ABSTRACT The present study aimed to establish a population pharmacokinetic (PopPK) modeling of benznidazole (BZD) in Brazilian patients with chronic Chagas disease. This was part of a Brazilian prospective cohort study with eight patients diagnosed with Chagas disease during the beginning of BZD treatment up to the 60th day. On the 15th day of treatment, a blood sampling was collected and analyzed. A one-compartment PK model was developed using Pmetrics. Patients with an average age of 50.3 (SD: 6.2) years old, 6 female patients and 2 males, 70.2 kg (14.2), receiving a 5 mg/Kg/day dose were included. PK parameters estimated for CL, V and Ka were 6.27 L/h, 38.97 L and 1.66 h-1, respectively. This is the first study to establish a population pharmacokinetic modeling of BZD in Brazilian patients with chronic Chagas disease. Therefore, further studies are needed to obtain the complete characterization of BZD pharmacokinetics.

Resumen El área suroeste de la costa ecuatoriana es una región tradicionalmente petrolera, sin embargo aún no se ha definido cuál es el sistema petrolero reinante en la región. Entre las principales rocas propuestas como generadoras de los crudos del litoral, se encuentran las formaciones Seca y Socorro del Eoceno así como Dos Bocas y Subibaja del Mioceno. Con la finalidad de aportar nuevos elementos al conocimiento de la zona, fueron estudiados tanto crudos como rocas provenientes de campos onshore y offshore, usando técnicas geoquímicas que incluyen cromatografía de gases e isótopos de carbono. Parámetros como el Índice Preferencial de Carbonos (IPC), Pri/ n-C17, Fit/n-C18 y las distribuciones isotópicas, indican que los crudos de los campos onshore están genéticamente diferenciados de los crudos offshore, y se asocian con una roca madre clástica con aporte de materia orgánica mixta, depositada en ambiente subóxico, consistente con la parte distal de un complejo estuarino. Por otro lado, las rocas analizadas son inmaduras térmicamente y con muy bajo potencial generador, por lo que no pueden ser correlacionadas con los crudos analizados, tal y como se venía haciendo tradicionalmente.

Abstract The southeastern of the Ecuadorian coast is a traditionally oil producing region, but the petroleum system has not been defined yet. The proposed main source rocks are Seca and Socorro formations (Eocene) and Dos Bocas and Subibaja formations (Miocene). In order to contribute new elements to the knowledge of the area, both crude and rock from onshore and offshore fields were studied, using geochemical techniques that include gas chromatography and carbon isotopes. Parameters such as the Carbon Preference Index (IPC), Pri/n-C17 and Phy/n-C18 ratios and the isotopic distributions, indicate that onshore oils are genetically differentiated from offshore oils and are associated with a detritic source rock with mixed organic matter, deposited in a suboxic environment, consistent with the distal area of an estuarine complex. On the other hand, the rocks analyzed are thermally immature and with very low generating potential, so that they cannot be correlated with the crude analyzed, as was traditionally done.

Estudo transversal sobre a prevalência, fatores associados e distribuição dos genótipos do HCV foi realizado em 848 pacientes infectados pelo HIV, recrutados em centros de referência na Região Centro-Oeste do Brasil. A taxa de prevalência de coinfecção HIV-HCV foi de 6,9% (IC 95%: 5,2-8,6). Na análise multivariada, o aumento da idade, o uso de drogas ilícitas (injetáveis e não injetáveis), história de transfusão de sangue antes de 1994, e ausência de companheiro constante foram fatores associados independentes e significativos para a coinfecção HIV-HCV. A análise filogenética baseada na região NS5B revelou a presença de dois principais genótipos do HCV em circulação: genótipos 1 (58,3%) e 3 (41,7%). A prevalência da coinfecção HIV-HCV foi menor do que as relatadas em estudos realizados com pacientes infectados pelo HIV em diferentes regiões do Brasil, devido ao fato de que o uso de drogas ilícitas não é modo frequente de transmissão do HIV neste Estado do Brasil. Triagem sorológica de pacientes HIV-positivos para HCV antes de iniciar o tratamento antirretroviral, identificação completa dos fatores associados e a implementação de programas eficazes de redução de danos são altamente recomendados para fornecer informações úteis, para o tratamento e para evitar a coinfecção com HCV nestes pacientes.

A cross-sectional study on prevalence, associated factors and genotype distribution of HCV infection was conducted among 848 HIV-infected patients recruited at reference centers in the Midwest Region of Brazil. The prevalence rate of HIV-HCV coinfection was 6.9% (95% CI: 5.2 to 8.6). In multivariable analysis, increasing age, use of illicit drugs (injection and non-injection), a history of blood transfusion before 1994, and the absence of a steady partnership were significant independent associated factors for HIV-HCV coinfection. The phylogenetic analysis based on the NS5B region revealed the presence of two major circulating genotypes of HCV: genotypes 1 (58.3%) and 3 (41.7%). The prevalence of HIV-HCV coinfection was lower than those reported in studies conducted with HIV-infected patients in different regions of Brazil, due to the fact that illicit drug use is not a frequent mode of HIV transmission in this region of Brazil. Serologic screening of HIV-patients for HCV before initiating antiretroviral treatment, a comprehensive identification of associated factors, and the implementation of effective harm reduction programs are highly recommended to provide useful information for treatment and to prevent HCV coinfection in these patients.

BACKGROUND: Seasonal distribution of blood donation hinders efforts to provide a safe and adequate blood supply leading to chronic and persistent shortages. This study examined whether holidays, geographical area and donation type (community versus replacement) has any impact on the fluctuation of donations. METHODS: The numbers of blood donations from 2007 through 2010 in three Brazilian Retrovirus Epidemiological Donor Study II (REDS-II) participating centers were analyzed according to the week of donation. The weeks were classified as holiday or non-holiday. To compare donations performed during holiday versus non-holiday weeks, tabulations and descriptive statistics for weekly donations by blood center were examined and time series analysis was conducted. RESULTS: The average weekly number of donations varied according to the blood center and type of week. The average number of donations decreased significantly during Carnival and Christmas and increased during the Brazilian National Donor Week. The fluctuation was more pronounced in Recife and Belo Horizonte when compared to São Paulo and higher among community donors. CONCLUSION: National bank holidays affect the blood supply by reducing available blood donations. Blood banks should take into account these oscillations in order to plan local campaigns, aiming at maintaining the blood supply at acceptable levels.