ANÁLISE DE CONTAMINAÇÃO DE ABAIXADORES DE LÍNGUA PRÉ-USO EM UNIDADES BÁSICAS DE SAÚDE LOCALIZADAS EM GURUPI-TO

Introdução: Os abaixadores ou depressores de língua são instrumentos utilizados na Medicina e na Odontologia com a função de abaixar a base superior da língua permitindo a inspeção da boca e da orofaringe. Apesar da alta aplicabilidade do instrumento, não há protocolos ou uma padronização para seu armazenamento e/ou manipulação. Objetivo: Verificar a presença de contaminação por bactérias em abaixadores de língua pré-uso em Unidades Básicas de Saúde (UBS) do Município de Gurupi, no estado do Tocantins. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo primário, analítico, observacional, transversal e de prevalência. Resultados: Foram coletados 66 abaixadores de língua em todos os consultórios médicos de todas as UBS’s dessa urbe. Em todas as UBS’s houve pelo menos uma positivação de teste microbiológico em meio Ágar-Sangue, sendo que em nenhuma se verificou a positivação do teste em meio MacConkey. Os abaixadores encontravam-se em diversas condições de armazenamento. Discussão: Verificou-se a presença de contaminação de abaixadores de língua por bactérias em todas as UBS’s pesquisadas, sendo que o crescimento microbiano nas placas de Ágar Sangue e não nas de Ágar MacConkey pode sugerir a presença de enterococos e estafilococos. A identificação de tais patógenos e de seu potencial iatrogênico constitui campo de pesquisa para estudos posteriores. Conclusão: Os abaixados de língua são uma ferramenta amplamente utilizada na prática clínica, no entanto, a presença de contaminação bacteriana nos mesmos pode sugerir a necessidade de criação de novos protocolos de armazenamento para prevenir que a utilização desses instrumentos corresponda a um ato iatrogênico.  Palavras-chave: Contaminação de Equipamentos; Bactérias; Doença Iatrogênica; Consultórios Médicos

Blastocystis subtypes in patients with diabetes mellitus from the Midwest region of Brazil

Blastocystis sp. is an enteric protist commonly found in human fecal samples. In Brazil, few studies have been developed, but none of them has explored the presence of Blastocystis in patients with diabetes mellitus. We evaluated the occurrence and molecular identification of Blastocystis sp. among patients with diabetes mellitus in the Midwest region, Goias State, Brazil. Genomic DNA was obtained from 175 fecal samples (99 from the diabetic group and 76 from the control group). PCR was performed using pan-Blastocystis primers from the SSU-rDNA gene. Microscopic examination revealed positivity of 12.1% and 7.9% for Blastocystis in diabetics and in controls, respectively. Amplification of Blastocystis DNA was observed in 34.4% (34 of 99) and 30.3% (23 of 76) from the diabetic and control groups, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses and BLAST searches revealed six subtypes among Blastocystis isolates in the diabetic group, represented by ST1 (38.2%), ST2 (11.8%), ST3 (35.3%), ST6 (2.9%), ST7 (2.9%) and ST8 (8.8%). In the control group, ST1 (21.8%), ST2 (21.8%), ST3 (43.5%), ST6 (4.4%) and ST8 (8.7%) were identified. This study is the first report regarding the occurrence and subtypes distribution of Blastocystis in patients with diabetes mellitus in Brazil. The results reinforce the potential risk of Blastocystis infection in patients with diabetes, in addition, it contributes to the understanding of the genetic diversity of this enigmatic organism

Importance of detection of Strongyloides stercoralis DNA in fecal samples from patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective: The association between diabetes and Strongyloides infection remains controversial. This study aimed to detect Strongyloides stercoralis DNA in the feces of patients with Diabetes Mellitus type 2 (DM2). Methods: Fecal samples were analyzed via the Lutz, Rugai, and agar plate culture methods. PCR amplification was performed using two targets (PCR-genus and PCR-species) located on the S. stercoralis 18S ribosomal. Results: The positivity for S. stercoralis using parasitological methods was 1.1%. PCR-genus (14.13%) demonstrated a higher positivity than PCR-species (9.78%). Conclusion: The results confirm the greater positivity of the molecular diagnosis in relation to parasitological methods, reinforcing its use as an additional tool for the diagnosis of S. stercoralis infection in patients with DM2 living in endemic areas for this helminthiasis

Seropositivity to Cysticercosis in School-Age Children Living in a Low-Income Municipality in the Midwest Region of Brazil

Background: Human cysticercosis (CC) is a global public health problem, especially in Latin America, including Brazil. We aimed to analyze the seroprevalence of CC among school-age children and adolescents. Methods: We analyzed the presence of specific IgG antibodies against Taenia solium metacestodes in 500 serum samples from elementary school children and adolescents in Jataí City, state of Goiás, Brazil. IgG antibodies against the antigenic extract of the parasite were detected and analyzed by ELISA, and specific peptides were identified by confirmatory Western Blotting test. Results: Of the 500 study participants, 205 (41%) were male, and 295 (59%) were female. Participants aged between 4 and 18 years (mean age 8.4 years). The percentage of serum samples reactive by ELISA was 37.2%. These samples were analyzed by Western Blotting, which confirmed that the seropositivity rate was 6.2% (95% CI 2.4–14.7) in 31 samples reactive for CC-specific bands, determined in serum samples from 18 male (5–11 years old) and 13 female (4–12 years old) students. Conclusion: The CC seroprevalence demonstrated in schoolchildren suggests that this parasitosis is endemic in the study area. Further investigations are necessary to clarify the local epidemiology of this parasitosis

Anatomical description of arterial segments in the crab-eating raccoon kidney (Procyon cancrivorus)

Crab-eating raccoon is a middle-sized animal with a long tail, which is yellowish and has a black and ornate tip, presenting from 5 to 10 dark and yellow rings. The specimens live in equatorial and tropical forests, always close to rivers, swamps, marshes, and mangroves. Two specimens of Procyon cancrivorus were used, both killed by accident and, later on, sent to the Anatomy Laboratory of Universidade Federal de Goias (UFG), in the Jatai campus, where, starting from the renal arteries, the arterial segments were dissected with the aid of a stereoscopic microscope. As a result, the renal arteries were always viewed in a single manner, bifurcating into dorsal and ventral segments, subdivided into ventro-cranial, ventro-medial-cranial, ventro-medial, ventromedial-caudal, ventro-caudal, dorso-cranial, dorso-medial-cranial, dorso-medial, dorso-medial-caudal, and dorso-caudal segments, also observed in rabbit, agouti, wild boar, and ovines. This study showed an arterial distribution pattern which is also identified in the right and left kidneys, the penetration site of renal arteries coincide with the findings in mouse and differ from those in rat, golden hamster, and agouti. According to the distribution and arrangement, the renal morphology of Procyon cancrivorus is similar to that found in pets and wild animals. The recognition of renal artery branches shows to be highly relevant both for surgical interventions and future investigations which enhance the knowledge on this species