Vulnerability of the young university population to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections

Introduction: Brazilian universities receive annually thousands of young people who experience situations of vulnerability to the human immunodeficiency virus, sexually transmitted infections, and viral hepatitis. Objective: The aim of the present study was to analyze the secondary data obtained from the attendance record of the rapid testing campaign for these health problems at a federal university in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, in 2019. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with secondary data of students (n=1,113) obtained from the standard attendance form by the Ministry of Health during the campaigns Fique Sabendo (Be Aware) in the period between November 25 and 29, 2019. Analyses were performed with the support of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences program, with the calculation of absolute and relative frequencies. Pearson's chi-square test (5%) was used for comparison. Results: The results revealed a young, heterosexual, white profile. More than half reported having consumed alcohol and drugs in their lives. Other findings were the non-use of condoms with steady partners (18.1%) and occasional partners (21.3%), oral sex (86.8%), and unprotected sex in the last intercourse (45.6%). Most declared never being tested for human immunodeficiency virus (74.5%), syphilis (67.4%), hepatitis B (76.1%), or hepatitis C (77.0%). Conclusion: The university population is vulnerable to human immunodeficiency virus and other sexually transmitted infections due to the number of sexual partners and discontinued use of condoms with occasional partners. Such vulnerability is increased by the use of alcohol and other drugs

Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding tuberculosis among transgender individuals in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. / Conhecimento, atitudes e práticas sobre tuberculose entre transgêneros na cidade de São Paulo, Brasil.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding tuberculosis (TB) among transvestites and transsexual women. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample (n = 124; 58 transvestites and 66 transsexuals) in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, in 2014 and involved the administration of the Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices questionnaire. Absolute and relative frequencies were calculated for all variables and the comparisons of percentage distributions between groups were performed using Pearson's Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test or its generalization, with a 5% significance level. Most participants were young and non-white. Transvestites had lower levels of schooling, reported more passages through the prison system and declared themselves to be sex workers more frequently. Little more than half of the participants were aware that treatment for TB was free of charge. Knowledge on TB was modest, permeated with misunderstandings regarding signs/symptoms, transmission and prevention, which influence attitudes and practices in relation to the disease. The findings demonstrate that health education actions do not achieve their goals in the control of tuberculosis.

O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar o conhecimento, as atitudes e as práticas em relação à tuberculose (TB), entre travestis e mulheres transexuais (trans). Trata-se de estudo transversal com amostra por conveniência (n = 124; 58 travestis e 66 trans) realizado na cidade de São Paulo em 2014, com a aplicação do Knowledge, attitudes and practices questionnaire (KAP) adaptado. Calcularam-se as frequências absolutas e relativas para o conjunto das entrevistadas e as comparações entre as distribuições percentuais dos grupos foram realizadas pelo teste Qui-quadrado de Pearson, teste exato de Fisher ou sua generalização, com nível de significância de 5%. A maioria era jovem e não branca. As travestis apresentaram menor escolaridade, referiram mais a passagem pelo sistema prisional e se autodeclararam trabalhadoras do sexo com maior frequência. Pouco mais da metade das entrevistadas tinha conhecimento sobre a gratuidade do tratamento. Neste estudo, o conhecimento sobre a TB mostrou-se modesto, permeado por equívocos associados aos sinais/sintomas e formas transmissíveis e preventivas da doença, que influenciam em suas atitudes e práticas em relação à doença. Os resultados sugerem que as ações de educação em saúde não têm atingido seus objetivos no controle da TB neste subgrupo específico.

Conhecimento, atitudes e práticas sobre tuberculose entre transgêneros na cidade de São Paulo, Brasil / Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding tuberculosis among transgender individuals in the city of São Paulo, Brazil

Resumo O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar o conhecimento, as atitudes e as práticas em relação à tuberculose (TB), entre travestis e mulheres transexuais (trans). Trata-se de estudo transversal com amostra por conveniência (n = 124; 58 travestis e 66 trans) realizado na cidade de São Paulo em 2014, com a aplicação do Knowledge, attitudes and practices questionnaire (KAP) adaptado. Calcularam-se as frequências absolutas e relativas para o conjunto das entrevistadas e as comparações entre as distribuições percentuais dos grupos foram realizadas pelo teste Qui-quadrado de Pearson, teste exato de Fisher ou sua generalização, com nível de significância de 5%. A maioria era jovem e não branca. As travestis apresentaram menor escolaridade, referiram mais a passagem pelo sistema prisional e se autodeclararam trabalhadoras do sexo com maior frequência. Pouco mais da metade das entrevistadas tinha conhecimento sobre a gratuidade do tratamento. Neste estudo, o conhecimento sobre a TB mostrou-se modesto, permeado por equívocos associados aos sinais/sintomas e formas transmissíveis e preventivas da doença, que influenciam em suas atitudes e práticas em relação à doença. Os resultados sugerem que as ações de educação em saúde não têm atingido seus objetivos no controle da TB neste subgrupo específico.

Abstract The aim of the present study was to evaluate knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding tuberculosis (TB) among transvestites and transsexual women. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample (n = 124; 58 transvestites and 66 transsexuals) in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, in 2014 and involved the administration of the Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices questionnaire. Absolute and relative frequencies were calculated for all variables and the comparisons of percentage distributions between groups were performed using Pearson's Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test or its generalization, with a 5% significance level. Most participants were young and non-white. Transvestites had lower levels of schooling, reported more passages through the prison system and declared themselves to be sex workers more frequently. Little more than half of the participants were aware that treatment for TB was free of charge. Knowledge on TB was modest, permeated with misunderstandings regarding signs/symptoms, transmission and prevention, which influence attitudes and practices in relation to the disease. The findings demonstrate that health education actions do not achieve their goals in the control of tuberculosis.

Genetic diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isoniazid monoresistant and multidrug-resistant in Rio Grande do Sul, a tuberculosis high-burden state in Brazil.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health problem in the world and Brazil is among the countries with the highest incidence and prevalence rates, and Rio Grande do Sul, a Brazilian state, occupy a prominent position. Multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-TB) further aggravates this scenario, making it more difficult to treat and control the disease. Isoniazid monoresistance (IMR) may increase the risk of progression to MDR-TB and treatment failure. However, most drug resistance molecular tests only focus on detecting rifampicin (RIF) resistance.In the present study, we characterized a total of 63 drug resistant isolates of M. tuberculosis (35 MDR, 26 IMR and two isolates monoresistant to rifampicin [RMR]) of the Rio Grande do Sul state by MIRU-VNTR (24 loci), spoligotyping, presence of RDRio, fbpC103, pks15/1 and sequencing of the katG, rpoB and inhA genes. We observed a higher proportion of the LAM family 30/63 (47.61%). In IMR, mutations were found in the katG gene (98% at codon 315) in 72.5%, and mutations in the promoter region of the inhA gene in 6.25% of the isolates. In MDR-TB and RMR-TB isolates, 92.1% had mutations in the rpoB gene (57% at codon 531). The presence of a 12 bp insertion between codons 516 and 517 of the rpoB gene in MDR-TB isolates was found in five isolates. In conclusion, we observed that the highest frequency of IMR-TB and MDR-TB strains belong to the LAM and Haarlem genotypes in Rio Grande do Sul state. A significant number of isolates previously characterized as Mycobacterium pinnipedi2 through spoligotyping were found to belong to the M. tuberculosis LAM family. This was responsible for a number of significant cases and the molecular profile of this strain and the pattern of mutations related to drug resistance were analyzed. These findings may contribute to a better understanding about the spread of M. tuberculosis resistant in southern of Brazil.

Conhecimentos, atitudes e práticas sobre tuberculose entre travestis e mulheres transexuais na cidade de São Paulo / Knowledge, attitudes and practices on tuberculosis among transvestites and transsexual women in São Paulo city, Brazil

No Brasil, grande parte dos transgêneros vive em condições desfavoráveis e são invisíveis nos dados oficiais de saúde. Excluídas socialmente, travestis e mulheres transexuais encontram na prostituição a única forma de sobrevivência. Algumas vivem em situação de rua, outras nas prisões, onde as condições são favoráveis à infecção e adoecimento por tuberculose (TB). São raros os estudos que abordam os conhecimentos, atitudes e práticas sobre a TB e, aqueles realizados com grupos, apontam o desconhecimento como principal barreira no controle da doença. Método: Estudo descritivo, observacional e tipo de corte transversal realizado na cidade de São Paulo, com aplicação do questionário Knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) adaptado, em indivíduos autodeclarados travestis ou mulheres transexuais (trans). As comparações entre as distribuições percentuais dos grupos foram realizadas pelo teste Qui-quadrado de Pearson ou Exato de Fisher, considerou-se nível de significância de 5 por cento (p <0,05). Resultados: Encontraram-se conceitos equivocados sobre as formas de transmissão (travestis 36,2 por cento e trans 33,3 por cento ) e de prevenção da doença, (travestis 55,2 por cento e trans 45,5 por cento ). Nas análises comparativas entre as entrevistadas com e sem antecedentes de tratamento da TB, 28,6 por cento das tratadas consideraram o tratamento caro (tratadas 28,6 por cento , não tratadas 14,6 por cento ). Observaram-se formas incorretas de transmissão (tratadas 47,6 por cento , não tratadas 34,0 por cento ) e de prevenção (tratadas 100,0 por cento , não tratadas 48,5 por cento ). Conclusão: Nas análises comparativas entre travestis e trans os conhecimentos e práticas sobre a TB mostraram-se modestos. Nas comparações entre as tratadas e não tratadas esperavam-se melhores resultados, entretanto os conceitos equivocados sobre os sintomas, formas de transmissão e de prevenção indicam falhas nas ações de educação em saúde voltadas ao controle da doença. O estudo aponta, também, para a necessidade de inclusão da categoria transgênero nos dados oficiais de saúde, o que permitirá análises aprofundadas

Background: In Brazil, most transgenders (Male to Female MtF) live in unfavorable conditions and are invisible in official health data. Socially excluded, transvestites and MtF find in the prostitution the only way to survive. Some live are homeless, others live in prisons, where the conditions are favorable to infection and get illness for tuberculosis (TB). Studies that address TB knowledge, attitudes and practices in transgender people are rare, and those conducted with other groups point to ignorance as the main barrier to disease control. Method: Descriptive, observational and cross-sectional study carried out in the city of São Paulo, using the Knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) questionnaire, in self-reported transvestites or transsexual women. The comparisons between the percentages of the groups were performed using the Pearson's Chi-square test or the Fisher's exact test, a significance level of 5 per cent (p <0.05) was considered. Results: Misconceptions about the forms of transmission (transvestites 36.2 per cent and MtF 33.3 per cent ) and disease prevention were found (transvestites 55.2 per cent and MtF 45.5 per cent ). In the comparative analyzes among those interviewed with and without a history of TB treatment, 28.6 per cent of treated patients considered treatment expensive (treated 28.6 per cent , untreated 14.6 per cent ). Incorrect forms of transmission (treated 47.6 per cent , untreated 34.0 per cent ) and prevention (treated 100.0 per cent , untreated 48.5 per cent ) were observed. Conclusion: In the comparative analyzes between transvestites and MtF the knowledge, attitudes and practices about TB were modest. In the comparisons between treated and untreated of TB, better results were expected, however, the misconceptions about symptoms, forms of transmission and prevention indicated failures in health education actions aimed at disease control. The study also points to the need to include the transgender category in official health data, which will allow in-depth analysis

In house reverse membrane hybridisation assay versus GenoType MTBDRplus and their performance to detect mutations in the genes rpoB, katG and inhA

Drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) threatens global TB control and is a major public health concern in several countries. We therefore developed a multiplex assay (LINE-TB/MDR) that is able to identify the most frequent mutations related to rifampicin (RMP) and isoniazid (INH) resistance. The assay is based on multiplex polymerase chain reaction, membrane hybridisation and colorimetric detection targeting of rpoB and katG genes, as well as the inhA promoter, which are all known to carry specific mutations associated with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). The assay was validated on a reference panel of 108 M. tuberculosis isolates that were characterised by the proportion method and by DNA sequencing of the targets. When comparing the performance of LINE-TB/MDR with DNA sequencing, the sensitivity, specificity and agreement were 100%, 100% and 100%, respectively, for RMP and 77.6%, 90.6% and 88.9%, respectively, for INH. Using drug sensibility testing as a reference standard, the performance of LINE-TB/MDR regarding sensitivity, specificity and agreement was 100%, 100% and 100% (95%), respectively, for RMP and 77%, 100% and 88.7% (82.2-95.1), respectively, for INH. LINE-TB/MDR was compared with GenoType MTBDRplus for 65 isolates, resulting in an agreement of 93.6% (86.7-97.5) for RIF and 87.4% (84.3-96.2) for INH. LINE-TB/MDR warrants further clinical validation and may be an affordable alternative for MDR-TB diagnosis.

In house reverse membrane hybridisation assay versus GenoType MTBDRplus and their performance to detect mutations in the genes rpoB, katG and inhA.

Drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) threatens global TB control and is a major public health concern in several countries. We therefore developed a multiplex assay (LINE-TB/MDR) that is able to identify the most frequent mutations related to rifampicin (RMP) and isoniazid (INH) resistance. The assay is based on multiplex polymerase chain reaction, membrane hybridisation and colorimetric detection targeting of rpoB and katG genes, as well as the inhA promoter, which are all known to carry specific mutations associated with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). The assay was validated on a reference panel of 108 M. tuberculosis isolates that were characterised by the proportion method and by DNA sequencing of the targets. When comparing the performance of LINE-TB/MDR with DNA sequencing, the sensitivity, specificity and agreement were 100%, 100% and 100%, respectively, for RMP and 77.6%, 90.6% and 88.9%, respectively, for INH. Using drug sensibility testing as a reference standard, the performance of LINE-TB/MDR regarding sensitivity, specificity and agreement was 100%, 100% and 100% (95%), respectively, for RMP and 77%, 100% and 88.7% (82.2-95.1), respectively, for INH. LINE-TB/MDR was compared with GenoType MTBDRplus for 65 isolates, resulting in an agreement of 93.6% (86.7-97.5) for RIF and 87.4% (84.3-96.2) for INH. LINE-TB/MDR warrants further clinical validation and may be an affordable alternative for MDR-TB diagnosis.

[Knowledge, attitudes and practices on tuberculosis in prisons and public health services]. / Conhecimento, atitudes e práticas sobre tuberculose em prisões e no serviço público de saúde.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the knowledge, attitudes and practices about TB in a prison and in public health services (PHS). METHODS: A cross sectional study was carried out and KAP (knowledge, attitudes and practices) questionnaire was applied to 141 prisoners, 115 prison's employees and 158 PHS workers. Epi-Info version 6.04 was used for comparison of proportions with statistic significance at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Mistaken concepts on TB were observed among the three searched groups. PHS also showed basic errors on TB knowledge thus pointing out imperfections on training. CONCLUSION: KAP revealed efficient for data collection of general knowledge items but was limited on practices and attitudes and so its use as the only tool for data collection about knowledge, attitudes and practices on TB is not advisable. It is suggested its regular use to aid educational activities and considering the high prevalence of TB among prisoners, it is noted the need to involve the Departments of Health in the supervision of educational activities in the prison system.

Conhecimento, atitudes e práticas sobre tuberculose em prisões e no serviço público de saúde / Knowledge, attitudes and practices on tuberculosis in prisons and public health services

OBJETIVO: Analisar o conhecimento, atitudes e práticas sobre a TB em uma unidade prisional e na rede pública de saúde (RPS). METODOLOGIA: Foi realizado estudo transversal com aplicação do questionário KAP (knowledge, atittudes and practices) na coleta de dados. Participaram 141 detentos, 115 funcionários do presídio e 158 da RPS. O programa Epi-Info versão 6.04 foi utilizado para comparação de proporções com significância estatística para p < 0,05. RESULTADOS: Foram observados conceitos equivocados sobre a doença entre os três grupos pesquisados. Na RPS foram detectados erros básicos sobre o conhecimento da TB, concluindo-se que há falhas nos treinamentos. O KAP mostrou-se eficaz na coleta de dados gerais sobre conhecimento, porém foi limitado e frágil nas informações sobre práticas e atitudes, não sendo aconselhável a sua utilização como instrumento único na coleta de dados sobre conhecimento, práticas e atitudes em TB. É sugerida sua utilização periódica como auxiliar nas atividades educativas e, considerando a elevada prevalência de TB entre detentos, aponta-se para a necessidade do envolvimento das Secretarias de Saúde na supervisão destas atividades educativas no sistema prisional .

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the knowledge, attitudes and practices about TB in a prison and in public health services (PHS). METHODS: A cross sectional study was carried out and KAP (knowledge, attitudes and practices) questionnaire was applied to 141 prisoners, 115 prison's employees and 158 PHS workers. Epi-Info version 6.04 was used for comparison of proportions with statistic significance at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Mistaken concepts on TB were observed among the three searched groups. PHS also showed basic errors on TB knowledge thus pointing out imperfections on training. CONCLUSION: KAP revealed efficient for data collection of general knowledge items but was limited on practices and attitudes and so its use as the only tool for data collection about knowledge, attitudes and practices on TB is not advisable. It is suggested its regular use to aid educational activities and considering the high prevalence of TB among prisoners, it is noted the need to involve the Departments of Health in the supervision of educational activities in the prison system. .