Prevalence, under-reporting, and epidemiological surveillance of COVID-19 in the Araguaína City of Brazil.

Asymptomatic and underreported individuals remain a source of coronafig disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission to others. Data on the prevalence and epidemiological factors influencing transmission are fundamental for establishing control measures, especially in vulnerable regions such as the Amazon. This study aimed to determine the point prevalence and active infection of COVID-19 among the population in Araguaína, a Brazilian city located in the Amazon region, analyzed the socioeconomic and behavioral variables of a statistically representative sample of this population using an epidemiological survey, and identify the viral genomic diversity in the region. During the sixth epidemiological week of 2021 (February 8 to 12), samples of 497 inhabitants of the municipality asymptomatic for respiratory syndromes underwent reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and serological tests (immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G). A questionnaire collated data on socioeconomic factors, prevention measures, and health status history. The active infection rate was 6.2%, and the prevalence was 13.5% of the study population. Active infection cases were under-reported; each reported positive case represented 14-28 under-reported cases. Lineages P.2, P.1, and B.1.1 were detected. Working from home was a protective factor against the infection, and clinical signs of fever, dry cough, and loss of taste or smell were associated with testing positive (p <0.05). A descriptive analysis of the indicators revealed that the entire population was susceptible to the disease. Intensified vaccination strategies are required regardless of socioeconomic factors, health conditions, and preventive measures. Implementation of objective, comprehensive, and efficient management tools to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in this municipality can serve as a model for other regions of Brazil.

Bovine herpesvirus meningoencephalitis in the State of Tocantins, Brazil.

Three outbreaks of herpesvirus meningoencephalitis in cattle have been reported in three municipalities in the northern region of the State of Tocantins, Brazil. In one outbreak, 41 predominantly young bovines were affected, with 2-3 deaths in some cases. The animals showed neurological signs of incoordination, blindness, and recumbency, with death occurring within approximately 4-5 d. At necropsy, hyperemia and leptomeningeal hemorrhages were observed in the brain. Histology revealed more intense lesions in the rostral portions of the brain, mainly affecting the frontoparietal cerebral cortex, with nonsuppurative encephalitis and meningitis, glial nodules, neuronophagia, and eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies in the astrocytes and neurons. This study shows the presence of bovine herpesvirus in Tocantins, probably the highly neurotropic type 5 strain, and emphasizes its importance in the differential diagnosis of bovine neuropathies.

Três surtos de meningoencefalite por herpesvírus em bovinos são relatados em três municípios da região norte do Estado do Tocantins, Brasil. Num surto, 41 animais predominantemente jovens foram afetados, com 2-3 mortes nos outros casos. Os animais apresentaram sinais neurológicos de incoordenação, cegueira e decúbito, com a morte ocorrendo em aproximadamente 4 a 5 dias. Na necropsia foram observadas hiperemia e hemorragias leptomeníngeas no encéfalo. A histologia revelou lesões mais intensas nas porções rostrais do encéfalo, principalmente no córtex cerebral frontoparietal, com encefalite e meningite não supurativas, nódulos gliais, neuronofagia e corpúsculos de inclusão intranucleares eosinofílicos nos astrócitos e neurônios. Este estudo demonstra a presença do herpesvírus bovino no Tocantins, provavelmente a cepa tipo 5 altamente neurotrópica, e enfatiza sua importância no diagnóstico diferencial das neuropatias bovinas.