Detecção de DNA de Leishmania braziliensis em pacientes de leishmaniose tegumentar americana / Detección de DNA de Leishmania braziliensis en pacientes de leishmaniose tegumentaria americana / Detection of Leishmania braziliensis DNA in American tegumentary leishmaniasis patients

Foi realizado diagnóstico para leishmaniose tegumentar americana a partir de sangue de pacientes residentes em dois municípios endêmicos do estado de Pernambuco. O DNA de 119 amostras de sangue foi extraído e submetido a reação em cadeia da polimerase. Utilizaram-se primers do minicírculo do DNA do cinetoplasto (kDNA) de Leishmania braziliensis, circulante em Pernambuco, cuja seqüência-alvo gera um fragmento de 750 pares de bases. No total 58 (48,7 por cento) indivíduos apresentaram amplificação positiva e 61 (51,3 por cento) negativa. Das amostras positivas para a PCR, 37 (≅ 64 por cento) pertenciam a indivíduos tratados e sem lesão. Conclui-se que a técnica de PCR é eficaz para identificar o DNA de leishmânia em material de biópsias e em sangue venoso.

Diagnostic tests for American tegumentary leishmaniasis were performed on blood samples of patients living in two endemic municipalities in the state of Pernambuco, Northeastern Brazil. DNA was extracted from 119 samples and used as template for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. The tests used primers specific for the kinetoplast mini-circle DNA (kDNA) of Leishmania braziliensis, a species circulating in Pernambuco, which amplify a 750 base pair target sequence. In total, 58 subjects (48.7 percent) showed positive PCR amplification and 61 (51.3 percent) were negative. Of the PCR-positive samples, 37 (≅64 percent) were from treated, lesion-free subjects. In conclusion, the PCR technique is efficacious at identifying Leishmania DNA in biopsy and venous blood samples.

Fue realizado diagnóstico para leishmaniosis tegumentaria americana a partir de sangre de pacientes residentes en dos municipios endémicos del estado de Pernambuco (Noreste de Brasil). El DNA de 119 muestras de sangre fue extraído y sometido a la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa. Se utilizaron primers del minicírculo del DNA del cinetoplasto (kDNA) de Leishmania braziliensis, circulante en Pernambuco, cuya secuencia blanco genera un fragmento de 750 pares de bases. En total 58 (48,7 por ciento) individuos presentaron amplificación positiva y 61 (51,3 por ciento) negativa. De las muestras positivas para la PCR, 37 (≅64 por ciento) pertenecían a individuos tratados y sin lesión. Se concluyó que la técnica de la PCR es eficaz para identificar el DNA de Leishmania en material de biopsias y en sangre venosa.

Detection of Leishmania braziliensis DNA in American tegumentary leishmaniasis patients.

Diagnostic tests for American tegumentary leishmaniasis were performed on blood samples of patients living in two endemic municipalities in the state of Pernambuco, Northeastern Brazil. DNA was extracted from 119 samples and used as template for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. The tests used primers specific for the kinetoplast mini-circle DNA (kDNA) of Leishmania braziliensis, a species circulating in Pernambuco, which amplify a 750 base pair target sequence. In total, 58 subjects (48.7%) showed positive PCR amplification and 61 (51.3%) were negative. Of the PCR-positive samples, 37 ( congruent with 64%) were from treated, lesion-free subjects. In conclusion, the PCR technique is efficacious at identifying Leishmania DNA in biopsy and venous blood samples.

O envolvimento paterno no processo da amamentação: propostas de incentivo / Involving fathers in breast feeding: stimulus proposals

OBJETIVOS: desvendar os eixos norteadores e, a partir deles, construir uma proposta de incentivo à participação do homem no processo da amamentação, identificando estratégias nas diversas fases de sua vida, desde criança até tornar-se pai. MÉTODOS: estudo descritivo, exploratório e qualitativo, cujos eixos norteadores e a construção da proposta ocorreram a partir da análise das falas oriundas das entrevistas semiestruturadas realizadas com 17 casais, residentes na favela do Bode, Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil. As falas foram interpretadas à luz da análise do conteúdo manifesto, ancoradas no referencial teórico - construção histórica, social e cultural da paternidade - para encontrar os eixos norteadores e subsídios à construção da proposta. RESULTADOS: os eixos norteadores encontrados foram família, escola e instituição de saúde, os quais subsidiaram a construção de uma proposta por meio da implantação do ambulatório de amamentação (consulta para família, do pré-natal aos seis meses de vida da criança) e da socialização de meninos e meninas pró-amamentação. Tal proposta consta de atividades para o envolvimento do pai no amamentar. CONCLUSÕES: os eixos norteadores apresentaram aspectos significativos que alijaram o homem do processo da amamentação. Por isso, a essência desta proposta construída foi servir de modelo de incentivo à participação do pai nessa prática, para se estruturar um programa de saúde a ser implementado nas escolas e instituições de saúde, como uma forma de transformar a cultura do amamentar, aumentando o período de duração da amamentação.

OBJECTIVES: to reveal the guiding influences and through these to draw up a proposal to stimulate the participation of men in breast feeding, identifying strategies at the various phases in a man's life, from childhood to fatherhood. METHODS: a descriptive, exploratory and qualitative study was carried out, whose guidelines and proposals were based on examination of statements gathered in the course of semi-structured interviews conducted with 17 couples, living on the Bode favela, in Recife, in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil. The statements were interpreted using manifest content analysis, based on the theoretical notion of the historical, social and cultural construction of fatherhood, and subsequently used to determine the guiding influences and draw up proposals. RESULTS: the principal guiding influences were found to be the family, the school and the health unit, all of which help to draw up a proposal for the initiation of breast feeding at the outpatients clinic (during prenatal family consultations when the child is aged six months) and the socialization of male and female children in favor of breast feeding. This proposal includes activities that aim to involve the father in breast feeding. CONCLUSIONS: some significant features of the guiding influences tend to exclude men from the breast feeding process. The essence of this proposal is therefore to serve as a model for stimulating the participation of fathers in breast feeding and for building up a health program to be introduced in schools and health units, as a way of changing the culture of breast feeding and extending its duration.

Building a place for the father as an ally for breast feeding.

OBJECTIVE: to analyse the opinions of men and women on the father's participation in breast feeding. DESIGN: a qualitative and exploratory study, using the content analysis method, on its thematic modality. Data were collected at discussion groups that answered the following questions: which meanings and feelings are related to father's involvement in breast feeding? Which factors help or obstruct the act of breast feeding? How do fathers participate in breast feeding? SETTING: three discussion groups took place during the event 'The man as an ally in breast feeding process: is that the question?', supported by the Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil. PARTICIPANTS: 11 men and nine women attended the event. Of the men, two had more than one child and five had babies who were being breast fed. Among the women, all were mothers and three were breast feeding. FINDINGS: four thematic nuclei emerged from the performed analysis, which was also based in the historical, social and cultural process of fatherhood: involvement in the pregnancy-puerperal cycle; feelings and meanings of breast feeding; meanings of breast feeding in public; and ways to include father in the breast-feeding process. KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: fathers participating in breast feeding considered it to be a brief period in the process of fatherhood. Behaviours of ambivalence, conflict, exclusion, insecurity and concern towards breast feeding were revealed. There was a perception of the nursing mother as a sexless being. However, the participants also suggested ways of including fathers in the process of breast feeding. According to the participants, they could (1) provide a favourable environment for the mother and baby; (2) participate more during pregnancy and birth; (3) help with domestic chores; (4) develop parenthood; and (5) be present during breast feeding. These suggestions may function as foundations for health staff to develop programmes, in order to involve fathers in breast feeding. This could result in a contribution to improve the practice and duration of that process.

The participation of fathers in the breastfeeding process: experiences, knowledge, behaviors and emotions.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the experiences, knowledge, behaviors and emotions of fathers with relation to the process of breastfeeding. METHODS: This is a descriptive, explorative and qualitative study involving 17 couples resident in a favela in the city of Recife, PE, in the Northeast of Brazil, whose most recent child was aged between 6 and 8 months. A semi-structured interview employing leading questions was used for data collection. These data were analyzed in the light of theoretical references, the historical, social and cultural construction of fatherhood, by means of thematic content analysis. RESULTS: Four themes emerged from this analysis: faint/ambiguous memories of breastfeeding during childhood; knowledge about breastfeeding is focused on the child's health, mother's responsibility and savings for father; breastfeeding-related behavior of father during his participation in the pregnancy-child care cycle; and interconnected feelings of fragility when breastfeeding. CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge and emotions involved in fathers' participation in breastfeeding are the products of socialization of both men and women, centered on the biological body and reinforcing the belief that breastfeeding is the preserve of women.

Participação do pai no processo da amamentação: vivências, conhecimentos, comportamentos e sentimentos / The participation of fathers in the breastfeeding process: experiences, knowledge, behaviors and emotions

OBJETIVO: Identificar vivências, conhecimentos, comportamentos e sentimentos do pai no processo da amamentação. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo descritivo, exploratório e qualitativo, realizado com 17 casais moradores de uma favela da cidade de Recife (PE), Nordeste do Brasil, em relação ao aleitamento materno do último filho, com idade entre 6 e 8 meses. A entrevista semi-estruturada, conduzida por questões norteadoras, foi utilizada para coletar as informações. Estas foram investigadas à luz do referencial teórico, da construção histórica, social e cultural da paternidade, através da análise de conteúdo, na modalidade temática. RESULTADOS: Desta análise, emergiram quatro temas: recordações ambíguas/esmaecidas sobre amamentação durante a infância; conhecimento sobre amamentação centrado na saúde da criança, responsabilidade da mulher e economia para o pai; comportamentos apresentados pelo pai durante a sua participação no ciclo grávido-puerperal direcionados à amamentação; e sentimentos entrelaçados de fragilidades ao amamentar. CONCLUSÕES: Os conhecimentos e sentimentos presentes na participação do pai na amamentação são produtos da socialização do homem/mulher, centrada no corpo biológico, reforçando que o amamentar pertence apenas à mulher.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the experiences, knowledge, behaviors and emotions of fathers with relation to the process of breastfeeding. METHODS: This is a descriptive, explorative and qualitative study involving 17 couples resident in a favela in the city of Recife, PE, in the Northeast of Brazil, whose most recent child was aged between 6 and 8 months. A semi-structured interview employing leading questions was used for data collection. These data were analyzed in the light of theoretical references, the historical, social and cultural construction of fatherhood, by means of thematic content analysis. RESULTS: Four themes emerged from this analysis: faint/ambiguous memories of breastfeeding during childhood; knowledge about breastfeeding is focused on the child's health, mother's responsibility and savings for father; breastfeeding-related behavior of father during his participation in the pregnancy-childcare cycle; and interconnected feelings of fragility when breastfeeding. CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge and emotions involved in fathers' participation in breastfeeding are the products of socialization of both men and women, centered on the biological body and reinforcing the belief that breastfeeding is the preserve of women.

Hemofilia: conseqüências e reaçöes biológicas, sociais, familiares e evolutivas / Hemophilia: consequences and biological, social, familial and course reactions

O fator para a sobrevivência das populaçöes, humanas ou näo, reside no modo pelo qual as mesmas se adaptam ao ambiente em que estabelecem seus habitats. As pressöes bioecológicas säo variadas, sendo o principal mecanismo biológico de pressäo a seleçäo natural, a qual favorece os organismos mais bem adaptados. Na espécie humana, um dos instrumentos adaptativos mais eficientes é a cultura, a qual naturalmente interage com os aspectos biológicos. Estudos na área de medicina podem fornecer unidades de análise que possam revelar mais prontamente esta interaçäo. A questäo que se coloca é de se certos tipos de doença podem trazer conseqüências para a evoluçäo da própria doença, para a interaçäo doença/cultura, e para a evoluçäo humana. Utilizamos como instrumento de análise uma doença crônica e invalidante: a hemofilia. Esta restringe a atividade física e social do indivíduo e interfere com os planos familiares. Estudamos um núcleo cultural, a familia, e sua reaçäo à presença de um indivíduo que, pela doença de que é portador, desequilibra o ritmo de vida social deste núcleo. Discutimos até que ponto a adaptabilidade de um indivíduo é determinada apenas por sua reaçäo a uma doença, ou também pelas reaçöes sociais e culturais à mesma e o que isto significa em termos evolutivos