Recurrent COVID-19 including evidence of reinfection and enhanced severity in thirty Brazilian healthcare workers.

BACKGROUND: There is growing concern about individuals reported to suffer repeat COVID-19 disease episodes, these in a small number of cases characterised as de novo infections with distinct sequences, indicative of insufficient protective immunity even in the short term. METHODS: Observational case series and case-control studies reporting 33 cases of recurrent, symptomatic, qRT-PCR positive COVID-19. Recurrent disease was defined as symptomatic recurrence after symptom-free clinical recovery, with release from isolation >14 days from the beginning of symptoms confirmed by qRT-PCR. The case control study-design compared this group of patients with a control group of 62 patients randomly selected from the same COVID-19 database. RESULTS: Of 33 recurrent COVID-19 patients, 26 were female and 30 were HCW. Mean time to recurrence was 50.5 days which was associated with being a HCW (OR 36.4 (p <0.0001)), and blood type A (OR 4.8 (p = 0.002)). SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were signifcantly lower in recurrent patients after initial COVID-19  (2.4 ±â€¯0.610; p<0.0001) and after recurrence (6.4 ±â€¯11.34; p = 0.007).  Virus genome sequencing identified reinfection by a different isolate in one patient. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first detailed case series showing COVID-19 recurrence with qRT-PCR positivity. For one individual detection of phylogenetically distinct genomic sequences in the first and second episodes confirmed bona fide renfection, but in most cases the data do not formally distinguish between reinfection and re-emergence of a chronic infection reservoir. These episodes were significantly associated with reduced Ab response during initial disease and argue the need for ongoing vigilance without an assumption of protection after a first episode.

Avaliação do conhecimento dos médicos da atenção primária sobre rastreamento de câncer colorretal em um município de Sergipe / Evaluation of knowledge of primary attention physicians on colorectal cancer screening in a city of Sergipe

Modelo do estudo: Estudo observacional transversal. Objetivo: Avaliar o conhecimento dos médicos prestadores de serviço na Atenção Primária à Saúde do município de Lagarto, Sergipe, sobre o rastreamento das neoplasias colorretais. Metodologia: Estudo quantitativo e qualitativo transversal, realizado com médicos atuantes na Atenção Primária do município de Lagarto, Sergipe. Resultados: Vinte e cinco médicos (92,5%) responderam ao questionário. A maioria deles (76%) informou pos-suir conhecimento necessário para realização do rastreamento do câncer colorretal (CCR). Ao serem questionados, porém, sobre a idade para início do rastreio, apenas 60% relataram que deve ser aos 50 anos, assim como preconizado pela Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS). Dezessete (68%) afir-maram que não há limite de idade para encerrar o rastreamento. Entre os motivos justificados para a não realização do rastreio, 50% responderam que não o faz porque o paciente não aceita; 33,33%, por não ter os exames disponíveis no sistema; e 16,66%, por não possuir conhecimento para conduta. A pesquisa de sangue oculto nas fezes (PSOF) foi escolhida por 92% dos médicos e a colonoscopia por 60% deles. Em relação à periodicidade, enquanto 72% informaram de forma assertiva que a PSOF deve ser realizada anualmente, apenas 36% relataram que a retossigmoidoscopia deve ser realizada a cada 5 anos. Conclusão: Apesar de a maioria dos médicos inseridos na Atenção Primária do município de Lagarto acreditar possuir o conhecimento necessário para realização do rastreamento do câncer colorretal, observou-se significativa inconformidade em relação às respostas sobre faixa etária alvo e métodos de rastreio quando comparadas ao que a Organização Mundial de Saúde e o Instituto Nacional do Câncer preconizam. A ausência de uma política de saúde pública de prevenção, associada à falta de programas de formação e reciclagem dos profissionais sobre prevenção de câncer colorretal, podem impactar (AU) diretamente na manutenção dos altos índices de mortalidade por esta neoplasia (AU)

Study model: Cross-sectional study. Objective: Evaluating the knowledge of the medical service providers in the Primary Health Care in the city of Lagarto, Sergipe, on the screening of colorec-tal neoplasias. Methodology: A quantitative and qualitative cross-sectional study carried out with physicians working in Primary Care in the city of Lagarto, Sergipe. Results: Twenty-five physicians (92.5%) answered the questionnaire. Most of them (76%) reported having the necessary knowledge to perform colorectal cancer screening (CRC). When questioned, however, about the age to start screening, only 60% reported that it should be at the age of 50, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Seventeen (68%) stated that there is no age limit to terminate the screening. Among the reasons for not performing the screening, 50% answered that it is not performed because the patient does not accept; 33.33%, for not having the exams available in the system; and 16.66%, because they did not have knowledge of the procedure. Fecal occult blood screening (PSOF) was chosen by 92% of physicians and by colonoscopy for 60% of them. Regarding periodicity, while 72% of them reported assertively that PSOF should be performed annually, only 36% reported that recto-sigmoidoscopy should be performed every five years. Conclusion: Although most of the physicians enrolled in Primary Care in the municipality of Lagarto believe that they possess the necessary knowl-edge to perform the colorectal cancer screening, there was a significant nonconformance regarding the responses on target age group and screening mwethods when compared to what the World Health Organization and the National Cancer Institute advocate. The absence of preventive public health policy, coupled with the lack of training and retraining programs for professionals on the prevention of colorectal cancer, may directly affect the maintenance of high mortality rates due to this neoplasm (AU)

Gemcitabine and cisplatin salvage regimen in heavily pretreated metastatic breast cancer: a Brazilian experience.

Gemcitabine and cisplatin combination (Gem-Cis) is a commonly used regimen in metastatic breast cancer (MBC), with proven activity in phase II trials. It is mostly used as a salvage regimen for progressive disease refractory to anthracyclines and taxanes, and when liver dysfunction secondary to liver metastasis precludes these drugs. Retrospective review of medical charts was conducted for patients treated with Gem-Cis for MBC in a single institution in Brazil between January 2004 and July 2007. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes and toxicity of Gem-Cis in a broad indication, including patients with deteriorated performance status (PS) and liver dysfunction, which were excluded from clinical trials. Fifty-six patients were included. Median age was 52 years, 46.4% were hormone-receptor negative, 57.2% received 3 or more prior chemotherapy lines, and 34 had liver metastasis. The median overall survival (OS) was 7.6 months, the median progression-free survival was 3.3 months, and the response rate was 21.2%. In variable analysis, PS was significantly associated with OS, even after adjusting to other factors. Toxicities included grades 3 or 4 anemia in 19.3%, neutropenia in 21.1%, and thrombocytopenia in 12.3%. Gem-Cis was a relatively active combination in this population that typically carries a poor prognosis. The subgroup of patients with favorable PS experienced longer survival, even when liver metastasis and hepatic dysfunction were a concern. Toxicity was manageable and it was not correlated with PS or liver dysfunction.