EDITORIAL
Articles published in the november/december 2010 issue of the "Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo"
In the November/December 2010 issue of the Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo (Journal of the São Paulo Institute of Tropical Medicine) GOUVEIA et al. studied the profile of patients with Baggio-Yoshinari syndrome (BYS) who underwent hospital internment from July 1990 to July 2006. BYS is a new Brazilian tick-borne disease caused by Borrrelia burgdorferi sensu lato microorganism that resembles Lyme disease except for its epidemiological, clinical and laboratorial particularities. From 60 patients' records with positive serology to B. burgdorferi, 19 were diagnosed as having BYS. The beginning of symptoms in BYS group varied from one day to six years from the onset of the disease and four patients were included in acute disease and 15 in latent stage. Unspecific symptoms as fever (78.9%) and lymphadenomegaly (36.8%) were identified in almost all cases. Six patients had skin lesions (31.5%), six arthralgia or arthritis (31.5%) and eight neurological symptoms (42%). Two patients showed antibodies directed to B. burgdorferi exclusively in cerebral fluid.
LUCHS et al. evaluated antibodies to Enterovirus 71 (EV71) in São Paulo State during the 1995-2005 period. Neutralizing antibodies to EV71 were observed in 12.4% (55/442) of sera samples suggesting that EV71 is uncommon in this region but that there is a relatively high susceptibility to EV71 related diseases. Neutralizing antibodies to EV71 were observed in 8.7% (21/241) of São Paulo metropolitan area sera samples and 16.9% (34/201) of the sera samples from other municipalities. Dissemination of EV71 is worrying in country and coastal areas without adequate access to piped water or sanitation.
SITOE et al.ood counts were obtained from HIV-positive individuals and compared to those who were HIV-negative (31.3% vs 10.9%). The data may indicate an interaction of HIV and T. gondii. Prevalence of both diseases in studied HIV and Toxoplasma gondii occurrence in 150 pregnant women from Mozambique by ELISA and six cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from AIDS patients with encephalitis. HIV status was confirmed and CD4 blcreases with age, but this is more clearly seen for toxoplasmosis. In HIV patients suffering from encephalitis CSF serology showed that 33% of specific IgG CSF had a high avidity. Lower prevalence rates of both infections in older groups could be explained by more deaths in the infected groups. Using CD4 counts as a marker of time of HIV infection and correcting for age, patients with contact with T. gondii had fewer CD4 cells, suggesting prolonged HIV disease or other causes. Toxoplasma IgG prevalence is higher in HIV+ positive groups which could be ascribed to HIV- and T. gondii-associated risk factors. The low incidence of Toxoplasma IgG in younger age groups shows that transmission could be related to better access to cyst-containing meat in adulthood.
PINTO & MELO reported for the first time in Brazil Melanoides tuberculata as intermediate host of Philophtalmus gralli. Melanoides tuberculatathat naturally harbored trematode larvae were collected at the Pampulha dam, Belo Horizonte, during malacological surveys conducted from 2006 to 2010. From 7164 specimens of Melanoides tuberculatacollected 25 (0.35%) were infected by cercariae of the Megalurous group, genus Philophthalmus. Successful experimental infections of Gallus gallus domesticus were obtained and adult parasites recovered from the nictitating membranes of chickens were identified as Philophthalmus gralli.
ANTONELLO et al. reported a case of treatment of severe chromoblastomycosis with an association of itraconazole and 5-flucytosine.
STROPARO et al. aiming to analyze the sensitivity and specificity of laboratorial methods available for the adenovirus (ADV) respiratory infection compared antigen detection by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IF) and a specific nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in respiratory samples collected from hospital patients. Molecular methods were found to be useful for rapid diagnosis of adenovirus infections with higher sensitivity than antigen detections permitting a significant increase in diagnoses of adenovirus infection.
GONÇALVES et al. studied perspectives, epidemiological and operational aspects of leprosy control and concluded that if a projection is made towards the fact that the maintenance of the disease' present incidence levels constitute economic and sanitary challenges that confront issues ranging from the neoliberal model of global societal organization to specific competences of actions taken by health teams in the field.
ALVES DA SILVA et al. reported a retrospective review of 13 cases of neurologic cytomegalovirus complications in AIDS patients which are rarely described in the antiretroviral therapy (HAART) period. Although infrequent, distinct neurological syndromes caused by CMV continue to cause high morbidity in AIDS patients. Survival depends on the use of effective antiviral therapy against CMV and the early introduction of HAART.
PARDAL et al. reported two cases of proven coral snakes bites in Belém, Pará which are scarcely described in the Amazon region with a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations. The first, more severe case was caused by Micrurus surinamensis and the second, with mild signs of envenomation, by Micrurus filiformis.
Thales de BRITO, Editor
Pedro Paulo CHIEFFI, Associate Editor
Marcello F. FRANCO, Associate Editor
Publication Dates
-
Publication in this collection
04 Jan 2011 -
Date of issue
Dec 2010
