Surveillance of the first cases of COVID-19 in Sergipe using a prospective spatiotemporal analysis: the spatial dispersion and its public health implications.

INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global public health emergency with lethality ranging from 1% to 5%. This study aimed to identify active high-risk transmission clusters of COVID-19 in Sergipe. METHODS: We performed a prospective space-time analysis using confirmed cases of COVID-19 during the first 7 weeks of the outbreak in Sergipe. RESULTS: The prospective space-time statistic detected "active" and emerging spatio-temporal clusters comprising six municipalities in the south-central region of the state. CONCLUSIONS: The Geographic Information System (GIS) associated with spatio-temporal scan statistics can provide timely support for surveillance and assist in decision-making.

Outbreak of chikungunya virus in a vulnerable population of Sergipe, Brazil-A molecular and serological survey.

BACKGROUND: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a re-emerging arbovirus that is causing outbreaks in several countries of the Americas. The virus was introduced in Brazil in 2014, and since then, several Brazilian states have notified autochthonous cases. OBJECTIVES: Provide additional evidence on a CHIKV outbreak and an outline of the laboratory and clinical profile of symptomatic patients in Sergipe, Brazil. STUDY DESIGN: In February 2016, we collected 142 serum samples from symptomatic patients for arboviruses in Sergipe, Brazil. All samples were submitted to qRT-PCR for the emerging arboviruses circulating in Brazil - ZIKV, CHIKV, and DENV - and later submitted to the immunoenzymatic assay. RNA positive samples were randomly selected and sequenced for characterization of the genotype involved in the outbreak. RESULTS: Our study had 75.35% (107/142) positivity for CHIKV infection, with all age groups and genera being equally infected. The virus was identified in 11 of the 13 cities studied in that state, including the ECSA genotype. Importantly, fever was the only statistically significant symptoms for CHIKV infection (p<0.05), while asthenia was significantly associated with symptomatic patients that were CHIKV-negative (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the importance of fever as a clinical marker and contribute to molecular and serological surveillance data, which may help in the understanding of CHIKV circulation, emergence and clinical description.

Clinical-epidemiological description of live births with microcephaly in the state of Sergipe, Brazil, 2015. / Descrição clínico-epidemiológica dos nascidos vivos com microcefalia no estado de Sergipe, 2015.

OBJECTIVE: to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of microcephaly cases in live births in Sergipe, Brazil, and to calculate the prevalence in its municipalities. METHODS: this is a descriptive study on live births from September 1st to November 30th, 2015, with data from medical records and interviews with mothers. RESULTS: 83 cases of microcephaly were confirmed, with three deaths; prevalence in the 26 municipalities with confirmed cases ranged from 18 to 185/10,000 live births; the median of head circumference was 31 cm (range: 22.5-33.0); agenesis of corpus callosum (26/43), lissencephaly (12/43), absence of midline (10/43) and ventriculomegaly (8/43) were observed in the transfontanellar ultrasound; 40 mothers reported rash in pregnancy, 23 in the first trimester, with pruritus, arthralgia and headache; seven were positive for infections potentially causing malformations. CONCLUSION: there was a high occurrence of cases of microcephaly, and reports of signs and symptoms compatible with Zika virus infection during pregnancy.

Surveillance of the first cases of COVID-19 in Sergipe using a prospective spatiotemporal analysis: the spatial dispersion and its public health implications

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global public health emergency with lethality ranging from 1% to 5%. This study aimed to identify active high-risk transmission clusters of COVID-19 in Sergipe. METHODS: We performed a prospective space-time analysis using confirmed cases of COVID-19 during the first 7 weeks of the outbreak in Sergipe. RESULTS: The prospective space-time statistic detected "active" and emerging spatio-temporal clusters comprising six municipalities in the south-central region of the state. CONCLUSIONS: The Geographic Information System (GIS) associated with spatio-temporal scan statistics can provide timely support for surveillance and assist in decision-making.

Outbreak of chikungunya virus in a vulnerable population of Sergipe, Brazil—a molecular and serological survey

Background Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a re-emerging arbovirus that is causing outbreaks in several countries of the Americas. The virus was introduced in Brazil in 2014, and since then, several Brazilian states have notified autochthonous cases. Objectives Provide additional evidence on a CHIKV outbreak and an outline of the laboratory and clinical profile of symptomatic patients in Sergipe, Brazil. Study design In February 2016, we collected 142 serum samples from symptomatic patients for arboviruses in Sergipe, Brazil. All samples were submitted to qRT-PCR for the emerging arboviruses circulating in Brazil – ZIKV, CHIKV, and DENV – and later submitted to the immunoenzymatic assay. RNA positive samples were randomly selected and sequenced for characterization of the genotype involved in the outbreak. Results Our study had 75.35% (107/142) positivity for CHIKV infection, with all age groups and genera being equally infected. The virus was identified in 11 of the 13 cities studied in that state, including the ECSA genotype. Importantly, fever was the only statistically significant symptoms for CHIKV infection (p < 0.05), while asthenia was significantly associated with symptomatic patients that were CHIKV-negative (p < 0.05). Conclusions Our findings support the importance of fever as a clinical marker and contribute to molecular and serological surveillance data, which may help in the understanding of CHIKV circulation, emergence and clinical description.

Descrição clínico-epidemiológica dos nascidos vivos com microcefalia no estado de Sergipe, 2015 / Descripción clínica y epidemiológica de los nacidos vivos con microcefalia en el estado de Sergipe, Brasil / Clinical-epidemiological description of live births with microcephaly in the state of Sergipe, Brazil, 2015

OBJETIVO: descrever as características clínicas e epidemiológicas dos casos de microcefalia em nascidos vivos no estado de Sergipe, Brasil, e calcular as prevalências em seus municípios. MÉTODOS: estudo descritivo sobre nascidos vivos no período de 1o/set a 30/nov de 2015, com dados de prontuários e entrevistas com as mães. RESULTADOS: confirmaram-se 83 casos de microcefalia, com três óbitos; a prevalência nos 26 municípios com casos confirmados variou de 18 a 185/10.000 nascidos vivos; a mediana do perímetro cefálico foi de 31cm (amplitude: 22,5 a 33,0cm); na ultrassonografia transfontanelar, observou-se agenesia de corpo caloso (26/43), lisencefalia (12/43), ausência de linha média (10/43) e ventriculomegalia (8/43); 40 mães referiram exantema na gestação, 23 no primeiro trimestre, com prurido, artralgia e cefaleia; sete foram positivas para infecções potencialmente causadoras de malformações. CONCLUSÃO: observou-se elevada ocorrência de casos de microcefalia, e relato de sinais e sintomas compatíveis com infecção por vírus Zika na gestação.

OBJETIVO: describir las características clínicas y epidemiológicas de los casos de microcefalia en nacidos vivos en Sergipe, Brasil, y calcular la prevalencia en los municipios. MÉTODOS: estudio descriptivo de nacidos vivos en el período de 1 de septiembre 30 de de noviembre de 2015. RESULTADOS: se confirmaron 83 casos de microcefalia, con tres muertes; la prevalencia en los 26 municipios osciló entre 18 y 185/10.000 nacidos vivos; la circunferencia de la cabeza media fue de 31cm (rango: 22,5;33,0); en la ecografía transfontanelar había agenesia del cuerpo calloso (26/43), lisencefalia (12/43), la ausencia de la línea media (10/43) y ventrículomegalia (8/43); 40 madres reportaron exantema en el embarazo, 23 en el primer trimestre, con prurito, artralgia y cefalea; siete fueron positivos para infecciones potencialmente causantes de malformaciones. CONCLUSIÓN: hubo una alta incidencia de casos de microcefalia, y la notificación de los signos y síntomas compatibles con infección por el virus Zika durante el embarazo.

OBJECTIVE: to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of microcephaly cases in live births in Sergipe, Brazil, and to calculate the prevalence in its municipalities. METHODS: this is a descriptive study on live births from September 1st to November 30th, 2015, with data from medical records and interviews with mothers. RESULTS: 83 cases of microcephaly were confirmed, with three deaths; prevalence in the 26 municipalities with confirmed cases ranged from 18 to 185/10,000 live births; the median of head circumference was 31 cm (range: 22.5-33.0); agenesis of corpus callosum (26/43), lissencephaly (12/43), absence of midline (10/43) and ventriculomegaly (8/43) were observed in the transfontanellar ultrasound; 40 mothers reported rash in pregnancy, 23 in the first trimester, with pruritus, arthralgia and headache; seven were positive for infections potentially causing malformations. CONCLUSION: there was a high occurrence of cases of microcephaly, and reports of signs and symptoms compatible with Zika virus infection during pregnancy.

Surveillance of the first cases of COVID-19 in Sergipe using a prospective spatiotemporal analysis: the spatial dispersion and its public health implications

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global public health emergency with lethality ranging from 1% to 5%. This study aimed to identify active high-risk transmission clusters of COVID-19 in Sergipe. Methods: We performed a prospective space-time analysis using confirmed cases of COVID-19 during the first 7 weeks of the outbreak in Sergipe. Results: The prospective space-time statistic detected "active" and emerging spatio-temporal clusters comprising six municipalities in the south-central region of the state. Conclusions: The Geographic Information System (GIS) associated with spatio-temporal scan statistics can provide timely support for surveillance and assist in decision-making.