Objetivo: Conocer la frecuencia de tres marcadores serológicos del virus de la hepatitis B (VHB): antígeno de superficie (HBsAg), anticuerpos anti-antígeno de superficie (anti-HBs) y anticuerpos totales al antígeno central (anti-HBc) en una población de adultos fallecidos en un hospital general. Material y Métodos: Mediante las técnicas de ELISA y RIA se hizo determinación de la presencia de tres marcadores del VHB en el suero de 336 pacientes fallecidos. Resultados: Se encontró HBsAg en el 2,4% de los casos; anticuerpos anti-HBs en el 29,8%; y anti-HBc en el 31,8%. Conclusiones: La frecuencia de los tres marcadores mencionados fue más alta en esta casuística, que en otras de personas vivas del país descritas por otros autores. Los autores no pudieron ubicar investigaciones similares a ésta, en personas hospitalizadas que mueren en nosocomios. Este estudio sugiere que la infección con VHB es más frecuente en la población hospitalizada que muere en el hospital, que en la población general.

Objective: To determine the frequency of three serological markers of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) in a series of corpses in a Class A general hospital of Costa Rica. Material and Methods: Using ELISA and RIA methods, three serological markers of HBV were investigated in the serum of the corpses. Results: HBsAg was found in 2.4% of the deceased, anti-HBs in 29.8%; and anti-HBc in 31.8%. Conclusions: The frequency of the markers studied was relatively high in this sample, in comparison with rates in blood donors and other population groups in the country. Similar studies of hospitalized deceased persons were not found in the world literature. The present study suggests that infection with HBV is more common in nosocomial populations.

Num período de 12 meses, 201 espécimes fecais de 61 crianças foram examiandos com vista a detecção de Cryptosporidium. Cento e quinze espécimes foram obtidos durante os episódios diarréicos e 86 de crianças sem diarréia (grupo controle). Todos os espécimes fecais foram examinados pelo método de coloração de Ziehl-Neelsen modificado. Cryptosporidum foi identificado em seis (5,2%) das 115 amostras das crianças com diarréia. Em nenhum dos controles foi obtida a presença desse parasito. O presente estudo sugere que o Cryptosporidium é um agente causal de diarréia auto-limitada em crianças imunocompetentes em Belém, Pará.

Two hundred and one samples obtained from 61 children were examined for Cryptosporidium infection during a period of 12 months. One hundred fifteen specimens were collected during diarrhoea episodes and the remaining 86 obtained out of diarrhoea period, as controls. All samples were examined by a modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining method. Cryptosporidium was detected in 6 (5.2%) of 115 samples from diarrhoeic children. All non-diarrhoeic control patients were negative for Cryptosporidum. The present study suggests that Cryptosporidium is an agent of self-limited diarrhoea among immunocompetent children from Belém, Pará.

Amostras de Cryptosporidium sp foram detectadas das fezes de três crianças com diarréia aguda. Em dois casos nenhum outro agente foi registrado, concomitantemente, e no terceiro caso, esse coccidio estava associado com Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba coli, Endolimax nana, Chilomastix mesnili e Pentatrichomonas hominis.

Cryptosporidium sp was detected in faeces from three children suffering from acute diarrhoea. In two cases no other concomitant agents were detected and in a 3rd. this agent was associated with Entamoeba histolytic, Entamoeba coli, Endolimax nana, Chilomastix mesnili and Pentatricbomonas hominis.