Hymenoptera stings in Brazil: a neglected health threat in Amazonas State

<div><p>Abstract INTRODUCTION: Hymenoptera injuries are commonly caused by stinging insects. In Amazonas state, Brazil, there is no information regarding distribution, profile, and systemic manifestations associated with Hymenoptera injuries. METHODS: This study aimed to identify risk factors for systemic manifestation using the Brazilian Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (2007 to 2015). RESULTS: Half of Hymenoptera injuries were caused by bee stings. Hymenoptera injuries were concentrated in Manaus, and 13.36% of cases displayed systemic signs. Delayed medical assistance (4 to 12 hours) presented four times more risk for systemic manifestations. CONCLUSIONS: Simple clinical observations and history of injury are critical information for prognostic improvement.</p></div

DataSheet_1_The activity of methylene blue against asexual and sexual stages of Plasmodium vivax.pdf

Methylene blue (MB) is an alternative for combating drug-resistant malaria parasites. Its transmission-blocking potential has been demonstrated in vivo in murine models, in vitro, and in clinical trials. MB shows high efficacy against Plasmodium vivax asexual stages; however, its efficacy in sexual stages is unknown. In this study, we evaluated the potential of MB against asexual and sexual forms of P. vivax isolated from the blood of patients residing in the Brazilian Amazon. An ex vivo schizont maturation assay, zygote to ookinete transformation assay, direct membrane feed assay (DMFA), and standard membrane feed assay (SMFA) using P. vivax gametocytes with MB exposure were performed. A cytotoxicity assay was also performed on freshly collected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and the hepatocyte carcinoma cell line HepG2. MB inhibited the P. vivax schizont maturation and demonstrated an IC50 lower than that of chloroquine (control drug). In the sexual forms, the MB demonstrated a high level of inhibition in the transformation of the zygotes into ookinetes. In the DMFA, MB did not considerably affect the infection rate and showed low inhibition, but it demonstrated a slight decrease in the infection intensity in all tested concentrations. In contrast, in the SMFA, MB was able to completely block the transmission at the highest concentration (20 µM). MB demonstrated low cytotoxicity to fresh PBMCs but demonstrated higher cytotoxicity to the hepatocyte carcinoma cell line HepG2. These results show that MB may be a potential drug for vivax malaria treatment.</p

Association of parasitemia with <i>TLR</i> and <i>CD14</i> polymorphisms in <i>Pv</i>-malaria patients.

<p>Association of parasitemia with <i>TLR</i> and <i>CD14</i> polymorphisms in <i>Pv</i>-malaria patients.</p

Genotype and allele frequencies of the TLRs and CD14 polymorphisms in patients with <i>Pv</i>-malaria and healthy controls.

<p>Genotype and allele frequencies of the TLRs and CD14 polymorphisms in patients with <i>Pv</i>-malaria and healthy controls.</p

Study and data analysis flow chart.

<p>We included 599 eligible participants from two cohort studies conducted in Amazonas. Of these, 274 healthy individuals without malaria history in the prior 12 months were included in the “Healthy Group” and 325 patients diagnosed with <i>Pv</i>-malaria infection were included in the “<i>Pv</i>-malaria Cases”. Parasitemia analysis was performed for 208 patients.</p

Clinical and demographic characteristics of the study population.

<p>Clinical and demographic characteristics of the study population.</p

Sociodemographic characteristics of the sample (N = 110).

Sociodemographic characteristics of the sample (N = 110).</p

Clinic context, barriers, facilitators, and optimization strategies to improve the LTBI Care Continuum among PLHIV in Brazil via new technologies.

Clinic context, barriers, facilitators, and optimization strategies to improve the LTBI Care Continuum among PLHIV in Brazil via new technologies.</p