Identification and characterisation of SARS-CoV-2 and Human alphaherpesvirus 1 from a productive coinfection in a fatal COVID-19 case.

BACKGROUND: During routine Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis, an unusually high viral load was detected by reverse transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in a nasopharyngeal swab sample collected from a patient with respiratory and neurological symptoms who rapidly succumbed to the disease. Therefore we sought to characterise the infection. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine and characterise the etiological agent responsible for the poor outcome. METHODS: Classical virological methods, such as plaque assay and plaque reduction neutralisation test combined with amplicon-based sequencing, as well as a viral metagenomic approach, were performed to characterise the etiological agents of the infection. FINDINGS: Plaque assay revealed two distinct plaque phenotypes, suggesting either the presence of two severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) strains or a productive coinfection of two different species of virus. Amplicon-based sequencing did not support the presence of any SARS-CoV-2 genetic variants that would explain the high viral load and suggested the presence of a single SARS-CoV-2 strain. Nonetheless, the viral metagenomic analysis revealed that Coronaviridae and Herpesviridae were the predominant virus families within the sample. This finding was confirmed by a plaque reduction neutralisation test and PCR. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: We characterised a productive coinfection of SARS-CoV-2 and Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) in a patient with severe symptoms that succumbed to the disease. Although we cannot establish the causal relationship between the coinfection and the severity of the clinical case, this work serves as a warning for future studies focused on the interplay between SARS-CoV-2 and HSV-1 coinfection and COVID-19 severity.

[Microcephaly and central nervous system findings associated with congenital Zika virus and other infectious etiologies in the state of Rio de Janeiro: crosssectional study, 2015 a 2017Microcefalia y alteraciones del sistema nervioso central relacionadas con la infección congénita por el virus del Zika y otras etiologías infecciosas en el Estado de Río de Janeiro: estudio transversal, 2015-2017]. / Microcefalia e alterações do sistema nervoso central relacionadas à infecção congênita pelo vírus Zika e outras etiologias infecciosas no estado do Rio de Janeiro: estudo transversal, 2015 a 2017.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical and epidemiological profile of cases with confirmed microcephaly or central nervous system (CNS) findings associated with congenital Zika virus infection and other infectious etiologies in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from November 2015 to July 2017. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was performed with 298 cases (as defined by the Ministry of Health) communicated to the Rio de Janeiro State Department of Health in the study period. Demographic, epidemiological, clinical, radiological, and laboratory variables were assessed. Descriptive bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between specific factors and death outcome. RESULTS: The median age of mothers was 24 years; 30.9% reported fever and 64.8% reported a rash during pregnancy. The median head circumference at birth was 29 cm, and median birth weight was 2 635 g. An etiological diagnosis of congenital Zika was made in 46.0%, whereas 13.8% were diagnosed with syphilis, toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex infections (STORCH), with predominance of syphilis, and 40.3% had an unspecified infectious agent. CNS findings other than microcephaly were observed in 88.3%, especially intracranial calcifications, ventriculomegaly, and brain atrophy. Overall lethality was 7.0% - 19.0% in laboratory confirmed Zika cases and 22.2% in toxoplasmosis cases. Multivariable analysis revealed birth weight as the main predictor of death. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the Zika epidemic, 13.8% of the studied cases were diagnosed with STORCH. The lethality and high frequency of neurological findings beyond microcephaly reflect severe infection, with impact on families and health care system.

OBJETIVO: Describir el perfil clínico-epidemiológico de los casos confirmados de microcefalia y de alteraciones del sistema nervioso central (SNC) relacionados con la infección congénita por el virus del Zika y otras etiologías infecciosas en el Estado de Río de Janeiro en el período comprendido entre noviembre del 2015 y julio del 2017. MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio transversal de 298 casos (según la definición del Ministerio de Salud) notificados a la Secretaría de Estado de Salud de Río de Janeiro en el período objeto de estudio. Se analizaron variables demográficas, epidemiológicas, clínicas, radiológicas y de laboratorio, con un análisis estadístico descriptivo bivariado y de regresión logística múltiple para estudio de los factores relacionados con la defunción. RESULTADOS: La edad mediana de las madres fue de 24 años; un 30,9% informó fiebre y un 64,8%, exantema durante la gestación. La mediana del perímetro cefálico al nacer fue de 29 cm y la del peso, de 2635 g. El diagnóstico etiológico fue de infección congénita por el virus del Zika en un 46,0%; sífilis, toxoplasmosis, rubéola, infección por citomegalovirus e infección por el virus del herpes simple (STORCH) en un 13,8%, con predominio de sífilis; e infección por un agente infeccioso no definido en un 40,3%. Se describieron alteraciones del SNC diferentes de microcefalia en un 88,3%, con predominio de calcificaciones cerebrales, ventriculomegalia y atrofia cerebral. La letalidad total alcanzó 7,0%; se confirmaron en el laboratorio 19,0% de los casos de infección por el virus del Zika y 22,2% de los casos de toxoplasmosis. En el análisis de regresión logística múltiple, el peso al nacer fue el principal pronóstico de defunción. CONCLUSIONES: A pesar de la epidemia de la infección por el virus del Zika, 13,8% de los casos fueron causados por STORCH. La letalidad y la elevada presencia de malformaciones neurológicas, además de microcefalia, muestran la gravedad de la infección y sus repercusiones para las familias y para el sistema de salud.

Promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion in surveys: insights from a patient-engaged study to assess long COVID health-care needs in Brazil.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Long COVID (LC) refers to persistent symptoms after acute COVID-19 infection, which may persist for months or years. LC affects millions of people globally, with substantial impacts on quality of life, employment, and social participation. Ensuring access to effective, patient-centered care for LC demands evidence, grounded in inclusive representation of those affected by the condition. Yet survey studies frequently under-represent people with the most disabling disease presentations and racially and socioeconomically marginalized groups. We aimed to describe a patient-engaged approach to developing a survey to inform public LC health care and to assess its implementation in terms of enabling participation by diverse LC patients in Brazil. METHODS: Survey development was iterative, achieved through an interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers including people living with LC, and grounded in 3 guiding principles: (1) evidence-based; (2) inclusive, intersectional, and patient-centered understanding of chronic illness and research participation; and (3) sensitivity to the context of health-care access. RESULTS: The product of our collaboration was a longitudinal survey using a questionnaire assessing: LC symptoms; their clinical and functional evolution; and impacts on quality of life, household income, health service access, utilization, and out-of-pocket expenses. We illustrate how we operationalized our 3 principles through survey content, instrument design, and administration. Six hundred fifty-one participants with diverse LC symptoms, demography, and socioeconomic status completed the survey. We successfully included participants experiencing disabling symptoms, Black and mixed race participants, and those with lower education and income. CONCLUSION: By centering patient experience, our novel, principles-based approach succeeded in promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion in LC survey research. These principles guiding patient-engaged collaboration have broad transferability. We encourage survey researchers working on chronic illness and in other contexts of marginalization and inequality to adopt them.

Socioeconomic and educational factors interference in the prognosis for glioblastoma multiform.

BACKGROUND: To compare the survival of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients operated on at public hospital with that of patients operated on at the private hospitals. METHOD: We carried out a retrospective analysis of the patients' medical records, the surgical reports and the pre- and post-operative images of patients with a histopathological confirmed adult supratentorial GBM. Sixty-three patients were treated at public hospital and twenty-one at private hospitals. RESULTS: The present study revealed that the survival of patients treated in private hospitals was statistically superior to that of patients treated in public hospitals (11.9 vs. 7.7). CONCLUSIONS: Our study advances towards the confirmation of the hypothesis that socioeconomic and educational factors influence the Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) and the performance of radiotherapy treatment, with negative effects over the GBM patients' survival.

Trends in prevalence of gastroschisis in Brazil from 2007 to 2020: A national population-based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Gastroschisis is a congenital abnormality of the abdominal wall which worldwide prevalence is increasing with time. Up to now, young maternal age is the main factor associated with gastroschisis. Brazil has a great proportion of adolescent mothers. OBJECTIVES: To estimate prevalence of gastroschisis in Brazil, explore the effect of very young maternal age, and analyze regional distribution and time trends. METHODS: Cross-sectional population-based study using data from official national information systems from 2007 to 2020, covering 9,831 gastroschisis cases. Low maternal age was assessed as risk factor through odds ratio. Prevalence time trends by maternal age and geographic area were analyzed using joinpoint regression. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of gastroschisis in Brazil was 2.47 per 10,000 births. From first to last biennium, there was a 23% relative increase. Last biennium prevalence was higher in the Central-west region and lower in the Northeast. Compared to mothers of 20-34 years old (YO), the odds-ratio for prevalence and 95% confidence intervals for gastroschisis were, as follows: (a) 10-14 YO-4.9 (4.3,5.5); (b) 15-19 YO-3.6 (3.5,3.8); and (c) 35-49 YO-0.3 (95% CI 0.3, 0.4). CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of gastroschisis in Brazil relatively increased 23% from 2007 to 2020. This happened in all maternal age groups. Differences between regions may be associated to data quality. Young mothers had a higher prevalence of gastroschisis and still higher for those under 15 YO. Mother age over 34 YO was a protective factor.

[Evolution of the completeness and consistency of the gastroschisis registry in the Brazilian Live Birth Information System, from 2005 to 2020]. / Evolução da completude e consistência do registro de gastrosquise no Sistema de Informações sobre Nascidos Vivos no Brasil, de 2005 a 2020.

This study aimed to evaluate the evolution of the completeness and consistency of the gastroschisis registry in the Brazilian Live Birth Information System (SINASC). It is a time-series study on the completeness of the variable "occurrence of congenital anomaly" and the consistency of gastroschisis diagnosis in SINASC, in biennia from 2005 to 2020, for federative units, region, and Brazil. The consistency was estimated by the ratio between deaths from gastroschisis registered in the Brazilian Mortality Information System (SIM) and the total number of cases recorded in SINASC. Temporal trend was analyzed by joinpoint regression. In the period, 46,574,995 live births and 10,024 cases of gastroschisis were recorded. A total of 5,632 infant deaths due to gastroschisis were identified. The percentage of incompleteness decreased from 6.52% to 1.87%, with an annual percentage variation (APV) of -14.5%, and completeness reached excellence (≤ 5% of incompleteness), except in the Central-West Region. Case/death ratios above 1 were found in the North and Northeast regions and in some federative units in the Central-West, but there was a decrease, approaching the mortality found in studies in the South and Southeast regions. Its reduction was more pronounced until 2009-2010 (APV = -10.7%) and smaller later (APV = -4.4%). The quality of the gastroschisis registry reflects regional differences in the overall quality of SINASC, constituting as a marker for malformations that require complex neonatal care.

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a evolução da completude e da consistência do registro de gastrosquise no Sistema de Informações sobre Nascidos Vivos (SINASC) no Brasil. Trata-se de estudo de série temporal sobre a completude da variável "ocorrência de anomalia congênita" e a consistência do diagnóstico de gastrosquise no SINASC, nos biênios entre 2005 e 2020, para Unidades da Federação, região e Brasil. A consistência foi estimada pela razão entre óbitos por gastrosquise registrados no Sistema de Informações sobre Mortalidade (SIM) e o total de casos registrados no SINASC. A tendência temporal foi analisada por regressão joinpoint. No período, havia registro de 46.574.995 nascidos vivos e 10.024 casos de gastrosquise entre eles. Identificamos 5.632 óbitos infantis por gastrosquise. O percentual de incompletude diminuiu de 6,52% para 1,87%, com variação percentual anual (VPA) de -14,5%, e a completude atingiu a excelência (≤ 5% de incompletude), exceto no Centro-oeste do país. Razão óbito/caso acima de 1 foi encontrada nas regiões Norte e Nordeste e em alguns estados do Centro-oeste, mas houve diminuição, aproximando-se da mortalidade encontrada em estudos no Sul e Sudeste. Sua redução foi mais acentuada até 2009-2010 (VPA = -10,7%) e menor posteriormente (VPA = -4,4%). A qualidade do registro de gastrosquise reflete as diferenças regionais da qualidade geral do SINASC, configurando-se uma condição marcadora para malformações que demandam atenção neonatal complexa.

El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la evolución de la completitud y consistencia del registro de la gastrosquisis en el Sistema de Información de los Nacidos Vivos (SINASC) en Brasil. Se trata de un estudio de serie temporal sobre la completitud de la variable "aparición de anomalía congénita" y la consistencia del diagnóstico de gastrosquisis en el SINASC, en los bienios entre 2005 y 2020, en estados, regiones y Brasil. La consistencia se estimó por la razón entre las defunciones por gastrosquisis registradas en el Sistema de Información de Mortalidad (SIM) y el total de casos inscritos en el SINASC. La tendencia temporal se analizó mediante regresión joinpoint. Durante el período, hubo 46.574.995 nacidos vivos y 10.024 casos de gastrosquisis entre ellos. Identificamos 5.632 muertes infantiles por gastrosquisis. El porcentaje de incompletitud disminuyó de 6,52% a 1,87%, con una variación porcentual anual (VPA) de -14,5%, y la completitud alcanzó la excelencia (≤ 5% de incompletitud), excepto en la región Centro-oeste del país. Se encontró una relación defunciones/caso superior a 1 en las regiones Norte y Nordeste y en algunos estados del Centro-oeste, pero hubo una disminución, acercándose a la mortalidad encontrada en estudios en el Sur y Sudeste. Su reducción fue más pronunciada hasta 2009-2010 (VPA = -10,7%) y después menor (VPA = -4,4%). La calidad del registro de gastrosquisis refleja diferencias regionales relacionadas con la calidad general del SINASC, configurando una condición manifiesta de malformaciones que demandan cuidados neonatales complejos.

Severe Covid-19 in pregnant and postpartum women admitted to an intensive care unit: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with worse maternal and fetal outcomes. This study aims to describe the characteristics of pregnant and postpartum women with severe Covid-19 admitted to ICU. METHODS AND FINDINGS: It's a retrospective cohort study evaluating pregnant and postpartum women referenced to a specialized ICU between May 2020 and June 2022. Covid-19 was confirmed with RT-PCR or rapid antigen test on a nasopharyngeal swab. Variables were described by median and IQR when numerical, and by frequency and percentage when categorical. OR with 95% CI were calculated for the evaluation of factors related to death. P-values were calculated using Pearson's ꭓ2-test, Fisher's exact test, Wilcoxon rank sum test, and Kruskall-Wallis test, and statistical significance was established as < 0·05. Missing data were excluded. All statistical analysis were performed using R software version 4.2.2. Of the 101 admissions, 85 (84·2%) were of pregnant women. Obesity (23·0%) and systemic arterial hypertension (13·0%) were the most prevalent medical conditions. Sixty-six (65·3%) were admitted using some type of oxygen support. Forty-seven (46·5%) evolved to mechanical ventilation. There were 61 events considered obstetric complications, with 8 stillbirths/fetal losses. The overall lethality was 15·8%. Pregnancy interruption, need for non-invasive mechanical ventilation, level of oxygen support at admission, prone maneuver, hemodialysis, and healthcare-related infections were factors associated with death. Evaluating the WHO 7-category ordinary scale, there was a trend of increase in the risk of death with higher punctuation, with a statistically significant difference of women with 5 (OR = 7·27; 95% IC = 1·17-194; p = 0·031) or 6 points (OR = 12·0; 95% IC = 1·15-391; p = 0·038) when compared to the ones with 3 points, i.e., of women admitted with a high-flow non-rebreathing mask or invasive mechanical ventilation, compared with the ones admitted at room air, respectively. The main limitations of this study are the relatively small number of participants, and the use of data derived of medical records-which are susceptible to misclassification and variable amounts of missing data. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnant and postpartum women with severe Covid-19 have high lethality and a high incidence of clinical and obstetric complications. These findings support that this population should be prioritized in public health strategies that address Covid-19.

COVID-19: a cross-sectional study of suspected cases admitted to a federal hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and factors associated with hospital death. / COVID-19: estudo seccional de casos suspeitos internados em um hospital federal do Rio de Janeiro e fatores associados ao óbito hospitalar.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical and epidemiological profile of suspected COVID-19 cases admitted to a federal hospital in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, and to identify factors associated with death. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study using local epidemiological surveillance data as at epidemiological week 27 of 2020 and logistic regression. RESULTS: 376 hospitalized suspected COVID-19 cases were included; 52.9% were female, 57.4% were 50 years old or over and 80.1% had comorbidities. 195 (51.9%) COVID-19 cases were confirmed and their lethality was higher (37.9%) than among discarded cases (24.2%). In the adjusted analysis, death among confirmed cases was associated with being in the 50-69 age group (OR=11.65 - 95%CI 1.69;80.33), being aged 70 or over (OR=8.43 - 95%CI 1.22;58.14), presence of neoplasms (OR=4.34 - 95%CI 1.28;14.76) and use of invasive ventilatory support (OR=70.20 - 95%CI 19.09;258.19). CONCLUSION: High prevalence of comorbidities and lethality was found; the main factors associated with death were being older, neoplasms and invasive ventilatory support.

Yellow fever: profile of cases and factors associated with death in a hospital in the State of Rio de Janeiro, 2017-2018.

OBJECTIVE: Describe the clinical and epidemiological profile of confirmed cases of yellow fever whose patients were hospitalized in a general hospital for infectious diseases in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from March 11, 2017 to June 15, 2018, during a recent outbreak and factors associated with death. METHODS: This is a retrospective observational study with analysis of secondary databases of local epidemiological surveillance system, and complementary data collection from epidemiological investigation records and clinical records. Study variables included demographic, epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory data. A descriptive statistical analysis and a bivariate and multivariate analysis by logistic regression were performed to analyze factors associated with death. RESULTS: Fifty-two patients diagnosed with yellow fever were hospitalized, 86.5% male patients, median age 49.5 years, 40.4% rural workers. The most frequent signs and symptoms were fever (90.4%), jaundice (86.5%), nausea and/or vomiting (69.2%), changes in renal excretion (53.8%), bleeding (50%), and abdominal pain (48.1%), with comorbidity in 38.5% of all cases. The lethality rate was 40.4%. Factors significantly associated with a higher chance of death in the bivariate analysis were: bleeding, changes in renal excretion, and maximum values of direct bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), urea, and creatinine. In the multivariate analysis by logistic regression, only changes in renal excretion and ALT remained significant predictors of higher chance of death. A threshold effect was also observed for AST. The cutoff points identified as high risk for death were ALT > 4,000 U/L and AST > 6,000 U/L. CONCLUSIONS: This study contributed to the knowledge on the profile of confirmed cases of high severity yellow fever. The main factors associated with death were changes in renal excretion and elevated serum transaminases, especially ALT. High lethality emphasizes the need for early diagnosis and treatment, and the importance of increasing vaccination coverage.

[Clinical guidelines and other practices for improving quality of care by health plans from the perspective of their operators in Brazil]. / Diretrizes clínicas e outras práticas voltadas para a melhoria da qualidade assistencial em operadoras de planos de saúde sob a perspectiva dos seus dirigentes, no Brasil.

This study aimed to characterize the implementation of clinical guidelines and other instruments and practices for health care quality improvement among health plan operators in Brazil. It was a national cross-sectional descriptive study, initially considering 1,573 health plan operators registered in the National Agency for Supplementary Health Care. The sample design was complex, stratified by macro-region, market segment, and number of beneficiaries. Ninety health plan operators agreed to participate and were interviewed. To obtain estimates for the universe of health plan operators, a sample expansion factor attributed per stratum was considered. Only 32.3% of the health plan operators implemented clinical guidelines, with important variation across regions and market segments. Clinical governance practices are still in the very initial stages. Challenges are presented with regard to health care incorporation as a dimension of management within health care organizations, including health plan operators. Initiatives to improve quality of care need to be integrated and conducted at the organizational level.

[Utilization of clinical guidelines by health plan operators in the Brazilian health system]. / Utilização de diretrizes clínicas em cardiologia na saúde suplementar no Brasil.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to present cardiovascular results of a national study about the implementation of clinical guidelines and other instruments and practices for clinical care management among health plan operators in Brasil. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study based on a representative sample of the 1,573 Brazilian health plan operators, stratified by macro region and market segment. Each stratum was subdivided in take-all and take-some strata by Hedlin's method, with equiprobability selection in each take-some stratum. The resulting sample size was of 90 health plan operators who were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The study had a descriptive nature and, to obtain estimates for percents and total number of health plan operators relative to a population size of N=1572., sample weights were taken into account. RESULTS: Of the health plan operators, 61.2% considered that the implementation of clinical guidelines should be conducted by administrative and regulatory government organizations, involving a partnership with health plan operators, health service providers and medical societies. It was shown that only 32.3% of the health plan operators in the country enforce clinical guidelines. With regard to cardiovascular disease, the reported utilization of guidelines was one of the highest among all diseases analyzed. The percentages for acute myocardial infarction (87%), congestive heart failure (85%) and the use of invasive procedures (81.1%) were higher than for arterial hypertension (74.1%) and cerebrovascular disease (72.2%). CONCLUSION: This study indicated the incipient utilization of clinical guidelines among health plan operators in the Brazilian health system. In general, the cardiovascular area showed one of the highest rates of utilization reported in the study.

Three decades of hospital epidemiology and the challenge of integrating Health Surveillance: reflections from a case study. / Três décadas de epidemiologia hospitalar e o desafio da integração da Vigilância em Saúde: reflexões a partir de um caso.

This study proposes a reflection on the uses and future prospects of hospital-based health surveillance based on the account of a pioneering experience in hospital epidemiology, the epidemiology service at the Hospital Federal dos Servidores do Estado - HFSE, which served as the basis for the creation of epidemiologic surveillance units in municipal and state hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The epidemiology service has combined epidemiological surveillance, continuing education, in-service training, research, and health service evaluation since 1986. The service is part of the national epidemiological surveillance network and was responsible for the notification of 55,747 cases between 1986 and 2016, most of which were the result of active search. The integration of various levels of health surveillance and health care makes classical control activities more agile and provides instruments for measuring. The important role played by the service in human resources training is evident in the training of 1,835 medical interns and 78 residents up to 2016. In addition, this experience has served as the basis for the implantation of several other hospital epidemiological surveillance units. Current challenges include the promotion of effective communication and coordination among the other health surveillance committees.

Resumo Este estudo propõe uma reflexão sobre os usos e as perspectivas da vigilância em saúde hospitalar a partir do relato de uma experiência pioneira em epidemiologia hospitalar, o Serviço de Epidemiologia/HFSE, que serviu de base para a criação dos núcleos de vigilância epidemiológica (VE) dos hospitais municipais e estaduais do Rio de Janeiro. O serviço integra ações de VE, educação continuada, capacitação, treinamento em serviço, pesquisa e avaliação de serviços desde 1986. Participa ativamente da rede nacional de VE, tendo notificado 55.747 casos de 1986 a 2016, a maioria por busca ativa. A integração dos vários níveis da vigilância e assistência agiliza as atividades clássicas de controle das doenças de notificação compulsória e fornece instrumentos de avaliação da qualidade. O importante papel na capacitação e formação de recursos humanos é evidenciado através do treinamento de 1.835 internos de medicina e 78 residentes até 2016; e pelo fato de que esta experiência tem servido de base para a implantação de diversos outros núcleos hospitalares. Entre os desafios que se impõem atualmente está a articulação com as demais comissões que compõem o Núcleo de Vigilância Hospitalar e o Núcleo de Segurança do Paciente.

Perfil dos casos notificados de síndrome respiratória aguda grave em um hospital do Rio de Janeiro / Profile of reported cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome in a hospital in Rio de Janeiro / Perfil de los casos notificados de síndrome respiratorio agudo severo en un hospital de Río de Janeiro

Objetivo: descrever o perfil clínico-epidemiológico e analisar a variável de desfecho óbito entre os casos notificados de Síndrome Respiratória Aguda Grave em um hospital federal do Rio de Janeiro. Método: estudo transversal descritivo, elaborado a partir de dados secundários da vigilância epidemiológica da Área de Epidemiologia do Hospital Federal dos Servidores do Estado. Resultados: os casos de síndrome respiratória aguda grave notificados pelo Hospital Federal dos Servidores do Estado apresentaram um perfil de idosos, com elevada prevalência de comorbidades. Os fatores relacionados ao óbito hospitalar foram: faixa etária 70 a 79 anos, sexo masculino, presença de dispneia, desconforto respiratório, saturação <95%, cardiopatias, doença renal, doença neurológica, pneumopatia, neoplasias, uso de suporte ventilatório invasivo. Conclusão: a vigilância epidemiológica assume um papel fundamental, não somente na notificação, investigação e encerramento dos casos, mas também na identificação das características da população acometida e dos fatores relacionados à maior gravidade da nova doença

Objective: to describe the clinical-epidemiological profile and analyze the death outcome variable among reported cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in a federal hospital in Rio de Janeiro. Method: a descriptive cross-sectional study, based on secondary data from the epidemiological surveillance of the Epidemiology Area of the Hospital Federal dos Servidores do Estado. Results: the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome notification carried out by the Hospital Federal dos Servidores do Estado presented a profile of elderly people, with a high prevalence of comorbidities. The related factors with hospital death were: age group 70 to 79 years, male gender, presence of dyspnea, respiratory distress, saturation <95%, heart disease, kidney disease, neurological disease, lung disease, neoplasms, use of invasive ventilatory support. Conclusion: epidemiological surveillance plays a fundamental role, not only in the notification, investigation and closure of cases, but also in the identification of the characteristics of the affected population and the related factors with the greater severity of the new disease

Objetivo: describir el perfil clínico-epidemiológico y analizar la variable resultado muerte entre los casos notificados de Síndrome Respiratorio Agudo Severo en un hospital federal de Río de Janeiro. Método: estudio descriptivo transversal, basado en datos secundarios de la vigilancia epidemiológica del Área de Epidemiología del Hospital Federal dos Servidores do Estado. Resultados: la notificación del Síndrome Respiratorio Agudo Severo realizada por el Hospital Federal dos Servidores do Estado presentó un perfil de ancianos, con alta prevalencia de comorbilidades. Los factores relacionados a la muerte hospitalaria fueron: grupo de edad de 70 a 79 años, sexo masculino, presencia de disnea, dificultad respiratoria, saturación <95%, enfermedad cardíaca, enfermedad renal, enfermedad neurológica, enfermedad pulmonar, neoplasias, uso de soporte ventilatorio invasivo. Conclusión: la vigilancia epidemiológica juega un papel fundamental, no solo en la notificación, investigación y cierre de casos, sino también en la identificación de las características de la población afectada y los factores relacionados a la mayor gravedad de la nueva enfermedad

[Reliability of the final dengue diagnosis in the epidemic occurring in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2001-2002]. / Confiabilidade do diagnóstico final de dengue na epidemia 2001-2002 no Município do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

This study analyzed the reliability of the final diagnosis in the 155,242 dengue reports during the 2001-2002 epidemic in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, using the official information system on communicable diseases (SINAN). The system allows the following options for the final diagnosis: classic dengue, dengue hemorrhagic fever, discarded, inconclusive, and unknown. We built a classification routine in Epi Info to compare the final diagnosis from SINAN with Ministry of Health criteria. According to the final diagnosis, the case breakdown was: 52.4% classic dengue; 0.6% dengue hemorrhagic fever; 0.9% discarded; 46% inconclusive and unknown. The revised diagnosis showed that 78% of classic dengue, 69% of dengue hemorrhagic fever, and 21.1% of discarded cases met the classification criteria. Although the reliability of the SINAN final diagnosis was generally satisfactory (kappa = 0.681; 95%CI: 0.685-0.677), it was worse for fatal cases (kappa = 0.152; 95%CI: 0.046-0.258). Considering the epidemic's magnitude, the final diagnosis of classic dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever was satisfactory, but the high proportion of inconclusive or unknown cases and the poor quality of information for fatal cases limit the usefulness of SINAN in this context.

COVID-19: estudo seccional de casos suspeitos internados em um hospital federal do Rio de Janeiro e fatores associados ao óbito hospitalar / COVID-19: estudio seccional de casos sospechosos ingresados a un hospital federal de Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, y factores asociados a óbito hospitalario / COVID-19: a cross-sectional study of suspected cases admitted to a federal hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and factors associated with hospital death

Objetivo: Descrever o perfil clínico-epidemiológico dos casos suspeitos de COVID-19 internados em hospital federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil, e identificar fatores associados ao óbito. Métodos: Estudo seccional, utilizando dados da vigilância epidemiológica local até a Semana Epidemiológica 27 de 2020. Empregou-se regressão logística. Resultados: Foram incluídos 376 casos internados suspeitos de COVID-19, dos quais 52,9% eram mulheres, 57,4% tinham 50 anos ou mais de idade e 80,1% exibiam comorbidades. Foram confirmados para COVID-19 195 casos (51,9%), cuja letalidade (37,9%) foi maior, comparada à dos descartados (24,2%). Na análise ajustada, associaram-se ao óbito, nos casos confirmados, ter 50 a 69 (OR=11,65 - IC95% 1,69;80,33) e 70 ou mais anos (OR=8,43 - IC95% 1,22;58,14), apresentar neoplasia (OR=4,34 - IC95% 1,28;14,76) e usar suporte ventilatório invasivo (OR=70,20 - IC95% 19,09;258,19). Conclusão: Houve elevada prevalência de comorbidades e letalidade; os principais fatores associados ao óbito foram idade, presença de neoplasia e suporte ventilatório invasivo.

Objetivo: Describir el perfil clínico-epidemiológico de casos sospechosos de COVID-19 ingresados en hospital federal de Río de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil, y factores asociados al óbito. Métodos: Estudio transversal utilizando datos de la vigilancia epidemiológica local de casos sospechosos hospitalizados hasta la Semana Epidemiológica 27 de 2020 y regresión logística. Resultados: Se incluyeron 376 casos, de los cuales 52,9% era de mujeres, 57,4% tenía 50 años o más, 80,1% tenía comorbilidades. Se confirmó para COVID-19 un 51,9% . Los casos confirmados tuvieron una mayor letalidad (37,9%) que los descartados (24,2%). La mortalidad ajustada en los confirmados fue mayor en los grupos de edad de 50 a 69 años (OR=11,65 - IC95% 1,69; 80,33), 70 años o más (OR=8,43 - IC95% 1,22;58,14), con neoplasia (OR=4,34 - IC95% 1,28;14,76) y uso de soporte ventilatorio invasivo (OR=70,20 - IC95% 19,09;258,19). Conclusión: La mayor mortalidad se asoció con personas de edad avanzada, con neoplasias y uso de soporte ventilatorio invasivo.

Objective: To describe the clinical and epidemiological profile of suspected COVID-19 cases admitted to a federal hospital in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, and to identify factors associated with death. Methods:This was a cross-sectional study using local epidemiological surveillance data as at epidemiological week 27 of 2020 and logistic regression. Results: 376 hospitalized suspected COVID-19 cases were included; 52.9% were female, 57.4% were 50 years old or over and 80.1% had comorbidities. 195 (51.9%) COVID-19 cases were confirmed and their lethality was higher (37.9%) than among discarded cases (24.2%). In the adjusted analysis, death among confirmed cases was associated with being in the 50-69 age group (OR=11.65 - 95%CI 1.69;80.33), being aged 70 or over (OR=8.43 - 95%CI 1.22;58.14), presence of neoplasms (OR=4.34 - 95%CI 1.28;14.76) and use of invasive ventilatory support (OR=70.20 - 95%CI 19.09;258.19). Conclusion: High prevalence of comorbidities and lethality was found; the main factors associated with death were being older, neoplasms and invasive ventilatory support.

Zika Virus Causing Encephalomyelitis Associated With Immunoactivation.

Brazil has experienced a Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak with increased incidence of congenital malformations and neurological manifestations. We describe a case of a 26-year-old Brazilian Caucasian man infected with ZIKV and diagnosed with encephalomyelitis. Brain and spinal cord images showed hyperintense lesions on T2 and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), and levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the cerebrospinal fluid showed a remarkable increase of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8. The observed pattern suggests immune activation during the acute phase, along with the neurological impairment, with normalization in the recovery phase. This is the first longitudinal report of ZIKV infection causing encephalomyelitis with documented immune activation.

Identification and characterisation of SARS-CoV-2 and Human alphaherpesvirus 1 from a productive coinfection in a fatal COVID-19 case

BACKGROUND During routine Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis, an unusually high viral load was detected by reverse transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in a nasopharyngeal swab sample collected from a patient with respiratory and neurological symptoms who rapidly succumbed to the disease. Therefore we sought to characterise the infection. OBJECTIVES We aimed to determine and characterise the etiological agent responsible for the poor outcome. METHODS Classical virological methods, such as plaque assay and plaque reduction neutralisation test combined with amplicon-based sequencing, as well as a viral metagenomic approach, were performed to characterise the etiological agents of the infection. FINDINGS Plaque assay revealed two distinct plaque phenotypes, suggesting either the presence of two severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) strains or a productive coinfection of two different species of virus. Amplicon-based sequencing did not support the presence of any SARS-CoV-2 genetic variants that would explain the high viral load and suggested the presence of a single SARS-CoV-2 strain. Nonetheless, the viral metagenomic analysis revealed that Coronaviridae and Herpesviridae were the predominant virus families within the sample. This finding was confirmed by a plaque reduction neutralisation test and PCR. MAIN CONCLUSIONS We characterised a productive coinfection of SARS-CoV-2 and Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) in a patient with severe symptoms that succumbed to the disease. Although we cannot establish the causal relationship between the coinfection and the severity of the clinical case, this work serves as a warning for future studies focused on the interplay between SARS-CoV-2 and HSV-1 coinfection and COVID-19 severity.

[Hospital admissions forms versus medical records to assess risk of in-hospital death from acute myocardial infarction in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil]. / AIH versus prontuário médico no estudo do risco de óbito hospitalar no infarto agudo do miocárdio no Município do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

The objective of this study was to analyze the usefulness of the Brazilian Hospital Information System (SIH) in comparison to medical records to study factors associated with in-hospital mortality due to acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We evaluated a stratified random sample of 391 medical records (out of 1,936 hospital admissions forms) with AMI as the primary diagnosis in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Factors associated with in-hospital death were studied through logistic modeling. Models were developed directly from the SIH and from medical records. ROC curves were constructed to allow comparison of the different models. We found an AMI diagnostic confirmation = 91.7% and hospital mortality = 20.6%. The logistic model derived from medical records produced the best fit (concordance = 90.1%). Although the SIH model had a worse fit (concordance = 70.6%), the correction of keying-in and information errors using data from medical records did not significantly modify its performance. Under-recording of secondary diagnosis was high in the SIH forms and was the main limiting factor.

Spatial distribution and socioeconomic context of tuberculosis in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the spatial distribution of risk for tuberculosis and its socioeconomic determinants in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. METHODS An ecological study on the association between the mean incidence rate of tuberculosis from 2004 to 2006 and socioeconomic indicators of the Censo Demográfico (Demographic Census) of 2000. The unit of analysis was the home district registered in the Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação (Notifiable Diseases Information System) of Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil. The rates were standardized by sex and age group, and smoothed by the empirical Bayes method. Spatial autocorrelation was evaluated by Moran's I. Multiple linear regression models were studied and the appropriateness of incorporating the spatial component in modeling was evaluated. RESULTS We observed a higher risk of the disease in some neighborhoods of the port and north regions, as well as a high incidence in the slums of Rocinha and Vidigal, in the south region, and Cidade de Deus, in the west. The final model identified a positive association for the variables: percentage of permanent private households in which the head of the house earns three to five minimum wages; percentage of individual residents in the neighborhood; and percentage of people living in homes with more than two people per bedroom. CONCLUSIONS The spatial analysis identified areas of risk of tuberculosis incidence in the neighborhoods of the city of Rio de Janeiro and also found spatial dependence for the incidence of tuberculosis and some socioeconomic variables. However, the inclusion of the space component in the final model was not required during the modeling process.

[Supratentorial low grade glioma in adults: an experience with 23 surgical cases]. / Glioma supratentorial de baixo grau em adulto: experiência com 23 pacientes operados.

Low-grade supratentorial astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas in adults are uncommon tumors of the central nervous system. We analyzed retrospectively 23 patients with this type of neoplasia, who were operated on between 1986 and 2002. There were no post-operative deaths. The survival rate at 5 and 10 years post-surgery for the entire sample was 67 and 30% respectively, similar to other outcomes. With 14 patients we achieved a complete removal of the lesion (60.8%) and with 9 (39.2%) partial removal of the tumor. In the sub-group which underwent total resection of the tumor, 89% survived 5 years and 45% attained 10 years of survival, in contrast with the sub-group that underwent partial removal in which only 35% attained 5 years of survival and none 10 years. Due to the deleterious effects of radiation therapy, we preferred to prescribe it only in cases of tumor recurrence.