Haemophilus influenzae Serotype a as a Cause of Meningitis in Children in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Since the introduction of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccines, invasive disease due to Haemophilus influenzae serotype a (Hia) has been reported with increasing frequency. METHODS: This study is based on hospital-based surveillance for Hia meningitis over a 5-year period. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients with H. influenzae meningitis were hospitalized and 12 were serotype a. Hia was detected in blood and cerebrospinal fluid by culture or reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Patients' median age was 10 months, 7 (58%) boys and 5 (41%) girls. Ten (83%) children had received at least 1 vaccine dose against Haemophilus influenzae type b. All patients were treated with ceftriaxone for a median period of 11 days. The main complications described were empyema in 5 (41%) and seizures in 3 (25%) patients. Two (16.6%) patients died due to cerebral damage and shock. CONCLUSIONS: Invasive disease due to Hia affecting young children accounts for considerable morbidity and mortality.

Perinatal Yellow Fever: A Case Report.

An outbreak of yellow fever in Brazil made it possible to assess different presentations of disease such as perinatal transmission. A pregnant woman was admitted to hospital with yellow fever symptoms. She was submitted to cesarean section and died due to fulminant hepatitis. On the sixth day, the newborn developed liver failure and died 13 days later. Yellow fever polymerase chain reaction was positive for both.

Study of Complications of Varicella-Zoster Virus Infection in Hospitalized Children at a Reference Hospital for Infectious Disease Treatment.

OBJECTIVES: Varicella is a disease with potentially severe complications. We aimed to investigate characteristics of hospitalized children with varicella in Brazil in the prevaccine period and to identify predictors for requiring intensive care treatment. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted from May 2011 to April 2014. Patients up to 13 years of age with varicella diagnosis were included. Information was collected through interview and review of medical records. Logistic regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 669 patients were admitted. The median age of subjects was 2.7 years (range 0-14 years) with a predominance of boys (56.6%). The main causes of hospitalization were bacterial complications (77.7%), viral complications (11.4%), and at-risk patients (10.9%). Main bacterial complications were skin infection and pneumonia. Main viral complications were herpes zoster, cerebellitis, and encephalitis. Most at-risk patients used corticosteroids or had a diagnosis of leukemia. At-risk patients were hospitalized earlier (P < .01) and remained hospitalized for longer periods (P = .03). A total of 44 patients (6.6%) were admitted to the ICU, and 5 (0.8%) died of septic shock. Thrombocytopenia was associated with more severe illness in patients with bacterial infections (P = .001). The long-time interval between onset of infection and admission was associated with the need for intensive care in all groups (P = .007). CONCLUSIONS: Secondary bacterial infection is the main cause of hospitalization, and thrombocytopenia in these patients leads to worse outcomes. Difficulties of access to the health system and delay in medical care are determining factors of greater severity in this population.

High Frequency of Bone Marrow Depression During Congenital Toxoplasmosis Therapy in a Cohort of Children Identified by Neonatal Screening in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: There are few studies reporting frequency and control of adverse events associated with congenital toxoplasmosis treatment. The objective of this study is to describe treatment adherence and adverse hematologic events in a cohort of children identified with congenital toxoplasmosis in Minas Gerais, Brazil. METHODS: Children were treated with sulfadiazine, pyrimethamine and folinic acid and were evaluated clinically and by laboratory tests at regular intervals. RESULTS: Of 146,307 live newborns who participated in the Neonatal Screening Program in Minas Gerais in 2006-2007, 190 had congenital toxoplasmosis. Among the 171 children whose treatment data were available, 73.1% completely adhered to antiparasitic therapy. Hematologic adverse events (macrocytic anemia and/or neutropenia and/or thrombocytopenia) were diagnosed in 44% of them. The most common adverse event was neutropenia (31%). In most cases, it was not severe and reversed after increase in folinic acid dosage (25.7%) or temporary treatment suspension (1.8%). No infections were observed in association with neutropenic events. Significant associations were detected between macrocytic anemia and lower weight Z score at first medical appointment (P = 0.03), and between severe neutropenia (<500/mm) and lower weight Z score toward the end of treatment (P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The high frequency of hematologic adverse events found, especially in malnourished children, highlight the importance of careful monitoring of these children throughout treatment, as well as considering nutritional aspects and the need for higher doses of folinic acid. With adequate monitoring, antiparasitic treatment was feasible and relatively safe in the setting of this large screening program for congenital toxoplasmosis.

Zika virus challenges for neuropsychiatry.

Before 2007, Zika virus (ZIKV) was generally considered as an arbovirus of low clinical relevance, causing a mild self-limiting febrile illness in tropical Africa and Southeast Asia. Currently, a large, ongoing outbreak of ZIKV that started in Brazil in 2015 is spreading across the Americas. Virus infection during pregnancy has been potentially linked to congenital malformations, including microcephaly. In addition to congenital malformations, a temporal association between ZIKV infection and an increase in cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome is currently being observed in several countries. The mechanisms underlying these neurological complications are still unknown. Emerging evidence, mainly from in vitro studies, suggests that ZIKV may have direct effects on neuronal cells. The aim of this study was to critically review the literature available regarding the neurobiology of ZIKV and its potential neuropsychiatric manifestations.

Evolução de pacientes submetidos a transplante hepático por hepatites virais / Evolution of patients undergoing liver transplantation due to viral hepatitis

Objetivos: descrever a evolução dos pacientes com diagnóstico de hepatite viral B ou C submetidos a transplante de fígado em serviço de referência. Métodos: trata-se de estudo transversal realizado no Serviço de Transplante de Órgãos do Instituto Alfa de Gastroenterologiado Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, de 2005 a 2007. Os dados foram coletados em prontuários médicos e bancos de dados do serviço.Resultados: de 173 pacientes submetidos a transplante de fígado, 61 apresentavam hepatite C, nove tinham hepatite B e um evoluiu com hepatite A fulminante. Entre os pacientes com hepatite C, 31 receberam tratamento antes do transplante (sete com respostavirológica sustentada). Apenas dois pacientes com hepatite B foram tratados previamente.Após transplante hepático, a recidiva da hepatite ocorreu em 21 pacientes com hepatite C e nenhum com hepatite B. O tratamento medicamentoso após transplante hepático foirealizado em 13 de 21 dos pacientes com recidiva de hepatite C. Discussão: após transplante hepático em casos de cirrose pelo vírus da hepatite C, a recorrência da infecção é comum e indica necessidade de tratamento efetivo. A sobrevida pós-transplante em pacientes infectados pelo vírus da hepatite B depende da prevenção com uso da profilaxiacombinada. Conclusão: as hepatites virais respondem por importante proporção das indicações de transplante de fígado. A recidiva da hepatite C persiste como o principal problema nos pacientes transplantados por hepatites virais. A profilaxia da recidiva da hepatite B pós-transplante é mandatória com imunoglobulina e análogos de nucleosídeos.

Objectives: to describe the evolution of patients with a diagnosis of viral hepatitis B or C undergoing liver transplantation at a reference hospital. Methods: this was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Organ Transplantation Service of the Alfa Institute of Gastroenterology,General Hospital, Federal University of Minas Gerais, from 2005 to 2007. Data were collected from medical records and service databases. Results: out of 173 patients undergoing liver transplantation, 61 had hepatitis C, nine had hepatitis B, and one developed fulminant hepatitis A. Among patients with hepatitis C, 31 were treated before the transplantation(seven with sustained virological response). Only two patients with hepatitis B were pretreated. After liver transplantation, the recurrence of hepatitis occurred in 21 patients with hepatitis C, and in none with hepatitis B. The drug treatment after liver transplant was performedin 13 out of 21 patients with recurrent hepatitis C. Discussion: in cases of cirrhosis caused by the hepatitis C virus, recurrence of infection is common after liver transplantation and indicates the need for an effective treatment. Post-transplant survival in patients infectedwith hepatitis B virus depends on prevention using combined prophylaxis. Conclusion: viral hepatitis accounts for a significant proportion of indications for a liver transplant.Recurrence of hepatitis C persists as a major problem in transplanted patients due to viral hepatitis. Prophylaxis ofhepatitis B post-transplant recurrence is mandatory withimmunoglobulin and nucleoside analogs.

Adverse socioeconomic conditions and oocyst-related factors are associated with congenital toxoplasmosis in a population-based study in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: Congenital toxoplasmosis is a public health problem in Brazil. This study aimed to determine risk factors associated with congenital toxoplasmosis in Minas Gerais which is the second largest Brazilian State based on number of inhabitants, and its territorial extension is larger than that of France. METHODS: Population-based case-control study to assess the association between congenital toxoplasmosis and maternal exposure to infection risk factors. The study included mothers/children participating in the Minas Gerais Newborn Screening Program. The cases consisted of 175 mothers of infected children, and the controls consisted of 278 mothers of children without suspected infection. The associations were assessed through binomial logistic regression with p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: The variables associated with lower probability of toxoplasmosis were: older mother age (OR = 0.89; CI95%  = 0.85-0.93), higher level of education (OR = 0.85; CI95% = 0.78-0.92), access to potable water (OR = 0.21; CI95% = 0.08-0.51), and home with flush toilet (OR = 0.18; CI95% = 0.04-078). The variables associated with higher probability of infection were: cats in the neighborhood (OR = 2.27; CI95%  = 1.27-4.06), owning or visiting homes with domestic cats (OR = 1.90; CI95%  = 1.09-3.31), handling the soil (OR = 2.29; CI95%  = 1.32-3.96), and eating fresh meat not previously frozen (OR = 3.97; CI95%  = 2.17-7.25). After stratification according region of residence (rural or urban/peri-urban), home with flush toilet and consumption of treated water were protective against the disease only in the rural stratum. CONCLUSIONS: In Minas Gerais, congenital toxoplasmosis has been associated with poor socioeconomic conditions. Considering maternal exposure to sources of Toxoplasma gondii, the predominating risk factors were those related to the ingestion of oocysts. It is expected that these results will contribute to development of a program for prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis adapted to the reality of the population of Minas Gerais. The differences between populations living in rural and urban areas regarding the main risk factors for toxoplasmosis point to the need of considering regional specificities in planning strategies to control congenital toxoplasmosis.

Imunização: respostas a questões frequentes na prática pediátrica / Imunization: answers to common paediatrician questions

Os anos recentes trouxeram avanços enormes no campo da imunização, com melhoria na eficácia de algumas vacinas e disponibilização de novas vacinas, significando melhoria na prevenção de doenças infecciosas e conseqüentemente melhor qualidade de vida de crianças e adultos. O calendário vacinal recomendado para uso em pediatria deve ser dinâmico e adaptado às peculiaridades do indivíduo e da situação epidemiol6gica do momento. O objetivo desta revisão é oferecer ao pediatra uma atualização sobre as vacinas para uso nas redes pública e privada de saúde e responder a algumas dúvidas que freqüentemente o preocupam no exercício profissional.

Recent years brought huge advances in the immunization field, with improved efficacy of some vaccines and availa- bility of new ones, meaning improvement on infectious diseases prevention and rherefore a better life to children and adults. The advised immunization schedule for pae- diatric use must be dynamic and adapted to the needs of each person and to rhe epidemiologic overview of the momento This review's objective is to offer to the paediatrician an update on vaccines for public and private health care and answer some doubrs that often embarrass the paediatrician on medica! practice.