Artigos Científicos - NMT

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Donovanose no Pará
(Universidade Federal do Pará, 1991-12) SALGADO, Ubirajara Imbiriba; NEVES, Cláudio Domingues das; SILVA, Domingos; MACÊDO, Célia
From 1954 to 1990 granuloma inguinale was diagnosed in 259 patients al the dermatology service of the Universidade Federal do Pará in Belém, Brazil. Among them, 56 cases had ocurred in the twenty-year period 1954-1974 and as many as 133 cases were seen during the last five years only. Greater sexual liberty, poor social and economic conditions, and especially increasing homosexual behavior were implicated by the authors as chief determinants for this augmented incidence of the disease.
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Evolução do estado nutricional de menores de 5 anos em aldeias indígenas da Tribo Parakanã, na Amazônia oriental brasileira (1989-1991)
(Universidade Federal do Pará, 1994-02) MARTINS, Sandro José; MENEZES, Raimundo Camurça de
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Estudo da eficácia e tolerância do artesunato oral isolado e em associação com mefloquina, no tratamento da malária falciparum não complicada em área endêmica do Pará, Brasil
(1996-06) CARDOSO, Bernardo da Silva; DOURADO, Heitor Vieira; PINHEIRO, Maria da Conceição Nascimento; CRESCENTE, Jose Angelo Barletta; AMORAS, Walter Wanderley; BAENA, Jorge; SARATY, Sandra
With the objective to evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of artesunate in the treatment of non-complicatedfalciparum malaria in endemic area of the State of Pará, 153 patients were randomized and studied in three groups, distributed by therapeutical scheme (I received mefloquine lOOOmg, II used artesunate 600mg followed by mefloquine 500mg). Evaluation was made by daily clinical and parasithological examination, in the first 7 days, and weekly until the 35th day of the follow up. Biochemical and hematological analysis previously done and on the 7th day, targetting cure control and identification of possible effects related to drugs administration. As to sex, parasitemy and fever, studied groups were homogeneous. Time for parasitemy disappearence was shorter in the groups II and III respectively, whose therapeutical schemes had artesunate. Fever disappereance was quicker in the group treated with the combination of drugs. Clinical and biochemical alterations associated with drugs administration did not show significant differences among the studied groups. Early disappearence of fever and parasitemy, and absence of important side effects suggest that artesunate, isolated or administrated in combination with mefloquine, constitutes an able therapeutical procedure to contribute for disease control in that region.
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Parasitismo intestinal em uma aldeia indígena Parakanã, sudeste do Estado do Pará, Brasil
(1998-09) MIRANDA, Rogério dos Anjos; XAVIER, Fábio Branches; MENEZES, Raimundo Camurça de
To determine the occurrence and epidemiological aspects of intestinal parasites among the Parakanã indigenous people in the Paranatinga settlement (in the eastern Amazon Region), parasitological tests were performed in April 1992 and February 1995. One fresh stool specimen was obtained and immediately processed using the Hoffman and direct methods. Some 126 samples were obtained in April 1992 (from a total population of 215 individuals). Some 80.2% (101) of those tested were infected with at least one species of intestinal parasite. Hookworms were found in 33.3%, Ascaris lumbricoides 42.8%, Trichuris trichiura 0.8%, and Strongyloides stercoralis 5.6%. Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia protozoans were found in 65.0% and 46.8% of those tested, respectively. A second parasitological survey was performed on 174 individuals (from a population of 253) in February 1995. 88.5% were infected. Note that prevalence in February 1995 was higher than in April 1992 (p = 0.04). It was lower for hookworms, E. histolytica, and G. lamblia, with no S. stercoralis (p<0.05). Despite provision of health care in the Paranatinga community, prevalence of intestinal parasites is still extremely high, suggesting that primary and secondary health care should be increased immediately.
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Papilomavírus humano associado a lesões de cérvice uterina
(1999-06) CAVALCANTE, Vânia Lúcia Noronha; MELLO, Wyller Alencar de; VILLA, Luísa Lina; BRITO, Arival Cardoso de; MACEDO, Roberto Cavalleiro de; BISI, Fátima; SASSAMOTO, Kyio; MONTEIRO, Talita Antonia Furtado; LINHARES, Alexandre da Costa
It was studied the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) among 228 women with lesions of uterine cervix attending the Ofir Loiola Institute, in Belem, Para, from March 1992 to May 1996. Histopathological examination was performed with all cervical biopsy samples obtained from these patients. In addition, specimens were analysed by both polimerase chain reaction and dot-blot hybridization to detect HPV DNA. The patients were assigned to three groups, according to the diagnosis made by histopathology, as follows: A, including 155 women suffering from invasive epidermoid carcinoma or adenocarcinoma; B, 54 patients having either cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade II or III; and C, involving 19 women with chronic cervicitis. The prevalence rates of HPV in groups A, B and C were 70.3%, 63% and 36.8% respectively. HPV 16 accounted for 60.4% and 54.5% of types identified in groups A and B, respectively. Altogether HPV types 16, 18 and 33 were detected in 71.4% of positive patients belonging to group C.
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Avaliação da contaminação mercurial mediante análise do teor de Hg total em amostras de cabelo em comunidades ribeirinhas do Tapajós, Pará, Brasil
(2000-04) PINHEIRO, Maria da Conceição Nascimento; GUIMARÃES, Geraldo de Assis; NAKANISHI, Junko; OIKAWA, Teiichi; VIEIRA, José Luiz Fernandes; QUARESMA, Manoel; CARDOSO, Bernardo da Silva; AMORAS, Walter Wanderley
This study evaluates human exposure to methylmercury in fishermen and their families in four villages on the Tapajós river: Rainha, Barreiras, São Luís do Tapajós and Paraná-Mirim. Hair analyses were performed with atomic absorption spectophotometry. Total hair mercury levels varied between 2.9mg/g and 71.5mg/g. Paraná-Mirim showed the lowest level. The highest level was found in São Luís do Tapajós and Barreiras. The hair mercury was six to seven times higher than the established safe limit of 10mg/g. No statistically significant difference was found between the mean level of total mercury taken from the inhabitants living downstream and upstream in Itaituba village (p > 0.05). These results confirm that human exposure to methylmercury is occurring on the Tapajós river and suggest that continued fish ingestion in that region is a potential risk factor for the appearance of symptoms and signs of Minamata disease. An immediate epidemiological survey program is recommended.
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Exposição humana ao metilmercúrio em comunidades ribeirinhas da Região do Tapajós, Pará, Brasil
(2000-06) PINHEIRO, Maria da Conceição Nascimento; NAKANISHI, Junko; OIKAWA, Teiichi; GUIMARÃES, Geraldo de Assis; QUARESMA, Manoel; CARDOSO, Bernardo da Silva; AMORAS, Walter Wanderley; HARADA, Masazume; MAGNO, Carlos; VIEIRA, José Luiz Fernandes; XAVIER, Marília Brasil; BACELAR, Maria Denise Ribeiro
Evaluation of total human exposure to mercury and methylmercury was effected in riverine villages along the Tapajos river and in the metropolitan area of Belem city, state of Para, Brazil, by using total mercury and methylmercury concentrations in hair samples in 1994 and 1995. It was observed that average concentrations of total mercury are in a range from 2 ± 1µg/g-1 to 20.5 ± 12.1µg/g-1. While methylmercury average concentration varies from 1.4 ± 0.7µg/g-1 to 18.5 ± 11µg/g-1. These results confirm mercury contamination in the Tapajos river and possible appearance of mercury intoxication symptoms, and recommends the monitoring of compounds in hair samples as well as the need for epidemiological and clinical studies for human health prevention and control of mercury intoxication.
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Avaliação da resposta aos esquemas de tratamento reduzidos para malária vivax
(Universidade Federal do Pará, 2001-08) ABDON, Nagib Ponteira; PINTO, Ana Yecê das Neves; SILVA, Rita do Socorro Uchôa da; SOUZA, José Maria de
Relapses may occur with long standard treatment of vivax malaria, and these are caused by incomplete patient’s compliance. The use of reduced schedules may further better patient compliance, while maintaining the same efficacy, tolerance and minimal adverse reactions. The objective of this study was to test two schedules with reduced doses of chloroquine for vivax malaria and comparing these with the classical schedule. The authors studied 120 outpatients, with vivax malaria, aged over 12 years, submitted to three therapeutic schemes: scheme I: chloroquine phosphate (150mg) in a dose of 25mg/kg/day for three days (10mg/kg/ day in the first day, 7.5mg/kg/day in the second and third day), plus primaquine (15mg) in a dose of 0.25mg/kg/day for fourteen days; scheme II: chloroquine, in a single dose of 10mg/kg, plus primaquine in a dose of 0.5mg/kg/day for seven days; scheme III: chloroquine, 10mg/kg in a single dose plus primaquine in a dose 0.5mg/kg/ day for five days. The clinical response to all three therapeutic schemes was satisfactory. The disappearance of malarial symptoms occurred after a maximum 96 hours of treatment, while the assexual parasitaemia clearance occurred within 72 hours, in all therapeutic schemes.
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Soroprevalência de anticorpos contra o antígeno CagA do helicobacter pylori em pacientes com úlcera gástrica na região Norte do Brasil
(Universidade Federal do Pará, 2002-08) MARTINS, Luisa Caricio; CORVELO, Tereza Cristina de Oliveira; OTI, Henrique Takeshi; BARILE, Katarine Antônia dos Santos
Helicobacter pylori is a pathogenic agent with a worldwide distribution and is involved in the development of many gastrointestinal diseases. Nowadays infection with the virulent strain CagA+ of H. pylori is considered one of the main etiological factors in the development of gastric ulcer. Based on this information, we investigated the seroprevalence of virulent strains among patients with gastric ulcer from one region, using serologic tests to detect antibodies against H. pylori and CagA protein. Infection by the virulent strain was found in 82% (40/55) of the patients, and among these, 89% (40/45) presented an increased degree of inflammation in the gastric mucosa, with a dense infiltration of leukocytes in the tissue, which probably favored the formation of gastric ulcer. We concluded that the presence of the virulent strain is related to the development of an increased inflammation in the gastric mucosa.
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Filariose linfática em Belém, Estado do Pará, Norte do Brasil e a perspectiva de eliminação
(Universidade Federal do Pará, 2005-04) FONTES, Gilberto; FRAIHA NETO, Habib; ROCHA, Eliana Maria Mauricio da; BRAUN, Reinaldo F.; VIEIRA, João Batista F.; PADILHA, Saturnino S.; ROCHA, Raimundo Cândido
The objective was to characterize the epidemiological situation of lymphatic filariasis in Belém, state of Pará. Hemoscopic data was analyzed from 1951 through 2003. Information for the period from 1951 to 1994 was collected from reports available from the National Health Foundation. Data from 1995 to 2003 was obtained through surveys carried out in 62 city sectors, within the eight administrative districts of the city. An appreciable drop in the microfilaraemic rates was observed over the years. The percentages of parasitized individuals in the decades of 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980 and 1990, were respectively: 8.2%, 2.6%, 0.7%, 0.16% and 0.02%. In 2001, a single microfilaraemic case was diagnosed, interrupting a series of two years without registering positive cases in the city. In 2002 and 2003, hemoscopic and entomological surveys were performed simultaneously revealing no microfilariae positive individuals, nor infected mosquitoes. To maintain this trend, surveillance measures must be conducted in order to detect and promptly treat patients, to prevent the risk of resurgence of a focus apparently now controlled.
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Further observations on clinical, histopathological, and immunological features of borderline disseminated cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis
(2005-08) SILVEIRA, Fernando Tobias; LAINSON, Ralph; CORBETT, Carlos Eduardo Pereira
Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis has for some time been considered as the causative agent of two distinct forms of American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL): localized cutaneous leishmaniasis (LCL), and anergic diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (ADCL). Recently, a new intermediate form of disease, borderline disseminated cutaneous leishmaniasis (BDCL), was introduced into the clinical spectrum of ACL caused by this parasite, and in this paper we record the clinical, histopathological, and immunological features of eight more BDCL patients from Brazilian Amazonia, who acquired the disease in the Pará state, North Brazil. Seven of them had infections of one to two years' evolution and presented with primary skin lesions and the occurrence of metastases at periods varying from six to 12 months following appearance of the first lesion. Primary skin lesions ranged from 1-3 in number, and all had the aspect of an erythematous, infiltrated plaque, variously located on the head, arms or legs. There was lymphatic dissemination of infection, with lymph node enlargement in seven of the cases, and the delayed hypersensitivity skin-test (DTH) was negative in all eight patients prior to their treatment. After that, there was a conversion of DTH to positive in five cases re-examined. The major histopathological feature was a dermal mononuclear infiltration, with a predominance of heavily parasitized and vacuolated macrophages, together with lymphocytes and plasma cells. In one case, with similar histopathology, the patient had acquired his infection seven years previously and he presented with the largest number of disseminated cutaneous lesions. BDCL shows clinical and histopathological features which are different from those of both LCL and ADCL, and there is a good prognosis of cure which is generally not so in the case of frank ADCL.
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Espaço de cores
(2006) SANTANA, Claudia Feitosa; OIWA, Nestor Norio; COSTA, Marcelo Fernandes da; TIEDEMANN, Klaus Bruno; SILVEIRA, Luiz Carlos de Lima; VENTURA, Dora Selma Fix
The article presents definitions for the terms color space and color system. In agreement with David Brainard (2003), it classifies the color systems in two groups: color appearance and color difference. Amongst the existing color systems, the article also presents the description of the Munsell Color System, one of the most used among the color appearance systems, and of the CIE 1931, one of the most used color difference systems. In addition, an historical retrospect of the search for color spaces that represent the human color perception as well as the reconstruction of color spaces with electrophysiological and psychophysical methods, are described. Many of these reconstructions use the multidimensional scaling methods (mds). Finally, the article presents the possibility for reconstruction of color spaces of patients with acquired dyschromatopsia as a distortion of the color space of normal trichromats.
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Comparative study of human exposure to mercury in riverside communities in the Amazon region
(2006-03) PINHEIRO, Maria da Conceição Nascimento; OIKAWA, Teiichi; VIEIRA, José Luiz Fernandes; GOMES, M S V; GUIMARÃES, Geraldo de Assis; CRESPO LÓPEZ, Maria Elena; MÜLLER, Regina Celi Sarkis; AMORAS, Walter Wanderley; RIBEIRO, Danielle Regina Gomes; RODRIGUES, Anderson Raiol; CÔRTES, Maria Izabel Tentes; SILVEIRA, Luiz Carlos de Lima
Four populations in the Amazon area were selected for a comparative study of mercury-exposed and non-exposed populations: São Luiz do Tapajós, Barreiras, Panacauera, and Pindobal Grande. The highest mercury levels in human hair samples were found in São Luiz do Tapajós and Barreiras, greatly exceeding the limits established by the World Health Organization. Panacauera showed an intermediate level below 9 µg/g. This was the first comparative and simultaneous evaluation of mercury exposure in the Amazon area. Also, thanks to this type of monitoring, we were able to eliminate the uncertainties about the reference dose. On the basis of these data, we can conclude that the mercury levels detected in exposed populations of the Tapajós River basin may be dangerous not only because they are above the World Health Organization limits, but also because the simultaneous mercury detection in non-exposed populations with similar characteristics provided a valid control and revealed lower mercury levels. Our results support the importance of continuous monitoring in both exposed and non-exposed populations.
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Susceptibility of Anopheles aquasalis and An. darlingi to Plasmodium vivax VK210 and VK247
(2006-08) SILVA, Ana de Nazaré Martins da; SANTOS, Carla Christiani Bastos dos; LACERDA, Raimundo Nonato da Luz; MACHADO, Ricardo Luiz Dantas; PÓVOA, Marinete Marins
The susceptibility of Anopheles aquasalis (F3 generation) and An. darlingi (F1 generation) to Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite protein phenotypes from a limited number of blood samples of malaria patients in Belém, state of Pará, Brazil, was examined. A polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the P. vivax phenotypes in blood samples and the blood-fed infected mosquitoes were dissected and tested by ELISA. In all patient infections, more infected An. aquasalis and An. darlingi were positive for VK210 compared with VK247.
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Fauna anofélica da cidade de Belém, Pará, Brasil: dados atuais e retrospectivos
(2006-08) SILVA, Ana de Nazaré Martins da; FRAIHA NETO, Habib; SANTOS, Carla Christiani Bastos dos; SEGURA, Maria de Nazaré de Oliveira; AMARAL, Jane Cristina de Oliveira Faria; GORAYEB, Inocêncio de Souza; LACERDA, Raimundo Nonato da Luz; SUCUPIRA, Izis Mônica Carvalho; PIMENTEL, Leôncio Nazaré; CONN, Jan E.; PÓVOA, Marinete Marins
We present the results of anopheline captures in Belém, Pará, Brazil, from 1995-2004, and a comparison with captures from 1930-1999. In the earlier period, 20 species were identified: Anopheles albitarsis s.l., An. aquasalis, An. argyritarsis, An. braziliensis, An. darlingi, An. eiseni, An. evansae, An. galvaoi, An. intermedius, An. kompi, An. mediopunctatus, An. nimbus, An. nuneztovari, An. oswaldoi, An. peryassui, An. punctimacula, An. shannoni, An. strodei, An. thomasi, and An. triannulatus. Seven of these species were not found in 1995-2004 (An. argyritarsis, An. eiseni, An. galvaoi, An. kompi, An. nimbus, An. punctimacula, and An. thomasi). The persistence of so many species is probably due to the local preservation of forest areas. Two species are of vectorial importance (An. darlingi and An. aquasalis). An. aquasalis is still the most abundant species (46.26% of adults, 99.21% of larvae) and the only one detected in all capture sites. There is thus a potential risk of malaria transmission in the entire municipality of Belém.
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Mercury toxicity in the Amazon: contrast sensitivity and color discrimination of subjects exposed to mercury
(2007-03) RODRIGUES, Anderson Raiol; SOUZA, Cleidson Ronald Botelho de; BRAGA, Alexandre Melo; RODRIGUES, Paulo Sergio Silva; SILVEIRA, Antonio Tobias; DAMIN, Enira Teresinha Braghirolli; CÔRTES, Maria Izabel Tentes; CASTRO, Antonio José de Oliveira; MELLO, Guilherme Arantes; VIEIRA, José Luiz Fernandes; PINHEIRO, Maria da Conceição Nascimento; VENTURA, Dora Selma Fix; SILVEIRA, Luiz Carlos de Lima
We measured visual performance in achromatic and chromatic spatial tasks of mercury-exposed subjects and compared the results with norms obtained from healthy individuals of similar age. Data were obtained for a group of 28 mercury-exposed subjects, comprising 20 Amazonian gold miners, 2 inhabitants of Amazonian riverside communities, and 6 laboratory technicians, who asked for medical care. Statistical norms were generated by testing healthy control subjects divided into three age groups. The performance of a substantial proportion of the mercury-exposed subjects was below the norms in all of these tasks. Eleven of 20 subjects (55%) performed below the norms in the achromatic contrast sensitivity task. The mercury-exposed subjects also had lower red-green contrast sensitivity deficits at all tested spatial frequencies (9/11 subjects; 81%). Three gold miners and 1 riverine (4/19 subjects, 21%) performed worse than normal subjects making more mistakes in the color arrangement test. Five of 10 subjects tested (50%), comprising 2 gold miners, 2 technicians, and 1 riverine, performed worse than normal in the color discrimination test, having areas of one or more MacAdam ellipse larger than normal subjects and high color discrimination thresholds at least in one color locus. These data indicate that psychophysical assessment can be used to quantify the degree of visual impairment of mercury-exposed subjects. They also suggest that some spatial tests such as the measurement of red-green chromatic contrast are sufficiently sensitive to detect visual dysfunction caused by mercury toxicity.
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Nested-PCR do gene que codifica o antígeno b aplicada ao diagnóstico da tuberculose pulmonar
(2007-04) LIMA, Karla Valéria Batista; LOPES, Maria Luíza; LOUREIRO, Edvaldo Carlos Brito; COSTA, Maurimélia Mesquita da; CARDOSO, Ninarosa Calzavara; LIMA, George Leandro Ferreira; SOUSA, Maísa Silva de
The polymerase chain reaction used for amplifying an internal sequence of a previously amplified fragment (nested-PCR) was investigated as a complementary alternative for searching for alcohol-acid resistant bacilli and Mycobacterium tuberculosis cultures in Lowenstein-Jensen medium. 144 sputum samples were investigated from patients with suspected tuberculosis that were sent to the Tuberculosis Laboratory of the Evandro Chagas Institute in Belém, between June 2002 and December 2003. From the 144 samples, 121 were characterized as tuberculosis: 119 were positive in cultures, 95 under bacilloscopy and 128 using nested-PCR. The sensibility of the nested-PCR was 96% (116/121), while the specificity was 48% (11/23). Nested-PCR may be a complementary tool for diagnosing tuberculosis, since it presents sensitivity equivalent to that of cultures. However, further evaluations are needed with the aim of minimizing the number of false-positive results.
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Lacaziose (doença de Jorge Lobo): revisão e atualização
(2007-10) BRITO, Arival Cardoso de; QUARESMA, Juarez Antônio Simões
Lacaziosis, also known as Jorge Lobo s disease, lobomycosis and keloidal blastomycosis, is a chronic cutaneous and subcutaneous fungal granulomatous disease, caused by Lacazia loboi – an uncultivated fungal pathogen – characterized by the development of nodular keloidal lesions, particularly on the pinnae, face, upper and lower limbs, and with no involvement of mucous membranes. Most cases in humans were reported in South America, including the Caiabi Indians, in Central Brazil. The disease was described in non-human mammals, such as two species of dolphins (Tursiops truncatus and Sotalia guianensis) inhabiting the coasts of Florida (USA), South America (Suriname River estuary, Santa Catarina-Brazil coast) and Gulf of Gascony (Biscaya Bay, in Europe). The histopathological findings in dolphins were very similar to those observed in humans. The aspects related to the history, etiology, epidemiology and ecology, clinical manifestations, differential diagnosis, immunohistochemistry, pathology, ultrastructural, laboratory diagnosis and therapy of lacaziosis, are presented.
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Prevalência dos marcadores sorológicos dos vírus das hepatites B e D na área indígena Apyterewa, do grupo Parakanã, Pará, Brasil
(2007-11) NUNES, Heloisa Marceliano; MONTEIRO, Maria Rita de Cássia Costa; SOARES, Manoel do Carmo Pereira
In order to study the prevalence of hepatitis B (HBV) and D (HDV) viruses in the Parakanã Indians and to evaluate the impact of hepatitis B vaccination beginning there in 1995, 258 serum samples were analyzed in the year 2004 for hepatitis B and D serological markers using immunoenzymatic techniques; the results showed a moderate endemic pattern, with a total prevalence of HBV infection of 55.7% and 5.4% of virus carriers in the Apyterewa village and 49.5% with 1.1% of HBV carriers in the Xingu village; 31.4% of anti-HBs+ as an isolated marker in both villages and no detection of positive serological tests for HDV among HBV carriers. The laboratory analysis thus showed the presence of chronic HBV carriers, absence of HDV carriers, and an emerging vaccine profile among susceptibles, confirming the effectiveness and need to maintain vaccination, especially in the first year of life, and the need to implement effective epidemiological surveillance for early detection of HDV infection among HBV carriers.
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Detecção do DNA de Mycobacterium leprae em secreção nasal
(2008-11) PONTES, Ana Rosa Botelho; ALMEIDA, Maria das Graças Carvalho; XAVIER, Marília Brasil; QUARESMA, Juarez Antônio Simões; ISHIKAWA, Edna Aoba Yassui
Studies have demonstrated high sensibility of the polimerase chain reaction (PCR) technique in the identification of the Mycobacterium leprae DNA . This study aimed to evalue the PCR sensibility at the detection of the M. leprae DNA in nasal swab of leprosy patients and to compare the results with the bacilloscopy and multibacillary (MBs) and paucibacilares (PBs) forms. Nasal secretion samples of 24 leprosy patients were collected, and were preserved in one and two lise's solution. The PCR results were highly significant (p <0.0000) and they revealed grater sensibility than bacilloscopy, in several clinical forms. Nevertheless, still different studies are necessary, testing new markers and preservatives, with the purpose of lifting up the sensibility of this technique, in nasal secretion samples.