ABSTRACT
Leprosy is an ancient infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. According to comparative genomics studies, this disease originated in Eastern Africa or the Near East and spread with successive human migrations. The Europeans and North Africans introduced leprosy into West Africa and the Americas within the past 500 years. In Brazil, this disease arrived with the colonizers who disembarked at the first colonies, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Recife, at the end of the sixteenth century, after which it was spread to the other states. In 1854, the first leprosy cases were identified in State of Amazonas in the north of Brazil. The increasing number of leprosy cases and the need for treatment and disease control led to the creation of places to isolate patients, known as leprosaria. One of them, Colonia Antônio Aleixo was built in Amazonas in 1956 according to the most advanced recommendations for isolation at that time and was deactivated in 1979. The history of the Alfredo da Matta Center (AMC), which was the first leprosy dispensary created in 1955, parallels the history of leprosy in the state. Over the years, the AMC has become one of the best training centers for leprosy, general dermatology and sexually transmitted diseases in Brazil. In addition to being responsible for leprosy control programs in the state, the AMC has carried out training programs on leprosy diagnosis and treatment for health professionals in Manaus and other municipalities of the state, aiming to increase the coverage of leprosy control activities. This paper provides a historical overview of leprosy in State of Amazonas, which is an endemic state in Brazil.
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Nesting Behavior , Residence Characteristics , Sexual Behavior, Animal , Territoriality , Body Size , Cichlids , Microsatellite Repeats/genetics , Paternity , Spermatozoa/physiologyABSTRACT
Cutaneous leishmaniasis and HIV coinfection has been reported in Brazil since the initial description of AIDS in the country. We report an HIV-positive patient under antiretroviral treatment who presented with cutaneous leishmaniasis which was successfully treated with meglumine antimoniate.
A coinfecção leishmaniose cutânea e HIV tem sido descrita no Brasil desde o início da endemia de Aids no país. É relatado caso de paciente masculino, HIV positivo, em uso de terapia antirretroviral, que apresentou quadro de leishmaniose cutânea, tratada com antimoniato de meglumina.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Adult , Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/pathology , Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous/pathology , Coinfection/pathology , Treatment Outcome , Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous/drug therapyABSTRACT
Apresenta-se um caso de coinfecção histoplasmose e Aids, com lesões cutâneas predominantemente papulosas e comprometimento sistêmico. O exame histopatológico e micológico de lesão cutânea confirmou o diagnóstico. Em doentes com Aids, a histoplasmose surge, principalmente, quando a contagem de células T-CD4-positivas é inferior a 50 células/mm³. Nesses casos, a histoplasmose pode ser grave e, se não tratada adequadamente, levar ao êxito letal, como no paciente relatado.
This report concerns an AIDS patient presenting systemic and cutaneous manifestations of histoplasmosis. A histopathological and mycological examination of the skin lesion confirmed the diagnosis. In AIDS patients histoplasmosis arises mainly when the T-CD4+ cell count is less than 50 cells/mm3. In such cases, histoplasmosis can be severe and if left untreated can lead to death, as occurred with this patient.