Impacto da meningite entre os anos de 2010 e 2020 no Brasil: um estudo documental / Impact of meningitis between the years 2010 and 2020 in Brazil: a documentary study

Introdução: a meningite é uma infecção que afeta as membranas as quais revestem o encéfalo e a medula espinhal, sendo incluída na Lista Nacional de Doenças de Notificação Compulsória. Objetivo: investigar o perfil epidemiológico de acometidos por meningite no Brasil, entre os anos de 2010 a 2020. Metodologia: trata-se de um estudo epidemiológico, retrospectivo, analítico e documental, pelo qual as informações acerca dos casos confirmados no Brasil foram extraídas através do Departamento de Informática do Sistema Único de Saúde (DATASUS). Para análise estatística foi utilizado o software Statistical Package for Social Sciences (versão 20.0). Resultados: no período analisado, foram notificados 187.508 casos de meningite, sendo 2012 o ano com maior número de casos (11,6%). A região que apresentou o maior número de mortes foi sudeste (54,2%), possuindo São Paulo como o estado de maior número de notificações (41%). O perfil foi composto, predominantemente, por indivíduos do gênero masculino (59,1%), com faixa etária entre ≤1 a 9 anos (47%) e etiologia viral (45,5%). O método quimiocitológico foi o mais utilizado (60,9%), o qual os enfermos evoluíam a alta (75,8%). Além disso, a meningite bacteriana apresentou a maior taxa de mortalidade (1,8/100.000 habitantes), enquanto a meningococcemia a maior taxa de letalidade (36,7%). Houve associação estatística positiva entre as variáveis: número de óbitos e faixa etária, número de óbitos e gênero e, número de óbitos e etiologia. Conclusão: é essencial a adoção de políticas públicas com escopo às populações de risco, sendo esse estudo, profícuo na construção de tais projetos.

Introduction: meningitis is an infection that affects the membranes that line the brain and spinal cord, being included in the National List of Compulsory Reporting Diseases. Objective: to investigate the epidemiological profile of people affected by meningitis in Brazil, between the years 2010 to 2020. Methodology: this is an epidemiological, retrospective, analytical and documentary study, through which information about confirmed cases in Brazil were extracted through the Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System (DATASUS). For statistical analysis, the Statistical Package for Social Sciences software (version 20.0) was used. Results: in the period analyzed, 187,508 cases of meningitis were reported, with 2012 being the year with the highest number of cases (11.6%). The region with the highest number of deaths was the Southeast (54.2%), with São Paulo as the state with the highest number of notifications (41%). The profile was predominantly composed of male individuals (59.1%), aged between ≤1 to 9 years (47%) and viral etiology (45.5%). The chemocytological method was the most used (60.9%), in which patients progressed to discharge (75.8%). In addition, bacterial meningitis had the highest mortality rate (1.8/100,000 population), while meningococcemia had the highest fatality rate (36.7%). There was a positive statistical association between the variables: number of deaths and age group, number of deaths and gender and number of deaths and etiology. Conclusion: it is essential to adopt public policies aimed at populations at risk, and this study is useful in the construction of such projects.

Do essential oils from plants occurring in the Brazilian Caatinga biome present antifungal potential against dermatophytoses? A systematic review.

The Caatinga is an exclusively Brazilian biome where semiarid climatic conditions promote singularities in adaptive biodiversity. Many aromatic species are found in this region possessing antifungal properties, which are attributed to their essential oils. Thus, we questioned whether essential plant oils found in the Caatinga present anti-dermatophytic potential. Dermatophytes are keratinophilic fungi that cause one of the most prevalent mycoses globally, skin infections known as dermatophytoses (tineas). Here, we provide a comprehensive report of the available published information, analyzing the methods used to evaluate the antifungal activity, verifying the quality of the evidence and possible clinical applications, and discussing research trends in this area. The plants studied concentrated in the genera Croton (Euphorbiaceae), Lippia (Verbenaceae), Piper (Piperaceae), and Mentha (Lamiaceae). All of the studies used in vitro tests to analyze antifungal potential, and little evidence was ascertained concerning the mechanism of antifungal action. In addition, the essential oils also evidenced drug modifying activity of conventional antifungal drugs (Ketoconazole and Terbinafine). We believe that the anti-dermatophyte potential of plant essential oils occurring within the Caatinga is underestimated and that this review will encourage future chemical-pharmacological investigations into the plants within this biome.Key points• The essential oils from plants occurring in the Caatinga Biome present unknown anti-dermatophyte potential.• The studies against dermatophyte fungi concentrate on the families Lamiaceae and Verbenaceae.• In vitro assays were used to assess the anti-dermatophyte potential of the essential oils.

Antifungal activity study of the monoterpene thymol against Cryptococcus neoformans.

Cryptococcus neoformans is a yeast fungus, which causes cryptococcosis, triggered by basidiospore inhalation and consequent dissemination to the central nervous system. In this study, we analyzed the antifungal action of thymol against 10 clinical strains of C. neoformans and analyzed the interaction of this monoterpene with sterols. The MICs of thymol ranged from 20 to 51 µg/ml, while the MFC values varied between 40 and 101 µg/ml. For the strains ICB-2601 and LM-39, in the presence of ergosterol, the MIC of thymol was 64 µg/ml, and in the presence of cholesterol, its MIC was 32 µg/ml. Based on the results, thymol presents antifungal action and seems to interact with ergosterol, but not with cholesterol. Complementary studies are needed to analyze its full effects.

Investigation of the antifungal activity of carvacrol against strains of Cryptococcus neoformans.

BACKGROUND: Cryptococcus neoformans is the etiologic agent of opportunistic systemic fungal infection cryptococcosis, which affects individuals with compromised immune systems. Thus, natural products research has become important, since monoterpenes such as carvacrol, a promising molecule in the search antifungal agents, have shown significant biological activity. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to investigate the antifungal activity and mode of action of carvacrol against strains of C. neoformans. METHODS: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by microdilution method. Minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) was performed by seeding technique on solid media. Studying the mode of action was performed using broth microdilution. RESULTS: The MIC ranged from 25 to 81 µg/mL and the MFC ranged from 25 to 102 µg/mL. Carvacrol bonded to exogenous ergosterol and cholesterol. DISCUSSION: The results suggest that carvacrol has antifungal activity against C. neoformans and its mode of action is related to fungal membrane instability. CONCLUSIONS: The phytoconstituent carvacrol may eventually become a drug; however, further studies are needed to elucidate its mechanism.