Aspectos sociopolíticos da epidemia de toxoplasmose em Santa Isabel do Ivaí (PR) / Socio-political aspects of toxoplasmosis epidemic in Santa Isabel do Ivaí, Paraná State, Brazil

Em 2002, o município de Santa Isabel do Ivaí (PR), em virtude de uma epidemia de toxoplasmose, tornou-se lócus privilegiado de investigações sanitárias. As informações disponíveis indicam tratar-se da maior já registrada no mundo: 426 pessoas apresentaram sorologia sugestiva de infecção aguda por T. gondii (IgM reator). Esta pesquisa foi realizada com o objetivo de identificar as ações desenvolvidas pelos serviços de saúde e de saneamento durante o período, observando os conflitos políticos ocorridos no processo e identificando as medidas tomadas pelas autoridades sanitárias durante e após a epidemia. Trata-se de um estudo interdisciplinar, que busca a compreensão mais aprofundada e abrangente dos problemas de saúde pública. A investigação foi baseada na análise de conteúdo de documentos da imprensa e institucionais e entrevistas. Segundo dados oficiais, a causa da epidemia foi a contaminação de um dos reservatórios de água que abastecem a cidade. A pesquisa mostrou que fatores de ordem política e social, como a instabilidade partidária e o nível de dependência política da sociedade local, contribuíram para a ocorrência do surto e para as dificuldades enfrentadas pelos agentes de saúde no decorrer da crise.

In 2002, due to a toxoplasmosis epidemic Santa Isabel do Ivaí, Paraná State, was the focus of sanitary investigations. Four hundred and twenty six individuals had serology suggestive of acute T. gondii infection (IgM reactor), considered the largest outbreak of toxoplasmosis ever reported in the world. This research was meant to identify actions carried out by the sanitation and health services sector at that time, highlighting the political conflicts that took place during the process and identifying the measures taken by the sanitary authorities during and after the epidemic period. This is an interdisciplinary study aimed at understanding major problems of public health like this one. The investigation was based on the contents of documents press and institutional and interviews. According to official data, the epidemic was caused by the contamination of one of the water reservoirs that supply the city. This research showed that political and social factors, as the party instability and the level of political dependence of local society, were largely responsible for the occurrence of the epidemic and for the difficulties faced by the health agents during such crisis.

Presidencialismos em perspectiva comparada: Argentina, Brasil e Uruguai / Presidentialisms in comparative perspective: Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay

Institutional designs exert an influence on the degree of centralization or dispersion of decision-making power. This article takes a comparative approach to the institutional designs in three South American democracies — Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay — with the objective of constructing an index for concentration of power in the three countries. The indicators take three aspects into account: mechanisms for direct political participation, the legislative process with the various forms of horizontal accountability and veto among players, and the level of intervention by the Executive Branch using proactive and reactive powers. A systematic data survey shows that the designs in the three countries display major differences.