Intestinal protozoa and helminths among Terena Indians in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul: high prevalence of Blastocystis hominis

A parasitological survey was carried out among Terena Indians living in the Tereré settlement in the municipality of Sidrolândia, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Single samples of feces from 313 Indians were processed by means of the spontaneous sedimentation method. In the population studied, 73.5 percent were infected with at least one intestinal parasite or commensal. Protozoa predominated. Blastocystis hominis (40.9 percent), Entamoeba coli (33.2 percent) and Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar (31.6 percent) were the most common. Bivariate analysis showed that females were generally more infected and presented higher rates of infection by Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar and Entamoeba coli. Males were more infected by hookworms and Strongyloides stercoralis than females. The precarious sanitary conditions of the Tereré settlement are probably a contributory factor towards the high prevalence of intestinal protozoa.

Um inquérito parasitológico foi realizado em índios Terena da aldeia Tereré, do município de Sidrolândia, Estado do Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Amostras únicas de fezes de 313 índios foram processadas pelo método de sedimentação espontânea. Na população estudada, 73.5 por cento estavam infectados por pelo menos um parasita ou comensal intestinal. Os protozoários predominaram. Blastocystis hominis (40.9 por cento), Entamoeba coli (33.2 por cento) e Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar (31.6 por cento) foram os mais comuns. A análise bivariada demonstrou que as mulheres estavam mais infectadas no geral e apresentavam maior taxa de infecção para Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar e Entamoeba coli. Os homens estavam mais infectados por ancilostomídeos e Strongyloides stercoralis que as mulheres. As precárias condições sanitárias da aldeia Tereré são provavelmente um fator contribuinte para a alta prevalência de protozoários.

Neuroparacoccidioidomycosis: analysis of 13 cases observed in an endemic area in Brazil.

The epidemiological, clinical and laboratory features of 13 cases of neuroparacoccidioidomycosis (NPCM) were analysed. All patients were men, with a mean age of 41.6 years. The lungs were involved in 11 cases (84.6%) and only two cases had mycosis limited to the central nervous system. Co-morbidity was observed in four patients (malignant neoplasm in three and diabetes mellitus in one). The most frequent neurological manifestations were paresis (eight cases), headache (five cases) and gait disturbance (four cases). Neuroimaging diagnosis showed a predominance of multiple round lesions with ring enhancement following contrast medium injection. Lesions were seen in the brain hemispheres (nine cases), thalamus (nine cases), cerebellum (four cases), brainstem (four cases) and spinal cord (four cases). Most cases responded well to therapy. Lesions with enhancement following contrast medium injection persisted in four patients for a period of 6 months to 8 years. These findings emphasize the importance of considering NPCM in the differential diagnosis of brain and spinal cord lesions in endemic areas of paracoccidioidomycosis.

Intestinal protozoa and helminths among Terena Indians in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul: high prevalence of Blastocystis hominis.

A parasitological survey was carried out among Terena Indians living in the Tereré settlement in the municipality of Sidrolândia, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Single samples of feces from 313 Indians were processed by means of the spontaneous sedimentation method. In the population studied, 73.5% were infected with at least one intestinal parasite or commensal. Protozoa predominated. Blastocystis hominis (40.9%), Entamoeba coli (33.2%) and Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar (31.6%) were the most common. Bivariate analysis showed that females were generally more infected and presented higher rates of infection by Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar and Entamoeba coli. Males were more infected by hookworms and Strongyloides stercoralis than females. The precarious sanitary conditions of the Tereré settlement are probably a contributory factor towards the high prevalence of intestinal protozoa.

Paracoccidioidomycosis in patients with human immunodeficiency virus: review of 12 cases observed in an endemic region in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical characteristics of 12 patients with paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. METHODS: The clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of PCM in 12 patients infected with HIV attended at a University Hospital of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, were evaluated. RESULTS: All patients were men, mean age 36.1 years old, and 11 had a diagnosis other than PCM as the aids-defining illness. Lymph nodes were the organs most often involved (10 patients, 83.3%), followed by lung involvement, usually with an interstitial pattern (seven patients, 58.3%), papule-nodular skin lesions with central ulceration in six (50%) and ulcerated lesions of oral mucous membrane in five (41.6%) patients. Pleural involvement occurred in one patient who presented large pleural effusion beside a pathologic rib fracture caused by P. brasiliensis. Seven patients showed involvement in more than one extrapulmonary organ. In eight (66.6%) cases the diagnosis was established by direct microscopy of clinical specimens. All patients used trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and seven patients were also treated with amphotericin B. Eight patients died with progressive PCM manifestations. CONCLUSION: Our review demonstrates that PCM, an endemic systemic mycosis in Brazil, when associated with AIDS, behaves clinically as an opportunistic disease.

[Paracoccidioidomycosis: a clinical and epidemiological study of 422 cases observed in Mato Grosso do Sul]. / Paracoccidioidomicose: estudo clínico e epidemiológico de 422 casos observados no Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul.

Clinical and epidemiological features of 422 cases of paracoccidioidomycosis attended at University Hospital of Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil) from January 1980 to August 1999, were analysed. The mean age was 43.4 years old and the male: female ratio was 10:1. Nearly half (45.5%) of the patients were agricultural workers at the moment of diagnosis. In the acute/subacute form (juvenile type) the phagocytic-monocytic system was very much impaired and mainly marked by lymphadenopathy (95.4%), hepatomegaly (40%), splenomegaly (23.1%). The chronic form (adult type) presents more lesions in oropharynx (66.4%), dysphonia (31.4%) and cough (50.7%). Mycological diagnosis was obtained by direct microscopy of wet mounts in 185/365 (50.7%) patients and by histopathological examination of biopsies in 294/302 (97.3%) patients. The treatment of choice was Sulfamethoxazole/ trimethoprim (Co-trimoxazole), used in 90.3% patients. Sequelae occurred in 30.3% and death in 7.6% of the cases.

Paracoccidioidomicose: estudo clínico e epidemiológico de 422 casos observados no Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul / Paracoccidioidomycosis: a clinical and epidemiological study of 422 cases observed in Mato Grosso do Sul

São descritas as características clínicas e epidemiológicas de 422 casos de paracoccidioidomicose atendidos no Hospital Universitário da Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul (Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil) no período de Janeiro de 1980 a Agosto de 1999. A média de idade foi de 43,4 anos e a proporçäo homem: mulher foi de 10:1. Quase metade (45,5 por cento) dos doentes era trabalhadora rural no momento do diagnóstico. A forma aguda/subaguda (tipo juvenil)(15,4 por cento dos casos) revelou-se com importante comprometimento do sistema fagocítico-monocitário, manifestado principalmente por adenomegalia (95,4 por cento); hepatomegalia (40 por cento); esplenomegalia (23,1 por cento). A forma crônica (tipo adulto)(84,6 por cento dos casos) apresentou-se com maiores proporções de lesöes em orofaringe (66,4 por cento); rouquidäo (31,4 por cento) e tosse (50,7 por cento). Para o diagnóstico, foram utilizados o exame micológico direto em 365 pacientes e o histopatológico em 302, com positividade de 50,7 por cento e 97,3 por cento, respectivamente. O tratamento antifúngico preferencial foi a associaçäo de sulfametoxazol e trimetoprim (co-trimoxazol), utilizado em 90,3 por cento dos doentes. Seqüelas foram observadas em 30,3 por cento e óbito em 7,6 por cento dos casos

Policondrite recocidivante / Relapsing polychondritis

Apresnetamos paciente feminina de 56 anos com policondrite recidivante associada a arteite reumatóide. Policondrite recidivante é doença sistêmica nem sempre reconhecida, embora näo necessariamente rara, caracterizada por leöes inflamatórias recorrentes, disseminadas, potencialmente destrutivas comprometendo estruturas certilaginosas, predominantemente orelhas e nariz, podendo também acometer sistema cardiovascular e outros órgäos do sentido, como olhos (embora estes normalmente näo contenham cartilagem). O diagnóstico é clínico, eventualmente necessitando comprovaçäo histopatológica ou de imunofluorescência. Em cerca de 30(pôr cento) dos casos a policondrite recidivante está associada com doenças do colágeno, sendo que em 5(pôr cento) estas säo artrite reumatóide juvenil e/ou adulta. É considerada doença multissistêmica autoimune, cujos determinantes antigênicos säo produtos dos condrócitos predominantemente colágeno tipo II, e cujos mecanismos imunológicos säo importantes na iniciaçäo e perpetuaçäo da doença. Convém diferenciar de outros processos inflamatórios, infecciosos ou näo, que acometem as orelhas e/ou nariz. O curso clínico da policondrite é muito variável. Pode caracterizar-se por episódios de reagudizaçäo ou pode ser fulminante com curso rapidamente agressivo, tendo sobrevida média de 11 anos. A causa mortis em 50(pôr cento) dos pacientes pode ser relacionada à policondrite, direta ou indiretamente, ou complicaçöes do seu tratamento, e as principais causas säo: infecçäo, vasculite sistêmica e malignidade. No tratamento empregam-se antiinflamatórios näo hormonais, sulfona, corticoterapia sistêmica e/ou imunossupressores, e relatos isolados utilizando-se ciclosporina A e plasmaferese. Nas urgências respiratórias superiores ou cardiovasculares (válvulas ou aneurismas) indica-se intervençäo cirúrgica