The first confirmed outbreak of chikungunya reported in Timor-Leste, 2024.

Abstract: Timor-Leste is a mountainous, half-island nation with a population of 1.3 million, which shares a land border with Indonesia and is 550 km from Darwin, Australia. Since independence in 2002, Timor-Leste has achieved significant development; however, high levels of poverty remain. Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is endemic in over 100 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and in the Americas. It is transmitted by the bite of infected Aedes aegypti or Ae. albopictus mosquitoes, which are present in Timor-Leste and which contribute to annual rainy-season dengue virus (DENV) outbreaks. Symptomatic people typically suffer from acute onset of fever, usually accompanied by severe arthritis or arthralgia. Joint pain can be debilitating for several days, and may sometimes last for weeks, months or years. Unlike DENV infection which has significant mortality, most people recover completely. Between 2002 and 2023, there were 26 cases of CHIKV notified in Australia who acquired their infection in Timor-Leste; however, laboratory testing capability for CHIKV in Timor-Leste only became available in 2021 using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The first locally diagnosed case was notified in November 2023. In January 2024, an outbreak of CHIKV was recognised in Timor-Leste for the first time, with 195 outbreak cases reported during 1-31 January 2024; all were PCR positive. There were no cases hospitalised, and no deaths. The median age of cases was 17 years (range 1-76 years); 51% were males. Cases were reported across the country; most (88/195) were from Dili, although the highest incidence was seen in the neighbouring municipality of Ermera (monthly incidence rate of 58.8 cases per 100,000 population). This first reported outbreak of CHIKV in Timor-Leste highlights the need for improved mosquito-borne illness control and response strategies, including minimising breeding sites and promoting early presentation for treatment and differential diagnosis from DENV, and consideration of the deployment of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes, particularly as they have shown to reduce the transmission of CHIKV, DENV and Zika virus, all of which pose threats in Timor-Leste.

Efeito da degradação química e mecânica em resinas compostas convencional e bulk fill / Effect of chemical and mechanical degradation on conventional composite resins and bulk fill

Objetivo: o objetivo do presente estudo é avaliar a degradação da superfície por rugosidade de uma resina composta convencional e duas Bulk Fill armazenadas em bebidas ácidas, após escovação simulada. Materiais e Métodos: foram confeccionados 30 corpos de prova cilíndricos (10 mm x 1 mm) de cada resina: resina FiltekZ350 XT (3M Co., St. Paul), resina Filtek Bulk Fill (3M Co., St. Paul) e resina Tetric N-Ceram (IvoclarVivadent, Schaan, Liechtenstein), totalizando noventa corpos. Os corpos de prova foram imersos em três tipos de bebidas, Coca-Cola, Gatorade de sabor limão e água destilada (controle), por 15 minutos, e após a imersão foram realizadas simulações de escovação por 25 segundos, durante 15 dias. Em seguida, foram submetidos à avaliação de rugosidade de superfície (rugosimetro). Foram realizados os testes estatísticos de Shapiro-Wilk, Kruskal-Wallis e Wilcoxon. Resultados: ao final do experimento foi realizada a análise estatística, e os resultados de rugosidade inicial e final de cada resina de acordo com a bebida foram: Filtek Z350 XT apresentou diferença estatística com grupo controle (p=0,037) e Gatorade (p=0,005). A resina Tetric N-Ceram apresentou diferença estatística para grupo controle (p=0,047) e para Coca-Cola (p=0,007). E a resina Filtek Bulk Fill não houve diferença estatística em nenhuma das bebidas. Conclusão: dentre as resinas estudas, Tetric N-Ceram mostrou um maior aumento da rugosidade superficial quando comparada às outras resinas estudadas. Entretanto, as resinas Bulk Fill mostraram propriedade satisfatória comparada à resina convencional.(AU)

Objective: This study aims to assess the surface degradation through the roughness of a conventional composite resin and two bulk fill resins stored in acidic beverages after simulated brushing. Materials and Methods: Thirty cylindrical specimens (10 mm x 1 mm) of each resin were produced: Filtek Z350 XT (3M Co., St Paul), Filtek Bulk Fill (3M Co., St Paul), and TetricN-Ceram (IvoclarVivadent, Schaan, Liechtenstein), resulting in 90 specimens. The specimens were immersed in three types of beverages: Coke, lemon Gatorade, and distilled water (control), for 15 minutes. After the immersion, they were subjected to brushing tests for 25 seconds, for 15 days. Then, the surface roughness (roughness meter) was analyzed. The Shapiro- -Wilk, Kruskal-Wallis, and Wilcoxon statistical test were performed. Results: At the end of the experiment, the statistical analysis was performed. The initial and final roughness results of each resin according to the beverage were Filtek Z350 presented statistical difference with the control group (p= 0.037) and Gatorade (p = 0.005); the TetricN- -Ceram Bulk Fill resin presented statistical difference for the control group (p = 0.047) and Coke (p = 0.007). The Filtek Bulk Fill resin showed no statistical difference for any of the beverages. Conclusion: Among the resins studied, Tetric-Nceram showed a higher increase in surface roughness than the other resins studied. However, bulk fill resins showed satisfactory properties compared to the conventional resin.(AU)