Comparative Study of Colorimetric In Situ Hybridization and Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction for Diagnosis of Infection by Leishmania infantum in Dogs in Formalin-Fixed and Paraffin-Embedded Skin.

The zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis is caused by the protozoan Leishmania infantum and dogs are reservoirs for this parasite. For the diagnosis of Leishmania at the species level in dogs in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded skin (FFPES) samples, colorimetric in situ hybridization (CISH) and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) are options, but their sensitivities are not well established. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the sensitivity of these two techniques in FFPES for the diagnosis of the L. infantum infection in dogs using culture as the reference standard. The FFPES of 48 dogs with cutaneous infection by L. infantum confirmed by culture and by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis were examined by CISH and qPCR using specific probes for L. infantum. The sensitivities of qPCR, CISH and their combination were, respectively, 77.0%, 58.0% and 83.3%. The sensitivities of qPCR in dogs with and without clinical signs were, respectively, 74.2% and 82.4%. The sensitivities of CISH in dogs with and without clinical signs were, respectively, 61.3% and 52.9%. The CISH and qPCR showed satisfactory sensitivities for the diagnosis of L. infantum in the FFPES of dogs, even in dogs without clinical signs, and their combination increases the sensitivity for this diagnosis.

Viral shedding of SARS-CoV-2 in body fluids associated with sexual activity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To identify and summarise the evidence on the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA detection and persistence in body fluids associated with sexual activity (saliva, semen, vaginal secretion, urine and faeces/rectal secretion). ELIGIBILITY: All studies that reported detection of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva, semen, vaginal secretion, urine and faeces/rectal swabs. INFORMATION SOURCES: The WHO COVID-19 database from inception to 20 April 2022. RISK OF BIAS ASSESSMENT: The National Institutes of Health tools. SYNTHESIS OF RESULTS: The proportion of patients with positive results for SARS-CoV-2 and the proportion of patients with a viral duration/persistence of at least 14 days in each fluid was calculated using fixed or random effects models. INCLUDED STUDIES: A total of 182 studies with 10 023 participants. RESULTS: The combined proportion of individuals with detection of SARS-CoV-2 was 82.6% (95% CI: 68.8% to 91.0%) in saliva, 1.6% (95% CI: 0.9% to 2.6%) in semen, 2.7% (95% CI: 1.8% to 4.0%) in vaginal secretion, 3.8% (95% CI: 1.9% to 7.6%) in urine and 31.8% (95% CI: 26.4% to 37.7%) in faeces/rectal swabs. The maximum viral persistence for faeces/rectal secretions was 210 days, followed by semen 121 days, saliva 112 days, urine 77 days and vaginal secretions 13 days. Culturable SARS-CoV-2 was positive for saliva and faeces. LIMITATIONS: Scarcity of longitudinal studies with follow-up until negative results. INTERPRETATION: SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in all fluids associated with sexual activity but was rare in semen and vaginal secretions. Ongoing droplet precautions and awareness of the potential risk of contact with faecal matter/rectal mucosa are needed. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020204741.

A Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Itraconazole and a Combination Therapy with Itraconazole and Potassium Iodide for the Treatment of Feline Sporotrichosis.

Feline sporotrichosis is an endemic disease with high occurrence in Brazil. Itraconazole (ITZ) remains the drug of choice for treating this disease in cats, despite the increasing reports of therapeutic failure. A controlled, randomized clinical trial was performed on 166 naive cats with sporotrichosis to assess the effectiveness and safety of the combination therapy with ITZ and potassium iodide (KI) compared with ITZ monotherapy. Cats were randomly allocated into two treatment groups: G1-ITZ 100 mg/cat/day-and G2-ITZ 100 mg/cat/day + KI 2.5-20 mg/kg/day. Cats treated in G2 presented 77% more risk of reaching a clinical cure (a positive effect) than those treated in G1, even when controlled by negative predictors. The survival curves of the two treatment protocols indicate that a clinical cure was achieved faster in G2. An increase in the KI dose was necessary in 28 cats due to the persistence of clinical signs. Adverse reactions were equally frequent in both groups and manageable with a temporary drug suspension and/or a hepatoprotective therapy. The combination therapy was associated with a higher cure rate and a shorter treatment time, suggesting that ITZ+KI arises as a better option for treating feline sporotrichosis and should be considered the first-line treatment, especially in the presence of negative predictors.

Self-reporting of hearing loss and tinnitus in the diagnosis of ototoxicity by meglumine antimoniate in patients treated for American tegumentary Leishmaniasis.

INTRODUCTION: American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis (ATL) treatment is based on pentavalent antimonials (Sb5+), but these drugs have been associated to several adverse effects. Hearing loss and tinnitus during treatment with meglumine antimoniate (MA) have already been reported. This study aimed to describe the usefulness of self-reporting of hearing loss and tinnitus in diagnosing MA-induced ototoxicity. METHODS: A prospective longitudinal study was conducted with 102 patients with parasitological diagnosis of ATL, treated with different MA schemes. The presence of clinical auditory toxicity was defined as the emergence or worsening of self-reporting hearing loss and/or tinnitus during monitoring. Measures of sensitivity, specificity, and the positive and negative predictive value of the patient's self-reporting of hearing loss and tinnitus in relation to the result of the audiometric test (considered the gold standard) were calculated. RESULTS: The age of the evaluated patients ranged from 15 to 81 years, with a median of 41 years, and most were male (73.5%). Seventy-five patients (73.5%) had cutaneous leishmaniasis and 27 (26.5%) mucosal leishmaniasis. Eighty-six patients (84.3%) received intramuscular (IM) treatment and 16 (15.7%) were treated with intralesional MA. During treatment, 18 (17,6%) had tinnitus and 7 (6,9%) had complaint of hearing loss. 53 (52%) patients had cochlear toxicity confirmed by tone threshold audiometry and high frequency audiometry, from which 60% received a dose of 20 mg Sb5+/kg/day (p = 0.015) and 96.2% were treated with IM MA (p = 0.001). Tinnitus has greater specificity and positive predictive value than hearing loss, with a low number of false positives, but with a high false negative value. CONCLUSION: Although the large number of false negatives suggests that self-report of hearing loss or tinnitus cannot be considered a good screening test for referring the patient to an audiometry, the low number of false positives suggests the need to value the patient's complaint for referral. Otherwise, this study reinforces the importance of audiological monitoring during treatment with MA, especially in those patients with self-reporting of hearing loss or tinnitus when treated with 20 mg Sb5+/kg/day via IM.

Correction: Frequency of co-seropositivities for certain pathogens and their relationship with clinical and histopathological changes and parasite load in dogs infected with Leishmania infantum.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247560.].

Sporotrichosis in Older Adults: A Cohort Study of 911 Patients from a Hyperendemic Area of Zoonotic Transmission in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Generally, older people tend to suffer from more severe infections than younger adults. In addition, there are accumulations of comorbidities and immune senescence in some cases. This cohort study evaluated the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of older adults (≥60 years old) with sporotrichosis. The cohort consisted of 911 patients with a median age of 67 years, most of whom were female (72.6%), white (62.1%), and afflicted with comorbidities (64.5%). The lymphocutaneous form occurred in 62% of the patients, followed by the fixed form (25.7%), cutaneous disseminated form (8.9%), and extracutaneous/disseminated forms (3.3%). In this study, we draw attention to the frequency of osteoarticular involvement (2.1%) secondary to skin lesions such as osteomyelitis and/or tenosynovitis. A clinical cure was achieved in 87.3% of cases. Itraconazole was used in 81.1% of cases, while terbinafine was used in 22.7% of cases, usually in low doses. Survival analysis showed that the median treatment time was 119 days, and the multiple Cox model demonstrated that the presentation of a black coloration and diabetes was associated with a longer treatment time required to establish a cure. Therefore, these subgroups should be monitored more closely to reduce possible difficulties during treatment. It would be interesting to conduct more studies analyzing older adults with sporotrichosis from different geographic areas to better comprehend the disease in this group.

Social inequalities in the temporal trend of mortality from sickle cell disease in Brazil, 1996-2019.

Contrary to international trends, the mortality rate of sickle cell disease increased in Brazil after the implementation of the neonatal screening program, probably due to improving access to diagnosis. This study aimed to assess differences in the temporal trend of the mortality rate and median age at death from sickle cell disease in Brazil, considering implemented measures to expand diagnosis, and improve health care access in-country and in the international scenario. Time series were extracted from the Brazilian Mortality Information System from 1996 to 2019. Changes in the mortality rate and median age at death were verified via segmented regression models, which were stratified by sex, region of residence, and age. Most deaths occurred in non-white people, young adults, and the Southeast and Northeast population. Sickle cell disease mortality rate increased until 2010 (13.31%; 95%CI: 6.37; 20.70), particularly in individuals aged 30 years or more (12.78%; 95%CI: 2.98; 23.53) and in the Northeast (12.27%; 95%CI: 8.92; 15.72). Most deaths occurred in the second decade of life (3.01 deaths/million), with a 59% increase in the median age of death in Brazil, from 27.6 to 30.3 years, more pronounced in females and the North Region. The observed gain in the survival of sickle cell disease in Brazil is still much lower than in developed countries and presents regional disparities, probably due to the lack of access to health care and recent treatments, such as hydroxyurea, still restricted to hematological referral centers in Brazilian capitals.

Development and validation of a clinical rule for the diagnosis of chikungunya fever in a dengue-endemic area.

Rio de Janeiro is a dengue-endemic city that experienced Zika and chikungunya epidemics between 2015 and 2019. Differential diagnosis is crucial for indicating adequate treatment and assessing prognosis and risk of death. This study aims to derive and validate a clinical rule for diagnosing chikungunya based on 3,214 suspected cases consecutively treated at primary and secondary health units of the sentinel surveillance system (up to 7 days from onset of symptoms) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Of the total sample, 624 were chikungunya, 88 Zika, 51 dengue, and 2,451 were negative for all these arboviruses according to real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The derived rule included fever (1 point), exanthema (1 point), myalgia (2 points), arthralgia or arthritis (2 points), and joint edema (2 points), providing an AUC (area under the receiver operator curve) = 0.695 (95% CI: 0.662-0.725). Scores of 4 points or more (validation sample) showed 74.3% sensitivity (69.0% - 79.2%) and 51.5% specificity (48.8% - 54.3%). Adding more symptoms improved the specificity at the expense of a lower sensitivity compared to definitions proposed by government agencies based on fever alone (European Center for Disease Control) or in combination with arthralgia (World Health Organization) or arthritis (Pan American Health Organization, Brazilian Ministry of Health). The proposed clinical rule offers a rapid, low-cost, easy-to-apply strategy to differentiate chikungunya fever from other arbovirus infections during epidemics.

Ophthalmological Findings in Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infection Examined at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases - INI/Fiocruz.

PURPOSE: To describe the clinical characteristics, severity, and ophthalmological changes in SARS-CoV-2 patients through ophthalmological examinations performed at the reference center of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Brazil. METHODS: This cross-sectional study assessed the examination results of SARS-CoV-2 patients from July 2020 to November 2020. In total, 150 patients were included and allocated into three groups of 50 patients depending on the disease severity. Group 1 patients were in the intensive care unit (ICU), group 2 patients were in the semi-ICU, and group 3 patients were outpatients. RESULTS: Ten (6.7%) patients exhibited ophthalmological changes; five (10%), four (8%), and one (2%) patients in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Ophthalmological findings included candle flame hemorrhage and cotton wool exudates. We analyzed the general characteristics of the 10 patients with ophthalmological changes. Nine were hospitalized and one was seen on an outpatient basis. CONCLUSION: We observed ophthalmic changes in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, despite the absence of any clinical or laboratory risk factors indicative of such changes.

Social inequalities in the temporal trend of mortality from sickle cell disease in Brazil, 1996-2019 / Desigualdades sociais na tendência temporal de mortalidade por doença falciforme no Brasil, 1996-2019 / Desigualdades sociales en la tendencia temporal de la mortalidad por enfermedad de células falciformes en Brasil, 1996-2019

Contrary to international trends, the mortality rate of sickle cell disease increased in Brazil after the implementation of the neonatal screening program, probably due to improving access to diagnosis. This study aimed to assess differences in the temporal trend of the mortality rate and median age at death from sickle cell disease in Brazil, considering implemented measures to expand diagnosis, and improve health care access in-country and in the international scenario. Time series were extracted from the Brazilian Mortality Information System from 1996 to 2019. Changes in the mortality rate and median age at death were verified via segmented regression models, which were stratified by sex, region of residence, and age. Most deaths occurred in non-white people, young adults, and the Southeast and Northeast population. Sickle cell disease mortality rate increased until 2010 (13.31%; 95%CI: 6.37; 20.70), particularly in individuals aged 30 years or more (12.78%; 95%CI: 2.98; 23.53) and in the Northeast (12.27%; 95%CI: 8.92; 15.72). Most deaths occurred in the second decade of life (3.01 deaths/million), with a 59% increase in the median age of death in Brazil, from 27.6 to 30.3 years, more pronounced in females and the North Region. The observed gain in the survival of sickle cell disease in Brazil is still much lower than in developed countries and presents regional disparities, probably due to the lack of access to health care and recent treatments, such as hydroxyurea, still restricted to hematological referral centers in Brazilian capitals.

Ao contrário dos estudos internacionais, houve um aumento da taxa de mortalidade por doença falciforme no Brasil após a implantação do programa de triagem neonatal, provavelmente devido à melhoria do acesso ao diagnóstico. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar as diferenças na tendência temporal da taxa de mortalidade por doença falciforme e idade mediana ao morrer no Brasil, considerando as medidas implementadas para ampliar o diagnóstico e melhorar o acesso à saúde no país e no cenário internacional. As séries temporais foram extraídas do Sistema de Informação sobre Mortalidade de 1996 a 2019. Mudanças na magnitude da taxa de mortalidade e na idade mediana ao morrer foram verificadas via modelos de regressão segmentada, estratificados por sexo, região de residência e idade. A maioria dos óbitos ocorreu entre jovens, pretos ou pardos, e habitantes das regiões Sudeste e Nordeste. Houve um aumento da taxa de mortalidade por doença falciforme até 2010 (13,31%; IC95%: 6,37; 20,70), especialmente em indivíduos com 30 anos ou mais (12,78%; IC95%: 2,98; 23,53) e habitantes do Nordeste (12,27%; IC95%: 8,92; 15,72). A maioria dos óbitos ocorreu durante a segunda década de vida (3,01 óbitos/milhão), com um aumento de 59% na idade mediana ao morrer no Brasil (de 27,6 para 30,3 anos), mais acentuada entre mulheres e na Região Norte. O aumento observado na sobrevivência da doença falciforme no Brasil ainda é muito menor do que em países desenvolvidos e com disparidades regionais, provavelmente pela falta de acesso aos serviços de saúde e aos tratamentos recentes, como a hidroxiureia, que ainda é restrita aos centros de referência hematológicos das capitais brasileiras.

A diferencia de los estudios internacionales, en Brasil se produjo un aumento de la tasa de mortalidad por enfermedad de células falciformes tras la implantación del programa de tamizaje neonatal, probablemente debido a la mejora del acceso al diagnóstico. El objetivo del estudio es determinar las diferencias en la tendencia temporal de la tasa de mortalidad y la edad media de muerte por enfermedad de células falciformes en Brasil, teniendo en cuenta las medidas implementadas para ampliar el diagnóstico y mejorar el acceso a la atención sanitaria en el país y en el escenario internacional. Las series temporales fueron extraídas del Sistema de Información sobre de Mortalidad de 1996 a 2019. Los cambios en la magnitud de la tasa de mortalidad y la edad media de la muerte se identificaron con modelos de regresión segmentados, estratificados por sexo, región de residencia y edad. La mayoría de las muertes ocurrieron en personas de color, adultos jóvenes y los habitantes del sureste y noreste. Hubo un aumento de la tasa de mortalidad por enfermedad de células falciformes hasta 2010 (13,31%; IC95%: 6,37; 20,70), sobre todo en individuos de 30 años o más (12,78%; IC95%: 2,98; 23,53) y en el Noreste (12,27%; IC95%: 8,92; 15,72). La mayoría de las muertes ocurrió en la segunda década de la vida (3,01 muertes/millón), con un aumento del 59% en la edad media de muerte en Brasil, de 27,6 a 30,3 años, más pronunciado en las mujeres y en el Norte. La ganancia observada en la supervivencia de la enfermedad de células falciformes en Brasil es todavía muy inferior a la de los países desarrollados y con disparidades regionales, probablemente debido a la falta de acceso a la asistencia sanitaria y a los tratamientos recientes, como la hidroxiurea, todavía restringidos a los centros de referencia hematológica de las capitales brasileñas.

Comparison between Colorimetric In Situ Hybridization, Histopathology, and Immunohistochemistry for the Diagnosis of New World Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Human Skin Samples.

New world cutaneous leishmaniasis (NWCL) is an anthropozoonosis caused by different species of the protozoan Leishmania. Colorimetric in situ hybridization (CISH) was shown to satisfactorily detect amastigote forms of Leishmania spp. in animal tissues, yet it was not tested for the diagnosis of human NWCL. The aim of this study was to compare CISH, histopathology (HP), and immunohistochemistry (IHC) techniques to diagnose NWCL in human cutaneous lesions. The sample comprised fifty formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded skin biopsy specimens from patients with NWCL caused by L. (V.) braziliensis. These specimens were analyzed by CISH, using a generic probe for Leishmania, IHC, and HP to assess the sensitivity of these methods by using a parasitological culture as a standard reference. Additional specimens from three patients diagnosed with cutaneous mycoses were also included to evaluate cross-reactions between CISH and IHC. The sensitivities of IHC, CISH, and HP for detecting amastigotes was 66%, 54%, and 50%, respectively. IHC, unlike CISH, cross-reacted with different species of fungi. Together, these results demonstrate that CISH may be a complementary assay for the detection of amastigote in the laboratorial diagnosis routine of human NWCL caused by L. (V.) braziliensis.

Prevalence of children with special healthcare needs: An epidemiological survey in Brazil.

PURPOSE: We aimed to estimate the prevalence and delineate the profile of children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN) in the three municipalities of Brazil's southern and southeastern regions from 2015 to 2017. DESIGN AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 6853 children aged 0-11 years. Participants were selected through complex sampling in 32 primary healthcare units. The Brazilian version of the Children with Special Healthcare Needs Screener© and a questionnaire were used to identify sociodemographic and family characteristics, health status, and health services utilization. Simple and multiple logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between family and child characteristics and prevalence (P < 0.05). RESULTS: The prevalence of CSHCN was 25.3% (95% confidence interval: 21.0-30.0). Most participants required health services or were on long-term medication for a current chronic condition; approximately 53% of CSHCN had no formally recorded diagnoses. The most frequent health problems were respiratory conditions, asthma, and allergies. Approximately 60% of the CSHCN patients underwent follow-up examinations of the specialties pneumology, pediatrics, otorhinolaryngology, speech therapy, neurology, and psychology. Children of school age, of male sex, with premature birth, with a history of recurrent hospitalization, from non-nuclear families, and from underprivileged social classes were identified as risk factors for classification as CSHCN. PRACTICE IMPLICATION: These results contribute to the unprecedented mapping of these children in healthcare networks in Brazil. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of CSHCN in medium and large municipalities in the southern and southeastern regions was associated with the child's previous health conditions and family structure.

[Adverse childhood experiences, sociodemographic characteristics, and depressive symptoms in adolescents in a municipality in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil]. / Experiências adversas na infância, características sociodemográficas e sintomas de depressão em adolescentes de um município do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

The study aimed to identify patterns in adverse childhood experiences among teenage schoolchildren in a municipality (county) in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, according to sociodemographic characteristics (sex, skin color, and socioeconomic status) and depressive symptoms. It adopted a cross-sectional design with a sample of 1,117 teenage schoolchildren 13 to 19 years of age in São Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro State. Depression was assessed with the Childhood Depression Inventory, and adverse childhood experiences were investigated. The study used bivariate analyses and multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) of adverse childhood experiences, sociodemographic variables (sex, skin color, socioeconomic status), and depressive symptoms. The results reveal the organization of eight groups: lower-income female children and adolescents and adverse childhood experiences related to the environment; boys, with higher socioeconomic status, and not having experienced adverse childhood experiences; adolescents with depressive symptoms and adverse childhood experiences against themselves or their families; white adolescents, with depressive symptoms, and that had not experienced adverse childhood experiences; black, brown, Asian-descendant, and indigenous adolescents that had adverse experiences in the family and community; adolescents that had lost their father and/or mother from death, and lack of food at home; adolescents that had experienced psychological violence; and adolescents with a history of sexual experiences involving their parents. The findings call attention to the need for close and early attention to exposure to adverse childhood experiences to care for these youngsters, intervene, and mitigate the negative effects both at present, over the course of life, and in future generations.

O objetivo foi identificar os padrões das experiências adversas na infância entre adolescentes escolares de um município do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, segundo características sociodemográficas (sexo, cor da pele e estrato socioeconômico) e sintomas depressivos. Caracteriza-se por um desenho transversal com amostra de 1.117 adolescentes escolares de 13 a 19 anos do Município de São Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro. A depressão foi avaliada pelo Inventário de Depressão Infantil e foram investigadas experiências adversas na infância. A análise envolveu análises bivariadas e análise de correspondência múltipla (ACM) das experiências adversas na infância, variáveis sociodemográficas (sexo, cor de pele e estrato socioeconômico) e sintomas depressivos. Os resultados mostram a organização de oito grupos composto por: meninas e adolescentes de estrato social mais baixo e experiências adversas na infância relacionadas ao ambiente; meninos, ser de estrato social mais alto e não ter vivido experiências adversas na infância; adolescentes com sintomas de depressão e experiências adversas na infância dirigidas fisicamente a eles/família; adolescentes de cor de pele branca, sem sintomas de depressão e que não vivenciaram experiências adversas na infância; adolescentes de cor de pele preta/parta/amarela/indígena que vivenciaram experiências adversas na família e na comunidade; adolescentes que perderam pai e mãe por morte, e falta de comida em casa; adolescentes que vivenciaram violência psicológica; e adolescentes que vivenciaram experiências sexuais envolvendo seus pais. Os achados alertam para a necessidade de olhar com atenção e o mais cedo possível para a exposição de experiências adversas na infância de forma a cuidar, intervir e mitigar os efeitos negativos no momento atual, no curso de vida e em gerações futuras.

El objetivo fue identificar los patrones de experiencias adversas en la infancia entre adolescentes escolares de un municipio de Río de Janeiro, Brasil, según las características sociodemográficas (género, color de piel y estrato socioeconómico) y los síntomas depresivos. Se trató de un estudio transversal, realizado con 1.117 adolescentes escolares de entre 13 y 19 años de la ciudad de São Gonçalo, Río de Janeiro. La depresión se evaluó con el Inventario de Depresión Infantil, y se investigaron las experiências adversas na infância. Se realizó un análisis bivariante y un análisis de correspondencias múltiples (ACM) de las experiências adversas na infância, las variables sociodemográficas (género, color de la piel y estrato socioeconómico) y los síntomas depresivos. Los resultados muestran la organización de 8 grupos compuestos por: niñas y adolescentes de bajo estrato social y experiências adversas na infância relacionadas con el entorno; niños de más alto estrato social y que no han experimentado experiências adversas na infância; adolescentes con síntomas de depresión y experiências adversas na infância dirigidas físicamente a ellos/familia; adolescentes de color de la piel blanco, sin síntomas de depresión y que no experimentaron experiências adversas na infância; adolescentes negros/pardos/amarillos/indígenas que han vivido experiencias adversas en la familia y la comunidad; adolescentes que han perdido a sus padres, y la falta de alimentos en el hogar; adolescentes que han sufrido violencia psicológica; y adolescentes que han vivido experiencias sexuales con sus padres. Los hallazgos alertan sobre la necesidad de observar atentamente y lo antes posible la exposición a las experiências adversas na infância para atender, intervenir y mitigar los efectos negativos en el momento actual, en el curso de la vida y en las generaciones futuras.

Sporothrix brasiliensis and Feline Sporotrichosis in the Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (1998-2018).

Feline sporotrichosis is enzootic in different regions of Brazil, especially in Rio de Janeiro. This study compared the genotype profiles of Sporothrix sp. isolated from cats in Rio de Janeiro between 1998 and 2018 and evaluated their association with clinical and epidemiological characteristics. One hundred nineteen Sporothrix sp. isolates from a cohort of cats with sporotrichosis seen at INI/Fiocruz were included. Clinical and epidemiological data were obtained from the medical records of the animals. T3B PCR fingerprinting was used for molecular identification of the Sporothrix species. All isolates were characterized as Sporothrix brasiliensis, with the observation of low intraspecific variation in 31 isolates (31.3%). The interval between lesion onset and first medical visit at INI/Fiocruz, as well as treatment duration until clinical cure, was longer in cats from the first decade of the epizootic. In addition, the frequency of the variables "good general status" and "presence of lymphadenomegaly" was higher among cats whose strains did not exhibit intraspecific variation. So far, S. brasiliensis has been the only species identified in feline cases of sporotrichosis since the beginning of the epizootic in Rio de Janeiro at INI/Fiocruz.

Características de adultos com obesidade grave em tratamento ambulatorial no Rio de Janeiro e fatores associados à perda de peso / Characteristics of adults with severe obesity in clinical treatment in Rio de Janeiro and factors associated with weight loss / Características de adultos con obesidad severa en tratamiento clínico en Rio de Janeiro y factores asociados a la pérdida de peso

Resumo Introdução O tratamento da obesidade grave é pouco estudado no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Objetivo: Descrever clientela, atendimento e fatores associados à perda de peso em Centros de Referência em Obesidade (CRO), na cidade do Rio de Janeiro. Método Coorte retrospectiva baseada em registros de prontuários de 317 indivíduos com obesidade grave atendidos em três CRO-RJ entre 2011 e 2016. Foram descritas frequências e estimados riscos relativos com IC 95% para perda de ≥ 5% do peso inicial aos 6 e 12 meses de tratamento. Resultados Predominaram mulheres (76,3%), negros (69,5%), com média de 44,6 anos (DP 11,9), tratamento prévio para obesidade (62,1%), história familiar de obesidade (42,6%) e 2 ou mais comorbidades (52%). A mediana do IMC inicial foi de 51,5 kg/m2, e a do tempo de tratamento, 10 meses. Somente 14,8% perderam ≥ 5% do peso inicial após 12 meses de tratamento, sendo o risco relativo de perda de peso 78% maior entre indivíduos brancos. Predominaram tratamento dietético e mudanças de hábitos de vida, com baixo uso de medicamentos antiobesidade (14%) e cirurgia bariátrica (3%, sendo 1% no SUS). Conclusão Os resultados do tratamento sugerem necessidade de readequar práticas terapêuticas às indicadas para indivíduos com superobesidade, inclusive maior acesso à cirurgia bariátrica.

Abstract Background There are few studies on severe obesity in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). Objective To describe patients, treatment approaches and factors associated with weight loss at the Obesity Reference Centers (CRO), in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Method Retrospective cohort study based on medical records of 317 patients with severe obesity admitted to three CRO-RJ, between 2011 and 2016. Frequencies were described and relative risks with 95% CI of ≥ 5% loss of body weight at 6 and 12 months of treatment were estimated. Results Patients were mainly black (69.5%), women (76.3%), mean age 44.6 years (SD 11.9), reporting ≥ 2 comorbidities (52%), previous treatment (62.1%) and family history of obesity (42.6%). The initial mean BMI was 51.5 kg/m2; average treatment time was 10 months. 14.8% lost ≥ 5% of the initial weight after 12 months of treatment and the relative risk of weight loss was 78% higher among white patients. Approaches based on diet and changes in lifestyle predominated. 14% used anti-obesity drugs and 3% underwent bariatric surgery (1% in the SUS). Conclusion Treatment results suggest the need to adjust management to follow treatment guidelines for superobesity, including bariatric surgery.

Resumen Introducción El tratamiento de la obesidad severa está poco estudiado en el SUS. Objetivo Describir la clientela, el manejo y los factores asociados con la pérdida de peso en los Centros de Referencia para la Obesidad (CRO), en la ciudad de Río de Janeiro. Método Cohorte retrospectiva basada en registros médicos de 317 individuos con obesidad severa tratados en tres CRO-RJ entre 2011 y 2016. Se describieron las frecuencias y estimaron riesgos relativos con un IC del 95% para la pérdida de ≥ 5% del peso inicial a los 6 y 12 meses de tratamiento. Resultados Predominaron las mujeres (76.3%), negros (69.5%), con una media de 44.6 años (DE 11.9), tratamiento previo (62.1%), antecedentes familiares de obesidad (42.6%) y dos o más comorbilidades (52.0%). La mediana del IMC inicial fue de 51.5 kg/m2 y el tiempo de tratamiento fue de 10 meses. Solo el 14.8% perdió ≥ 5% de su peso inicial después de 12 meses de tratamiento, con un riesgo de pérdida de peso 78% mayor entre los individuos blancos. Predominaron el tratamiento dietético y los cambios en los hábitos de estilo de vida, con un bajo uso de medicamentos contra la obesidad (14%) y cirugía bariátrica (3%, 1% en SUS). Conclusión Los resultados del tratamiento sugieren la necesidad de reajustar las prácticas terapéuticas a las indicadas en la superobesidad, incluido un mayor acceso a la cirugía bariátrica.

Experiências adversas na infância, características sociodemográficas e sintomas de depressão em adolescentes de um município do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil / Adverse childhood experiences, sociodemographic characteristics, and depressive symptoms in adolescents in a municipality in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil / Experiencias adversas en la infancia, características sociodemográficas y síntomas de depresión entre adolescentes de un municipio de Río de Janeiro, Brasil

O objetivo foi identificar os padrões das experiências adversas na infância entre adolescentes escolares de um município do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, segundo características sociodemográficas (sexo, cor da pele e estrato socioeconômico) e sintomas depressivos. Caracteriza-se por um desenho transversal com amostra de 1.117 adolescentes escolares de 13 a 19 anos do Município de São Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro. A depressão foi avaliada pelo Inventário de Depressão Infantil e foram investigadas experiências adversas na infância. A análise envolveu análises bivariadas e análise de correspondência múltipla (ACM) das experiências adversas na infância, variáveis sociodemográficas (sexo, cor de pele e estrato socioeconômico) e sintomas depressivos. Os resultados mostram a organização de oito grupos composto por: meninas e adolescentes de estrato social mais baixo e experiências adversas na infância relacionadas ao ambiente; meninos, ser de estrato social mais alto e não ter vivido experiências adversas na infância; adolescentes com sintomas de depressão e experiências adversas na infância dirigidas fisicamente a eles/família; adolescentes de cor de pele branca, sem sintomas de depressão e que não vivenciaram experiências adversas na infância; adolescentes de cor de pele preta/parta/amarela/indígena que vivenciaram experiências adversas na família e na comunidade; adolescentes que perderam pai e mãe por morte, e falta de comida em casa; adolescentes que vivenciaram violência psicológica; e adolescentes que vivenciaram experiências sexuais envolvendo seus pais. Os achados alertam para a necessidade de olhar com atenção e o mais cedo possível para a exposição de experiências adversas na infância de forma a cuidar, intervir e mitigar os efeitos negativos no momento atual, no curso de vida e em gerações futuras.

The study aimed to identify patterns in adverse childhood experiences among teenage schoolchildren in a municipality (county) in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, according to sociodemographic characteristics (sex, skin color, and socioeconomic status) and depressive symptoms. It adopted a cross-sectional design with a sample of 1,117 teenage schoolchildren 13 to 19 years of age in São Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro State. Depression was assessed with the Childhood Depression Inventory, and adverse childhood experiences were investigated. The study used bivariate analyses and multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) of adverse childhood experiences, sociodemographic variables (sex, skin color, socioeconomic status), and depressive symptoms. The results reveal the organization of eight groups: lower-income female children and adolescents and adverse childhood experiences related to the environment; boys, with higher socioeconomic status, and not having experienced adverse childhood experiences; adolescents with depressive symptoms and adverse childhood experiences against themselves or their families; white adolescents, with depressive symptoms, and that had not experienced adverse childhood experiences; black, brown, Asian-descendant, and indigenous adolescents that had adverse experiences in the family and community; adolescents that had lost their father and/or mother from death, and lack of food at home; adolescents that had experienced psychological violence; and adolescents with a history of sexual experiences involving their parents. The findings call attention to the need for close and early attention to exposure to adverse childhood experiences to care for these youngsters, intervene, and mitigate the negative effects both at present, over the course of life, and in future generations.

El objetivo fue identificar los patrones de experiencias adversas en la infancia entre adolescentes escolares de un municipio de Río de Janeiro, Brasil, según las características sociodemográficas (género, color de piel y estrato socioeconómico) y los síntomas depresivos. Se trató de un estudio transversal, realizado con 1.117 adolescentes escolares de entre 13 y 19 años de la ciudad de São Gonçalo, Río de Janeiro. La depresión se evaluó con el Inventario de Depresión Infantil, y se investigaron las experiências adversas na infância. Se realizó un análisis bivariante y un análisis de correspondencias múltiples (ACM) de las experiências adversas na infância, las variables sociodemográficas (género, color de la piel y estrato socioeconómico) y los síntomas depresivos. Los resultados muestran la organización de 8 grupos compuestos por: niñas y adolescentes de bajo estrato social y experiências adversas na infância relacionadas con el entorno; niños de más alto estrato social y que no han experimentado experiências adversas na infância; adolescentes con síntomas de depresión y experiências adversas na infância dirigidas físicamente a ellos/familia; adolescentes de color de la piel blanco, sin síntomas de depresión y que no experimentaron experiências adversas na infância; adolescentes negros/pardos/amarillos/indígenas que han vivido experiencias adversas en la familia y la comunidad; adolescentes que han perdido a sus padres, y la falta de alimentos en el hogar; adolescentes que han sufrido violencia psicológica; y adolescentes que han vivido experiencias sexuales con sus padres. Los hallazgos alertan sobre la necesidad de observar atentamente y lo antes posible la exposición a las experiências adversas na infância para atender, intervenir y mitigar los efectos negativos en el momento actual, en el curso de la vida y en las generaciones futuras.

An old drug and different ways to treat cutaneous leishmaniasis: Intralesional and intramuscular meglumine antimoniate in a reference center, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) remains challenging since the drugs currently used are quite toxic, thus contributing to lethality unrelated to the disease itself but to adverse events (AE). The main objective was to evaluate different treatment regimens with meglumine antimoniate (MA), in a reference center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. METHODOLOGY: A historical cohort of 592 patients that underwent physical and laboratory examination were enrolled between 2000 and 2017. The outcome measures of effectiveness were epithelialization and complete healing of cutaneous lesions. AE were graded using a standardized scale. Three groups were evaluated: Standard regimen (SR): intramuscular (IM) MA 10-20 mg Sb5+/kg/day during 20 days (n = 46); Alternative regimen (AR): IM MA 5 mg Sb5+/kg/day during 30 days (n = 456); Intralesional route (IL): MA infiltration in the lesion(s) through subcutaneous injections (n = 90). Statistical analysis was performed through Fisher exact and Pearson Chi-square tests, Kruskal-Wallis, Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests. RESULTS: SR, AR and IL showed efficacy of 95.3%, 84.3% and 75.9%, with abandonment rate of 6.5%, 2.4% and 3.4%, respectively. IL patients had more comorbidities (58.9%; p = 0.001), were mostly over 50 years of age (55.6%), and had an evolution time longer than 2 months (65.6%; p = 0.02). Time for epithelialization and complete healing were similar in IL and IM MA groups (p = 0.9 and p = 0.5; respectively). Total AE and moderate to severe AE that frequently led to treatment interruption were more common in SR group, while AR and IL showed less toxicity. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: AR and IL showed less toxicity and may be good options especially in CL cases with comorbidities, although SR treatment was more effective. IL treatment was an effective and safe strategy, and it may be used as first therapy option as well as a rescue scheme in patients initially treated with other drugs.

The effect of risk at birth on breastfeeding duration and exclusivity: A cohort study at a Brazilian referral center for high-risk neonates and infants.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Both breastfeeding and the use of human milk are strategies that provide better conformation to health throughout an individual's life and bring countless short- and long- term benefits, which are well established in the scientific literature. For at-risk newborns (NBs), these strategies are crucial interventions to enable neonatal survival with better quality of life due to the distinctive and complex composition of human milk, which serves as personalized food-medicine-protection. However, there is limited knowledge about breastfeeding practices in high-risk NBs. The aim was to estimate the duration of EBF and to investigate the effect of risk at birth on EBF discontinuity in the first six months of life'. METHODS: This cohort study included 1,003 NBs from a high-risk referral center, followed up from birth to the sixth month of life, between 2017 and 2018. Correspondence and cluster analysis was used to identify neonatal risk clusters as the main exposure. The object of interest was the time until EBF discontinuity. The Kaplan-Meier methods and the Cox proportional hazards model were used to estimate the hazard ratio and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: The prevalence and median duration of EBF decreased proportionally in the three groups. The multiple model revealed a gradient in EBF discontinuity, which was 40% higher in risk group 1 and 111% higher in risk group 2 compared to healthy full-term NBs. Additionally, EBF during hospitalization predicted a longer median duration of this practice for high-risk NBs. CONCLUSION: This study confirms a high proportion of high-risk NBs who have EBF discontinued before six months of life. The risk of EBF discontinuity is higher in risk groups, with a gradual effect even when adjusted by several factors. Effective interventions are needed to promote, protect, and support breastfeeding in different profiles of risk-at-birth groups.

Frequency of detection and load of amastigotes in the pancreas of Leishmania infantum-seropositive dogs: clinical signs and histological changes.

BACKGROUND: Zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis is caused by the protozoan Leishmania infantum and is highly lethal in humans and dogs if left untreated. The frequency of this parasite and associated histological changes in the pancreas of dogs are poorly studied. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to evaluate the frequency of detection and load of amastigotes in the pancreas of L. infantum-seropositive dogs and to identify the clinical signs and histological changes associated with parasitism of this organ. METHODS: One hundred forty-three dogs from an endemic area in Brazil that tested seropositive for L. infantum were studied. The dogs were clinically examined, killed, and necropsied between 2013 and 2014. One fragment of the pancreas was randomly collected for histopathology and immunohistochemistry, and spleen and bone marrow were collected for culture. RESULTS: Leishmania amastigotes were detected in the pancreas of 22 dogs (15.4%) by immunohistochemistry, all exhibiting L. infantum parasitism in the spleen and/or bone marrow. Poor body condition and cachexia were only associated with infection of the pancreas with Leishmania spp. (p = 0.021) and were found in 40.9% of dogs with pancreatic infection. Anorexia, vomiting, and/or diarrhea were observed in 9.2% of dogs with pancreatitis. The median parasite load in the pancreas was 1.4 infected macrophages/mm2. Pancreatic histological changes and their frequencies were: granulomatous pancreatitis (28.0%), lymphoplasmacytic pancreatitis (23.8%), acinar cell degeneration (6.3%), fibrosis (5.6%), hemorrhage (2.1%), eosinophilic pancreatitis (0.7%), suppurative pancreatitis (0.7%), and necrosis (0.7%). CONCLUSIONS: The present results demonstrate that L. infantum is one of the etiological agents of chronic pancreatitis in dogs; however, the frequency of detection and parasite load are low in this organ. The lack of an association of poor body condition and cachexia with pancreatitis and the low frequency of clinical signs commonly associated with pancreatitis suggest that a significant portion of the organ is not affected by this parasite. On the other hand, the association of poor body condition and cachexia with concomitant infection of the pancreas, spleen, and/or bone marrow with this parasite suggests that these manifestations are the result of a more advanced stage of canine visceral leishmaniasis.

Correction: Anemia in tuberculosis cases: A biomarker of severity?

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245458.].