Technological level and epidemiological aspects of sheep husbandry in Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil / Nível tecnológico e aspectos epidemiológicos da ovinocultura no estado de Minas Gerais, Sudeste do Brasil

Epidemiological and health aspects of sheep husbandry were assessed on 213 sheep flocks in 142 municipalities from the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. An updated questionnaire was filled out for each flock, requesting data on the farm, the flock and the farmer by the veterinarians of the State Government Agency for Animal Health (Instituto Mineiro de Agropecuária). Thirteen important variables were selected and scored to determine the technological level of the 117 farms; 0.9% of them was classified as high technological level, 45.3% as medium technological level and 53.0% as low technological level. Lamb production was the main objective of the farms and the main features were low-frequencies of individual identification of animals (16.9%), technical assistance (31.9%), use of quarantine for newly acquired animals (0.9%) the separation of animals by age group (3.7%) and requeste the sanitary certificate at purchasing of animals (11.7%). The main health problems reported were abortion (23.9%), keratoconjunctivitis (17.9%), contagious ecthyma (13.6%), pneumonia (10.3%), diarrhea (9.3%) and caseous lymphadenitis (6.1%). Information of the epidemiological situation and the mainly health measures used in the sheep farms are important to improve the productivity and quality of the lamb...

Os aspectos epidemiológicos e sanitários da ovinocultura foram levantados em 213 rebanhos ovinos em 142 municípios do estado de Minas Gerais, sudeste do Brasil. Um questionário atualizado foi preenchido para cada rebanho, com informações sobre a fazenda, o rebanho e do fazendeiro, por veterinários do Instituto Mineiro de Agropecuária. Treze variáveis importantes foram selecionadas e pontuadas para determinar o nível tecnológico em 117 fazendas; 0,9% foram classificadas como de alto nível tecnológico, 45,3% como de médio nível tecnológico e 53,0% como de baixo nível tecnológico. A produção de carne de cordeiro foi o principal objetivo das fazendas amostradas e as principais características foram baixa frequência de identificação individual dos animais (16,9%), assistência técnica (31,9%), uso de quarentena para os animais recém-adquiridos (0,9%), separação de animais por faixa etária (3.7%) e solicitação de certificados sanitários na compra de animais (11,7%). Os principais problemas sanitários relatados foram o aborto (23,9%), ceratoconjuntivite (17,9%), ectima contagioso (13,6%), pneumonia (10,3%), diarreia (9,3%) e linfadenite caseosa (6,1%). Informações sobre a situação epidemiológica e das principais medidas sanitárias utilizadas nas propriedades com ovinos são importantes para melhorar produtividade e a qualidade da carne ovina...

Factors Associated with Human Papillomavirus related Stigma, Shame, and Intent of HPV Test

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine the factors associated with HPV (Human Papillomavirus) related stigma, shame and intent to have HPV test among adult women. METHODS: Data were collected from December 1, 2009 to January 31, 2010, and participants were 324 women who visited an obstetric gynecologic clinic. They anticipated testing positive for HPV. Then HPV related stigma, shame, intent to have HPV testing and HPV knowledge were measured. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal Wallis test and multivariate adjusted logistic regression were used for data analysis. RESULTS: The levels of stigma and shame were higher than average. Intent to have HPV test was high and HPV knowledge was low. Women who answered that HPV is not sexually transmitted had lower HPV stigma than did women who answered they didn't know (OR=0.20, 95%CI 0.06-0.68). Women with lower stigma showed lower intent to have HPV test than women with higher stigma (OR=0.46, 95%CI 0.26-0.82). CONCLUSION: Basic HPV information should be fully understood for women especially prior to HPV test. Normalizing HPV stigma is necessary for women who perceive HPV as sexually transmitted and women intending to have HPV test.

Consumer preference study of the female condom in a sexually active population at risk of contracting AIDS.

To determine the acceptability of the female condom among commercial sex workers in Khon Kaen, Thailand. Twenty sex workers from a massage parlor and 21 from a brothel were trained in the use of the female condom. The voluntary participants were instructed about the risk of HIV and advised that they could use the female condom as an alternative method to the male condom for protection. The female condom was used in 28.4 per cent and 17.8 per cent episodes of sex in each site during the two weeks. Continuation of use of the female condom increased from 0 per cent in the first group to 43 per cent in the second group. The reasons for discontinuing its use were that it was inconvenient and because of their partners' objection. More users said they liked the female condom even though more thought it was difficult to insert and it did cause pain. However, they would recommend it to others and most felt that other women would want to try it. The participants also saw the advantage of the female condom as a back-up method in case of clients' refusal to use the male condom but all prefered the male condom if there was a choice.

Infecçäo pelo papiloma vírus humano (HPV) / Infection by the human papillovirus (HPV)

A infecção por HPV é extremamente prevalente e transformou-se em queixa frequente tanto na prática ginecológica como em outras especialidades, como dermatologia, urologia e proctologia. O objetivo deste trabalho é esclarecer sobre este agente viral. A compreensão de sua importância é fundamental tanto para o controle e erradicação de outras doenças sexualmente transmissíveis, entre as quais a infecção pelo HIV, quanto para o controle do câncer do colo uterino, uma neoplasia frequente, principalmente em países em desenvolvimento como é o caso do Brasil

Prevalence of viral and bacterial sexually transmitted pathogens in Jamaican pregnant women

In this study we investigated the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Treponema pallidum, human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-I), human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections in 200 pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at the University Hospital of the West Indies. 19of the women had at least one pathogen: C. trachomatis was found in 16, HTLV-1 in 2, HIV-1, HBV and N. gonorrhoeae each in 0.5C. trachomatis infection was more prevalent in women less than 20 years of age (31) than in those 20 years and older (16; OR = 0.43; chi 2 = 5.66; p < 0.05). The study demonstrates the need for identification of sexually transmitted pathogens in antenatal women for syndromic management of genital infections as part of the strategy for prevention and control of HIV/AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) in Jamaica.

Transmission of HIV through blood and blood products in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Over 90% of recipients of HIV infected blood will seroconvert. In the Region 368 cases were due to transmission through blood or blood products. With establishment of HIV screening facilities, the proportion of AIDS cases due to blood transmission has decreased. AIDS due to blood transmission will continue to occur due to the time lag between the occurrence of HIV infection and appearance of AIDS. HIV seroprevalence among recipients of multiple blood transfusions decreased from 270 per 10 000 in 1987-89 to 7 per 10 000 in 1995. Effective methods are available for prevention of HIV transmission through blood, but antigen and PCR tests are expensive and not recommended for screening of blood donations in developing countries