Modulating variables of Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma evansi transmission in free-ranging Coati (Nasua nasua) from the Brazilian Pantanal region.

This is a long-term follow-up of infection by Trypanosoma cruzi (TC) and Trypanosoma evansi (TE) in the free-ranging coatis (Procyonidae: Nasua nasua) from Pantanal region (Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil). We evaluated TC and TE infection by immunofluorescence assay, hemoculture (HC), and microhematocrit centrifuge techniques (MHCT). We also examined coatis health by quantifying hematological parameters including packed cell volume (PCV), white blood cell (WBC) count, and differential leukocyte count. TC isolates thought HC were typed by miniexon gene. Mixed infections by both parasites and the two main lineages of TC (76% TCI, 3% TCII, and 14% TCI/TCII) were observed. Trypanosoma rangeli was also isolated (7%). Overall, seroprevalence of TC and TE infection were 53.5% and 42.0%, respectively. Positive HC (indicating high TC parasitemia) occurred in 34% of seropositive coatis for TC, and positive MHCT (high TE parasitemia) were observed in 36.4% of seropositive coatis for TE. We detected higher prevalence of positive HC in females (72%) than males (43%), and also during the dry season, indicating a seasonal potential of this host species on TC transmission. These features did not occur for TE infection. However, prevalence of TE based on serology and MHCT was higher among adults than subadults. Coatis with positive HC or MHCT displayed a slight decrease in their WBC. In contrast to the animals with positive HC, coatis with positive MHCT displayed a decrease on their PCV. Moreover, concurrent high TC and TE parasitemia caused a larger decrease of PCV values. This study corroborates the importance of coatis in the maintenance of TC and TE transmission cycles in the southern Pantanal and shows a seasonal character of TC transmissibility to its vector by the coati population from the study area.

O processo de construção de mapas de risco em um hospital público / The process of building risk maps in a public hospital

O artigo apresenta uma reflexão sobre a experiência de construção coletiva do mapa de risco em um hospital público, no município do Rio de Janeiro, fundamentada nos conceitos de biossegurança, qualidade total e vigilância em saúde do trabalhador. Partiu da etapa de sensibilização dos trabalhadores e gestores do hospital, da identificação dos riscos, da elaboração do mapa, até a discussão sobre as medidas preventivas e a apresentação dos resultados pelos trabalhadores em centro de estudos. A elaboração do mapa de risco serviu como um processo educativo, que possibilitou socializar conceitos da área de saúde do trabalhador, integrar os trabalhadores, sistematizar o processo de trabalho e refletir sobre a forma de organização do trabalho, gerando desdobramentos práticos sob o ponto de vista da intervenção no ambiente de trabalho.

The paper presents a discussion about the experience of building a risk map by workers in a public hospital, in Rio de Janeiro city, resting on concepts of occupational health surveillance, total quality and biosafety. It goes from the first step to persuade the workers and managers, to identify the potential sources of risk in the work environment, the elaboration of the map, until the discussion about the preventive measures and the presentation of the results by the workers at a scientific meeting in the hospital. The elaboration of the risk map acted as a learning opportunity to socialize concepts in the work health area, to integrate workers, to systematize the work process and to discuss work organization, having practical consequences which have furthered changes in the working environment.