Resistance determinants of emerging pathogens isolated from an intensive care unit as a parameter of population health conditions of the Legal Amazon microregion.

Bacteria responsible for causing infections are common in hospital environments, water, soil, and food products. The infection risk is intensified by the absence of public sanitation, poor quality of life, and food scarcity. These external factors promote the dissemination of pathogens by direct contamination or biofilm formation. In this work, we identified bacterial isolates obtained from intensive care units in the southern region of Tocantins, Brazil. We compared matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) techniques and 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) molecular analysis; we also performed phenotypic characterization. Fifty-six isolates characterized using morphotinctorial tests were classified as gram-positive (80.4%; n = 45) and gram-negative (19.6%; n = 11) and were resistant to several antibiotic classes; notably, we identified the blaOXA-23 resistance gene in the ILH10 isolate. Microbial identification using MALDI-TOF MS resulted in the identification of Sphingomonas paucimobilis and Bacillus circulans. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed four isolates belonging to the genera Bacillus and Acinetobacter. The similarity was superior to 99% for Acinetobacter schindleri in the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST), grouped in the clade superior to 90%. Several strains isolated from intensive care units (ICU) were resistant to various antibiotic classes. These techniques allowed for the identification of several microorganisms of importance in public health, enabling improvements in human infection control and proving the quality of inputs, food, and water.

Seroprevalence of Chagas disease in Southern Brazilian cardiac patients and their knowledge about the parasitosis and vectors / Soroprevalência da doença de Chagas em pacientes cardíacos do sul do Brasil e seu conhecimento sobre a parasitose e vetores

Abstract Chagas disease (CD) is considered a typical low-income population sickness of the developing countries in Latin America. Given the historical relevance of CD in individuals in southern Rio Grande do Sul (RS) State, Brazil, the aim of this study was to identify the knowledge of the CD and its vectors by cardiac patients, and the prevalence of anti-T cruzi antibodies in these individuals in Pelotas, city located in Rio Grande do Sul (RS) state, Brazil. The subjects with cardiac disease were submitted to a semi-structured questionnaire as well as two serological tests in order to detect anti-T. cruzi IgG antibodies. Of the individuals that born in municipalities showing the highest triatomine infestation rates in recent decades, 81.8% were able to recognize the vector insect (p = 0.0042; OR = 5.9), and 83.3% reported either themselves or someone in their families to have CD (p = 0.043, OR = 5.2). Of the 54 patients submitted to serological analysis, only 01 patient (1.9%) was positive for anti-T. cruzi antibodies, a 55 year old man from the rural area of Canguçu county. This study provides support for the evaluation to be extended to other cardiology centers, given the importance of Chagas disease in Brazil.

Resumo A doença de Chagas (DC) é considerada uma doença típica da população de baixa renda dos países em desenvolvimento da América Latina. Dada a relevância histórica da DC em indivíduos do sul do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (RS), o objetivo deste estudo foi identificar o conhecimento da doença de Chagas (DC) e seus vetores em pacientes cardíacos, e a prevalência de anticorpos anti-T cruzi nesses indivíduos, em Pelotas, cidade localizada no Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brasil. Os pacientes cardiopatas foram submetidos a um questionário semiestruturado, e também a dois testes sorológicos para detecção de anticorpos anti-T. cruzi IgG. Dos indivíduos que nasceram em municípios com as maiores taxas de infestação por triatomíneos nas últimas décadas, 81,8% foram capazes de reconhecer o inseto vetor (p = 0,0042; OR = 5,9), e 83,3% relataram que eles próprios ou alguém em suas famílias tem DC (p = 0,043, OR = 5,2). Dos 54 pacientes submetidos à análise sorológica, apenas 01 paciente (1,9%) foi positivo para anticorpos anti-T.cruzi, um homem de 55 anos da área rural do município de Canguçu. Este estudo fornece subsídios para que a avaliação seja estendida a outros centros de cardiologia, devido à importância da doença de Chagas no Brasil.

Seroprevalence of Chagas disease in Southern Brazilian cardiac patients and their knowledge about the parasitosis and vectors.

Chagas disease (CD) is considered a typical low-income population sickness of the developing countries in Latin America. Given the historical relevance of CD in individuals in southern Rio Grande do Sul (RS) State, Brazil, the aim of this study was to identify the knowledge of the CD and its vectors by cardiac patients, and the prevalence of anti-T cruzi antibodies in these individuals in Pelotas, city located in Rio Grande do Sul (RS) state, Brazil. The subjects with cardiac disease were submitted to a semi-structured questionnaire as well as two serological tests in order to detect anti-T. cruzi IgG antibodies. Of the individuals that born in municipalities showing the highest triatomine infestation rates in recent decades, 81.8% were able to recognize the vector insect (p = 0.0042; OR = 5.9), and 83.3% reported either themselves or someone in their families to have CD (p = 0.043, OR = 5.2). Of the 54 patients submitted to serological analysis, only 01 patient (1.9%) was positive for anti-T. cruzi antibodies, a 55 year old man from the rural area of Canguçu county. This study provides support for the evaluation to be extended to other cardiology centers, given the importance of Chagas disease in Brazil.

Seroprevalence of Chagas disease in Southern Brazilian cardiac patients and their knowledge about the parasitosis and vectors

Abstract Chagas disease (CD) is considered a typical low-income population sickness of the developing countries in Latin America. Given the historical relevance of CD in individuals in southern Rio Grande do Sul (RS) State, Brazil, the aim of this study was to identify the knowledge of the CD and its vectors by cardiac patients, and the prevalence of anti-T cruzi antibodies in these individuals in Pelotas, city located in Rio Grande do Sul (RS) state, Brazil. The subjects with cardiac disease were submitted to a semi-structured questionnaire as well as two serological tests in order to detect anti-T. cruzi IgG antibodies. Of the individuals that born in municipalities showing the highest triatomine infestation rates in recent decades, 81.8% were able to recognize the vector insect (p = 0.0042; OR = 5.9), and 83.3% reported either themselves or someone in their families to have CD (p = 0.043, OR = 5.2). Of the 54 patients submitted to serological analysis, only 01 patient (1.9%) was positive for anti-T. cruzi antibodies, a 55 year old man from the rural area of Canguçu county. This study provides support for the evaluation to be extended to other cardiology centers, given the importance of Chagas disease in Brazil.

Resumo A doença de Chagas (DC) é considerada uma doença típica da população de baixa renda dos países em desenvolvimento da América Latina. Dada a relevância histórica da DC em indivíduos do sul do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (RS), o objetivo deste estudo foi identificar o conhecimento da doença de Chagas (DC) e seus vetores em pacientes cardíacos, e a prevalência de anticorpos anti-T cruzi nesses indivíduos, em Pelotas, cidade localizada no Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brasil. Os pacientes cardiopatas foram submetidos a um questionário semiestruturado, e também a dois testes sorológicos para detecção de anticorpos anti-T. cruzi IgG. Dos indivíduos que nasceram em municípios com as maiores taxas de infestação por triatomíneos nas últimas décadas, 81,8% foram capazes de reconhecer o inseto vetor (p = 0,0042; OR = 5,9), e 83,3% relataram que eles próprios ou alguém em suas famílias tem DC (p = 0,043, OR = 5,2). Dos 54 pacientes submetidos à análise sorológica, apenas 01 paciente (1,9%) foi positivo para anticorpos anti-T.cruzi, um homem de 55 anos da área rural do município de Canguçu. Este estudo fornece subsídios para que a avaliação seja estendida a outros centros de cardiologia, devido à importância da doença de Chagas no Brasil.

Mercury pollution and childhood in Amazon riverside villages.

Mercury is a hazardous metal responsible for environmental contamination and human intoxication. Methylmercury, a very toxic organic compound, bio-accumulates through food chain, and is responsible for chronic mercury exposure of riverside Amazonian communities with a diet rich in fish. Uncertainties about the reference exposure dose that could have damaging consequences for nervous system development makes necessary the biomonitoring of these Amazonian populations, especially children. In this work, a comparative study was performed in exposed and non-exposed children living in the Amazon. A total of 168 children were analyzed to find possible correlations between gender, age, location, and hair mercury content. For each location, no statistically significant differences (P<0.05) were detected for gender and age versus mercury content. However, mean mercury levels in hair samples may indicate a tendency of boys to average higher hair concentrations. Also, in the community with highest levels of mercury, the limit of 10 micro g/g of mercury was surpassed by 65% of 2-6 years and 50% of 7-12 years children but only by 27% of 0-1 year babies, pointing to a lower bioaccumulation and/or the existence of a protection mechanism in babies. Log normal distributions of mercury concentrations for each location showed that children from populations under influence of gold mining activity contain the highest mercury levels in hair samples, though this intoxication may have decreased when compared to previous studies. Knowledge originated by this monitoring will better assist in the development of prevention strategies and government actions targeting the mercury contamination of Amazonian environment.

Comparative study of human exposure to mercury in riverside communities in the Amazon region

Four populations in the Amazon area were selected for a comparative study of mercury-exposed and non-exposed populations: São Luiz do Tapajós, Barreiras, Panacauera, and Pindobal Grande. The highest mercury levels in human hair samples were found in São Luiz do Tapajós and Barreiras, greatly exceeding the limits established by the World Health Organization. Panacauera showed an intermediate level below 9 µg/g. This was the first comparative and simultaneous evaluation of mercury exposure in the Amazon area. Also, thanks to this type of monitoring, we were able to eliminate the uncertainties about the reference dose. On the basis of these data, we can conclude that the mercury levels detected in exposed populations of the Tapajós River basin may be dangerous not only because they are above the World Health Organization limits, but also because the simultaneous mercury detection in non-exposed populations with similar characteristics provided a valid control and revealed lower mercury levels. Our results support the importance of continuous monitoring in both exposed and non-exposed populations.

Comparative study of human exposure to mercury in riverside communities in the Amazon region.

Four populations in the Amazon area were selected for a comparative study of mercury-exposed and non-exposed populations: São Luiz do Tapajós, Barreiras, Panacauera, and Pindobal Grande. The highest mercury levels in human hair samples were found in São Luiz do Tapajós and Barreiras, greatly exceeding the limits established by the World Health Organization. Panacauera showed an intermediate level below 9 microg/g. This was the first comparative and simultaneous evaluation of mercury exposure in the Amazon area. Also, thanks to this type of monitoring, we were able to eliminate the uncertainties about the reference dose. On the basis of these data, we can conclude that the mercury levels detected in exposed populations of the Tapajós River basin may be dangerous not only because they are above the World Health Organization limits, but also because the simultaneous mercury detection in non-exposed populations with similar characteristics provided a valid control and revealed lower mercury levels. Our results support the importance of continuous monitoring in both exposed and non-exposed populations.

Comparação dos níveis mercuriais em regiões com e sem impacto da atividade garimpeira de ouro.

Expõe os resultados da pesquisa que avaliou os níveis de contaminação de mercúrio, por via respiratória e digestiva, através das concentrações de mercúrio total em peixes e amostras de cabelo de comunidades ribeirinhas da Amazônia, comparando regiões com e sem impacto da atividade garimpeira de ouro. Inclui a metodologia do estudo, o mapa das áreas estudadas, fotos das áreas ribeirinhas do Tapajós, os procedimentos do estudo, a obtenção das amostras (critérios), análise estatística e os resultados da pesquisa.