Listeria monocytogenes meningitis in an immunocompromised patient.

This report describes a case of meningitis caused by Listeria monocytogenes in a stem cell transplant recipient on immunosuppressive therapy for cutaneous chronic graft-versus host disease. A 59-year-old woman had undergone allogeneic stem cell transplantation (from a matched unrelated donor) 13 months previously for chronic lymphocytic leukemia. She was on regular hematologic follow-up. Though her previous malignancy has been in remission, she was immunosuppressed due to the pharmacological treatment. We describe a meningitis caused by a typical food-borne pathogen, dangerous in patients with impaired cell-mediated immunity. Moreover the bacterium had a multidrug resistance, a rare characteristic in clinical listeriosis. Rapid diagnosis and treatment are key factors in these cases. We chose ampicillin and rifampicin that allowed a complete resolution of the clinical manifestations.

Família, capital humano e pobreza: entre estratégias de sobrevivência e projetos de vida / Family, human capital and poverty: between strategies of survival and life projects

Com o objetivo de analisar as circunstâncias nas quais as pessoas que vivem em situação de pobreza enfrentam tal condição, investigou-se a tensão entre projetos de vida elaborados a fim de melhorar as condições de saúde, educação, moradia e trabalho, e estratégias de sobrevivência. As correntes mais influentes no estudo da pobreza tendem a conceituá-la com base nos insumos necessários para a aquisição das mercadorias básicas para a sobrevivência que qualificam a condição de pobreza relativa, relacionando-a ao padrão de vida geral predominante. Outras abordagens de caráter antropológico focalizam as relações interpessoais e os modos de vida dos pobres, deixando em segundo plano os determinantes econômicos. O estudo focalizou as esferas de intermediação entre as iniciativas macroeconômicas e as decisões individuais, procurando identificar os fatores que facilitavam tal encontro. Foram entrevistados 67 participantes de projetos sociais e instituições educacionais de duas áreas pauperizadas da cidade do Salvador, através de um questionário elaborado especialmente para identificar os processos individuais e coletivos almejados. Os resultados acerca das transformações da intimidade, da constituição da família e daquelas que decorrem de ações planejadas por organizações não governamentais e programas estatais nas áreas da habitação, educação e saúde são integrados ao debate acerca do capital humano, capital social, inclusão social, projetos de vida e estratégias de sobrevivência.(AU)

With the objective of analysing the circumstances in which the persons who live in situation of poverty face such condition, we investigated the tension between life projects prepared in order to improve the conditions of health, education, dwelling, and work, and strategies of survival. The most influential currents in the study of poverty have a tendency to conceptualize it on the basis of the inputs necessary for the acquisition of basic goods for survival that qualify the condition of relative poverty, relating it to the general predominant standard of living. Other approaches of anthropological character focus on the interpersonal relations and on the ways of life of the poor persons, leaving the economical determinants in the background . The study focused on the spheres of intermediation between the macroeconomical initiatives and the individual decisions, trying to identify the factors that were facilitating such meeting. Sixty seven participants were interviewed from social projects and education institutions of two poor areas of the city of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, through a questionnaire prepared specially to identify the individual and collective processes focused. The results about the transformations of the intimacy, of the constitution of the family, and the ones that result from actions planned by non-governmental organizations and state-owned programs in the areas of dwelling, education, and health are integrated to the discussion about the human capital, social equity, social inclusion, life projects, and strategies of survival.

Pobreza, capital humano, capital social e familiar / Poverty, human capital, social capital and family capital

O presente estudo investiga a pobreza partindo de uma análise dos recursos que os pobres dispõem em sua realidade, analisando os temas do capital humano, social e familiar, procurando estabelecer conexões e elucidar fatores da realidade pouco considerados em estudos e projetos de combate à pobreza e à exclusão social. O presente artigo, em seu conjunto, procura compreender porque, em condições semelhantes de pobreza, algumas pessoas conseguem elaborar um projeto de vida enquanto outras se estabilizam em estratégias de sobrevivência. Para avançar na luta contra a pobreza, revelou-se indispensável a convergência entre fatores pessoais, familiares, micro-sociais e políticas públicas de valorização e fortalecimento dos agentes de desenvolvimento presentes no território.(AU)

This study investigates poverty starting from an analysis of the resources that poor people have in their reality, analyzing the issues of human capital, social and family capital, trying to establish connections and elucidate factors rarely considered in studies and projects to combat poverty and social exclusion. The article as a whole, seeks to understand why, under similar conditions of poverty, some people can develop a life plan while others are stabilized in survival strategies. To advance in the fight against poverty, it proved essential the convergence between personal, family, micro-social factors and public policies of recovery and strengthening of development agents in the area.(AU)