In silico analysis of non-structural protein 12 sequences from SARS-COV-2 found in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, reveals mutations linked to higher transmissibility.

The disease coronavirus COVID-19 has been the cause of millions of deaths worldwide. Among the proteins of SARS-CoV-2, non-structural protein 12 (NSP12) plays a key role during COVID infection and is part of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase complex. The monitoring of NSP12 polymorphisms is extremely important for the design of new antiviral drugs and monitoring of viral evolution. This study analyzed the NSP12 mutations detected in circulating SARS-CoV-2 during the years 2020 to 2022 in the population of the city of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. The most frequent mutations found were P323L and G671S. Reports in the literature indicate that these mutations are related to transmissibility efficiency, which may have contributed to the extremely high numbers of cases in this location. In addition, two mutations described here (E796D and R914K) are close and have RMSD that is similar to the mutations M794V and N911K, which have been described in the literature as influential on the performance of the NSP12 enzyme. These data demonstrate the need to monitor the emergence of new mutations in NSP12 in order to better understand their consequences for the treatments currently used and in the design of new drugs.

SARS-CoV-2 intra-host diversity, antibody response, and disease severity after reinfection by the variant of concern Gamma in Brazil.

The rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern (VOC) Gamma in Amazonas during early 2021 fueled a second large COVID-19 epidemic wave and raised concern about the potential role of reinfections. Very few cases of reinfection associated with the VOC Gamma have been reported to date, and their potential impact on clinical, immunological, and virological parameters remains largely unexplored. Here we describe 25 cases of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection in Brazil. SARS-CoV-2 genomic analysis confirmed that individuals were primo-infected with distinct viral lineages between March and December 2020 (B.1.1, B.1.1.28, B.1.1.33, B.1.195, and P.2) and reinfected with the VOC Gamma between 3 to 12 months after primo-infection. We found a similar mean cycle threshold (Ct) value and limited intra-host viral diversity in both primo-infection and reinfection samples. Sera of 14 patients tested 10-75 days after reinfection displayed detectable neutralizing antibodies (NAb) titers against SARS-CoV-2 variants that circulated before (B.1.*), during (Gamma), and after (Delta and Omicron) the second epidemic wave in Brazil. All individuals had milder or no symptoms after reinfection, and none required hospitalization. These findings demonstrate that individuals reinfected with the VOC Gamma may display relatively high RNA viral loads at the upper respiratory tract after reinfection, thus contributing to onward viral transmissions. Despite this, our study points to a low overall risk of severe Gamma reinfections, supporting that the abrupt increase in hospital admissions and deaths observed in Amazonas and other Brazilian states during the Gamma wave was mostly driven by primary infections. Our findings also indicate that most individuals analyzed developed a high anti-SARS-CoV-2 NAb response after reinfection that may provide some protection against reinfection or disease by different SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Psychometric validation of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Body Image Scale ­ HIV for people living with HIV/AIDS / Validação psicométrica da versão em português brasileiro da Body Image Scale ­ HIV para pessoas vivendo com HIV/AIDS

Introduction: Body Image can be defined as the mental representation of body identity. The surroundings, the gaze of the other, they emotions, they integrity, and our own fragility are elements of this representation. The social stigma caused by body changes in people living with HIV / AIDS may be more intense than the fear of death itself, being important to assess the impact of these changes in the course of treatment. Objective: To perform the psychometric validation of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Body Image Scale - HIV for a sample of Brazilians, of both sexes, living with HIV / AIDS. Methods: The total of 450 patients were recruited from the São Bernardo do Campo HIV/AIDS program, aged between 18 and 78 years. Confirmatory factor analysis using the Unweighted Least Square and listwise deletion was used to determine the adherence of the data to the models tested. Results: Adequate coefficients of internal reliability and evidence of construct validity were established for the Brazilian version of BIS-HIV in the unifactorial model. Conclusion:This scale, with evidenced psychometric qualities, provides a useful tool for quantitative investigations of body image in people with HIV/AIDS in the Brazilian context and extends the possibility of future cross-cultural research.

Introdução: a Imagem Corporal pode ser definida como a representação mental da identidade corporal. O meio que cerca o sujeito, o olhar do outro, suas emoções, a integridade e a própria fragilidade do corpo são elementos próprios desta representação. O estigma social provocado pelas alterações corporais nas pessoas que vivem com HIV/AIDS pode ser mais intenso que o próprio medo da morte, sendo importante acompanhar o impacto dessas alterações do decurso do tratamento.Objetivo: realizar a validação psicométrica da versão em português brasileiro da Body Image Scale ­ HIV para uma amostra de brasileiros, de ambos os sexos, vivendo com HIV/AIDS.Método: foram recrutados 450 pacientes de um ambulatório de HIV/AIDS de São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brasil, com idades entre 18 e 78 anos. A análise fatorial confirmatória, utilizando o Unweighted Least Square e deleção listwise, foi usada para determinar a aderência dos dados aos modelos testados.Resultados: coeficientes adequados de confiabilidade interna e evidência de validade de construto foram estabelecidos para a versão brasileira da BIS-HIV no modelo unifatorial.Conclusão: a escala foi validada e com suas qualidades psicométricas evidenciadas, fornece uma ferramenta útil para investigações quantitativas da imagem corporal em pessoas com HIV/AIDS no contexto brasileiro e amplia a possibilidade de futuras pesquisas transculturais.

Spread of Gamma (P.1) Sub-Lineages Carrying Spike Mutations Close to the Furin Cleavage Site and Deletions in the N-Terminal Domain Drives Ongoing Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Amazonas, Brazil.

The Amazonas was one of the most heavily affected Brazilian states by the COVID-19 epidemic. Despite a large number of infected people, particularly during the second wave associated with the spread of the Variant of Concern (VOC) Gamma (lineage P.1), SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate in the Amazonas. To understand how SARS-CoV-2 persisted in a human population with a high immunity barrier, we generated 1,188 SARS-CoV-2 whole-genome sequences from individuals diagnosed in the Amazonas state from 1st January to 6th July 2021, of which 38 were vaccine breakthrough infections. Our study reveals a sharp increase in the relative prevalence of Gamma plus (P.1+) variants, designated Pango Lineages P.1.3 to P.1.6, harboring two types of additional Spike changes: deletions in the N-terminal (NTD) domain (particularly Δ144 or Δ141-144) associated with resistance to anti-NTD neutralizing antibodies or mutations at the S1/S2 junction (N679K or P681H) that probably enhance the binding affinity to the furin cleavage site, as suggested by our molecular dynamics simulations. As lineages P.1.4 (S:N679K) and P.1.6 (S:P681H) expanded (Re > 1) from March to July 2021, the lineage P.1 declined (Re < 1) and the median Ct value of SARS-CoV-2 positive cases in Amazonas significantly decreases. Still, we did not find an increased incidence of P.1+ variants among breakthrough cases of fully vaccinated patients (71%) in comparison to unvaccinated individuals (93%). This evidence supports that the ongoing endemic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the Amazonas is driven by the spread of new local Gamma/P.1 sublineages that are more transmissible, although not more efficient to evade vaccine-elicited immunity than the parental VOC. Finally, as SARS-CoV-2 continues to spread in human populations with a declining density of susceptible hosts, the risk of selecting more infectious variants or antibody evasion mutations is expected to increase. IMPORTANCE The continuous evolution of SARS-CoV-2 is an expected phenomenon that will continue to happen due to the high number of cases worldwide. The present study analyzed how a Variant of Concern (VOC) could still circulate in a population hardly affected by two COVID-19 waves and with vaccination in progress. Our results showed that the answer behind that was a new generation of Gamma-like viruses, which emerged locally carrying mutations that made it more transmissible and more capable of spreading, partially evading prior immunity triggered by natural infections or vaccines. With thousands of new cases daily, the current pandemics scenario suggests that SARS-CoV-2 will continue to evolve and efforts to reduce the number of infected subjects, including global equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, are mandatory. Thus, until the end of pandemics, the SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance will be an essential tool to better understand the drivers of the viral evolutionary process.

Structural analysis of SARS-Cov-2 nonstructural protein 1 polymorphisms found in the Brazilian Amazon.

The coronavirus disease COVID-19 has been the cause of millions of deaths worldwide. Among the SARS-CoV-2 proteins, the non-structural protein 1 (NSP1) has great importance during the virus infection process and is present in both alpha and beta-CoVs. Therefore, monitoring of NSP1 polymorphisms is crucial in order to understand their role during infection and virus-induced pathogenicity. Herein, we analyzed how mutations detected in the circulating SARS-CoV-2 in the population of the city of Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil could modify the tertiary structure of the NSP1 protein. Three mutations were detected in the SARS-CoV-2 NSP1 gene: deletion of the amino acids KSF from positions 141 to 143 (delKSF), SARS-CoV-2, lineage B.1.195; and two substitutions, R29H and R43C, SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.28 and B.1.1.33, respectively. The delKSF was found in 47 samples, whereas R29H and R43C were found in two samples, one for each mutation. The NSP1 structures carrying the mutations R43C and R29H on the N-terminal portion (e.g. residues 10 to 127) showed minor backbone divergence compared to the Wuhan model. However, the NSP1 C-terminal region (residues 145 to 180) was severely affected in the delKSF and R29H mutants. The intermediate variable region (residues 144 to 148) leads to changes in the C-terminal region, particularly in the delKSF structure. New investigations must be carried out to analyze how these changes affect NSP1 activity during the infection. Our results reinforce the need for continuous genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 to better understand virus evolution and assess the potential impact of the viral mutations on the approved vaccines and future therapies.

COVID-19 in Amazonas, Brazil, was driven by the persistence of endemic lineages and P.1 emergence.

The northern state of Amazonas is among the regions in Brazil most heavily affected by the COVID-19 epidemic and has experienced two exponentially growing waves, in early and late 2020. Through a genomic epidemiology study based on 250 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genomes from different Amazonas municipalities sampled between March 2020 and January 2021, we reveal that the first exponential growth phase was driven mostly by the dissemination of lineage B.1.195, which was gradually replaced by lineage B.1.1.28 between May and June 2020. The second wave coincides with the emergence of the variant of concern (VOC) P.1, which evolved from a local B.1.1.28 clade in late November 2020 and replaced the parental lineage in <2 months. Our findings support the conclusion that successive lineage replacements in Amazonas were driven by a complex combination of variable levels of social distancing measures and the emergence of a more transmissible VOC P.1 virus. These data provide insights to understanding the mechanisms underlying the COVID-19 epidemic waves and the risk of dissemination of SARS-CoV-2 VOC P.1 in Brazil and, potentially, worldwide.

COVID-19 epidemic in the Brazilian state of Amazonas was driven by long-term persistence of endemic SARS-CoV-2 lineages and the recent emergence of the new variant of concern P.1.

Dentre as 27 Unidades Federativas brasileiras, o estado do Amazonas foi uma das mais afetadas pela presente pandemia do novo coronavírus, com a ocorrência de uma segunda onda ao final de 2020 na qual um grande número de casos graves levou a um colapso no sistema de saúde. Este pre-print, resultado da análise do genoma completo de 250 amostras do SARS-CoV-2 coletadas no Amazonas entre março de 2020 e janeiro de 2021, descreve a dinâmica de sucessões de linhagens dominantes no estado. Mais recentemente, ele foi publicado na revista Nature Medicine, após editoração e a revisão por pesquisadores independentes. A publicação apresenta dados que embasam as hipóteses de que a linhagem responsável pela maioria dos casos no primeiro momento da pandemia (entre março e maio de 2020) foi a B.1.195, de que esta foi suplantada pela B.1.1.28, que tornou-se a linhagem dominante no estado entre maio e dezembro de 2020, e de que em dezembro o surgimento de uma variante da B.1.1.28, denominada P.1 e dotada de maior transmissibilidade, foi responsável pela nova ascensão no número de casos e mortes. Desta forma, a dinâmica local de surgimento de novas genéticas virais foi uma importante força-motriz para a forma com a qual a pandemia avançou sobre o estado do Amazonas, influenciada diretamente pela circulação da população e sua relação com o espalhamento do vírus, que culminou com a substituição da B.1.1.28 pela variante de preocupação P.1 em um processo que acredita-se ter durado apenas dois meses.

Three SARS-CoV-2 reinfection cases by the new Variant of Concern (VOC) P.1/501Y.V3

Neste relatório (pre-print), são apresentados três casos de reinfecção causados pela Variante de Preocupação (VOC) P.1, também conhecida como "cepa de Manaus". As três pacientes eram mulheres adultas, e tiveram a primeira infecção durante a primeira onda da pandemia na primeira metade de 2020. Nos três casos, a linhagem detectada no primeiro diagnóstico molecular era diferente da encontrada posteriormente, evidência da reinfecção. Dois dos casos de reinfecção tiveram apresentação de sintomas leves, enquanto o terceiro foi assintomático, apesar de a quantidade de material genético viral detectado sugerir cargas virais elevadas. As evidências aqui apresentadas sugerem que a imunidade após infecção primária por linhagens anteriores à circulação daquelas contendo a mutação E484K não impede uma nova infecção pela variante P.1, e nem mesmo que pessoas reinfectadas por esta variante espalhem o vírus, embora seja possível que tenha protegido estas três pacientes do desenvolvimento de sintomas graves.

Psychometric Validation of the Brazilian Portuguese Version of the Derriford Appearance Scale-24 (DAS-24) for People Living with HIV/AIDS.

The changes in appearance of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) interferes with how people around them react to their body, how social interactions take place, and how each person perceives and accepts their body. The definition of itself can be severely challenged when the body changes as a result of illness and the person does not look healthier anymore. People living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) are an especially vulnerable group when it comes to "distress" and the psychosocial impact of appearance, yet the assessment of body image changes in these people was subjective in Brazil. The aim of this paper was to assess the psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of Derriford Appearance Scale 24 (DAS-24) for a sample of Brazilians living with HIV/AIDS. A sample of 400 patients were recruited from an HIV/AIDS ambulatory, aged between 18 and 78 years, of both sexes. The psychometric properties of DAS-24 were investigated while using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), with unweighted least square estimation and listwise deletion for missing data. The adjustment of three structural models previously established for DAS-24 (single-factor, two-factor, and three-factor) was investigated. Evidences of construct validity-convergent and discriminant-and internal consistency-Cronbach's alpha and construct reliability-were also generated for the measure model. The results showed that the one-factor model had the best adjustment, after eliminating items 8, 17, and 20, and accepting the covariance of errors between items 4 and 10; 9 and 23; 11 and 14; and, 14 and 22. Additionally, validity and reliability evidence were satisfactory for the model. The Brazilian Portuguese version of DAS-24 seems to be a psychometrically sound scale for measuring body image distress for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA).

Oropouche virus detection in saliva and urine.

Oropouche virus (OROV) is an arthropod-borne virus of the Peribunyaviridae family, transmitted to humans primarily by Culicoides paraensis. It is one of the main arboviruses infecting humans in Brazil, primarily in the Amazon Region. Here, we report the detection of OROV in the saliva and urine of a patient whose samples were collected five days after the onset of symptoms. Nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis further confirmed the results. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the detection of OROV in the saliva and urine of an infected patient. In addition, the results of our study expand the current knowledge pertaining to the natural history of Oropouche fever.

Oropouche virus detection in saliva and urine

Oropouche virus (OROV) is an arthropod-borne virus of the Peribunyaviridae family, transmitted to humans primarily by Culicoides paraensis. It is one of the main arboviruses infecting humans in Brazil, primarily in the Amazon Region. Here, we report the detection of OROV in the saliva and urine of a patient whose samples were collected five days after the onset of symptoms. Nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis further confirmed the results. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the detection of OROV in the saliva and urine of an infected patient. In addition, the results of our study expand the current knowledge pertaining to the natural history of Oropouche fever.

Cross Cultural adaptation into Brazilian Portuguese language of Derriford Appearance Scale 24 (DAS-24) for people living with HIV/AIDS / Adaptação cultural em Português Brasileiro da Derriford Appearance Scale - 24 (DAS-24) para pessoas vivendo com HIV/AIDS

INTRODUCTION: Body image can be defined as the representation of beliefs, emotions and perceptions about the body itself, manifested in behaviors directed to the body. When the body changes because of a disease and does not seem healthy, the self-concept may be severely challenged. People living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) are particularly vulnerable to the distress and psychosocial impact of appearance, but in Brazil the assessment of those body image changes was subjective because there was not an available scale in Brazilian Portuguese to assess body image changes in clinical practice or research. OBJECTIVE: To carry out the cross-cultural adaptation to the Brazilian Portuguese of the Derriford Appearance Scale 24 (DAS-24), with the verification of the linguistic, semantic, conceptual and cultural equivalence of the people living with HIV/AIDS in Brazil METHODS: We followed the five stages of culturally sensitive translation: direct translations, synthesis of translations, back-translations, expert committee meeting and pre-tests. The process of cultural adaptation was presented in a descriptive and analytical way, following patterns of methodological studies. The minimum, maximum and median values of the responses of each item were calculated from the pool of data from the third pretest group of 50 participants. The median of the item scores, the correlation on each item with the total score and the internal reliability, were calculated using the Cronbach alpha test. RESULTS: The analysis of the responses of the last pre-test group indicated that attention must be given to items A, H, T and V in a future psychometric study. The present study is not enough for this scale to be used in clinical practice. To ensure that the culturally adapted instrument generates valid and reliable data, a subsequent study investigating its psychometric properties should be conducted. CONCLUSION: The cross-cultural adaptation of the Derriford Appearance Scale 24 (DAS-24) in its components of linguistic, semantic, conceptual and cultural equivalence to Brazilian Portuguese for the population of people living with HIV/AIDS was fully carried out. Despite this achievement, it is emphasized that the use of the Brazilian version of DAS-24 in research and clinical routine is advised only after a psychometric study with this instrument.

INTRODUÇÃO: A imagem corporal pode ser definida como a representação das crenças, emoções e percepções a respeito do próprio corpo, manifesta em comportamentos voltados ao corpo. Quando o corpo muda como consequência de doença e não parece mais saudável, a definição de si mesmo pode ser severamente desafiada. As pessoas vivendo com HIV/AIDS (PVHA) são um público especialmente vulnerável quando se trata do "distress" e do impacto psicossocial da aparência, mas a avaliação destas alterações de imagem corporal era subjetiva porque não havia nenhuma escala em Português Brasileiro para avaliar alterações da imagem disponível para uso clínico ou para pesquisa. OBJETIVO: Realizar a adaptação transcultural para o português Brasileiro da Derriford Appearance Scale 24 (DAS-24), com a verificação da equivalência idiomática, semântica, conceitual e cultural, para o público-alvo pessoas vivendo com HIV/AIDS (PVHA) no Brasil MÉTODO: Seguiu-se guia de cinco etapas para adaptação de escala transcultural: traduções, síntese de traduções, retrotraduções, reunião de comitê de especialistas e pré-testes. O processo de adaptação cultural foi apresentado de forma descritiva e analítica, seguindo padrões de estudos metodológicos. Os valores mínimo, máximo e mediano das respostas de cada item foram calculados a partir do pool de dados do terceiro grupo de pré-teste de 50 participantes. A mediana dos escores dos itens, a correlação de cada item com o escore total e a confiabilidade interna foram calculados pelo teste alfa de Cronbach. RESULTADO: A análise das respostas do último grupo pré-teste indicou que deve ser dada atenção aos itens A, B, G, H e K em um futuro estudo psicométrico. O presente estudo não é suficiente para que essa escala seja utilizada na prática clínica. Para garantir que o instrumento culturalmente adaptado gere dados válidos e confiáveis, um estudo subsequente que investigue suas propriedades psicométricas deve ser conduzido. CONCLUSÃO: A adaptação transcultural da Derriford Appearance Scale 24 (DAS-24), em seus componentes de equivalência linguística, semântica, conceitual e cultural para o português brasileiro para a população de pessoas vivendo com HIV/AIDS foi plenamente realizada. Apesar dessa conquista, ressalta-se que o uso da versão brasileira do DAS-24 em pesquisa e rotina clínica é aconselhado somente após um estudo psicométrico com este instrumento.

Molecular characterisation of the emerging measles virus from Roraima state, Brazil, 2018.

Measles is a human infectious disease of global concern that is caused by the measles virus. In this study, we report the complete genome sequencing of one measles virus isolate, genotype D8, that was obtained directly from a urine sample in Boa Vista city, the capital of Roraima state in Brazil. Phylogenetic reconstruction grouped the genome described in this study with that of samples from Australia, South Korea, and Italy. To our knowledge, this is the first complete genome sequence of a wild-type measles virus reported from Latin America. Therefore, the present data strengthen the current knowledge on the molecular epidemiology of measles worldwide.

Molecular characterisation of the emerging measles virus from Roraima state, Brazil, 2018

Measles is a human infectious disease of global concern that is caused by the measles virus. In this study, we report the complete genome sequencing of one measles virus isolate, genotype D8, that was obtained directly from a urine sample in Boa Vista city, the capital of Roraima state in Brazil. Phylogenetic reconstruction grouped the genome described in this study with that of samples from Australia, South Korea, and Italy. To our knowledge, this is the first complete genome sequence of a wild-type measles virus reported from Latin America. Therefore, the present data strengthen the current knowledge on the molecular epidemiology of measles worldwide.

Preenchimento facial com Polimetilmetacrilato em pacientes que vivem com a síndrome da imunodeficiência adquirida (AIDS) / Facial filling with polymethylmethacrylate in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

INTRODUÇÃO: Pacientes que vivem com síndrome da imunodeficiência adquirida (AIDS) em uso da Terapia Antirretroviral de Alta Potência (TARV) são suscetíveis a desenvolver síndrome lipodistrófica. O preenchimento facial com polimetilmetacrilato é opção de tratamento. O objetivo é analisar o procedimento de preenchimento facial e avaliar os pacientes em relação à percepção, incômodo, revelação do diagnóstico, expectativa quanto ao preenchimento e a satisfação e impacto em suas vidas. MÉTODOS: Análise em 63 pacientes submetidos ao preenchimento facial. Foram realizados procedimentos, analisados prontuários dos pacientes e o Protocolo do Ambulatório de Lipodistrofia do Programa Municipal de doenças sexualmente transmissíveis (DST)/AIDS e Hepatites Virais de São Bernardo do Campo, atendidos no período de janeiro a julho de 2009. RESULTADOS: Todos os 63 pacientes iniciais que concordaram em participar da pesquisa permaneceram até o término deste trabalho. Apenas seis pacientes (9,5%) eram de origem de outros municípios, enquanto 57 pacientes (90,5%) eram moradores de São Bernardo. 68,2% eram homens e 100% brancos. A média das idades foi 49,7 anos. Em média, o Vírus da Imunodeficiência Humana (HIV) foi diagnosticado há 11,5 anos, com tempo médio de uso de TARV por 10 anos e tempo médio de lipoatrofia facial de 3,8 anos. A maioria fez uso de Estavudina e/ou Efavirenz. Quem ficava mais desconfortável com as alterações na face eram os próprios pacientes. 85,7% não revelaram o diagnóstico para terceiros. 100% dos pacientes ficaram satisfeitos ou muito satisfeitos com o resultado obtido. CONCLUSÃO: 100% dos pacientes ficaram satisfeitos ou muito satisfeitos com o resultado obtido. Em 100% dos casos houve um impacto favorável na vida. Não houve efeitos adversos ao procedimento cirúrgico de preenchimento.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) who use highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) can develop lipodystrophy syndrome, for which facial filling with polymethylmethacrylate is a treatment option. The objective is to analyze the procedure of facial filling and evaluate patients in relation to their perception, discomfort, revelation of the diagnosis to third parties, expectation concerning facial filling, and satisfaction with the treatment outcome and its impact on their lives. METHODS: Sixty-three patients who underwent facial filling were evaluated. Procedures performed between January and July 2009 were assessed, the records of the patients were analyzed, and the outpatient lipodystrophy protocol of the STD/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis Municipal Program of São Bernardo do Campo was used. RESULTS: All the 63 patients who agreed to participate in the research completed the study. Only 6 patients (9.5%) were from other municipalities, while 57 patients (90.5%) were residents of São Bernardo. Of the patients, 68.2% were men and 100% were Caucasian. The mean age of the patients was 49.7 years. Human immunodeficiency virus was diagnosed 11.5 years prior on average, with 10-year average use of HAART and 3.8-year average time of facial lipoatrophy. Most of the patients used stavudine and/or efavirenz. The patients themselves felt more uncomfortable with facial changes. Among the patients, 85.7% did not reveal the diagnosis to third parties. CONCLUSION: All of the patients were satisfied or very satisfied with the result obtained, which had a favorable impact on their lives. The filling surgical procedure had no adverse effects.