RESUMO
Authors searched 239 reports of patients admitted in a hospital who carried neurological pathologies with unknown etiologies in order to find the possible relationship between the disease and the occupational use of chemical substances. They found the occupation in 32 reports. 37.50% of the patients worked with agriculture; 34.37% were maids/worked at home; 12.50% were masons; one was a shoemaker, one a saddler; one made furniture and the others worked with machines. Considering their activities, they possibly used chemical substances. Few information relating this utilization and the presented disease showed the reduced importance given to these variables.
Assuntos
Substâncias Perigosas/efeitos adversos , Doenças do Sistema Nervoso/induzido quimicamente , Doenças Profissionais/induzido quimicamente , Exposição Ocupacional/efeitos adversos , Ocupações/estatística & dados numéricos , Adulto , Distribuição por Idade , Idoso , Brasil/epidemiologia , Feminino , Hospitais Universitários , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Doenças do Sistema Nervoso/epidemiologia , Doenças Profissionais/epidemiologia , Admissão do Paciente/estatística & dados numéricos , Fatores de Risco , Distribuição por SexoRESUMO
The TestPack Plus Strep A (TPPSA), an immunoassay method, was compared with conventional culture methods including nonselective trypticase soy agar with 5% sheep blood and selective SXT blood agar for detection of group-A streptococci (GAS). A total of 452 throat swabs was evaluated, of which 261 (57.7%) and 191 (42.3%) were compared with culture using nonselective and selective media, respectively. Of 261 specimens evaluated on nonselective media, 71 (27.1%) were culture positive for GAS. TPPSA demonstrated a sensitivity of 91.6% and a specificity of 94.2% with positive and negative predictive values of 85.5% and 96.8%, respectively. Of 191 specimens evaluated on selective media, 44 (23.0%) were culture positive for GAS. TPPSA demonstrated a sensitivity of 93.2% and a specificity of 98.0% with positive and negative predictive values of 93.2% and 98.0%, respectively. The performance of TPPSA when compared with nonselective and selective media demonstrated a similar sensitivity, but a higher specificity was seen when compared to selective media. Overall, TPPSA was extremely easy to perform, had built-in procedural controls, required minimal technologist time, and was easy to interpret. With an accuracy of 93.5% when compared with nonselective media and 96.9% when compared with selective media, TPPSA could be recommended as a reliable method for detection of GAS.
