Resumo em Inglês:

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the main etiological agent of neonatal sepsis in developed countries, however there is no detailed information on its incidence in Brazil. We registered the incidence and lethality of GBS infection in a Brazilian private maternity hospital from April 1991 to March 2000. Maternal risk factors contributing to neonatal infections were also scored. The rate of infection was determined by checking for GBS in the blood and liquor of symptomatic neonates within 72 hours of birth. Sepsis and/or early onset meningitis were diagnosed in 43 neonates (32 cases in blood, 1in liquor and 10 in blood and liquor). The overall incidence was 0.39 per thousand neonates and remained quite constant throughout the period, ranging from 0.25-0.63. Septic shock occurred in 33 neonates within 1 to 36 hours of birth (mean 15 hours). Among those patients, 26 (60%) died between the 5th and the 85th hour after birth. Maternal risk factors, according to CDC criteria, included: gestational age below 37 weeks in 26 cases (60%), amniorrhexis equal or superior to 18 hours in 7 cases (16%), and maternal temperature equal or superior to 38ºC in 4 cases (9%). None of the mothers had received prophylactic antibiotics during labor nor were urine, rectal or vaginal swabs screened for GBS. Although the incidence of GBS infection in the population in this study was lower than that found in developed countries, its rate of mortality was higher. The death rate could be reduced through recognition of the risk factors and prophylactic antibiotics during labor.

Resumo em Inglês:

Introduction: In developing countries, there is little information about the risk factors that predict noncompliance with tuberculosis (TB) treatment in hospitals. Objective: This study analyzes possible factors associated with noncompliance with TB treatment among patients treated at HAA. Design: A retrospective cohort study was made including all patients who initiated TB treatment at HAA, from January to December 1998. A standard form was used to review medical records and to collect data on each patient. This data was evaluated in comparison with data from the state TB control program. Results: Of the 341 patients included in the study, 186 (61.2%) were considered cured and 67 (22%) were non-compliant. The factors associated with noncompliance were: previous anti-TB treatment (RR = 1.95, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.93), prescription of drugs other than the standard first-line regimen proposed by the Brazilian Health Ministry (Rifampin + Isoniazide + Pyrazinamide) (RR = 0.54, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.83), the need for hospitalization (RR = 2.19, 95% CI 1.46 to 3.29) and non-inclusion in the hospital's TB Control Program for treatment follow up (RR = 0.54, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.82). Setting: Anuar Auad Hospital (HAA) - Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil. Conclusion: Our results indicate the importance of establishing Tuberculosis Control Programs in hospitals, while paying special attention to patients with risk factors for noncompliance with TB treatment.

Resumo em Inglês:

Treatment of chronic hepatitis C is still unspecific. However, there is great expectancy concerning the new pegylated interferons. As there has been much controversy about the best parameters to determine whether treatment is effective, we analyzed several criteria currently used for evaluation, including serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization, viral load reduction and improvement of hepatic histology.

Resumo em Inglês:

This is part of the series of practice guidelines commissioned by the Brazilian Society for Infectious Diseases through its Practice Guidelines Committee. The purpose of these guidelines is to provide assistance to clinicians in the antimicrobial treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in immunocompetent adults. Panel members and consultants are experts in adult infectious diseases. The guidelines are evidence based where possible. The recommendations included in this document were elaborated based on the most frequently isolated pathogens and their antimicrobial susceptibilities. The etiology was based mainly on international studies, since there are very few regional data. On the other hand, the antimicrobial susceptibilities of main bacterial causes of CAP were based on the results of several antimicrobial resistance surveillance studies recently performed in Brazil. Other reference guidelines for the treatment of CAP, such as those elaborated by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and by the Canadian Infectious Diseases Society, were also discussed by the group during the elaboration of this document.

Resumo em Inglês:

Splenic abscesses are caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus and bacteria belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae. We report a case of splenic abscess caused by an unusual serotype of Salmonella. A 55 year old man was admitted with complaints of fever and abdominal pain. On the basis of clinical findings and laboratory reports, a diagnosis of chronic myeloid leukemia was made. Ultrasonography of the abdomen revealed a single large cystic lesion in the spleen. Percutaneous drainage of the abscess was carried out. Salmonella enterica serotype Worthington was isolated from a pus sample taken from the abscess. The isolate was resistant to ampicillin, gentamicin, cefotaxime, chloramphenicol and tetracycline, and sensitive to amikacin and norfloxacin. Serotype Worthington is an emerging pathogen. This is the first report of isolation of this serotype from a splenic abscess. In seriously ill patients, such infections should be treated with a combination of antibiotics to circumvent problems with multidrug resistance.

Resumo em Inglês:

Brazilian spotted fever, caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, has been increasingly reported in Brazil especially in the southeastern states. The severe and fulminant forms of the disease are not unusual but most of the reported fatal cases have shown some typical clinical clue, which leads the attending physician to a correct diagnosis. We report a probable case of atypical fulminant Brazilian spotted fever that presented full-blown septic shock associated with Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) and delayed uncharacteristic rash with an over four-fold increase in reciprocal IgM, but not IgG titer against Rickettsia rickettsii. Brazilian practitioners should be aware of the possibility of Brazilian spotted fever as a cause of fulminant primary sepsis with ARDS; improved laboratory methods are necessary for the rapid diagnosis of such cases.

Resumo em Inglês:

We describe the pathology of a unique case of Fallopian tube amebiasis, associated with hydrosalpinx, in a 21-year-old woman. She complained of lower abdominal pain, had a foul-smelling green vaginal discharge and fever during one week. There was a discrete increase in body temperature and a painful abdominal palpation at the lower right side, with signs of local peritoneal irritation. Pathological examination showed a marked dilatation of the fallopian tube and hydrosalpinx. Microscopic examination showed a poorly formed granuloma composed of large macrophages with many Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites inside the fallopian tube. Even though it is a rare disease the correct diagnosis of female genital tract amebiasis is of great importance for the indication of proper therapy.