RESUMO A recente detecção de material genético (RNA) do novo coronavírus em amostras de fezes e no esgoto aponta para a possibilidade de se identificar a circulação do vírus e até mesmo estimar o número de pessoas infectadas em determinada região pelo monitoramento sistemático do esgoto, configurando-se em importante ferramenta epidemiológica de testagem massiva indireta, incluindo portadores sintomáticos e assintomáticos. Nesse sentido, concebeu-se um projeto para a detecção e a quantificação do novo coronavírus em amostras de esgoto coletadas em 15 sub-bacias de esgotamento sanitário dos ribeirões Arrudas e Onça, visando entender a dinâmica de circulação e a prevalência do vírus nas regiões investigadas. Tais sub-bacias esgotam os efluentes gerados por uma população da ordem de 1,5 milhão de pessoas no município de Belo Horizonte e parte de Contagem. O plano de amostragem contemplou 17 pontos (15 sub-bacias + afluente às 2 estações de tratamento de esgoto) de monitoramento semanal, com coletas compostas durante todo o período da manhã. A detecção e a quantificação do RNA viral efetuaram-se em laboratório por meio de ensaios de RT-qPCR. Os resultados obtidos em quatro semanas de monitoramento (semanas epidemiológicas 21 a 24) mostraram um incremento da ocorrência do vírus, atingindo 100% das regiões investigadas na semana epidemiológica 24. A estimativa da população infectada pelo novo coronavírus pelo monitoramento do esgoto em Belo Horizonte apresentou tendência de crescimento exponencial, sendo até 20 vezes maior do que o número de casos confirmados acumulados. Quanto à circulação do vírus, as concentrações do RNA viral têm se mostrado bastante variáveis nas regiões monitoradas, com maiores porcentagens de população infectada estimada ao norte e nordeste da capital mineira.

ABSTRACT The recent detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in stool and sewage samples highlights the possibility of mapping the circulation of the virus and even estimating the number of infected people through the systematic monitoring of sewage in a specific region. Therefore, this is an important epidemiological tool for large-scale indirect testing, including symptomatic and asymptomatic carriers. This project was conceived for the detection and quantification of the SARS-CoV-2 in sewage samples collected in 15 watersheds of the Arrudas and Onça streams, aiming to understand the dynamics of spread and the prevalence of the virus in these regions/watersheds. These sub-basins exhaust the effluents generated by a population of approximately 1.5 million people in the municipality of Belo Horizonte and part of Contagem. Weekly composite samples were collected during the morning periods in seventeen monitoring points (15 water sheds + influent to 2 sewage treatment plants). RNA detection and quantification were performed in the laboratory using RT-qPCR. The results obtained in four weeks of monitoring (epidemiological weeks 21 to 24) showed an increase in the occurrence of the virus, reaching 100% of the monitored regions investigated in epidemiological week 24. The infected population, estimated by sewage monitoring in Belo Horizonte, showed exponential growth, being up to 20 times higher than those of accumulated confirmed cases. As for the dynamics of virus spread, RNA concentrations have shown to be quite variable in the monitored regions with higher percentages of the estimated infected population in the northern and north-eastern portions of Belo Horizonte.

RESUMO Introdução: A infecção pelo vírus COVID-19 é um impacto severo à saúde no ano de 2020. A repercussão direta é facilmente mensurada através de suas taxas de morbidade e mortalidade. Sua repercussão indireta na saúde ainda é pouco mensurada e este é o objetivo deste estudo. Métodos: Determinar os números de internações para tratamentos gerais, para tratamento de neoplasias e para câncer de pele malignos no SUS, de 2008 a 2020, no departamento de informática do SUS. Resultados: O paralelismo dos dados referentes aos três grupos acima selecionados permitiu observar uma redução drástica no número de internações no SUS entre os mesmos meses de 2019 e 2020: queda de 10,60% nas internações gerais, 58,65% nas internações por neoplasia e 156% nas internações por câncer de pele maligno. A redução agravou-se gradativamente no ano de 2020 a partir do mês de janeiro. No mês de junho de 2020, os números de internações para tratamento de câncer de pele refletem valores de 12 anos atrás. Conclusão: O acompanhamento da série histórica de internações no SUS fornece um valor palpável que serve como base para se compreender o direcionamento das medidas de saúde. As implicações indiretas da COVID-19 podem ter um desfecho tão trágico quanto a sua mortalidade, pois repercutem na disponibilidade de serviços de saúde especializados. Serviços de grande especialização como o tratamento de câncer em caráter hospitalar atendem casos complexos e sua indisponibilidade pode refletir em aumento de mortalidade por estas causas - um impacto indireto da COVID-19.

ABSTRACT Introduction: COVID-19 virus infection was a severe health impact in 2020. The direct repercussion is easily measured through its morbidity and mortality rates. Its indirect repercussion on health is still little measured, and this is the objective of this study. Methods: To determine the number of hospitalizations for general treatments, for the treatment of neoplasms and malignant skin cancer in the SUS, from 2008 to 2020, in the department of informatics of the SUS. Results: The parallelism of the data referring to the three groups selected above allowed to observe a drastic reduction in the number of hospitalizations in the SUS between the same months of 2019 and 2020: a decrease of 10.60% in general hospitalizations, 58.65% in hospitalizations for neoplasia and 156% in hospitalizations for malignant skin cancer. The reduction gradually worsened in 2020 from January. In June 2020, the number of hospitalizations for skin cancer treatment reflected values from 12 years ago. Conclusion: The follow-up of the historical series of hospitalizations in the SUS provides a tangible value that serves as a basis for understanding the direction of health measures. The indirect implications of COVID-19 may have an outcome as tragic as its mortality, as they impact specialized health services availability. Services of great specialization such as hospital cancer treatment attend complex cases, and their unavailability may reflect an increase in mortality from these causes - an indirect impact of COVID-19.

Acinetobacter baumannii is an important pathogen frequently associated with nosocomial outbreaks around the world. In Brazil, A. baumannii has become particularly problematic because of its prevalence and the carbapenems resistance. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of a multidrug-resistant A. baumannii (ST15/CC15) isolated in 2009 from the state of Espírito Santo (Southeast Brazil). We observed important resistance determinant genes in an estimated genome size of 4,102,788 bp with 3,862 predicted coding regions. A detailed report of the genomic data analysis might help to understand the specific features of highly successful strains belonged to a relevant complex clonal in different Brazilian geographical regions.

The objective of the present study was to estimate the allelic and genotypic frequencies of the polymorphisms E2FB (AY138588.1: c.305C> T), located in the leptin gene (LEP), and TG5 (X05380.1:g.-422C>T), located in the thyroglobulin gene (TG), and evaluate the association of these polymorphisms in crossbred cattle of seven distinct genetic groups with the following traits: slaughter weight (SW), hot carcass weight (HCW), hot carcass yield (HCY), carcass fat thickness (CFT), ribeye area (REA), marbling (MARM) and shear force (SF). The animals were genotyped using the PCR-RFLP (Polymorphism Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism) technique, using 201 products obtained from F1 Caracu × Nellore, Angus × Nellore and Valdostana × Nellore cows, mated to Canchim, Caracu and Red Angus bulls (only Caracu × Nellore cows were used with Red Angus bulls). The allelic and genotypic frequencies were compared using the Chi-squared test. Associations between the genotype of each polymorphism and the traits were analyzed using the General Linear Model (GLM) of statistical software SAS. The least squares means of genotypes of the polymorphisms were compared using Student's t test. The E2FB polymorphism in the LEP gene was associated with CFT, showing the potential for use in national programs for genetic improvement of beef cattle, through the inclusion of SNP in genotyping commercial tests. The TG5 polymorphism in the TG gene was not associated with any of the evaluated traits and was considered ineffective for selection of beef cattle in Brazilian herds.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was undertaken to characterize CTX-M ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae collected from hospitals in different cities of Brazil. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eighty-five K. pneumoniae strains isolated from hospitalized patients in six different hospitals of three cities of Brazil were analyzed. ESBL production was confirmed by the standard double-disk synergy test and the Etest®. The MIC50 and MIC90 for ESBL-producing isolates were determined by the Etest® method. The antimicrobial susceptibilities of bacterial isolates were determined using the agar diffusion method according to the CLSI. Screening for blaTEM, blaSHV, blaCTX-M genes and class 1 integron was performed by PCR amplification. To determine the genomic diversity of CTX-M-producers, isolates were analyzed by macrorestriction profile analysis following PFGE. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Seventy-one K. pneumoniae isolates were ESBL-producing. PCR and sequencing experiments detected 38 CTX-M-producing K. pneumoniae belonged to groups CTX-M 1, CTX-M 2, CTX-M 8 and CTX-M 9. The association of different types ESBL (CTX-M, SHV and TEM) was frequent. All K. pneumoniae isolates carried class 1 integron. PFGE analysis revealed thirty-one clonal types among CTX-M-producing isolates. The data presented herein illustrate the diversity of genotypes of CTX-M producing K. pneumoniae among Brazilians hospitals.