Pneumothorax as a late complication of COVID-19.

In late 2019, a novel coronavirus initially related to a cluster of severe pneumonia cases in China was identified. COVID-19 cases have rapidly spread to multiple countries worldwide. We present a typical laboratory confirmed case of COVID-19 pneumonia, that was hospitalized due to hypoxemia but did not require mechanical ventilation. Although initially the patient was evaluated with a favorable outcome, in the third week of the disease, the symptomatology deteriorated due to a massive hypertensive pneumothorax with no known previous risk factor. Since the first cases of COVID-19 have been described, pneumothorax was characterized as a potential, though uncommon, complication. It has been reported that diffuse alveolar injury caused by SARS-CoV-2 can cause alveolar rupture, produce air leakage and interstitial emphysema. Although uncommon, pneumothorax should be listed as a differential diagnosis for COVID-19 patients with sudden respiratory decompensation. As a life-threatening event, it requires prompt recognition and expeditious treatment.

Danger in the streets: exposures to bloodborne pathogens after community sharp injuries in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

ABSTRACT Objective: Exposures to sharps injuries occurring in the community are relatively frequent. We describe characteristics of community sharp exposures reported in the city of Rio de Janeiro from 1997 to 2010. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of exposure reports to sharps in the community reported to a surveillance system, designed for health care workers, of the Municipal Health Department of Rio de Janeiro. The characteristics of exposed individuals analyzed included types of exposure, the circumstances of the accident, and the prophylaxis offered. Results: 582 exposures were studied. Median age was 30 years and 83 (14%) involved children with less than 10 years of age. Two hundred and seventeen (37%) occurred with sharps found in the streets. The exposure was percutaneous in 515 (89%) and needles where involved in 406 (70%) of them. The sharps were present in the trash in 227 (39%) or in the environment in 167 (29%) of the reports. Professionals who work with frequent contact with domestic or urban waste were 196 (38%). The source was known in 112 (19%) of the exposures and blood was involved in 269 (46%). Only 101 (19%) of the injured subjects reported a complete course of vaccination for hepatitis B. Antiretroviral prophylaxis was prescribed for 392 (68%) of the exposed subjects. Conclusions: Sharps injuries occurring in the community are an important health problem. A great proportion would be avoided if practices on how to dispose needles and sharps used outside health units were implemented.

Danger in the streets: exposures to bloodborne pathogens after community sharp injuries in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: Exposures to sharps injuries occurring in the community are relatively frequent. We describe characteristics of community sharp exposures reported in the city of Rio de Janeiro from 1997 to 2010. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis of exposure reports to sharps in the community reported to a surveillance system, designed for health care workers, of the Municipal Health Department of Rio de Janeiro. The characteristics of exposed individuals analyzed included types of exposure, the circumstances of the accident, and the prophylaxis offered. RESULTS: 582 exposures were studied. Median age was 30 years and 83 (14%) involved children with less than 10 years of age. Two hundred and seventeen (37%) occurred with sharps found in the streets. The exposure was percutaneous in 515 (89%) and needles where involved in 406 (70%) of them. The sharps were present in the trash in 227 (39%) or in the environment in 167 (29%) of the reports. Professionals who work with frequent contact with domestic or urban waste were 196 (38%). The source was known in 112 (19%) of the exposures and blood was involved in 269 (46%). Only 101 (19%) of the injured subjects reported a complete course of vaccination for hepatitis B. Antiretroviral prophylaxis was prescribed for 392 (68%) of the exposed subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Sharps injuries occurring in the community are an important health problem. A great proportion would be avoided if practices on how to dispose needles and sharps used outside health units were implemented.

Choice of antiretroviral drugs for postexposure prophylaxis for adults and adolescents: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The choice of preferred regimens for human immunodeficiency virus postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) has evolved over the last 2 decades as more data have become available regarding the safety and tolerability of newer antiretroviral drugs. We undertook a systematic review to assess the safety and efficacy of antiretroviral options for PEP to inform the World Health Organization guideline revision process. METHODS: Four databases were searched up to 1 June 2014 for studies reporting outcomes associated with specific PEP regimens. Data on PEP completion and discontinuation due to adverse events was extracted and pooled estimates were obtained using random-effects meta-analyses. RESULTS: Fifteen studies (1830 PEP initiations) provided evaluable information on 2-drug regimens (zidovudine [ZDV]- or tenofovir [TDF]-based regimens), and 10 studies (1755 initiations) provided evaluable information on the third drug, which was usually a protease inhibitor. The overall quality of the evidence was rated as very low. For the 2-drug regimen, PEP completion rates were 78.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 66.1%-90.7%) for people receiving a TDF-based regimen and 58.8% (95% CI, 47.2%-70.4%) for a ZDV-based regimen; the rate of PEP discontinuation due to an adverse event was lower among people taking TDF-based PEP (0.3%; 95% CI, 0%-1.1%) vs a ZDV-based regimen (3.2%; 95% CI, 1.5%-4.9%). For the 3-drug comparison, PEP completion rates were highest for the TDF-based regimens (TDF+emtricitabine [FTC]+lopinavir/ritonavir [LPV/r], 71.1%; 95% CI, 43.6%-98.6%; TDF+FTC+raltegravir [RAL], 74.7%; 95% CI, 41.4%-100%; TDF+FTC+ boosted darunavir [DRV/r], 93.9%; 95% CI, 90.2%-97.7%) and lowest for ZDV+ lamivudine [3TC]+LPV/r (59.1%; 95% CI, 36.2%-82.0%). Discontinuations due to adverse drug reactions were lowest for TDF+FTC+RAL (1.9%; 95% CI, 0%-3.8%) and highest for ZDV+3TC+boosted atazanavir (21.2%; 95% CI, 13.5%-30.0%). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this review provide evidence supporting the use of coformulated TDF and 3TC/FTC as preferred backbone drugs for PEP. Choice of third drug will depend on setting; for resource-limited settings, LPV/r is a reasonable choice, pending the improved availability of better-tolerated drugs with less potential for drug-drug interactions.

Acidentes com material biológico em serviços de urgência e emergência / Accidentes con material biológico en los servicios de urgencia y emergencia / Accidents with biological material in urgency and emergency services

Objetivo: Analisar casos de acidentes com material biológico entre profissionais da equipe de enfermagem, em setores de urgência e emergência. Material e método: Pesquisa exploratória, que ocorreu entre maio a julho de 2009, com aprovação por Comitês de Ética (N° 065/08, 12/08 e 118/08). A coleta de dados do referido estudo foi realizada por meio de observação direta, sem, com preenchimento de dois check-list. Resultados: Aconteceram oito acidentes, sendo que a maioria foi por exposição de sangue nas mãos dos trabalhadores e três envolveram vômito. O não uso dos equipamentos de proteção em todos os casos mostra uma subvalorização dessas barreiras por parte dos trabalhadores e ainda dos gerentes, já que nem todos estavam disponíveis. Nenhum acidente foi notificado. Conclusão: O processo de trabalho nos setores de urgência e emergência requer um olhar diferenciado, que considere as suas especificidades, para o planejamento e implantação de uma cultura de segurança frente ao risco biológico.

Objective: To analyse cases of biological material accident among nursing staff in emergency areas. Method: Exploratory research held May and July 2009, with approval by the Ethics Committee (N° 065/08, 12/08 and 118/08). Two checklist were used for data collection. Results: Eight accidents occurred, and the most involved blood in the hands of healthcare workers and three involved vomiting. The non-use of protective equipment in all the cases shows an underestimation of these barriers by healthcare workers and by managers, since not all were available. No accident was reported. Conclusion: The work process in the emergency areas requires a different look, considering their specificities for planning and implementation of a safe culture against the biological risk.

Objetivo: Analizar casos de accidente a material biológico entre trabajadores de enfermería en las áreas de urgencia y de emergencia. Método: Investigación exploratoria, ocurrió en mayo y julio de 2009, con la aprobación del Comité de Ética (N° 065/08, 12/08 y 118/08). La recolección de los datos fue realizada por medio de la observación directa, utilizando dos check-list. Resultados: Se produjeron ocho accidentes, y la mayoría fue con sangre en las manos de los trabajadores y tres tenían vómito. La no utilización de equipos de protección en todos los accidentes se muestra como una subestimación de estas barreras por los trabajadores y por los directores, ya que pocos estaban disponibles. Ningún accidente fue reportado. El proceso de trabajo en las áreas de emergencia requiere una mirada diferente, que considere sus características específicas para planos e implementación de una cultura de seguridad contra el riesgo biológico.

Recomendações para atendimento e acompanhamento de exposição ocupacional a material biológico: HIV e hepatites B e C

Descreve os tipos de exposições existentes (cutânea, percutânea, por mordedura, etc), bem como os riscos de transmissão do vírus da AIDS e da hepatite B e hepatite C. Aborda maneiras de diminuir os riscos de contaminação e o que deve ser feito caso ocorra exposição a materiais biológicos.

Occupationally acquired infectious diseases among health care workers in Brazil: use of Internet tools to improve management, prevention, and surveillance.

BACKGROUND: Education is a major component of prevention strategies to reduce the risk of occupational transmission of bloodborne pathogens to health care personnel. METHODS: This study describes the results of an Internet-based project, "Projeto Riscobiologico.org", for which the main objectives are to disseminate information in the Portuguese language about occupational exposures to bloodborne pathogens through a mailing list and Web site as well as to increase case reports of these events in Brazil. RESULTS: The mailing list expanded quickly with a total of 2078 participants (from 337 different cities and all Brazilian states), and 5613 messages were exchanged over a 5-year period. Mean length of participation was almost 2 years (697 days). Most of the participants (74%) reported that they frequently manage occupational exposures. Nevertheless, results showed an important lack of basic knowledge regarding this issue. In contrast with the high participation in the mailing list, a small number of institutions started to participate in the voluntary surveillance system. CONCLUSION: The Internet can be used as a tool to increase knowledge and improve practices in the prevention of occupational bloodborne pathogen exposures. In addition, it may represent a unique opportunity to implement a national surveillance system.

Occupational HIV infection among health care workers exposed to blood and body fluids in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to bloodborne pathogens poses a serious risk to health care workers (HCWs). Surveillance systems of occupationally acquired human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection have been developed in several countries, mainly in the developed world. The purpose of this study was to identify cases of occupationally acquired HIV infection among HCWs in Brazil. METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted. The databases searched were MEDLINE and LILACS (1981 to 2004), academic dissertations and theses (1987 to 2004), abstracts from national and international meetings during the last 10 years, and local and national bulletins. Reference lists to identify other relevant articles were checked. RESULTS: The database searches generated a total of 60,770 titles. Two hundred and nineteen references were finally analyzed. Four documented cases of occupational HIV infection were identified. All of the cases involved nursing staff and were percutaneous exposures. Seventy-five percent occurred after a procedure involving a needle placed directly into a vein or artery. Most (75%) had source patients with probable high viral load and low CD4 count. Two cases represented HIV seroconversion despite initiation of postexposure prophylaxis. Only one case (1/4; 25%) presented acute retroviral illness. CONCLUSION: After an extensive literature search, 4 documented occupational HIV infection cases were identified, only 1 of which had been published in a scientific journal. Our findings were consistent with the majority of documented infections worldwide. Surveillance systems are indispensable to establish and formulate rational policies for minimizing the risk of occupational infection, not only from HIV but also from hepatitis B and C viruses and other bloodborne pathogens.