[Use of local level indicators for the spatial analysis of morbidity due to diarrhea and its relation with lifestyle conditions]. / Uso de indicadores de nível local para análise espacial da morbidade por diarreia e sua relação com as condições de vida.

Every child had an average of three episodes of diarrhea per year in developing countries in the twentieth century. The decrease of the number of deaths due to diarrhea in Brazil was more closely related to the use of control techniques than to changes in lifestyle conditions. This article seeks to analyze the spatial distribution of morbidity due to diarrhea among children and its relation with lifestyle conditions. This was an ecological study, with the suburbs of the city of Itaborai as units of analysis. The population studied was the number of hospitalizations of children < 5 years for diarrhea between 2006 and 2009, available in Hospital Information Systems. The Diarrhea Hospitalization Ratio (DHR) indicator and Composite Lifestyle Quality (CLQ) indicator were established. Diarrhea still accounts for a large number of hospitalizations of children (15.5% between 2006 and 2009). The DHR was high in this period (69.7 hospitalizations/ 1.000 NV). The spatial analysis identified that the suburbs with the highest DHR were, in most cases, those with the highest population agglomerations and better lifestyle conditions.

[Prevalence of hepatitis B virus markers within household contacts in the State of Amazonas]. / Prevalência de marcadores para o vírus da hepatite B em contatos domiciliares no Estado do Amazonas.

The aim of our investigation was to evaluate, with a prevalence study, the modes of transmission of Hepatitis B virus (HBV), within infected subjects and their household contacts in the State of Amazon, western Brazilian Amazon. We studied 97 index cases and 258 household contacts. Out of the 258 household contacts of HBV, 51.6% had serological markers of a past infection, 12.0% signs of active infection, suggesting that the virus circulates within household members. The high prevalence among siblings (23.6%) demonstrates the importance of personal contact in the transmission of this virus. Another indirect indicator of intra-familial transmission was the high prevalence of HBV markers within contacts of a fulminant hepatitis. The vertical transmission of HBV in our region may or may not occur, but if it does it as a rare event. Our results demonstrate the importance of the presence of HBV, and demand other investigations to clarify the inter-familial transmission of these viruses in our region.

[Strengths and limitations of the Rio de Janeiro Municipal AIDS Information System as an instrument for epidemiological surveillance]. / O sistema de informação de AIDS do Município do Rio de Janeiro: suas limitações e potencialidades enquanto instrumento da vigilância epidemiológica.

This study analyzes the Rio de Janeiro Municipal AIDS Information System, specifically the system's strengths and limitations in the epidemic's current context, from a broader perspective of epidemiological surveillance. The objective was to provide a brief description of the system, considering its different components. The authors further analyzed records pertaining to the reporting and investigation of AIDS cases from 1985 to 1995 and an update of the database as a contribution to the system's quality. The results showed improvement in the consistency of the AIDS database, particularly for the following variables: occupation, neighborhood, school, and exposure category, although the study found concrete limitations in the system's design and structure for dealing with the complexity and heterogeneity of AIDS surveillance. The study thus identified the need to construct an efficient HIV/AIDS surveillance system, based on epidemiological indicators aimed at monitoring and evaluating changes in the epidemiological pattern and analysis of the impact on morbidity and mortality resulting from access to more efficient forms of prevention and new treatments.