Characterization of deaths and therapeutic itineraries investigated by the Porto Alegre AIDS Mortality Committee, Brazil, in 2015. / Caracterização dos óbitos e dos itinerários terapêuticos investigados pelo Comitê Municipal de Mortalidade por Aids de Porto Alegre em 2015.

OBJECTIVE: to characterize AIDS deaths eligible for Porto Alegre AIDS Mortality Committee (AIDSMC) investigation, Brazil, in 2015, and their therapeutic itineraries. METHODS: this was a descriptive study using secondary data from surveillance information systems and AIDSMC investigation forms. RESULTS: out of 336 deaths from AIDS-related causes, 113 (33.6%) were considered avoidable, of which 52 were analyzed by AIDSMC; there was predominance of males (30/52), low schooling level (29/52 incomplete elementary education), and less than 2 years between HIV infection diagnosis and death (28/52); tuberculosis was the most frequent cause of death (17/52); and in 50/52 cases at least one therapeutic itinerary inadequacy was identified. CONCLUSION: avoidable deaths of people with AIDS occurred mostly in men, those with low education level, those with recent HIV diagnosis and most deaths were due to tuberculosis.

Caracterização dos óbitos e dos itinerários terapêuticos investigados pelo Comitê Municipal de Mortalidade por Aids de Porto Alegre em 2015 / Caracterización de óbitos e itinerario terapéutico investigados por el Comité de Mortalidad por Sida de Porto Alegre, Brasil, en 2015 / Characterization of deaths and therapeutic itineraries investigated by the Porto Alegre AIDS Mortality Committee, Brazil, in 2015

Objetivo: caracterizar os óbitos por aids elegíveis para investigação pelo Comitê Municipal de Mortalidade por Aids (CMAids) de Porto Alegre, Brasil, em 2015, e seus itinerários terapêuticos. Métodos: estudo descritivo, com dados secundários de sistemas de informações de vigilância e das fichas de investigação do CMAids. Resultados: entre 336 óbitos por causas relacionadas à aids, 113 (33,6%) foram considerados evitáveis, dos quais 52 foram investigados pelo CMAids; verificou-se predomínio do sexo masculino (30/52), baixa escolaridade (29/52 casos até a 8ª série incompleta) e tempo de até 2 anos entre o diagnóstico da infecção pelo HIV e a morte (28/52); a tuberculose foi a causa de morte mais frequente (17/52); em 50/52 casos, identificou-se pelo menos uma falha no itinerário terapêutico. Conclusão: os óbitos evitáveis de pessoas com aids ocorreram, majoritariamente, em pessoas do sexo masculino, de baixa escolaridade, com diagnóstico recente de HIV e em decorrência da tuberculose.

Objetivo: caracterizar los óbitos por sida elegibles para investigación por el Comité de Mortalidad por Sida (CMSida) de Porto Alegre, Brasil, en 2015, y sus itinerarios terapéuticos. Métodos: estudio descriptivo con datos secundarios de los sistemas de información de vigilancia y formulario de investigación de CMSida. Resultados entre 336 muertes por sida, 113 (33,6%) se consideraron evitables, de las cuales 52 fueron investigadas por el CMSida; predominó el sexo masculino (30/52), el bajo nivel de educación (29/52 hasta 8º grado incompleto de primaria) y hasta 2 años entre el diagnóstico de la infección por VIH y la muerte (28/52); la tuberculosis fue la causa más frecuente de muerte (17/52); y en 50/52 casos, se identificó al menos una falla en los itinerarios terapéuticos. Conclusión: las muertes evitables de personas con sida ocurrieron principalmente en hombres, con baja escolaridad, diagnóstico reciente de VIH y debido a la tuberculosis.

Objective: to characterize AIDS deaths eligible for Porto Alegre AIDS Mortality Committee (AIDSMC) investigation, Brazil, in 2015, and their therapeutic itineraries. Methods: this was a descriptive study using secondary data from surveillance information systems and AIDSMC investigation forms. Results: out of 336 deaths from AIDS-related causes, 113 (33.6%) were considered avoidable, of which 52 were analyzed by AIDSMC; there was predominance of males (30/52), low schooling level (29/52 incomplete elementary education), and less than 2 years between HIV infection diagnosis and death (28/52); tuberculosis was the most frequent cause of death (17/52); and in 50/52 cases at least one therapeutic itinerary inadequacy was identified. Conclusion: avoidable deaths of people with AIDS occurred mostly in men, those with low education level, those with recent HIV diagnosis and most deaths were due to tuberculosis.

A vigilância epidemiológica do HIV-AIDS

Vídeo aula que aborda a questão da vigilância em saúde e o panorama da HIV atual, suas especificidades, contágio e prevenção.

A transmissão vertical do HIV

Vídeo-aula abordando a questão da Vigilância em Saúde.

[Orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS in Brazil: where do we stand and where are we heading?]. / Crianças órfãs e vulneráveis pelo HIV no Brasil: onde estamos e para onde vamos?

This study aimed at identifying human rights' status and situation, as expressed in the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS, of children and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS, non-orphans and orphans affected by AIDS, based on local and international literature review. The main study findings did not allow to accurately estimating those children and adolescents living with HIV and non-orphans affected by HIV/AIDS but data was available on those living with AIDS and orphans. The limitations and possibilities of these estimates obtained from surveillance systems, mathematical models and surveys are discussed. Though studies in literature are still quite scarce, there is indication of compromise of several rights such as health, education, housing, nutrition, nondiscrimination, and physical and mental integrity. Brazil still needs to advance to meet further needs of those orphaned and vulnerable children. Its response so far has been limited to providing health care to those children and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS, preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission and financing the implementation and maintenance of support homes (shelters according to Child and Adolescent Bill of Rights) for those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, either orphans or not. These actions are not enough to ensure a supportive environment for children and adolescents orphaned, infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. It is proposed ways for Brazil to develop and improve databases to respond to these challenges.

Crianças órfãs e vulneráveis pelo HIV no Brasil: onde estamos e para onde vamos? / Orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS in Brazil: where do we stand and where are we heading?

O objetivo do artigo foi identificar a magnitude e a situação de alguns direitos humanos, conforme expressos na United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS, de crianças e adolescentes portadores de HIV/Aids, afetados não-órfãos e órfãos por Aids, com base em pesquisa sobre o tema na literatura científica nacional e internacional. Os principais achados não permitiram indicar com segurança quantos seriam as crianças e os adolescentes portadores do HIV e afetados não-órfãos. Há informações sobre o número de portadores de Aids e de órfãos. Estas estimativas, sejam elas oriundas do sistema de vigilância, modelos matemáticos ou inquéritos, são discutidas em suas limitações e possibilidades. Apesar da literatura ainda ser relativamente pequena, há indícios de comprometimento de vários direitos como saúde, educação, moradia, alimentação, não discriminação, integridade física e mental. Verificou-se que o Brasil ainda precisa avançar para responder às necessidades adicionais dos órfãos e outras crianças vulneráveis. A resposta brasileira, até o momento, é limitada à assistência médica para crianças e adolescentes portadores do HIV/Aids, ao combate à transmissão vertical do HIV e ao financiamento da instalação e manutenção de casas de apoio (abrigos pelo Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente) para infectados afetados, órfãos ou não. Essas medidas são insuficientes para garantir um ambiente de apoio para órfãos, crianças e adolescentes infectados ou afetados pelo HIV/Aids. Propõem-se formas do Brasil criar e aprimorar bases de dados para responder a esses desafios.

Low prevalence of primary antiretroviral resistance mutations and predominance of HIV-1 clade C at polymerase gene in newly diagnosed individuals from south Brazil.

We describe preliminary molecular characterization of HIV-1 pol from 108 consecutive HIV seropositive users of a Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) site of Porto Alegre city, the major metropolitan area in the south of Brazil. Protease and partial reverse transcriptase regions were retrotranscribed from plasma HIV-1 RNA and sequenced after direct nested PCR. Principal antiretroviral resistance mutations (ARM) were observed in 3% of the samples, two cases with K103N and one with M41L, L210W and T215Y, all in HIV-1 clade B infected men. At protease region, no principal mutations were observed, but polymorphisms at secondary codons were frequent. Contrary to other areas in the country where clade B dominates, HIV-1 clade C genomes predominated in this study (58%), clade B (32%) and clade F1 (3%). Of the genomes clustering in clade C, almost half (43%) had a small clade B segment at reverse transcriptase, forming a sub-cluster within clade C with a similar recombinant structure and carrying new amino acid signatures. Other mosaic genomes were also observed (7%). The low prevalence of resistance mutations is consistent with previous observations at this geographical location but the high frequency of HIV-1 clade C and CB mosaics seems pre-eminent and warns close monitoring.

Factors associated with institutionalization of children orphaned by AIDS in a population-based survey in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: There are increasing numbers of children orphaned by AIDS, especially in countries without universal free AIDS treatment. As institutionalization is associated with bad health and developmental outcomes, we have identified the factors associated with the institutionalization of AIDS orphans in a population-based survey in a city in southern Brazil. METHODS: Using AIDS mortality and healthcare registries from 1998 to 2001, a cross-sectional study was conducted among the caregivers of children aged 0-14 years who were the survivors of parents dying of AIDS in Porto Alegre. Data were collected by a household survey using a structured questionnaire. RESULTS: Out of 1131 orphans identified, 75.4% of their caregivers participated. Among participants, 70% had lost their father and 50% their mother, and 21% had lost both parents. At the time of the survey, 41% of the children lived with the mother, 25% lived with grandparents and 5% lived in institutions. In multivariate analysis, HIV positivity multiplied the child's chances of living in an institution by a factor of 4.6, losing its mother by 5.9, losing both parents by 3.7, and having a non-white mother by 4.0. CONCLUSION: This study provides population-based data on what has become of the children of individuals dying of AIDS. Improving the quality of life and averting the institutionalization of AIDS orphans requires interventions to promote the survival of mothers living with AIDS, as well as specific interventions for child family placement. Reducing the stigma of HIV infection in children and racial discrimination present challenges in Brazil.