Attraction of the sandfly Lutzomyia longipalpis to possible biomarker compounds from dogs infected with Leishmania infantum.

Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae) is the primary vector of Leishmania infantum (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) in the Americas. Studies have been carried out to identify new alternatives for monitoring and controlling this sandfly species, particularly with the use of chemical baits. The attractiveness of odours emitted by foxes and alcohols found in some plants has already been demonstrated in laboratory tests with Lu. longipalpis. However, no studies have evaluated the responses of these insects to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by dogs. The present study was carried out to investigate the effects on Lu. longipalpis of individual and blends of VOCs identified in hair from dogs infected with L. infantum. Effects in male and female Lu. longipalpis were assessed using wind tunnel methodology. Individual compounds including octanal, nonanal, decanal and heptadecane showed capacity for activating and/or attracting male Lu. longipalpis. Only decanal and nonanal showed effects on females. The combination of octanal, decanal and heptadecane increased activation and attraction behaviour in male sandflies, as did the blend of octanal and decanal. These findings indicate that VOCs emitted by dogs may be an interesting source of new attractants of sandflies.

Risk factors associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among prostitutes and their clients in the city of Santos, São Paulo State, Brazil.

We studied the role of sexual transmission in the epidemiology of HCV by a cross-sectional study comparing prostitutes and HCV seropositive and seronegative sexual clients recruited from the bordellos of the docks of Santos, São Paulo State. The average age in the prostitute group was 27.2 years. The median time spent in prostitution was 3 years. The average number of clients per week was 7. A total of 5.2% of the prostitutes admitted to having used injectable drugs. Nine percent patients said that they had received a blood transfusion and 36.3% claimed to have had a sexually transmissible disease in the past. The prevalence of HCV antibodies was 10.9%. There was a positive and independent relationship between HCV seropositivity and the following variables: use of injectable drugs (OR = 5.2; 95% CI = 2.2 to 12.2), prior blood transfusion (OR = 2.3; 95% CI = 1.08 to 4.9), time spent in prostitution (OR = 2.0; 95% CI = 1.13 to 3.6), and a positive FTA-ABS result (OR = 1.7; 95% CI = 0.95 to 3.0). The risk factors indicating parenteral exposure (use of an injectable drug and prior blood transfusion) presented a stronger relationship with HCV seropositivity. The time spent in prostitution and FTA-ABS positivity, risk factors indicating sexual exposure, also presented a positive relationship with HCV seropositivity, suggesting a significant role for sexual transmission in HCV epidemiology, particularly in groups involved in promiscuous sexual behavior.

[Coronary arteriosclerosis and myocardial infarction in chronic Chagas' disease]. / Aterosclerose coronariana e infarto do miocárdio em chagásicos crônicos.

PURPOSE: To evaluate both the frequency of myocardial infarction and coronary atherosclerosis as well as the pathology of the later in necropsied chronic chagasic individuals. METHODS: Systematized gross and light microscopy were performed in hearts, especially at the three main coronary arteries. Eighty-nine hearts were studied, 35 chronic chagasics and 54 nonchagasics, all from males. Statistical tests were used for frequency analysis. RESULTS: Myocardial infarction occurred in 8.6% chagasics and in 7.4% nonchagasics. Coronary atherosclerosis was detected in 71.4% of chagasics and in 74.1% of nonchagasics. Its morphology was similar for both groups and indistinguishable from the classical descriptions of atherosclerosis. There were no cases showing lesions compatible with accelerated coronary atherosclerosis. CONCLUSION: The frequency of myocardial infarction and coronary atherosclerosis was the same for both chagasics and nonchagasic individuals. The morphological findings for the studied arteriopathy were identical for the two considered groups. However, it seems that the frequency of myocardial infarction is higher in chagasics with normal coronary arteries (with or without minimal atherosclerotic lesions), as compared with nonchagasics.

Second recorded case of human infection by Echinococcus oligarthrus.

The paper reviews a previously published case of hydatid disease in the human heart of a Brazilian person who died of tetanus. Based on present knowledge about the distinguishing characteristics of Echinococcus granulosus, E. vogeli, and E. oligarthrus, it was recognized that the infection was due to E. oligarthrus, mainly based the morphologic features of the hooklets of the protoscolex. This is the second human infection due to E. oligarthrus and the first showing wall features of cysts. Therefore, some human infections of polycystic hydatid disease observed outside the range of the bush dog, the only definitive host of E. vogeli (Panama to Northern Argentina), may be due to E. oligarthrus rather than to E. vogeli.

Gemeos thoracopagus. / Thoracopagus conjoined twins

A gemelidade imperfeita, conhecida pelos leigos como "Gemeos Siameses", e estimada entre 1/50.000 a 1/100.000 de nascimentos e, aproximadamente, 1/600 gemeos vivem. Embora o diagnostico seja frequentemente omitido ate por procedimentos laboratoriais, os gemeos imperfeitos sao, ocasionalmente, diagnosticados antes do nascimento com base nos criterios radiologicos, ultra-sonograficos e, ate mesmo, por fotografia. O objetivo deste trabalho e apresentar um tipo raro de Gemeos Siameses e discutir a historia, incidencia, embriogenese, etiologia, classificacao e modalidade de diagnostico