Developmental exposure to fenproporex: reproductive and morphological evaluation.

This study was designed to evaluate the maternal toxicity and teratogenicity of fenproporex, one of the most widely-used anorectic drugs in many countries, including Brazil. Three periods of exposure were evaluated: (a) 30 days before mating; (b) from gestational day (GD) 0 to 14; and (c) 30 days before mating and during pregnancy, until GD 14. Female mice from experimental groups received, by gavage, 15 mg/kg of fenproporex. Treatment with fenproporex increased ambulation of dams in the open-field test and did not influence the mobility in the forced-swimming test. There was no significant difference in maternal weight gain between the controls and fenproporex-treated groups, although fenproporex treatment reduced the gravid uterus weight. No significant difference was observed in postimplantation loss, fetal viability and sex ratio. In addition, this compound did not impair intra-uterine growth. The reduction in the number of implantations in the groups receiving fenproporex indicates that this drug may have an adverse effect on implantation. Fenproporex treatment also increased the number of fetuses presenting small kidneys and cervical ribs. The present results indicate that fenproporex, in the dose and exposure periods tested, appears to exhibit a low maternal toxicity and teratogenic potential in mice.

Behavioral neurotoxicity in adolescent and adult mice exposed to fenproporex during pregnancy.

We investigated the effects of gestational exposure to fenproporex, one of the most used anorectic drugs in Brazil, on the behavior of adolescent and adult pups (30 and 60 days of age, respectively). Pregnant Swiss mice were treated daily, by gavage, with 15 mg/kg of fenproporex chloride or water during the whole gestational period. Male pups were submitted to open-field, forced swimming test, tail suspension test and fenproporex-induced stereotyped behavior. The results demonstrated that gestational exposure to fenproporex induces antidepressant-like effect and decreases fenproporex-induced stereotyped behavior in both adolescent and adult pups. Moreover, fenproporex-exposed adolescent pups tended (P= 0.06) to be more active than control pups. Our data show, for the first time, that gestational exposure to fenproporex leads to long-lasting behavioral toxicity in male mice characteristic of altered dopaminergic transmission.

[Human leptospirosis. A short review concerning a caseload]. / Leptospirose humana. Breves considerações a propósito de uma casuística.

Leptospirosis, a zoonosis with worldwide distribution, may have a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations that can delay the diagnosis, especially in wet climates where other conditions may dissimulate the main aspects. The authors describe 42 cases of patients with leptospirosis admitted to the Infectious Diseases Unit of a general hospital since 1990. The goal was to analyse epidemiological features, clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, treatment and evolution. There were 23 males (54.7%) and 19 females (45.2%), with ages ranging from 17 to 82 years. Most cases occurred in occupational settings, especially in those in contact with animals or stagnant water. All the cases had serological confirmation (by MAT or ELISA methods). Anicteric forms represented 42.9% of the total, which implies that in many cases a diagnosis is not immediately evident. The main symptoms, other than fever (97.6%) and jaundice (57.1%), were myalgia (71.4%), headache (42.8%) and nausea (33.3%). Renal involvement was common (52%), but the most severe forms occurred in 3 patients who required hemodialysis; followed by D.I.C. in 9.5%; meningitis in 4.7% and pulmonary involvement in 2.3% of the cases. The serovars most commonly identified were L. icterohaemorraghiae (28.5%), L. australis (14.3%), L. grippothyphosa (11.9%) and L. canicola (9.5%). The patients were treated with penicillin G (83.3%) or doxycyclin (9.5%). Two of them deceased (4.7%) and the remainder had a good evolution. The diagnosis of leptospirosis may be delayed if physicians fail to include this infection in the initial differential diagnosis. In view of this, the authors emphasize that when nonspecific clinical manifestations occur, a good epidemiological history is useful in proposing this diagnosis.

[Serologic diagnosis of several infectious diseases]. / Diagnóstico serológico de algumas doenças infecciosas.

Serological tests are, in some situations, the only method of diagnosis of some infectious diseases. The authors make a review of the literature about the most important tests used in the most common infectious diseases and also their interpretation. It is important to point out that serology should not be considered alone but compared to clinical manifestations presented by the patient. It is also necessary, in some cases, to obtain two samples of serum, to confirm if there is an increase in the antibodies' titles. The results sent from the laboratory should be interpreted based on references given by it.