ABSTRACT The incidence and clinical characteristics of NTM diseases in Brazil remain relatively unknown. The present study describes the diagnosis of NTM isolates, the clinical presentation and treatment outcomes. We analyzed NTM isolates in patients of a tertiary hospital in the Southeast region of Brazil, from January 2008 to July 2019. The ATS/IDSA criteria for diagnosis and treatment of these patients was applied. Mycobacterium kansasii were identified in 13/113 (11.5%) patients. In 59/113 (52.2%) patients who met the ATS criteria for disease, 29/59 (49.1%) received treatment, and 22/29 (75.8%) were cured. The major species identified was M. kansasii. The most frequent symptoms among the treated patients were dyspnea and cough, and the proportion of cured patients was high.

ABSTRACT Chronic Chagas Cardiomyopathy (CCC) is the most prevalent type of myocarditis and the main clinical form of the Chagas disease, which has peculiarities such as focal inflammation, structural derangement, hypertrophy, dilation, and intense reparative fibrosis. Many cellular compounds contribute to CCC development. Galectin-3 is a partaker in inflammation and contributes to myocardial fibrosis formation. Some studies showed the connection between Galectin-3 and fibrosis in Chagas disease but are still inconclusive on the guidance for the early implementation of pharmacological therapy. This systematic review evaluated Galectin-3 as a biomarker for fibrosis intensity in CCC. Two independent reviewers have searched five databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Lilacs), using the following search terms: galectin-3, biomarkers, fibrosis, Chagas cardiomyopathy, and Chagas disease. Overall, seven studies met the inclusion criteria and made up this review. There were four trials conducted through animal model experiments and three trials with humans. Experimental data in mice indicate an association between Galectin-3 expression and fibrosis in CCC (75% of studies). Data from human studies showed no direct connection between myocardial fibrosis and Galectin-3 expression (80% of studies). Thus, human findings do not provide significant evidence indicating that Galectin-3 is related to fibrosis formation in Chagas disease. Based on the analyzed studies, it is suggested that Galectin-3 might not be a good fibrosis marker in CCC.

ABSTRACT The vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) expression is lower in cardiac chagasic patients and is related to worse cardiac function. The reduction of VIP in patients with Chagas disease may be a result of its enhanced degradation. To test this hypothesis, the tryptase and chymase expression was evaluated. We also related VIP levels with interleukin-17 (IL-17) expression since VIP may modulate IL-17 production. Plasma levels of chymase were higher in chagasic patients. Conversely, VIP/chymase and VIP/tryptase ratios were lower in chagasic patients when compared to non-infected individuals. Besides, the VIP/chymase ratio was lower in chagasic cardiac patients in comparison with the indeterminate group. A positive correlation between tryptase and chymase levels was observed in chagasic cardiac patients. In relation to IL-17, we observed a higher expression of this cytokine in the cardiac form of the disease than in the indeterminate form. IL-17/VIP ratio was higher in the cardiac form in comparison with non-infected or indeterminate form. These results suggest that the low levels of VIP observed in chagasic patients could be due to an increased production of chymase and/or to the additive effect of the interaction between chymase and tryptase in the cardiac form. Moreover, the decreased VIP expression may contribute to the increase of IL-17 in chagasic cardiac patients.

OBJETIVO: Descrever o perfil epidemiológico das internações ocorridas na Cidade de Divinópolis (MG), Brasil, estimar a prevalência de internações por condições sensíveis à atenção primária (ICSAP) e avaliar os fatores associados com a ocorrência de ICSAP. MÉTODOS: Foi conduzido um estudo de transversal nos dois serviços públicos de internação do município: um hospital geral e uma unidade de pronto atendimento. Os dados foram coletados de julho a outubro de 2011. Foram triadas todas as internações mediante análise de informações do sistema SUS Fácil, autorizações para internação hospitalar e prontuários. Foram conduzidas análises descritivas e estimada a prevalência de internações de acordo com os grandes grupos da décima revisão do Código Internacional de Doenças e Causas de Morte (CID-10). A classificação das ICSAP foi baseada na Lista Brasileira publicada pelo Ministério da Saúde. A força da associação entre internações por ICSAP e variáveis selecionadas foi estimada pela razão de prevalência. RESULTADOS: Foram identificadas 2 775 internações. As principais causas foram neoplasias (18%), doenças do aparelho circulatório (16%), gravidez e parto (15%) e causas externas (12%). A prevalência de ICSAP foi 36,6% e os principais diagnósticos foram doenças dos aparelhos circulatório e respiratório. Um terço das internações ocorreu na unidade de pronto atendimento, que atendeu mais da metade das ICSAP. Ser mulher, menor de 13 anos e maior de 40 anos e residir em Divinópolis foram associados com maior chance de internação por ICSAP (P < 0,01). CONCLUSÕES: Foi encontrada alta prevalência de ICSAP, atendidas principalmente na unidade de pronto atendimento. Isso indica uma sobrecarga dos serviços de urgência em detrimento da longitudinalidade da atenção primária à saúde.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiological profile of hospitalizations in the city of Divinópolis, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, to estimate the prevalence of hospitalizations for primary care-sensitive conditions (HPCSC), and to evaluate the factors associated with the occurrence of HPCSC. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted of the two public health care institutions in Divinópolis qualified to hospitalize individuals; that is, a general hospital and an urgent care unit. The data were collected between July and October 2011. Admissions were screened based on information available through the state of Minas Gerais data exchange software SUS Fácil, hospital admission authorizations, and patient records. Descriptive analyses were carried out, with estimation of the prevalence of admissions according to the groups of the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). The identification and classification of HPCSC was based on the Brazilian List of primary-care sensitive conditions published by the Ministry of Health. The strength of the association between HPCSC and selected variables was estimated based on the prevalence ratio. RESULTS: Two thousand seven hundred seventy five admissions were identified. The main causes were neoplasms (18%), diseases of the circulatory system (16%), pregnancy and childbirth (15%), and external causes (12%). The prevalence of HPCSC was 36.6%, with the main diagnoses being diseases of the circulatory and respiratory systems. One third of the admissions occurred through the urgent care unit, which was also responsible for more than half of the HPCSC. Female sex, age younger than 13 years and older than 40 years, and living in Divinópolis were associated with higher chance of admission due to HPCSC (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The results show a high prevalence of HPCSC, especially through the urgent care unit. This indicates an overburdening of urgent care services, hindering the implementation of a longitudinal continuum of care at the primary level.

Perhaps one of the most intriguing aspects of human Chagas disease is the complex network of events that underlie the generation of protective versus pathogenic immune responses during the chronic phase of the disease. While most individuals do not develop patent disease, a large percentage may develop severe forms that eventually lead to death. Although many efforts have been devoted to deciphering these mechanisms, there is still much to be learned before we can fully understand the pathogenesis of Chagas disease. It is clear that the host's immune response is decisive in this process. While characteristics of the parasite influence the immune response, it is becoming evident that the host genetic background plays a fundamental role in the establishment of pathogenic versus protective responses. The involvement of three complex organisms, host, parasite and vector, is certainly one of the key aspects that calls for multidisciplinary approaches towards the understanding of Chagas disease. We believe that now, one hundred years after the discovery of Chagas disease, it is imperative to continue with highly interactive research in order to elucidate the immune response associated with disease evolution, which will be essential in designing prophylactic or therapeutic interventions.