Fatal Brazilian spotted fever in a healthy military man during field training in Rio de Janeiro city, southeastern Brazil

ABSTRACT Brazilian spotted fever, a zoonotic disease transmitted by ticks, is caused by Rickettsia rickettsii. We report a fulminant case of this zoonosis in a healthy 46-year-old military man in the urban region of Rio de Janeiro city, in October, 2021. Ticks and capybaras (Amblyomma sculptum, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, respectively) were identified in the military fields, pointing to the participation of this large synanthropic rodent, recognized as an efficient amplifier host of Rickettsia rickettsii in Brazil. As the military population is considered a risk group for spotted fever, it is necessary to alert health professionals to the importance of the early detection of the disease and its adequate management, mainly in populations that are particularly at risk of exposure to ticks, in order to avoid fatal outcomes.

Trombose venosa profunda e vírus chicungunha / Deep venous thrombosis and chikungunya virus

Resumo Algumas infecções virais sistêmicas podem estar relacionadas ao desenvolvimento de trombose venosa profunda e/ou embolia pulmonar. Essa associação já está bem descrita em pacientes com infeções pelo vírus da imunodeficiência humana (HIV), hepatite C ou influenza. Recentemente introduzido no continente americano, o vírus chicungunha, agente etiológico da febre de chicungunha, ainda não tem essa relação bem sedimentada, mas com o aumento progressivo de sua incidência e pelo fato dessa infecção causar, muitas vezes, uma restrição severa da locomoção por poliartralgia e uma possível lesão endotelial direta, casos de tromboembolismo venoso podem começar a ser descritos. Neste relato de caso, descrevemos um paciente que desenvolveu trombose de veia poplítea direita durante internação para tratamento de febre por infecção por vírus chicungunha e poliartralgia severa.

Abstract Some systemic viral infections can be linked to development of deep venous thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism. This association has already been well described in patients infected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C, and influenza. The chikungunya virus is the etiologic agent of chikungunya fever and it has recently been introduced to the American continent. As yet, there is no firm foundation for a relationship between chikungunya and thromboembolism, but the progressive increase in its incidence, the fact that this infection very often causes severe locomotion restrictions due to polyathralgia, and the possibility of direct endothelial injury suggest that cases of venous thromboembolism may begin to be described. In this case report, we describe a patient who developed thrombosis of the right popliteal vein after being admitted for treatment of severe polyathralgia and fever caused by chikungunya virus infection.

Mycobacterium massiliense BRA100 strain recovered from postsurgical infections: resistance to high concentrations of glutaraldehyde and alternative solutions for high level disinfection / Mycobacterium massiliense clone BRA100 associado a infecções pós-cirúrgicas: resistência a altas concentrações de glutaraldeído e produtos alternativos para desinfecção de alto nível

PURPOSE: To evaluate the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of GTA against these microorganisms and alternative disinfectants for high-level disinfection (HLD). METHODS: Reference mycobacteria and clinical M. massiliense strains were included in this study. Active cultures were submitted to susceptibility qualitative tests with GTA dilutions (ranging from 1.5 percent to 8 percent), and commercial orthophthaldehyde (OPA) and peracetic acid (PA) - based solutions, during the period of exposure as recommended by National Agency of Sanitary Surveillance for HLD. RESULTS: All reference and M. massiliense non-BRA100 strains, recovered from sputum, were susceptible to any GTA concentration, OPA and PA solutions. M. massiliense BRA100 strains presented MIC of 8 percent GTA and were susceptible to OPA and PA. CONCLUSION: M. massiliense BRA100 strain is resistant to high GTA concentrations (up to 7 percent), which proves that this product is non-effective against specific rapidly growing mycobacteria and should be substituted by OPA or PA - based solutions for HLD.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a concentração mínima inibitória (CMI) de GTA frente a M. massiliense e a susceptibilidade a produtos alternativos para desinfecção de alto nível (DAN). MÉTODOS: Cepas de M. massiliense de origem clínica e de referência foram incluídas no estudo. As culturas ativadas foram submetidas a testes qualitativos com diluições de GTA (de 1,5 por cento a 8 por cento) e com soluções comerciais de ortoftaldeído (OPA) ou ácido peracético (PA), utilizando os tempos de exposição recomendados pela Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária para DAN. RESULTADOS: Todas as cepas de referência e M. massiliense não-BRA100, obtida de escarro, foram susceptíveis às concentrações de GTA, e soluções de OPA e PA. As cepas de M. massiliense BRA100 apresentaram CMI de 8 por cento para GTA e foram susceptíveis a OPA e PA. CONCLUSÃO: M. massiliense BRA100 é resistente a altas concentrações de GTA (até 7 por cento), o que demonstra que esse composto não é eficaz, e deve ser substituído por OPA ou PA nos processos de DAN.

Infecções por micobactérias de crescimento rápido resistentes a desinfetantes: uma problemática nacional? / Infections by rapidly growing mycobacteria resistant to disinfectants: a national matter?

Rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) are opportunistic microorganisms and widely distributed into aqueous environment and soil. Human RGM infections are usually associated with contaminated solutions or medical instruments used during invasive procedures. RGM postsurgical infections have recently emerged in Brazil and have caused national alert, considering the risk factors and epidemiological aspects. This study aimed at analysing the main factors linked to the recent RGM outbreaks, with focus on the national epidemic of Mycobacterium massiliense infections related to the BRA100 strains resistant to 2 percent glutaraldehyde commercial solutions commonly used for preoperative high-level disinfection. Based on previous studies and laboratorial results of assays and colaborations, it has been observed that the cases have been associated with videolaparoscopy for different applications and elective esthetic procedures, such as lipoaspiration and mammary prosthesis implant. Furthermore, outbreaks between 2004 and 2008 and the epidemic in Rio de Janeiro state may be considered particular Brazilian events. Although there are a few epidemiological published studies, some hypotheses based on common aspects related to most national nosocomial occurrences are possible, such as lack of protocols for cleaning and high-level disinfection, use of 2 percent glutaraldehyde as high-level disinfectant for surgical instruments, and dissemination of M. massiliense BRA100 by unknown mechanisms.