Exposure to Treponema pallidum Infection among Adolescent and Young Adult Women in Roraima, Amazon Region of Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Syphilis is a chronic infectious disease, and its prevalence has been described since the 15th century. Because of the high prevalence of this infection in Brazil, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of syphilis and its associated factors among adolescent and young women living in the city of Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil. METHODS: The present study was cross-sectional, descriptive, analytical and quantitative. It involved 200 young and adolescent women. Laboratory tests were performed to diagnose syphilis, and a sociodemographic and epidemiological questionnaire was employed. RESULTS: In the studied sample, 10 women had a positive result for syphilis, characterizing a prevalence of 5% for infection with Treponema pallidum. There was a statistically significant association between a monthly family income of less than 1 minimum wage and syphilis (p = 0.0449) and between illicit drug use and syphilis (p = 0.0234). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate the need for public health interventions, action plans, and the implementation of risk reduction strategies focused on this population.

Prevalence and Molecular Epidemiology of Human T-Lymphotropic Virus (HTLV) Infection in People Living With HIV/AIDS in the Pará State, Amazon Region of Brazil.

The human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) is part of the group of retroviruses that share similar routes of transmission to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Coinfection of these viruses can affect the clinical course of both infections, and reports have shown a quicker progression to AIDS and the development of HIV-related opportunistic infections. The current study investigated the demographic characteristics, prevalence, and the subtypes of HTLV among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in the State of Pará, Northern Brazil. Blood samples were obtained from patients who were attending a reference unit that provides medical assistance to HIV-infected individuals in the State of Pará, Brazil, during the period of May 2016 to June 2017. Plasma samples were screened by ELISA tests to detect antibodies anti-HTLV-1/2. DNA and viral types were identified by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). All samples with viral DNA were submitted to nested PCR and nucleotide sequencing. The overall coinfection rate was 1.4% (5/368), and all samples were from subtype HTLV-1a. No cases of HTLV-2 infection were detected. The prevalence of HTLV-1 was higher in females (80%), individuals between 31 and 50 years of age, heterosexual, unmarried, with low monthly income, with secondary educational level or higher, sporadic condom usage, limited number of sexual partners, and no history of sexually transmitted infections. All samples from HTLV-1-infected patients were identified as strains belonging to the subtype 1a (Cosmopolitan), subgroup A (Transcontinental). This study identified that the prevalence of HIV/HTLV coinfection has dropped from 8 to 1.3% in the current investigation. There was a shift of HTLV subtype from a predominance of HTLV-2 infection in the past to an actual exclusively HTLV-1a. There was no significant association between economic, sociodemographic, and behavioral characteristics in HIV/HTLV coinfection.

Door-to-balloon Time in Cardiovascular Emergency Care in a Hospital of Northern Brazil

Abstract Background The use of an adequate door-to-balloon time (≤ 90 minutes) is crucial in improving the quality of care provided to patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Objective To determine the door-to-balloon time in the management of STEMI patients in a cardiovascular emergency department in a hospital of northern Brazil. Methods This was a cross-sectional study based on review of medical records. A total of 109 patients with STEMI admitted to the emergency department of a referral cardiology hospital in Pará State, Brazil, between May 2017 and December 2017. Correlations of the door-to-balloon time with length of hospital stay and mortality rate were assessed, as well as whether the time components of the door-to-balloon time affected the delay in performing primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Quantitative variables were analyzed by Spearman correlation and the G test was used for categorical variables. A p<0.05 was set as statistically significant. Results Median door-to-balloon time was 104 minutes. No significant correlation was found between door-to-balloon time and length of hospital stay or deaths, but significant correlations were found between door-to-balloon time and door-to-ECG time (p<0.001) and ECG-to-activation (of an interventional cardiologist) time (p<0.001). Conclusion The door-to-balloon time was longer the recommended and was not correlated with the length of hospital stay or in-hospital mortality. Door-to-ECG time and ECG-to-activation time contributed to the delay in performing the primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Int J Cardiovasc Sci. 2020; [online].ahead print, PP.0-0

O álcool dentro dos agravos em urgências e emergências: um estudo de representações sociais / The aggravations in health services of urgencies and emergencies having alcohol as the leading cause: a study of social representations / El alcohol dentro de trastornos en urgencies y de emergencia. un estudio de representación social

Objetivo: Compreender as representações sociais dos usuários de álcool e suas complicações para os agravos dentro das urgências e emergências. Métodos: Estudo do tipo descritivo, com abordagem qualitativa, utilizando o aporte das Representações Sociais de Moscovici para compreender as representações acerca das urgências e emergências traumáticas relacionadas ao uso abusivo do álcool. Resultados: Foram identificados três núcleos direcionadores: impressões e experiências quanto ao uso do álcool, representações quanto as consequências e/ou agravos do acidente e representações quanto a visão da família. Conclusão: As falas dos participantes revelam um grande sofrimento das famílias e usuários devido ao consumo e ao abuso de bebida alcoólica, aonde este estudo visou contribuir para o conhecimento frente ao comportamento das pessoas que fazem o uso do álcool com frequência, auxiliando no seu enfrentamento e na prevenção de agravos

Objetivo: Comprender las representaciones sociales de los usuarios de alcohol y sus complicaciones a las quejas dentro de las urgencias y emergencias. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo, con enfoque cualitativo, mediante la aportación de las representaciones sociales de Moscovici comprender las representaciones sobre las emergencias de emergencia y traumáticos relacionados con el abuso de alcohol. Resultados: Se identificaron tres conductores principales: impresiones y experiencias en relación con el uso del alcohol, las representaciones sobre las consecuencias y / o lesiones del accidente y representaciones como la visualización de la familia. Conclusión: Los discursos de los participantes revelan un gran sufrimiento de las familias y los usuarios debido al consumo y abuso de alcohol, donde tuvo el propósito de contribuir al conocimiento contra el comportamiento de las personas que consumen alcohol con frecuencia, ayudando en su superación y la prevención de enfermedades

Objective: The study's purpose has been to gain further understanding with regards to the social representations of alcohol users, and also to assess its complications within the health services of urgencies and emergencies. Methods: This is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach, which used the Moscovici's Social Representations in order to understand the representations about urgencies and traumatic emergencies related to alcohol abuse. Results: Based on the findings, the following three support meaning centers were identified: impressions and experiences with regards to alcohol intake; representations related to either the consequences or aggravations of the accident; and, representations by considering the family viewpoint. Conclusions: The participants' statements reveal a pronounced suffering of both the families and users due to the consumption and the abuse of alcoholic beverages. This study aimed to contribute towards improving the scientific knowledge about people's behavior, particularly, those who use alcohol regularly. Therefore, through this research, the health professionals may find a solid scientific support to helping them to stand against this issue, as well as preventing people's health aggravations