Given the scarcity of epidemiological information on hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Northern Brazil, we determined the prevalence and genotypic frequency in blood donors in the state of Pará (PA). Blood samples from all of the blood donors at the Fundação HEMOPA (blood bank of PA) from 2004-2006 were screened for the presence of antibodies to anti-HCV and samples seroreactive to anti-HCV were further tested for HCV RNA using real-time PCR. In total, 116 HCV-RNA samples were genotyped, based on maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses, using BioEdit, Modelgenerator, PHYML and FigTree software. The population consisted of 242,726 volunteers who donated blood from 2004-2006; the most common subgroup was males between the ages of 18-29 years old (37.30%). Within the whole group, 1,112 blood donors (0.46%) had indeterminate or positive serology; among these, 28.78% were males whose ages ranged from 18-29 years. A diagnosis of chronic HCV infection was confirmed for 304 donors (60.20% males; 66.45% were 30-49 years old), resulting in a prevalence of HCV RNA in 0.13% of the samples (304 of 242,726). HCV genotyping revealed a high frequency of genotype 1 (108/116) followed by genotype 3 (8/116). This study found HCV infection to be relatively infrequent in PA; genotype 1 was most commonly isolated. This information can help guide prevention and control policies aimed at efficient diagnosis and control measures.

Um experimento foi conduzido com objetivo de avaliar o padrão de fermentação e a composição química de silagens de jitirana lisa (Ipomoea glabra Choisy) e jitirana peluda (Jacquemontia asarifolia L. B. Smith) frescas e emurchecidas. Para avaliação do padrão de fermentação, os silos (PVC) foram abertos aos 3, 7, 14, 21 e 28 dias de fermentação. Os delineamentos foram inteiramente casualizados, sendo que para avaliação do padrão de fermentação utilizaram-se parcelas sub-subdivididas, e análise de regressão para o fator tempo; e para a composição química, esquema fatorial 2 x 2 (espécie X tratamento), com quatro repetições. Nas forrageiras antes da ensilagem, foram determinados os valores de pH, N-NH3 (% do NT), carboidratos solúveis (CHOs) e poder tampão (PT). A cada tempo de abertura dos silos, foram realizadas as mesmas análises, exceto CHOs e PT. Para a composição química, após 28 dias de armazenamento, foram realizadas análises de MS, PB, FDA, FDN, MO, MM, EE e carboidratos solúveis residuais. Para as silagens de jitirana lisa emurchecida, verificou-se decréscimo linear da MS (Y= 26,3421 - 0,0526X) ao longo do armazenamento. Houve efeito linear crescente para os teores de N-NH3 das silagens de jitirana lisa fresca (Y=3,6360 + 0,0755X) e jitirana peluda fresca (Y= 3,6209 + 0,0687X). As silagens de jitirana peluda fresca apresentaram maior PB que as de jitirana peluda emurchecida, ao passo que as de jitirana lisa fresca tiveram menor valor de FDN que as de jitirana lisa emurchecida. As duas espécies estudadas são forrageiras nativas do semi-árido nordestino bastante promissoras, constituindo-se em alternativas para a conservação de volumosos via fermentação.

An experiment was carried out at to evaluate the fermentation pattern and chemical-bromatologycal composition of fresh and wilted Ipomoea glabra Choisy and Jaquemontia asarifolia L.B. Smith silages. To evaluate the fermentation pattern silos were open in 3, 7, 14, 21 e 28 days of fermentation. The used design was completely randomized in split-plot to the fermentation pattern; and factorial outline 2 X 2 with four reapplication to the chemical analysis. In the material before ensiling were determined pH values, NH3-N (% of total nitrogen), soluble carbohydrates (SC) and buffer capacity (BC). At each silo opening, the same analyses were perfomed, except for SC and BC. After 28 days of conservation, contents of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), organic matter (OM), mineral matter (MM), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), ether extract (EE) and soluble carbohydrates residual (SCr) were analyzed. For Ipomoea glabra Choisy wilted silages, the DM content during fermentative process showed linear decrease (Y=26.3421 .0526X). It was observed linear increase in NH3-N on the Ipomoea glabra Choisy fresh silages (Y= 3.6360 + .755X) and Jaquemontia asarifolia L.B. Smith fresh silages (Y=3.6209 + .0687X). The results of chemical composition demonstrated Jaquemontia asarifolia L.B. Smith fresh silages presented higher CP than Jaquemontia asarifolia L.B. Smith wilted silages. Ipomoea glabra Choisy fresh silages showed lower NDF values than Ipomoea glabra Choisy wilted silages. Both species studied had showed it self to be native forages of north east region to forage conservation.