Surveillance for yellow Fever virus in non-human primates in southern Brazil, 2001-2011: a tool for prioritizing human populations for vaccination.

In Brazil, epizootics among New World monkey species may indicate circulation of yellow fever (YF) virus and provide early warning of risk to humans. Between 1999 and 2001, the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul initiated surveillance for epizootics of YF in non-human primates to inform vaccination of human populations. Following a YF outbreak, we analyzed epizootic surveillance data and assessed YF vaccine coverage, timeliness of implementation of vaccination in unvaccinated human populations. From October 2008 through June 2009, circulation of YF virus was confirmed in 67 municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul State; vaccination was recommended in 23 (34%) prior to the outbreak and in 16 (24%) within two weeks of first epizootic report. In 28 (42%) municipalities, vaccination began more than two weeks after first epizootic report. Eleven (52%) of 21 laboratory-confirmed human YF cases occurred in two municipalities with delayed vaccination. By 2010, municipalities with confirmed YF epizootics reported higher vaccine coverage than other municipalities that began vaccination. In unvaccinated human populations timely response to epizootic events is critical to prevent human yellow fever cases.

A vigilância contemporânea no Brasil: contribuições para uma discussão / The contemporary sanitary surveillance in Brazil: contributions for a discussion

A vigilância contemporânea no campo da saúde no Brasil se estabelece a partir da década de 1990, com sua descrição no texto constitucional, tornando-se objeto de um amplo debate e diferentes entendimentos no âmbito da Saúde Pública nacional. O aparato legal que define a vigilância no país, inicialmente estabelecida pelo Poder Legislativo, reflete seu processo histórico de construção, vem sendo regulamentado pelo Poder Executivo, a partir de múltiplas interpretações sobre as quais não se verifica consenso, o que implica dificuldades na sua caracterização em relação à noção internacional de Health Surveillance. De modo a contribuir com o debate, este artigo propõe-se a revisar a literatura e discutir alguns aspectos conceituais, legais, institucionais, e as práticas de vigilância no país, assim como suas perspectivas futuras, a partir da experiência de implantação da mesma no Rio Grande do Sul. (AU)

Isolations of yellow fever virus from Haemagogus leucocelaenus in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil.

Following howling monkey (Alouatta caraya) deaths and yellow fever (YF) antigen detection by immunohistochemistry in the liver sample of a dead monkey in April and May 2001 in the municipalities of Garruchos and Santo Antônio das Missões, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, epidemiological field investigations were initiated. Two strains of YF virus were isolated in suckling mice from 23 Haemagogus (Conopostegus) leucocelaenus Dyar & Shannon mosquitoes collected from the study sites. The YF virus was isolated from this species in the 1930s in Brazil and in the 1940s in Colombia. No human cases were reported during the current epizootic outbreak. The YF virus isolation and the absence of Hg. (Haemagogus) janthinomys Dyar from the area suggest that Hg. leucocelaenus may be a secondary YF vector and play an important role in the epidemiology of this disease in the Southern Cone.

The risk of aseptic meningitis associated with the Leningrad-Zagreb mumps vaccine strain following mass vaccination with measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, 1997.

BACKGROUND: Few data are available on the risk of aseptic meningitis following vaccination with the Leningrad-Zagreb (L-Z) strain of mumps vaccine. In 1997 the mumps vaccine was introduced into the state of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil through mass vaccination with mumps-measles-rubella (MMR), targeting children aged 1-11 years. Five municipalities used exclusively MMR vaccine containing the L-Z strain of mumps. An outbreak of aseptic meningitis was observed shortly after the mass campaign. METHODS: To estimate the risk of aseptic meningitis associated with this strain, we analysed vaccination and meningitis case surveillance data from the selected municipalities. A case of vaccine-associated aseptic meningitis was defined as one with a pleocytosis of 10-1,500 leukocytes/ml and occurring within 15-35 days after vaccine receipt. RESULTS: We estimated a risk of 2.9 cases per 10,000 doses of L-Z administered, equivalent to 1 case per 3,390 doses administered. The overall risk of aseptic meningitis following the campaign was increased 12.2-fold (95% CI: 6.0-24.7) compared with the same period in 1995-1996. Following the mass campaign, the incidence of mumps declined 93% during 1998-2000. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccination with the L-Z strain of mumps vaccine as part of a mass campaign was associated with a significantly increased risk of aseptic meningitis. Decisions about type of mumps vaccine and mumps vaccination strategies must consider vaccine safety issues in addition to other criteria.

Genetic structure of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C epidemic strains in south Brazil

No presente estudo, nos reportamos os resultados de uma analise, baseada na sorotipagem, multilocus enzimatico (MEE) e ribotipagem de N. meningitidis sorogrupo C isoladas de paciente com doenca meningococica no Rio Grande do Sul (RS) e Santa Catarina (SC), onde o Centro de Controle Epidemiologico do Ministerio da Saude detectou um aumento de casos de doenca meningococica (DM) devido a este sorogrupo nos ultimos 2 anos (1992-1993)...

Óbitos infantis domiciliares por doença respiratórica aguda no município de Porto Alegre, em 1989: poderiam ter sido evitados? / Children deaths at home caused by acute respiratory illness in the municipality of Porto Alegre, in 1989: could they be avoided?

O objetivo deste trabalho é reconstruir a história dos óbitos infantis pós perinatais que ocorreram por DRA no domicílio ou trajeto em Porto Alegre, no ano de 1989...