EDITORIAL
Articles published in the july/august 2010 issue of "Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo"
In the July/August issue of Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo LUNA & GATTÁS reported on the effectiveness of the Brazilian Influenza vaccination policy. Influenza, vaccine, Brazil and effectiveness were the keywords to search the main databases and thirty-one studies matched the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Influenza vaccine coverage among the elderly was not as high as suggested by the official figures. Estimates on effectiveness were scarce showing a modest reduction in mortality and hospital admissions. Reduction was not evident in the North and Northeastern states of Brazil, a finding probably related to the different seasonal pattern of influenza occurrence in tropical and equatorial regions.
CESARETLI & OZKAN reported on scorpion stings in Turkey between the years 1995 and 2004. A total of 930 cases were recorded occurring mostly in the month of July. The 20-29 age group presented more scorpion stings and cases occurred in Central Anatolia and Marmora regions of Turkey. Patients showed localized pain, hyperemia, edema, and numbness and systemic manifestations such as fever, nausea and vomiting, tachycardia, shivering and lethargy but no lethality was notified. Men and women were almost similarly affected.
INCANI et al. related for the first time a case of hyperinfection by Strongyloides stercoralis with hypereosinophilia associated to immune suppression by Rituximab in a patient with mantle-cell lymphoma. The authors had the unique chance to look at cytotoxicity of filariform larvae in the expectoration after Ivermectin treatment, showing immobilization and death of larvae, associated with eosinophils attached to the cuticle of the parasite.
VALDÉS et al. evaluated the antimalarial activity of 14 plant species used in Cuba as antimalarial, antipyretic and/or antiparasitic. Antimalarial use of Bambusa vulgaris and Parthenium hysterophorus was validated. Bambusa vulgaris and Punica granatum extracts were selected for follow-up because of their strong antimalarial activity.
ROWLANDS et al. described the findings of a laboratorial investigation of 117 suspected cases of botulism reported to the surveillance system in Brazil from January 2000 to October 2008. A total of 193 clinical and 81 food samples were analyzed for detection and identification of the botulism neurotoxin. Among the classical samples 22 (11.4%) presented the toxin (nine type A, five type AB and eight with an unidentified type); in food samples, eight (9.9%) were positive for the toxin (five type A, one type AB and two with an unidentified type). Of the 38 suspected cases of botulism 27 were confirmed by a mouse bioassay.
SANTINI et al. studied the Lutzomyia longipalpis behavior and control at an urban visceral leishmaniasis focus in Argentina. Results of the research support the recommendations about time-space focus of the protection measures: first half of the night, in the backyard, with pets and domestic animals kept at least 5m from humans. Deltamethrin as it was used did not seem very effective in this scenario, neither did the eventual use of bed nets, at least in adults, due to the place/hour of sand fly higher activity.
PINTO & MELO reported for the first time Melanoides tuberculata (Mollusca: Thiaridae) as an intermediate host of Centrocestus formosanus) (Trematoda: Heterophyidae) in Brazil.
OHLWEILER et al. described the current distribution of Achatina fulica in the state of S. Paulo, Brazil. The species present great epidemiological interest for it acts as an intermediate host for the Angiostrongylus cantonensis nematodes and also for Angiostrongylus costaricensis which causes abdominal angiostrongyliasis.
FIGUEIREDO et al. studied methods for the detection of IgG in serum and eluate samples in canine visceral leishmaniasis. A total of 305 animals were studied and Leishmania chagasi was isolated from nine of them. ELISA was considered the best tool for the diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis among the serological techniques tested.
RIBEIRO et al. analyzed the seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori and its relation to dyspepsia in a population from the western Amazon region. It was concluded that the seroprevalence in all age categories is similar to results found in other studies conducted in developing countries but the seroprevalence in the region studied was higher than that reported in developed countries. Progressive increase in the positivity for H. pylori was found in older age groups.
ROSSI et al. reported a primary response to Toxoplasma gondii, following a hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in a patient with multiple myeloma. The primary response was supported by IgM, IgG and IgA seroconversion. The patient was successfully treated.
Thales de Brito, Editor
Pedro Paulo Chieffi, Associate Editor
Marcello F. Franco, Associate Editor
Publication Dates
-
Publication in this collection
25 Aug 2010 -
Date of issue
Aug 2010
