Risk of Zika virus-associated birth defects in congenital confirmed cases in the Brazilian Amazon.

OBJECTIVE: To establish the risk of microcephaly in neonates born to women infected with ZIKV during pregnancy. METHODS: A cohort of laboratory-confirmed ZIKV cases of congenital infections (109 mothers infected during pregnancy and 101 newborns) among 308 suspect cases was followed in Belem, Pará, Brazil, from October 2015 to December 2017. RESULTS: A microcephaly risk of 1.98% (95% CI 0.54-6.93%) was found, or 2 cases among the 101 neonates infected with ZIKV during pregnancy. 72% of the pregnant women had ZIKV infection confirmed by RT-qPCR during gestation. CONCLUSIONS: Results showed a low incidence of ZIKV-associated birth defects, stillbirth, and miscarriage, which contrasts with previous studies in other Brazilian regions. Previous exposure to yellow fever vaccine and/or multiserotype DENV infection could be implicated in the protection from ZIKV congenital infection.

OBJETIVO: Establecer el riesgo de microcefalia en los recién nacidos de mujeres infectadas con ZIKV durante el embarazo. MÉTODOS: Se siguió a una cohorte de casos con infección congénita por ZIKV confirmada por laboratorio (109 madres infectadas durante el embarazo, 101 recién nacidos) conformada a partir de 308 casos sospechosos en Belem, Pará, Brasil, de octubre de 2015 a diciembre de 2017. RESULTADOS: Se encontró un riesgo de microcefalia de 1,98% (IC95% 0,54-6,93%), o 2 casos entre los 101 neonatos infectados con ZIKV durante el embarazo. En el 72% de las mujeres embarazadas se confirmó mediante RT-qPCR la infección por ZIKV durante la gestación. CONCLUSIONES: Los resultados mostraron una baja incidencia de malformaciones congénitas, mortinatos y abortos asociados al ZIKV, lo que contrasta con estudios anteriores de otras regiones de Brasil. La exposición previa a la vacuna contra la fiebre amarilla o la infección previa por varios serotipos de virus del dengue podrían estar implicados en la protección contra la infección congénita por ZIKV.

Leprosy New Case Detection Trends and the Future Effect of Preventive Interventions in Pará State, Brazil: A Modelling Study.

BACKGROUND: Leprosy remains a public health problem in Brazil. Although the overall number of new cases is declining, there are still areas with a high disease burden, such as Pará State in the north of the country. We aim to predict future trends in new case detection rate (NCDR) and explore the potential impact of contact tracing and chemoprophylaxis on NCDR in Pará State. METHODS: We used SIMCOLEP, an existing individual-based model for the transmission and control of M. leprae, in a population structured by households. The model was quantified to simulate the population and observed NCDR of leprosy in Pará State for the period 1990 to 2014. The baseline scenario was the current control program, consisting of multidrug therapy, passive case detection, and active case detection from 2003 onwards. Future projections of the NCDR were made until 2050 given the continuation of the current control program (i.e. baseline). We further investigated the potential impact of two scenarios for future control of leprosy: 1) discontinuation of contact tracing; and 2) continuation of current control in combination with chemoprophylaxis. Both scenarios started in 2015 and were projected until 2050. RESULTS: The modelled NCDR in Pará State after 2014 shows a continuous downward trend, reaching the official elimination target of 10 cases per 100,000 population by 2030. The cessation of systematic contact tracing would not result in a higher NCDR in the long run. Systematic contact tracing in combination with chemoprophylaxis for contacts would reduce the NCDR by 40% and bring attainment of the elimination target two years forward to 2028. CONCLUSION: The NCDR of leprosy continues to decrease in Pará State. Elimination of leprosy as a public health problem could possibly be achieved around 2030, if the current control program is maintained. Providing chemoprophylaxis would decrease the NCDR further and would bring elimination forward by two years.

Royal sun medicinal mushroom Agaricus brasiliensis (higher Basidiomycetes) and the attenuation of pulmonary inflammation induced by 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK).

Agaricus brasiliensis currently is one of the most studied fungi because of its nutritional and therapeutic properties as an anti-inflammatory agent and an adjuvant in cancer chemotherapy. The effects of orally administered aqueous A. brasiliensis extract (14.3- and 42.9-mg doses) on parenchymal lung damage induced by carcinogenic 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) were observed in Wistar rats. NNK treatment induced pulmonary inflammation, but not lung cancer, in the rats. The lungs of animals treated with NNK showed a higher level of inflammation than those of the control group according to histopathologic examinations (P < 0.01) and kurtosis analysis (P < 0.001) of a global histogram generated from thoracic computed tomography scans. There was no significant difference in the alveolar and bronchial exudates between animals treated with a 14.3-mg dose of A. brasiliensis extract and the control without NNK. However, a significant difference was found between animals treated with NNK, received a 42.9-mg dose of A. brasiliensis (P < 0.05), and the controls not treated with NNK. We did not observe a significant difference between the kurtoses of the A. brasiliensis (14.3 mg) and control groups. However, a 42.9-mg dose of A. brasiliensis resulted in lower kurtosis values than those observed in the control group (P < 0.001). In conclusion, a low dose of A. brasiliensis was more effective in attenuating pulmonary inflammation. Similar to the histopathological results, the computed tomography scans also showed a protective effect of A. brasiliensis at the lower dose, which prevented gross pulmonary consolidation.

Leprosy exposure, infection and disease: a 25-year surveillance study of leprosy patient contacts.

Contact surveillance is a valuable strategy for controlling leprosy. A dynamic cohort study of leprosy contacts was initiated in 1987 at Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. The objective of this work was to review the data on the major risk factors leading up to the infectious stage of the disease, estimate incidence rates of leprosy in the cohort and characterise the risk factors for the disease among the contacts under surveillance. The incidence rate of leprosy among contacts of leprosy patients was estimated at 0.01694 cases per person-year in the first five years of follow-up. The following factors were associated with acquiring the disease: (i) not receiving the BCG vaccine, (ii) a negative Mitsuda reaction and (iii) contact with a patient with a multibacillary clinical form of leprosy. The contacts of index patients who had high bacilloscopic index scores > 1 were at especially high risk of infection. The following factors were associated with infection, which was defined as a seropositive reaction for anti-phenolic glicolipid-1 IgM: (i) young age (< 20 years), (ii) a low measured Mitsuda reaction (< 5 mm) and (iii) contact with an index patient who had a high bacilloscopic index. BCG vaccination and re-vaccination were shown to be protective among household contacts. The main conclusions of this study indicate an urgent need for additional leprosy control strategies in areas with a high incidence of the disease.

The role of metabolic syndrome components and adipokines in insulin resistance in prepubertal children.

OBJECTIVE: Insulin resistance has a central role in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular atherosclerotic disease. Adipose tissue is of capital importance in view of its production of adipokines. The present study aims to determine the association of metabolic syndrome components, which constitute risk factors for cardiovascular atherosclerotic disease, and leptin and adiponectin with insulin resistance in prepubertal children. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 197 children. Of these, 112 children were obese, 36 were overweight and 49 had normal weight. The association of sex, waist circumference, Acanthosis nigricans, age, BMI Z-score, serum lipids, leptin and adipocytokines with insulin resistance [defined as the homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index higher than or equal to 2.5] was investigated using logistic regression. RESULTS: There was positive association of sex (female), age, BMI Z-score, triglycerides and leptin with insulin resistance (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Among the conventional components of metabolic syndrome, the role of BMI Z-score and triglycerides stands out in insulin resistance of prepubertal children. Sex (female), age and leptin also showed to be of major importance.

Emergency care necessity for sickle cell disease patients at Rio de Janeiro State Coordinating Blood Bank.

Hemoglobinopathies, in particular sickle cell disease, is the most prevalent group of genetically transmitted diseases in the Brazilian population and should thus be treated as a public health problem. Many of these patients frequently present with complications and require emergency care at the blood bank Coordinator in Rio de Janeiro. This study was developed with the aim of characterizing the emergency assistance required by sickle cell disease patients registered in the blood bank from January 2007 to December 2008. A retrospective study of medical records was made of 78, mostly children, patients from the date of their registration until December 2009. Most attendances (63.7%) were not considered emergency care. The use of specialized services for cases that do not require this level of complexity may saturate the capacity of these centers. However, delay of intervention for complications due to the transportation of patients to specialist centers may lead to deterioration in the clinical condition.

[Cut-off point for Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) index established from Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve in the detection of metabolic syndrome in overweight pre-pubertal children]. / Ponto de corte do índice Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) avaliado pela curva Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) na detecção de síndrome metabólica em crianças pré-púberes com excesso de peso.

OBJECTIVE: To establish, among the cut-off values for the homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) cited in the literature, the best in identifying metabolic syndrome (MS) in obese and overweight children. METHODS: A total of 106 pre-pubertal children were studied. The definition of MS was adapted from that of the International Diabetes Federation. For each cut-off values for HOMA-IR, it was estimated sensibility and specificity for MS. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was generated using these values. RESULTS: The study included 106 obese (37 girls and 69 boys) and 34 overweight (19 girls and 15 boys) children aged 6,5 +/- 2,3 years. The accuracy of the ROC curve was 72%, and the best cut-off value for HOMAIR was 2,5, with sensitivity of 61% and specificity of 74%. CONCLUSIONS: HOMA-IR may be useful to detect MS and the cut-off 2,5 seems to be the best in obese and overweight pre-pubertal children.

[The impact of leprosy elimination strategy on an endemic municipality in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil]. / Os indicadores da hanseníase e as estratégias de eliminação da doença, em município endêmico do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

Various strategies for eliminating leprosy as a public health problem have evolved in the last 20 years. In some countries, especially highly endemic ones, the WHO target rate for leprosy elimination fell far short. The current study aimed to analyze the impact of different strategies for reducing leprosy prevalence in Duque de Caxias, a highly endemic municipality in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. The study observed the evolution of traditional operational indicators for the disease and their trends in the last 14 years. The indicators were calculated using the National Communicable Diseases Database (SINAN). Strategies that focused on decentralization of patient care and/or localized campaigns were associated with earlier case detection, reduction in prevalence, and shorter patient time in the active registry. An increase in the annual detection rate could be related to the existence of hidden prevalence or individuals with asymptomatic infection. New complementary strategies are needed to eliminate the disease in Duque de Caxias.