Parameters for evaluation of clinical trial in mice infected with Trypanosoma cruzi / Parâmetros para avaliação clínica de camundongos infectados pelo Trypanosoma cruzi em experimentação

The effectiveness of clinical parameters in the evaluation of Trypanosoma cruzi infection was analyzed in male Swiss mice at 8 weeks old Animals were divided into HG (healthy) and IG (1400 trypomastigotes, intraperitoneally, Y strain - Trypanosoma cruzi). Quantitative and qualitative parameters were evaluated in non-consecutive days in the period, from 7th-11th and 15th-18th days of infection. There were significant differences (P<0.05) between both groups in both periods regarding water consumption, abdominal circumference and weight. The second group presented differences in amount of excreta, body temperature, move-up and mortality. There was no difference (P>0.05) between the groups in food consumption, exploration of self-cleaning and skin staining. The fecal feature differed between the groups in the second period. The occurrence of isolation was not practical. Differences were observed in the hair between groups, although the parameter had been interfered by fights between animals. The consumption of water, feed, excreta production, characteristic of the faeces, body temperature, abdominal circumference, move up, weight and mortality parameters are easy to be measured and effective in clinical differentiation of healthy mice infected with T. cruzi, elected in protocols for clinical study with mice, which is the first work to gather information of qualitative and quantitative clinical parameters evaluated in these animals.

Analisou-se a eficiência de parâmetros clínicos na avaliação da infecção pelo Trypanosoma cruzi em camundongos suíços, machos de 8 semanas. Os grupos foram divididos em GS (sadios) e GI (1400 tripomastigotas, intraperitoneal, cepa Y - Trypanosoma cruzi). Avaliaram-se parâmetros quantitativos e qualitativos em dias não consecutivos nos períodos, 7º-11º e 15º-18º dias de infecção. Observaram-se diferenças (P<0.05) significativas entre os grupos, nos dois períodos: consumo de água, circunferência abdominal e peso; apenas no segundo período: quantidade de excretas, temperatura corporal, movimento-levantar e mortalidade. Não houve diferença (P>0.05) entre os grupos: consumo de ração, exploração de auto-limpeza e coloração da pele. As fezes diferiram entre os grupos no segundo período. A ocorrência de isolamento não se mostrou prática. Diferenças no pêlo foram observadas entre os grupos, embora o parâmetro sofra interferência de brigas entre os animais. O consumo de água, ração, produção de excretas, característica das fezes, temperatura corporal, circunferência abdominal, movimento-levantar, peso e mortalidade são parâmetros fáceis de serem medidos e eficientes na diferenciação da clínica de camundongos sadios e infectados pelo T. cruzi, eleitos para protocolos de estudos clínicos com camundongos, sendo este o primeiro trabalho a reunir informações de parâmetros clínicos qualitativos e quantitativos avaliados nesses animais.

Acute kidney injury in AIDS: frequency, RIFLE classification and outcome

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the characteristics of acute kidney injury (AKI) in AIDS patients and the value of RIFLE classification for predicting outcome. The study was conducted on AIDS patients admitted to an infectious diseases hospital inBrazil. The patients with AKI were classified according to the RIFLE classification: R (risk), I (injury), F (failure), L (loss), and E (end-stage renal disease). Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to evaluate the factors associated with AKI. A total of 532 patients with a mean age of 35 ± 8.5 years were included in this study. AKI was observed in 37 percent of the cases. Patients were classified as "R" (18 percent), "I" (7.7 percent) and "F" (11 percent). Independent risk factors for AKI were thrombocytopenia (OR = 2.9, 95 percentCI = 1.5-5.6, P < 0.001) and elevation of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (OR = 3.5, 95 percentCI = 1.8-6.6, P < 0.001). General mortality was 25.7 percent and was higher among patients with AKI (40.2 vs17 percent, P < 0.001). AKI was associated with death and mortality increased according to RIFLE classification - "R" (OR 2.4), "I" (OR 3.0) and "F" (OR 5.1), P < 0.001. AKI is a frequent complication in AIDS patients, which is associated with increased mortality. RIFLE classification is an important indicator of poor outcome for AIDS patients.

Frequência de parasitos intestinais em cães domiciliados da cidade de Maringá, PR / Frequency of intestinal parasites in domiciled dogs from Maringá city, Brazil

The frequency of eggs and cysts of intestinal parasites in domiciled dogs that lived in the city of Maringá, Brazil, was studied. From November 2006 to November 2007, stools of 81 dogs were examined, of which 44.4% were positive for some kind of enteric parasite. The most frequent was Ancylostoma spp. with 18.5% (15/81) followed by Giardia lamblia with 11.1% (9/81). There was association of parasites in 11.0% of the samples, being the most frequent Ancylostoma spp. and Trichuris vulpis (6.2%) (5/81). There were sources of contamination where the animals lived which were responsible for maintaining the parasite in the environment.

Cisticercose em animais abatidos em Sabáudia, Estado do Paraná / Cysticercosis in animals of Sabáudia, Paraná State

The aim of this work was to verify the occurrence of bovine and swine cysticercosis in animals slaughtered at the Abatedouro Municipal de Sabáudia, Paraná State. The number of daily-abated animals, the number of animals with cysticercus and the number and location of the cysticercus in the animals in a period of twelve months were collected. From 1046 swines slaughtered none showed cysticercus, but 36/out of 389 bovines (9.3 percent) were contaminated. Head was the most parasited region, followed by heart, tongue and liver. The absence of contamination observed in swines and the low contamination of the bovines reinforce the efficiency of the control measures accomplished in Paraná State.

A leishmaniose tegumentar sob a perspectiva do paciente: resultado de uma prática educativa / Cutaneous leishmaniasis under the patient's perspective: an educational practice result

Foi realizado um estudo descritivo empregando a metodologia qualitativa entre portadores de leishmaniose tegumentar visando identificar a representatação que a doença tem para o seu portador, antes e depois do tratamento e intervenção educacional. O estudo foi realizado de setembro de 2000 a março de 2001 no Estado do Paraná, Brasil. Para a coleta dos dados foi realizada a entrevista semi-estruturada, sendo que os membros foram analisados pela técnica do discurso do sujeito coletivo. Foram destacadas as idéias centrais relacionadas com a etiologia da leishmaniose, sua transmissão/prevenção, gravidade, estigma, dificuldades do tratamento, sentimentos frente à doença e validade da educação em saúde.este estudo evidenciou que o acompanhamento dos pacientes e as medidas educacionais são de fundamental importãncia para que o grupo social assuma um maior controle sobre sua saúde, auxiliando sobremaneira no enfrentamento da doença e seu tratamento.

A descriptive study was carried out among cutaneous leishmaniasis patients using the qualitative methodology, aiming to identify the role that the disease has to its suffers both before and after treatment and educational intervention. The study was carried out from September 2000 to March 2001 in the state of Paraná, Brazil...

Estudo sobre triatomíneos e reservatórios silvestres de Trypanosoma cruzi no Estado do Paraná, Sul do Brasil: resultados preliminares / Triatomids and forest reservoirs of Trypanosoma cruzi in the state of Paraná, southern Brazil: preliminary results

Em localidades da zona rural de cinco municípios da região noroeste do Paraná adultos e ninfas de Triatoma sordida foram capturados em 21 (41,2%) de 51 unidades domiciliares pesquisadas. Foram capturados 154 exemplares de T. sordida e 2 Panstrongylus megistus. De 135 exemplares examinados 58 (43,0%) apresentavam o Trypanosoma tipo cruzi. Constatou-se também a infecção em 57,1% (4/7) dos gambás (Didelphis sp) examinados. O peridomicílio apresentou-se mais infestado que o intradomicílio, sendo a casa de madeira abandonada a construção mais freqüente (34,7% do total investigado) e com maior taxa de infestação (53,9%). Os dados mostram um elevado índice de infestação da zona rural por espécies secundárias de triatomíneos com altas taxas de infecção por flagelados do tipo T. cruzi, em uma área endêmica para a doença de Chagas já em fase de vigilância epidemiológica.

In the rural area of five municipalities of the Northeast of the State of Paraná, Brazil, 154 adults or nymphs of Triatoma sordida and 2 Panstrongylus megistus were captured in 21 (41.2%) of 51 dwellings at the peridomestic sites. Trypanosoma cruzi-like organisms were found in 58 out of the 135 (43.0%) triatomids. Moreover, it was also found in the blood of 4/7 opossum (Didelphis sp). The triatomine infestation was more prevalent in the peridomicile than inside house. The forsaken wooden house presented the highest level of infestation (53.8%). Although the rural area of the Northeast of the State of Paraná is considered under epidemiologic surveillance it still presents a high level of peridomestic infestation by triatomids highly infected with T. cruzi-like organisms.