Infection with Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum of 0 to 18-Month-old children living in a visceral leishmaniasis-endemic area in Brazil.

The diagnosis of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum infection in children from birth may serve as a reference for the early identification of cases that would progress to classical visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in endemic areas. This study prospectively evaluated newborns of mothers living in the municipality of Paracatu, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The infants were followed up at 6-month intervals by clinical examination, serological tests (immunofluorescence [IIF] and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with rK39 [ELISA-rK39]) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) until they had completed 18 months of age. A total of 166 pregnant women were included to evaluate the possible transfer of antibodies or even congenital transmission. Twenty-two of the women tested positive by IIF, four by ELISA-rK39, and one by PCR. Three infants of the 25 women with some positive test results were also positive in the first test (one by IIF, one by ELISA-rK39, and the third by ELISA-rK39 and PCR). One hundred and sixty infants were included in the study; of these, 43 had at least one positive sample over time. However, agreement between tests was low. Follow-up of children with a positive result in the tests studied revealed no progression to classical disease within a period of 18 months. In contrast, two children with negative IIF, PCR, and ELISA-rK39 results developed classical VL at 9 and 12 months of age. In conclusion, a positive test result was variable and sometimes temporary and agreement between tests was low. Therefore, the early diagnosis of Leishmania infection was not associated with the early identification of cases that would progress to classical VL in the endemic area studied.

Current situation and perspectives regarding human Chagas disease in midwestern of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Recognising the importance of Chagas disease in Brazil, Bambuí set up epidemiological surveillance for Chagas disease in 1974 and was the first municipality to do so. To ascertain the current epidemiology of Chagas disease in this municipality, 1.782 blood samples from the general population were analysed; 7.7% of samples were found to be seropositive for Chagas disease. A strong positive correlation between increasing age and Chagas disease was evident in both genders, with the highest prevalence in individuals aged over 60 years. Clinically, the cardiodigestive form of Chagas disease was the most common in these samples. These data confirm the interruption of Trypanosoma cruzi transmission, in parallel with a still important residual morbidity of Chagas disease in the county, thus supporting political decisions that will prioritise epidemiological surveillance and medical treatment of Chagas disease in the coming years.

Atividade sagrada pelo método da escavação / Sacred activity by the method of excavation

A escavação é uma metodologia clínica e de ensino criada pela primeira autora que constitui-se em uma maneira de ajudar o sujeito a pensar, fazer e falar. Acontece pela escavação do fazer, como uma desocultação e/ou um desvelamento em busca da compreensão de sua atividade sagrada. Pela escavação, os sujeitos passam a compreender o pensamento, os valores e a própria sociedade em que vivem no momento em que escavam a sua história de vida e suas relações com o fazer, incluindo atividades cotidianas, de socialização e de trabalho. Utilizamos uma análise reflexiva para abordarmos o papel da escavação e o conceito de atividade sagrada. Parte-se da atividade sagrada como essência de todo ser humano, que não necessariamente é a atividade que desempenhamos no cotidiano ou na vida de trabalho. É aquela em que o sujeito vai estar nela e vai vivê-la por inteiro, genuinamente, sem mascaramentos; é a entrega do sujeito para a atividade, para o outro, para com ele mesmo e nele mesmo, através do ato de se perguntar. A busca da atividade sagrada, portanto, é um processo de se perguntar, escavando as ações que o sujeito desenvolve cotidianamente, observando e percebendo o conteúdo dessa escavação e realocando espaços de acomodação para o que for sendo desvelado e com isso sacralizando o feito. Concluímos que, através do Método da Escavação, a ação sacralizadora do feito deverá permitir ao sujeito relacionar-se com amorosidade e, portanto, curar-se.

Excavation is a clinical and teaching methodology created by the first author of this article. It constitutes a way of helping subjects think, make and speak. This process occurs through the excavation of making, unblinding and/or unveiling elements in search for the understanding of sacred activity. Through excavation, subjects understand their thoughts, values and the society in which they live in as they excavate their life stories and their relations with making, including their daily, social and work activities. We applied a thoughtful analysis to approach the role of excavation and the concept of sacred activity. Sacred activity is the core activity of every human being, which is not necessarily the activity we perform in our everyday or work life. Sacred activity is that in which subjects are inserted and experience integrally, genuinely and with no masking. Through sacred activities, subjects surrender, not only to the activity itself, but also to the other, to himself and into himself, by quest. Seeking sacred activity is, therefore, a process of questioning, excavating the routine of subjects, watching and understanding the content of this excavation, replacing and adjusting what is being unveiled, and thus making this activity sacred. In this analysis, we concluded that, by the method of excavation, the sacralization of this action should allow subjects to have tender relationships, and thus be cured.

Atividade sagrada pelo Método da Escavação / Sacred activity by the Method of Excavation

Excavation is a clinical and teaching methodology created by the first author of this article. It constitutes a way of helping subjects think, make and speak. This process occurs through the excavation of making, unblinding and/or unveiling elements in search for the understanding of sacred activity. Through excavation, subjects understand their thoughts, values and the society in which they live in as they excavate their life stories and their relations with making, including their daily, social and work activities. We applied a thoughtful analysis to approach the role of excavation and the concept of sacred activity. Sacred activity is the core activity of every human being, which is not necessarily the activity we perform in our everyday or work life. Sacred activity is that in which subjects are inserted and experience integrally, genuinely and with no masking. Through sacred activities, subjects surrender, not only to the activity itself, but also to the other, to himself and into himself, by quest. Seeking sacred activity is, therefore, a process of questioning, excavating the routine of subjects, watching and understanding the content of this excavation, replacing and adjusting what is being unveiled, and thus making this activity sacred. In this analysis, we concluded that, by the method of excavation, the sacralization of this action should allow subjects to have tender relationships, and thus be cured.(AU)

A escavação é uma metodologia clínica e de ensino criada pela primeira autora que constitui-se em uma maneira de ajudar o sujeito a pensar, fazer e falar. Acontece pela escavação do fazer, como uma desocultação e/ou um desvelamento em busca da compreensão de sua atividade sagrada. Pela escavação, os sujeitos passam a compreender o pensamento, os valores e a própria sociedade em que vivem no momento em que escavam a sua história de vida e suas relações com o fazer, incluindo atividades cotidianas, de socialização e de trabalho. Utilizamos uma análise reflexiva para abordarmos o papel da escavação e o conceito de atividade sagrada. Parte-se da atividade sagrada como essência de todo ser humano, que não necessariamente é a atividade que desempenhamos no cotidiano ou na vida de trabalho. É aquela em que o sujeito vai estar nela e vai vivê-la por inteiro, genuinamente, sem mascaramentos; é a entrega do sujeito para a atividade, para o outro, para com ele mesmo e nele mesmo, através do ato de se perguntar. A busca da atividade sagrada, portanto, é um processo de se perguntar, escavando as ações que o sujeito desenvolve cotidianamente, observando e percebendo o conteúdo dessa escavação e realocando espaços de acomodação para o que for sendo desvelado e com isso sacralizando o feito. Concluímos que, através do Método da Escavação, a ação sacralizadora do feito deverá permitir ao sujeito relacionar-se com amorosidade e, portanto, curar-se.(AU)

Método da escavação em terapia ocupacional: um dispositivo dinâmico a três polos? / Method of excavation in occupational therapy: a dynamic, three-pole device?

A experiência docente e profissional em terapia ocupacional indica uma formação acadêmica limitada em relação aos seguintes aspectos: o ser terapeuta ocupacional e suas implicações técnicas e metodológicas; o compreender e o assimilar o perfil profissional e, ainda, o entender o papel da atividade humana como recurso terapêutico. Para contribuir com tais lacunas, desenvolveu-se o Método da Escavação, criado com base na prática clínica e acadêmica. Neste artigo, o método é apresentado e analisado considerando as relações teórico-metodológicas entre a prática clínica, a formação acadêmica em terapia ocupacional e a abordagem ergológica. A argumentação desenvolvida resultou de um estudo de caso realizado em pesquisa de doutorado. Os dados foram coletados em documentos, entrevistas semiestruturadas e observação do Grupo de Estudos sobre Atividade Humana (Geah) do Instituto Metodista de Porto Alegre (IPA). Concluiu-se que há convergências entre o Método da Escavação e o Dispositivo Dinâmico a Três Polos. A vivência do método permitiu a confrontação e o entrecruzamento de saberes e valores entre o polo da experiência e o polo conceitual que compõem a terapia ocupacional. Os discentes renormatizaram saberes e ressignificaram suas vidas cotidianas e experiências de trabalho, reafirmando o poder terapêutico e criador da atividade humana.

The experience of teaching and working in occupational therapy has indicated some educational gaps in the professional education in the field: the very nature of being occupational therapist and its technical and methodological implications; the understanding and identification of the workers with the field and, also, the role of human activity as a therapeutic resource. In order to give a contribution to resolve it, it has been developed the so called Excavation Method that was created on the basis of academic and clinical practice. In this article, the method is presented and analyzed considering the theoretical and methodological relations between practice (academic and clinical) and the ergologic approach. The argument is based on a case study undertaken in a PhD course. The field work was developed with a group called Study Group of Human Activity (Geah) of the Methodist Institute of Porto Alegre (IPA). The main conclusion is that the Excavation Method and the Tree Poles Dynamic Dispositive have strong relationship. The method allowed confrontation and interchanging of knowledge and values between those people situated in the pole of experience and those of the conceptual pole, in the field of occupational therapy. The students renormalized their knowledge and gave new meaning for their daily life and working experience confirming the therapeutic and creational power of human activity.

Conversando sobre identidade profissional / Talking about professional identity

Esta fala se propoe a refletir sobre identidade profissional do terapeuta ocupacional apoiada no pensamento pos-moderno atraves dos conceitos de complexidade, processo, tecnologias e transdiciplinaridade. Esta foi apresentada no VI Congresso Brasileiro de Terapia Ocupacional na mesa redonda intitulada...