O uso irracional de antifúngicos tem ocasionado fenômenos de resistência que têm sido associados, principalmente, a bombas de efluxo, superexpressão enzimática e modificações de alvos, impedindo com que os fármacos possam adentrar a célula fúngica ou até mesmo interagir com componentes mais superficiais como os esteróis. A toxicidade, também tem sido observada em situações em que há o uso excessivo de antifúngicos, evidenciando-se, em geral, hepatotoxicidade, cardiotoxicidade e acometimento da medula óssea. Assim, diante dessa problemática, torna-se imprescindível a capacitação de profissionais da saúde, em relação a correta prescrição e orientação acerca do uso de antifúngicos, com o intuito de promover o uso racional e contribuir para o menor desenvolvimento de fenômenos de resistência e toxicidade

Profile of enteroparasites and enterocomensal in Cuité-PB.

Mãos contaminadas por parasitas intestinais podem perpassá-los facilmente aos produtos alimentícios e consequentemente ao consumidor, assim profissionais responsáveis pela manipulação de alimentos podem atuar como disseminadores desses patógenos. O presente estudo objetivou avaliar a prevalência de enteroparasitos e as variáveis epidemiológicas associadas a infecção parasitária em manipuladores de merenda escolar de Cuité-PB. As amostras fecais foram analisadas através do método de centrífugo-sedimentação simples e houve aplicação de questionário semiestruturado para 57 manipuladores de merenda escolar de 11 escolas do município de Cuité, no período de agosto a dezembro de 2017, sendo que o trabalho foi devidamente aprovado pelo comitê de ética com o seguinte número de parecer: 1.258.124. Foi utilizado o teste qui-quadrado e as variáveis foram analisadas a partir do Software Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Dentre os 57 manipuladores de merenda escolar, 78,9% estavam infectados por enteroparasitos/enterocomensais. Endolimax nana foi a espécie mais prevalente (53,4%). Também foram encontradas as espécies patogênicas Giardia lamblia, Ascaris lumbricoides, Hymenolepis nana e Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar. Em relação ao perfil dos acometidos, 100% dos infectados eram do sexo feminino, 48,9% possuíam baixa escolaridade, 53,3% tinham renda familiar de até um salário mínimo e 60% tinham entre 20-49 anos. Cerca 40% dos infectados estavam bi/poliparasitados e 35,6% e 80% possuíam água e esgotamento sanitário inadequados, respectivamente. Enquanto que 40% dos infectados não sabiam o que era parasitoses e 48,9% como se adquiria. Em relação a capacitação destes profissionais, 43,9% dos manipuladores nunca tinham feito treinamento em manipulação de alimentos e 3,4% nunca tinham realizado exame parasitológico de fezes (EPF). Diante da alta prevalência de infectados conclui-se que são necessárias melhorias sanitárias, educacionais e no treinamento em boas práticas de manipulação, bem como a realização periódica do exame parasitológico de fezes.Contemned hands by intestinal parasites can easily pass them on to the food products and consequently to the consumer, therefore professionals that are responsible for the food handling can actuate as disseminator of these pathogens. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of enteroparasites and the variables epidemiological associated to the parasitic infection in school lunch handlers of Cuité-PB. The fecal samples that were analyzed through the simple centrifugal-sedimentation method and a questionnaire was applied to 57 school lunch handlers from 11 school in the municipality of Cuité, in the period of August to December of 2017; the work was duly approved by the ethics committee with the following number of opinions: 1.258.124. It was utilized the chi-squared test and the variables were analyzed starting on the Software Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Among the 57 school lunch handlers, 78,9% were infected by enteroparasites/nonpathogenic. Endolimax nana was the most prevalent species (53,4%). It has also been found the pathogenic species Giardia lamblia, Ascaris lumbricoides, Hymenolepis nana and Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar. Regarding the profile of affected patients ,100% of the infected were female, 48,9% had low schooling, 53,3% had family income up to a minimum wage and 60% were between 20-49 years. About 40% of the infected were bi-polyparasite and 35.6% and 80% had inadequate water and sewage, respectively. While 40% of the infected did not know what is parasitism and 48,9% did not know how they could get it. Regarding the qualification of these professionals, 43,9% of the manipulators had never done treatment in food handling and 3,4% had never done parasitological examination of feces (PEF). Faced with the high prevalence of the infected, it was concluded that is necessary sanitary e educational, improvements, in good practice training of manipulation, as well as the periodic realization of parasitological examination of feces

NEOTROPICAL ALIEN MAMMALS: a data set of occurrence and abundance of alien mammals in the Neotropics

Biological invasion is one of the main threats to native biodiversity. For a species to become invasive, it must be voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into a nonnative habitat. Mammals were among first taxa to be introduced worldwide for game, meat, and labor, yet the number of species introduced in the Neotropics remains unknown. In this data set, we make available occurrence and abundance data on mammal species that (1) transposed a geographical barrier and (2) were voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into the Neotropics. Our data set is composed of 73,738 historical and current georeferenced records on alien mammal species of which around 96% correspond to occurrence data on 77 species belonging to eight orders and 26 families. Data cover 26 continental countries in the Neotropics, ranging from Mexico and its frontier regions (southern Florida and coastal-central Florida in the southeast United States) to Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay, and the 13 countries of Caribbean islands. Our data set also includes neotropical species (e.g., Callithrix sp., Myocastor coypus, Nasua nasua) considered alien in particular areas of Neotropics. The most numerous species in terms of records are from Bos sp. (n = 37,782), Sus scrofa (n = 6,730), and Canis familiaris (n = 10,084); 17 species were represented by only one record (e.g., Syncerus caffer, Cervus timorensis, Cervus unicolor, Canis latrans). Primates have the highest number of species in the data set (n = 20 species), partly because of uncertainties regarding taxonomic identification of the genera Callithrix, which includes the species Callithrix aurita, Callithrix flaviceps, Callithrix geoffroyi, Callithrix jacchus, Callithrix kuhlii, Callithrix penicillata, and their hybrids. This unique data set will be a valuable source of information on invasion risk assessments, biodiversity redistribution and conservation-related research. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this data paper when using the data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us on how they are using the data

NEOTROPICAL XENARTHRANS: a data set of occurrence of xenarthran species in the Neotropics

Xenarthrans—anteaters, sloths, and armadillos—have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, 10 anteaters, and 6 sloths. Our data set includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the southern United States, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to the austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n = 5,941), and Cyclopes sp. have the fewest (n = 240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n = 11,588), and the fewest data are recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n = 33). With regard to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n = 962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n = 12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other data sets of Neotropical Series that will become available very soon (i.e., Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans data set. Please cite this data paper when using its data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using these data

NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES: a data set on carnivore distribution in the Neotropics

Mammalian carnivores are considered a key group in maintaining ecological health and can indicate potential ecological integrity in landscapes where they occur. Carnivores also hold high conservation value and their habitat requirements can guide management and conservation plans. The order Carnivora has 84 species from 8 families in the Neotropical region: Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Otariidae; Phocidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae. Herein, we include published and unpublished data on native terrestrial Neotropical carnivores (Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae). NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES is a publicly available data set that includes 99,605 data entries from 35,511 unique georeferenced coordinates. Detection/non-detection and quantitative data were obtained from 1818 to 2018 by researchers, governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private consultants. Data were collected using several methods including camera trapping, museum collections, roadkill, line transect, and opportunistic records. Literature (peer-reviewed and grey literature) from Portuguese, Spanish and English were incorporated in this compilation. Most of the data set consists of detection data entries (n = 79,343; 79.7%) but also includes non-detection data (n = 20,262; 20.3%). Of those, 43.3% also include count data (n = 43,151). The information available in NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES will contribute to macroecological, ecological, and conservation questions in multiple spatio-temporal perspectives. As carnivores play key roles in trophic interactions, a better understanding of their distribution and habitat requirements are essential to establish conservation management plans and safeguard the future ecological health of Neotropical ecosystems. Our data paper, combined with other large-scale data sets, has great potential to clarify species distribution and related ecological processes within the Neotropics. There are no copyright restrictions and no restriction for using data from this data paper, as long as the data paper is cited as the source of the information used. We also request that users inform us of how they intend to use the data