Abstract INTRODUCTION: Chagas disease remains a public health problem in the rural and urban areas of 19 countries in the Americas. METHODS: The aim of the present study was to investigate the Trypanosoma cruzi infection rate of triatomines collected from both intra- and peridomiciliary areas in eleven municipalities of Southeastern Ceará, Brazil, from 2009 to 2015. RESULTS: A total of 32,364 triatomine specimens, including nymphs and adults, were collected, and 31,736 (98.06%) of these were examined. More nymphs were collected than adults, and the greatest number of triatomines (n = 8,548) was collected in 2010, for which the infection rate was 1.3%, with the highest rate of infections observed for specimens from Quixere. The species collected during the study were identified as Triatoma pseudomaculata, Triatoma brasiliensis, Panstrongylus megistus, Panstrongylus lutzi, and Rhodnius nasutus, with T. pseudomaculata being the most abundant (n = 19,962). CONCLUSIONS: These results verify the presence of triatomines in both intra- and peridomiciliary areas, thereby ensuring persistence of the pathogen and consequently, the disease, as the presence of infected vectors in households is an important risk factor. According to these findings, the Chagas Disease Control Program should intensify its efforts in order to prevent the spread of the disease.

RESUMO A avaliação de genótipos tetraploides, oriundos de cruzamentos entre cultivares comerciais triploides e diploides, melhorados ou selvagens, tem sido feita visando a solucionar os problemas tradicionais dos cultivares tipo Prata, como a susceptibilidade à pragas e doenças. Objetivou-se avaliar a produção e a qualidade de frutos de bananeiras ‘Pacovan Ken’ e do genótipo PA94-01, durante o primeiro e o segundo ciclos de produção, no Submédio do Vale do São Francisco. As mudas foram produzidas pelo processo de cultura de tecidos e transplantadas para o campo com seis meses de idade, tendo sido cultivadas no espaçamento de 3 m x 3 m. Nos dois ciclos foram avaliadas as seguintes variáveis: número de dias entre plantio e colheita, altura de planta, perímetro do pseudocaule, número de folhas adultas, massa fresca do cacho, número de pencas e de frutos por cacho, massa fresca da segunda penca, número, comprimento e diâmetro de frutos da segunda penca, relação polpa/casca, firmeza, pH, sólidos solúveis (SS), acidez titulável (AT) e relação SS/AT. O genótipo PA94-01 apresentou plantas mais vigorosas e com melhores características produtivas nos dois ciclos de produção. Todavia a duração do ciclo e as características físicas e químicas de frutos foram semelhantes às dos frutos da ‘Pacovan Ken’.

ABSTRACT The evaluation of tetraploid genotypes, originated from crosses between commercial triploid and diploid cultivars, improved or wild, has been made to solve traditional problems of cultivars type Prata, as susceptibility to pests and diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the yield and fruit quality of banana trees ‘Pacovan Ken’ and PA94-01 genotype during the first and second production cycles in Vale do São Francisco in the northeast of Brazil. The seedlings were produced by the tissue culture process and transplanted into the field at six months of age, spaced 3.0 m × 3.0 m apart. In both production cycles, the following variables were evaluated: number of days between planting and harvesting, plant height, pseudostem perimeter, number of adult leaves, bunch fresh mass, number of hands and fruits per bunch, second hand fresh weight; number, length and diameter of second hand fruit, pulp/peel ratio, firmness, pH, soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA), and SS/TA ratio. The PA94-01 genotype had more vigorous plants and with better productive characteristics in the two production cycles. However, the cycle duration and physicochemical characteristics of fruits were similar to those of 'Pacovan Ken' fruits.

RESUMO A doença de Chagas é causada pelo Trypanosoma cruzi e atinge cerca de dois a três milhões de pessoas no Brasil, permanecendo como importante problema de saúde pública. Foi realizado um estudo em área rural do município de Limoeiro do Norte - CE, nordeste do Brasil, com o objetivo de conhecer a prevalência da infecção chagásica. Foram examinados 52% dos habitantes, dentre os quais 2,6% (4/154) apresentaram sorologia reagente em pelo menos dois testes sorológicos. Todos os positivos tinham idade superior a 50 anos, eram agricultores, com baixa escolaridade e renda familiar inferior a três salários mínimos. A busca ativa pode ser uma alternativa para o diagnóstico precoce dessa doença.

SUMMARY Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and affects about two to three million people in Brazil, still figuring as an important public health problem. A study was conducted in a rural area of the municipality of Limoeiro do Norte - CE, northeastern Brazil, aiming to determine the prevalence of T. cruzi infection. Of the inhabitants, 52% were examined, among whom 2.6% (4/154) were seropositive in at least two serological tests. All seropositive individuals were older than 50 years, farmers, with a low education and a family income of less than three minimum wages. Active surveillance may be an alternative for early detection of this disease.

Controlando-se a transmissão da doença de Chagas, surge o desafio de prestar assistência a milhões de pacientes infectados que chegam à velhice. Neste estudo, foram avaliados os registros socioeconômicos, demográficos e de comorbidades de todos os pacientes chagásicos idosos acompanhados no Serviço de Atenção Farmacêutica do Laboratório de Pesquisa em Doença de Chagas. As informações relacionadas à forma clínica da doença foram obtidas a partir de registros médicos disponibilizados pelo Hospital Universitário Walter Cantídio. O perfil da população estudada foi de: mulheres (50,5%); idade média de 67 anos; aposentados (54,6%); casados (51,6%); alta taxa de analfabetismo (40,2%); e renda familiar de um salário mínimo (51,5%). As formas clínicas predominantes da doença de Chagas foram a cardíaca (65,3%) e a indeterminada (14,7%). As principais alterações eletrocardiográficas foram o bloqueio de ramo direito (41,0%), associado ou não ao bloqueio ântero superior esquerdo (27,4%). O número médio de comorbidades por paciente foi de 2,23 ± 1,54, sendo a hipertensão arterial sistêmica a principal encontrada (67,0%). Verificou-se que os idosos constituem grupo vulnerável de pacientes que associam o envelhecimento com as alterações cardíacas e/ou digestivas resultantes da evolução da doença de Chagas e outras comorbidades, o que exige atenção especial dos serviços de saúde para um atendimento médico e social mais adequado.

By controlling the transmission of Chagas disease, the challenge of providing assistance to millions of infected patients that reach old age arises. In this study, the socioeconomic, demographic and comorbidity records of all elderly chagasic patients followed at the Pharmaceutical Care Service of the Chagas Disease Research Laboratory were assessed. The information related to the clinical form of the disease was obtained from medical records provided by the Walter Cantídio University Hospital. The profile of the studied population was: women (50.5%); mean age of 67 years; retired (54.6%); married (51.6 %); high illiteracy rate (40.2%); and family income equal to the minimum wage (51.5%). The predominant clinical forms of Chagas disease were cardiac (65.3%) and indeterminate (14.7%). The main electrocardiographic changes were the right bundle branch block (41.0%), associated or not with the anterosuperior left bundle branch block (27.4%). The average number of comorbidities per patient was 2.23 ± 1.54, with systemic arterial hypertension being the main one found (67.0%). It was found that the elderly comprise a vulnerable group of patients that associate aging with cardiac and/or digestive disorders resulting from the evolution of Chagas disease and other comorbidities, which requires special attention from health services to ensure more appropriate medical and social care.