Perulernaea gamitanae (Copepoda: Lernaeidae) parasitizing tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) (Characidae) and the hybrids tambacu and tambatinga, cultured in northern Brazil / Perulernaea gamitanae (Copepoda: Lernaeidae) parasitando tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) (Characidae) e seus híbridos tambacu e tambatinga cultivados no norte do Brasil

The infestation rate in Colossoma macropomum, hybrid tambacu (C. macropomum x Piaractus mesopotamicus) and hybrid tambatinga (C. macropomum x Piaractus brachypomum) with Perulernaea gamitanae Thatcher and Paredes, 1985 from two fish farms in Amapá State, Brazil was studied. Lernaeid parasites (n=2887) were collected mainly on the tongue and the mouth cavity and also on cartilage of gill arches and filaments. Inflammation and fibrous nodules were observed on the attachment sites of the parasites. The infestation rate varied according to the fish farm and host. The prevalence of P. gamitanae was of 100 percent in hosts from one fish farm and was lower in the other fish farm. Higher intensity of P. gamitanae occurred in hybrids tambacu and tambatinga, but despite the high prevalence its intensity was moderate. This is the first report on epidemiology of P. gamitanae in cultured fishes from Brazilian Amazonia, and the occurrence of this crustacean parasite in two new hosts, the hybrids tambacu and tambatinga.

Estudou-se as taxas de infestação pelo crustáceo Perulernaea gamitanae Thatcher & Paredes, 1985 em tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) e seus híbridos tambacu (C. macropomum x Piaractus mesopotamicus) e tambatinga (C. macropomum x Piaractus brachypomum) de duas pisciculturas no estado do Amapá, Brasil. Os lerneídeos parasitos (n=2.887) foram coletados principalmente na língua e na boca das espécies estudadas. Os crustáceos foram encontrados também nos filamentos e cartilagem dos arcos branquiais. Nos locais parasitados foram observados inflamação e nódulos fibrosos. As taxas de infestações variaram entre espécies e entre pisciculturas. Na piscicultura um a prevalência de P. gamitanae foi 100 por cento, e na piscicultura dois, foi menor. A maior intensidade de infestação por P. gamitanae ocorreu nos híbridos tambacu e tambatinga. Apesar da elevada prevalência de P. gamitanae a intensidade de infestação foi moderada. Este é o primeiro relato sobre níveis epidemiológicos de P. gamitanae em peixes de cultivo da Amazônia brasileira, e amplia a ocorrência deste parasito crustáceo para dois novos hospedeiros, os híbridos tambacu e tambatinga.

Use of antibacterial agents in an intensive care unit in a hospital in Brazil

It is essential to monitor the utilisation of antibacterial drugs in order to establish appropriate measures for their control. The pattern of usage of antibacterial drugs, and its association with indicators of hospital infection, has been investigated in a non-specialized adult intensive care unit (ICU) located in Santa Luzia Hospital (Brasília, DF, Brazil). The study was conducted between January 2001 and June 2004. Data concerning the utilisation of systemic antibacterial drugs, classified according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical/Defined Daily Dose (ATC/DDD) system, and indicators of hospital infection, defined according to the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) system, were obtained from appropriate hospital archives. During the study period, the average utilisation of antibacterial drugs was 1918.5 DDD units per 1000 patient-day (DDD1000). The three most used drugs were penicillins/beta-lactamase inhibitors (535.3 DDD1000), third generation cephalosporins (239.1 DDD1000) and quinolones (212.5 DDD1000). The total utilisation of antibacterial drugs was correlated significantly with the incidence of hospital infection (R = 0.62; p < 0.01) and the index of invasive procedures (R = 0.41; p < 0.01). Furthermore, the latter two indicators were significantly and positively correlated with the use of recently commercialised, broad spectrum antibacterial drugs (except for carbapenems). It is concluded that improved infection control procedures, together with more rigorous criteria regarding the use of invasive procedures, should be implemented by the ICU studied in order to diminish the utilisation of antibacterial drugs.