AVALIAÇÃO DO CONHECIMENTO ACERCA DA BIOSSEGURANÇA EM ESTUDANTES DE ODONTOLOGIA

A biossegurança trata-se de um planejamento de atividades e medidas postas na prática em todas as profissões, com a finalidade de identificar e prevenir danos à saúde laboral e ao indivíduo prestador do labor. Por meio dessa definição, notou-se a necessidade de avaliar em uma instituição de ensino universitário, selecionando o curso de odontologia, levantar os índices de conhecimento dos graduandos, pertinentes ao tema e construir um paralelo entre os pensamentos ao ingressar e ao longo do aprendizado. Logo, foi desenvolvido um questionário físico e digital autoaplicável e aplicado em turmas do 1° e 4° semestres, por consequente, os achados foram compilados e analisados. Posteriormente, notou-se que 91% dos acadêmicos compreendiam o conceito da palavra “Biossegurança”, entretanto ao analisar as medidas de biossegurança, os dados não se apresentaram favoráveis, visto que na turma de 1° semestre apenas 40% da amostragem possuía conhecimento da norma regulamentadora 32 e quando se avaliou a turma de 4° semestre, o número registrado foi de 43. A mesma situação ocorreu com a variável de conduta/ação em um acidente ocupacional a ser adotada, no qual 88% da turma de 1° semestre não saberia como prosseguir e ao se analisar a turma de 4° semestre, o índice reduziu para 74%. Além disso, a dúvida mais assinalada quanto à prevenção e conduta em acidentes pelos entrevistados, foi não saber como procederiam em casos de acidentes nos laboratórios/clínicas de odontologia da instituição. Assim, torna-se evidente a necessidade de intensificar atividades voltadas para a biossegurança, sejam práticas ou teóricas

Knowledge of the patients regarding leprosy and adherence to treatment

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It is known for its great disfiguring capacity and is considered an extremely serious disease to public health worldwide. The state of Ceará ranks 13th in number of cases of leprosy in Brazil, and fourth in Northeastern region, with an average of 2,149 new cases diagnosed every year. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge of leprosy patients regarding treatment, and to assess the level of treatment adherence and its possible barriers. The study was conducted in the reference center for dermatology, from September 2010 to October 2010, in Fortaleza, Ceará. The study data were collected by means of a structured interview, along with the Morisky-Green test, in order to assess treatment adherence and barriers to adherence. A total of 70 patients were interviewed, out of whom 66 were new cases. The majority of patients were between 42 and 50 years old, and 37 (52.9%) were male. Most patients were clinically classified as presenting multibacillary leprosy (80%), and 78.6% of them were from Fortaleza, Brazil. The Morisky-Green test indicated that 62.9% of patients presented a low level of adherence (p < 0.005), despite claiming to aware of the disease risks. However, it was observed that 57.1% of the patients had no difficulty adhering to treatment, while 38.6% reported little difficulty. This study shows that despite the patients claiming to be familiar with leprosy and its treatment, the Morisky-Green test clearly demonstrated that they actually were not aware of the principles of therapy, which is evidenced by the low degree of treatment adherence

Knowledge of the patients regarding leprosy and adherence to treatment

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It is known for its great disfiguring capacity and is considered an extremely serious disease to public health worldwide. The state of Ceará ranks 13th in number of cases of leprosy in Brazil, and fourth in Northeastern region, with an average of 2,149 new cases diagnosed every year. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge of leprosy patients regarding treatment, and to assess the level of treatment adherence and its possible barriers. The study was conducted in the reference center for dermatology, from September 2010 to October 2010, in Fortaleza, Ceará. The study data were collected by means of a structured interview, along with the Morisky-Green test, in order to assess treatment adherence and barriers to adherence. A total of 70 patients were interviewed, out of whom 66 were new cases. The majority of patients were between 42 and 50 years old, and 37 (52.9%) were male. Most patients were clinically classified as presenting multibacillary leprosy (80%), and 78.6% of them were from Fortaleza, Brazil. The Morisky-Green test indicated that 62.9% of patients presented a low level of adherence (p < 0.005), despite claiming to aware of the disease risks. However, it was observed that 57.1% of the patients had no difficulty adhering to treatment, while 38.6% reported little difficulty. This study shows that despite the patients claiming to be familiar with leprosy and its treatment, the Morisky-Green test clearly demonstrated that they actually were not aware of the principles of therapy, which is evidenced by the low degree of treatment adherence

Chemical composition, toxicity and larvicidal and antifungal activities of Persea americana (avocado) seed extracts

The present study had the aim of testing the hexane and methanol extracts of avocado seeds, in order to determine their toxicity towards Artemia salina, evaluate their larvicidal activity towards Aedes aegypti and investigate their in vitro antifungal potential against strains of Candida spp, Cryptococcus neoformans and Malassezia pachydermatis through the microdilution technique. In toxicity tests on Artemia salina, the hexane and methanol extracts from avocado seeds showed LC50 values of 2.37 and 24.13mg mL-1 respectively. Against Aedes aegypti larvae, the LC50 results obtained were 16.7mg mL-1 for hexane extract and 8.87mg mL-1 for methanol extract from avocado seeds. The extracts tested were also active against all the yeast strains tested in vitro, with differing results such that the minimum inhibitory concentration of the hexane extract ranged from 0.625 to 1.25mg L-¹, from 0.312 to 0.625mg mL-1 and from 0.031 to 0.625mg mL-1, for the strains of Candida spp, Cryptococcus neoformans and Malassezia pachydermatis, respectively. The minimal inhibitory concentration for the methanol extract ranged from 0.125 to 0.625mg mL-1, from 0.08 to 0.156mg mL-1 and from 0.312 to 0.625mg mL-1, for the strains of Candida spp., Cryptococcus neoformans and Malassezia pachydermatis, respectively

Dermatofitose canina causada pelo fungo antropofílico Trichophyton tonsurans: Relato de caso

Dermatophytoses is a skin disease caused by fungi that deserves attention for its high incidence in clinical small animal and animal and human health importance because it can be transmitted from animals to humans or from humans to animal. This study aimed to report a case of canine dermatophytoses caused by anthropophilic species of dermatophyte, involving clinical and laboratory diagnosis. A dog, female, York Shire, with about three years of age, revealed generalized alopecia and therefore was referred for a consultation, in which the clinical suspicion was dermatophytoses. Skin scales and hair for laboratory tests were collected. On direct examination, there was no evidence the presence of fungal structures. However, fungal culture of the clinical specimen showed the growth of colonies of Trichophyton tonsurans. The therapy with itraconazole, an antifungal broad spectrum, was effective. This case report emphasizes the need to conduct laboratory exams in the presence of suspicious lesions of dermatophytoses for identification of the etiologic agent and subsequently adoption of control and prevention measures of this disease, which presents a complex epidemiological chain of transmissionA dermatofitose é uma enfermidade cutânea de origem fúngica que merece destaque por sua elevada incidência na clínica de pequenos animais e importância na saúde animal e humana, pois pode ser transmitida do animal para o homem ou do homem para o animal. Este trabalho teve como objetivo relatar um caso de dermatofitose canina causado por uma espécie antropofílica de dermatófito, envolvendo o diagnóstico clínico e laboratorial. Uma cadela, da raça York Shire, com aproximadamente três anos de idade, apresentava alopecia generalizada e, por isso, foi encaminhada para uma consulta, na qual a suspeita clínica foi de dermatofitose. Foram coletadas escamas de pele e pêlos para realização de exames laboratoriais. No exame direto, não foi evidenciada a presença de estruturas fúngicas. Contudo, na cultura fúngica do espécime clínico evidenciou-se o crescimento de colônias de Trichophyton tonsurans. A terapia com itraconazol, um antifúngico de amplo espectro, foi efetiva. O presente relato de caso ressalta a necessidade de realização de exames complementares laboratoriais na presença de lesões suspeitas de dermatofitose, para identificação do agente etiológico e posterior adoção medidas de controle e prevenção dessa enfermidade que apresenta uma complexa cadeia epidemiológica de transmissão