OBJETIVO:avaliar o risco epidemiológico e o desempenho dos programas de controle de tuberculose segundo Regiões de Saúde do estado de Santa Catarina, Brasil, no período de 2003 a 2010.MÉTODOS:estudo ecológico com dados fornecidos pela vigilância epidemiológica estadual, compreendendo 4 indicadores de risco e 11 de desempenho do programa; calculou-se a mediana de cada indicador por Região e atribuiu-se pontos conforme a distribuição percentilar, permitindo-se a criação de um índice de gravidade.RESULTADOS:verificou-se a existência de diferentes níveis de risco de morbimortalidade e distintos índices de desempenho das ações de controle da tuberculose nas Regiões de Saúde; o índice de gravidade permitiu identificar 6 Regiões de maior gravidade, 9 intermediárias e 6 de menor gravidade, com diferenças nos escores de risco e desempenho (p<0,001).CONCLUSÃO:evidenciou-se grande variedade de nichos de gravidade distribuídos nas diversas Regiões, bem como diversidade no empenho da gestão administrativa para seu enfrentamento.

OBJECTIVE:to evaluate epidemiologic risk and Tuberculosis Control Program performance by Health Region in Santa Catarina State, Brazil, 2003-2010.METHODS:this was an ecological study using state epidemiologic surveillance data comprising 4 risk indicators and 11 Tuberculosis Program performance indicators; we calculated the median for each indicator by region and gave scores according to percentile ranking. A severity index was thus created.RESULTS:different levels of morbi-mortality risk and distinct Tuberculosis control performance indexes were found in the regions; the severity index created allowed us to identify six regions with high severity, nine intermediate and six with low severity, although there were differences in risk and performance scores (p<0.001).CONCLUSION:a great variety was found in the distribution of pockets of disease severity in the different regions, as was diversity in health management efforts to overcome them.

OBJETIVO:evaluar el riesgo epidemiológico y el desempeño de los programas de control de tuberculosis según las Regiones de Salud del estado de Santa Catarina, Brasil, en el período de 2003 a 2010.MÉTODOS:estudio ecológico con datos suministrados por la vigilancia epidemiológica estadual, comprendiendo 4 indicadores de riesgo y 11 de desempeño del programa; se calculó la mediana de cada indicador por Región y se atribuyeron puntosconforme la distribución percentilar, permitiendo la creación de un índice de gravedad.RESULTADOS:se verificó la existencia de diferentes niveles de riesgo de morbilidad ymortalidad y distintos índices de desempeño de las acciones de control de la tuberculosis en las Regiones de Salud; el índice de gravedad permitió identificar 6 Regiones de más gravedad, 9 intermedias y 6 de menor gravedad, con diferencias en los scores de riesgo y desempeño (p<0,001).CONCLUSIÓN:se evidenció una gran variedad de nichos de gravedad distribuidos en las diversas Regiones, bien como diversidad en el desempeño de la gestiónadministrativa para enfrentarlo.

OBJETIVO: avaliar o risco epidemiológico e o desempenho dos programas de controle de tuberculose segundo Regiões de Saúde do estado de Santa Catarina, Brasil, no período de 2003 a 2010. MÉTODOS: estudo ecológico com dados fornecidos pela vigilância epidemiológica estadual, compreendendo 4 indicadores de risco e 11 de desempenho do programa; calculou-se a mediana de cada indicador por Região e atribuiu-se pontos conforme a distribuição percentilar, permitindo-se a criação de um índice de gravidade. RESULTADOS: verificou-se a existência de diferentes níveis de risco de morbimortalidade e distintos índices de desempenho das ações de controle da tuberculose nas Regiões de Saúde; o índice de gravidade permitiu identificar 6 Regiões de maior gravidade, 9 intermediárias e 6 de menor gravidade, com diferenças nos escores de risco e desempenho (p<0,001). CONCLUSÃO: evidenciou-se grande variedade de nichos de gravidade distribuídos nas diversas Regiões, bem como diversidade no empenho da gestão administrativa para seu enfrentamento.

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate epidemiologic risk and Tuberculosis Control Program performance by Health Region in Santa Catarina State, Brazil, 2003-2010. METHODS: this was an ecological study using state epidemiologic surveillance data comprising 4 risk indicators and 11 Tuberculosis Program performance indicators; we calculated the median for each indicator by region and gave scores according to percentile ranking. A severity index was thus created. RESULTS: different levels of morbi-mortality risk and distinct Tuberculosis control performance indexes were found in the regions; the severity index created allowed us to identify six regions with high severity, nine intermediate and six with low severity, although there were differences in risk and performance scores (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: a great variety was found in the distribution of pockets of disease severity in the different regions, as was diversity in health management efforts to overcome them.

OBJETIVO: evaluar el riesgo epidemiológico y el desempeño de los programas de control de tuberculosis según las Regiones de Salud del estado de Santa Catarina, Brasil, en el período de 2003 a 2010. MÉTODOS: estudio ecológico con datos suministrados por la vigilancia epidemiológica estadual, comprendiendo 4 indicadores de riesgo y 11 de desempeño del programa; se calculó la mediana de cada indicador por Región y se atribuyeron puntosconforme la distribución percentilar, permitiendo la creación de un índice de gravedad. RESULTADOS: se verificó la existencia de diferentes niveles de riesgo de morbilidad ymortalidad y distintos índices de desempeño de las acciones de control de la tuberculosis en las Regiones de Salud; el índice de gravedad permitió identificar 6 Regiones de más gravedad, 9 intermedias y 6 de menor gravedad, con diferencias en los scores de riesgo y desempeño (p<0,001). CONCLUSIÓN: se evidenció una gran variedad de nichos de gravedad distribuidos en las diversas Regiones, bien como diversidad en el desempeño de la gestiónadministrativa para enfrentarlo.

In Leishmania amazonensis, kinetoplastid membrane protein-11 (KMP-11) expression increases during metacyclogenesis and is higher in amastigotes than in promastigotes, suggesting a role for this protein in the infection of the mammalian host. We show that the addition of KMP-11 exacerbates L. amazonensis infection in peritoneal macrophages from BALB/c mice by increasing interleukin (IL)-10 secretion and arginase activity while reducing nitric oxide (NO) production. The doses of KMP-11, the IL-10 levels and the intracellular amastigote loads were strongly, positively and significantly correlated. The increase in parasite load induced by KMP-11 was inhibited by anti-KMP-11 or anti-IL-10 neutralising antibodies, but not by isotype controls. The neutralising antibodies, but not the isotype controls, were also able to significantly decrease the parasite load in macrophages cultured without the addition of KMP-11, demonstrating that KMP-11-induced exacerbation of the infection is not dependent on the addition of exogenous KMP-11 and that the protein naturally expressed by the parasite is able to promote it. In this study, the exacerbating effect of KMP-11 on macrophage infection with Leishmania is for the first time demonstrated, implicating it as a virulence factor in L. amazonensis. The stimulation of IL-10 production and arginase activity and the inhibition of NO synthesis are likely involved in this effect.

Kinetoplastid membrane protein-11 (KMP-11), a protein present in all kinetoplastid protozoa, is considered a potential candidate for a leishmaniasis vaccine. A suitable leishmaniasis vaccine candidate molecule must be expressed in amastigotes, the infective stage for mammals. However, the expression of KMP-11 in Leishmania amastigotes has been a subject of controversy. We evaluated the expression of this molecule in logarithmic and stationary growth phase promastigotes, as well as in amastigotes, of Leishmania amazonensis by immunoblotting, flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry, using a monoclonal antibody against KMP-11. We found that KMP-11 is present in promastigotes and amastigotes. In both stages, the protein was found in association with membrane structures (at the cell surface, flagellar pocket and intracellular vesicles). More importantly, its surface expression is higher in amastigotes than in promastigotes and increases during metacyclogenesis. The increased expression of KMP-11 in metacyclic promastigotes, and especially in amastigotes, indicates a role for this molecule in the parasite relationship with the mammalian host. The presence of this molecule in amastigotes is consistent with the previously demonstrated immunoprotective capacity of vaccine prototypes based on the KMP-11-coding gene and the presence of humoral and cellular immune responses to KMP-11 in Leishmania-infected humans and animals.

RACIONAL: Helicobacter pylori é hoje aceito como o principal agente etiológico de gastrite em seres humanos e fator de risco para úlcera péptica e câncer gástrico. A evolução da infecção está relacionada a diversos fatores, inclusive bacterianos, como presença do gene cagA e o genótipo vacA s1m1, associados ao desenvolvimento de úlcera e adenocarcinoma gástrico. A técnica de RAPD ("random amplified polimorphic") tem sido amplamente utilizada para obtenção de impressões digitais de DNA para examinar a similaridade entre linhagens. OBJETIVOS: Avaliar a presença de cagA e alelos do vacA em amostras de H. pylori e associar os achados com a doença apresentada e também investigar possível clonicidade entre os fatores de virulência e as doenças com a impressão digital de DNA gerada pelo RAPD-PCR. MÉTODOS: Foram incluídas 112 amostras provenientes de pacientes com diferentes laudos endoscópicos: gastrite (n = 41), esofagite de refluxo (n = 14), úlcera gástrica (n = 19) e úlcera duodenal (n = 38). A análise dos fatores de virulência da bactéria foi feita por PCR e as impressões digitais de DNA foram estabelecidas pelo método de RAPD-PCR. RESULTADOS: Os resultados obtidos indicam que houve uma associação significativa entre úlcera duodenal e o mosaico vacA s1m1. Analisando-se os padrões de bandas geradas pelo RAPD-PCR, sete diferentes dendogramas foram construídos e não foi possível detectar associação significativa entre os agrupamentos, sugerindo que as amostras não possuem perfil clonal. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados reforçam a importância do gene vacA como um marcador de virulência do H. pylori. O RAPD da impressão digital de DNA realizado foi incapaz de associar o padrão de bandas com as enfermidades e os genótipos de vacA e cagA.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori is now accepted as the most important agent of gastritis in humans, as well as a risk factor for peptic ulcer disease and gastric carcinoma. The outcome of the infection is related to several factors, among them bacterial ones such as cagA and vacA s1m1 genotype. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR, has been used to generate DNA fingerprints to evaluate similarity among strains within a bacterial species. AIM: To assess the association between RAPD fingerprinting, virulence factors and the disease. METHODS: H. pylori was isolated from 112 patients (41 with gastritis; 19 with gastric ulcers; 38 with duodenal ulcer disease; and 14 with gastroesophageal reflux disease). Allelic variants of cagA and vacA were identified using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the fingerprints were generated by RAPD-PCR. RESULTS: There was a strong association between the genotype vacA s1m1 and duodenal ulcers. Although RADP-PCR is a very useful tool in genotyping H. pylori, no significant correlation between the diseases studied and DNA fingerprint was detected neither with fingerprint and different vacA and, cagA genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: The extension of our analysis to patients with well-characterized gastric diseases may provide significant information on the relationship between vacA genotypes and clinical outcomes of H. pylori infection.

RACIONAL E OBJETIVOS: Dentre os vários métodos diagnósticos empregados na detecção da infecção por Helicobacter pylori, o diagnóstico histológico e a análise microbiológica de biopsia gástrica são consideradas as técnicas mais sensíveis. Entretanto, a sensibilidade da cultura de H. pylori pode ser reduzida pela presença de outras bactérias. Desse modo, avaliou-se a eficácia da desinfecção do endoscópio e a influência dos procedimentos endoscópicos na contaminação da cultura bacteriana. Para tal, as duas primeiras endoscopias durante 28 dias consecutivos foram estudadas. A sala de endoscopia, o fórceps e o canal do endoscópio foram analisados antes e depois do início dos procedimentos endoscópicos rotineiros. Depois da desinfecção, uma simulação de coleta de biopsia foi realizada para verificar a presença das bactérias gástricas. RESULTADOS: A desinfecção do endoscópio foi capaz de remover todos os organismos do fórceps e do canal do endoscópio. As bactérias não-H. pylori mais freqüentemente detectadas foram Streptococcus bovis, Enterobacter hormaechei e Staphylococcus aureus. Em alguns casos a sensibilidade da cultura do H. pylori foi reduzida pela presença de bactérias contaminantes. CONCLUSÃO: Não houve risco de transmissão de microorganismos quando fórceps esterilizados e desinfecção adequada foram empregadas. A presença de S. bovis e E. hormaechei parece ser comum na microflora gástrica; por outro lado, a detecção de P. aeruginosa e S. aureus indica que a manipulação de biopsias pode ser responsável pela contaminação da cultura por essas bactérias.

BACKGROUND: Among the various diagnostic methods for the detection of Helicobacter pylori infection, histological examination and microbiological processing of gastric biopsy samples are assumed to be the gold standard techniques. AIMS: Since H. pylori culture can be affected by the presence of non-H. pylori bacteria, we evaluated the efficacy of endoscope disinfection and the influence of endoscopic procedures on culture contamination. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The procedures used during the first two routine endoscopies were evaluated during 28 consecutive days. Endoscopy room, forceps and endoscopic channel were analyzed before and after the beginning of normal procedures. After disinfection, a biopsy simulation was performed to verify the gastric bacteria. RESULTS: Endoscope disinfection removed all organisms from forceps and endoscopic channel with 100% efficacy. The most frequent non-H. pylori bacteria detected were Streptococcus bovis, Enterobacter hormaechei, and Staphylococcus aureus. The sensibility of the H. pylori culture was affected by the presence of non-H. pylori bacteria. CONCLUSION:The risk of transmission of microorganisms was not detectable when sterilized biopsy forceps and stringent disinfection standards were employed. Whilst S. bovis and E. hormaechei may be common in gastric microbial flora, the presence of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus indicated that the manipulation of biopsies could be responsible for culture contamination with these bacteria.

Este estudo apresenta uma revisão de uma série de pacientes com leishmaniose cutânea diagnosticados e tratados em Centros Municipais de Saúde do Rio de Janeiro, onde o esquema intermitente de tratamento antimonial foi substituído pelo esquema contínuo. Ambos os esquemas terapêuticos foram baseados em injeções intramusculares diárias de antimonial pentavalente. Quarenta e nove indivíduos receberam o esquema intermitente, constituído de três séries de dez dias alternadas com intervalos de dez dias de descanso, enquanto que setenta e um indivíduos receberam o esquema contínuo durante 20 dias consecutivos. Os dois grupos tinham composição semelhante quanto à idade, sexo e quadro clínico. A taxa de cura foi significativamente maior no grupo que recebeu o tratamento intermitente do que no que recebeu o esquema contínuo (89,8% vs 63,3%). Além disto, a perda do acompanhamento dos pacientes foi significativamente maior no grupo que recebeu o tratamento contínuo (19,7% vs 4,1% no grupo de terapia intermitente). Em condições de campo, o tratamento intermitente proporcionou maior efetividade e adesão do que o esquema contínuo.

This study reviews a series of cutaneous leishmaniasis cases diagnosed and treated in outpatient units in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, where the intermittent schedule of antimonial therapy was replaced by the continuous regimen. Both schedules were based on daily intramuscular injections of pentavalent antimonial. Forty-nine subjects received the intermittent regimen, consisting of three ten-day series alternated with ten-day rest intervals whereas seventy-one patients received the continuous regimen during 20 consecutive days. The study groups had similar composition regarding age, sex and clinical condition. The cure rate was significantly higher in the group receiving the intermittent schedule than in the group receiving continuous therapy (89.8% vs 63.3%). Moreover, loss to follow-up was significantly more frequent in the group receiving continuous therapy (19.7% vs 4.1% in the intermittent therapy). Under field conditions, the intermittent regimen provided higher effectiveness and adherence than the continuous schedule.

An atypical case of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-associated mucocutaneous lesions due to Leishmania braziliensis is described. Many vacuolated macrophages laden with amastigote forms of the parasite were found in the lesions. Leishmanin skin test and serology for leishmaniasis were both negative. The patient was resistant to therapy with conventional drugs (antimonial and amphotericin B). Interestingly, remission of lesions was achieved after an alternative combined therapy of antimonial associated with immunotherapy (whole promastigote antigens). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were separated and stimulated in vitro with Leishmania antigens to test the lymphoproliferative responses (LPR). Before the combined immunochemotherapy, the LPR to leishmanial antigens was negligible (stimulation index - SI=1.4). After the first course of combined therapy it became positive (SI=4.17). The antigen responding cells were predominantly T-cells (47.5%) most of them with CD8+ phenotype (33%). Very low CD4+ cells (2.2%) percentages were detected. The increased T-cell responsiveness to leishmanial antigens after combined therapy was accompanied by interferon-g (IFN-g) production as observed in the cell culture supernatants. In this patient, healing of the leishmaniasis lesions was associated with the induction of a specific T-cell immune response, characterized by the production of IFN-g and the predominance of the CD8+ phenotype among the Leishmania-reactive T-cells.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is a cytokine produced by activated macrophages and other cells. In order to verify whether the serum levels of TNF-α in American tegumentary leishmaniasis patients are associated with the process of cure or aggravation of the disease, 41 patients were studied: 26 cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and 15 of mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (MCL). During active disease the serum levels of TNF-α of MCL patients were significantly higher than those of CL patients and control subjects (healthy individuals and cutaneous lesions from other etiologies). The MCL patients had serum titers of TNF-α significantly lower at the end of antimonial therapy than before therapy. After a six-month follow-up, the MCL patients had serum levels of TNF-α similar to those observed at the end of the therapy as well as to those of CL patients and control subjects. No significant variation in the serum levels of TNF-α was observed in CL patients throughout the study period (before, at the end of therapy and after a six-month follow-up). The possible relationship between the high TNF-α serum levels and severity of the disease is discussed.

O teste de imunofluorescência indireta (IF) para a detecção de anticorpos anti-Leismania nas classes IgG e IgM foi realizado em soros de indivíduos dos seguintes grupos: 214 pacientes com leismaniose cutânea, quatro pacientes com leismaniose mucocutânea, 28 indivíduos sadios com intradermorreação de Montenegro (IDRM) positiva, 29 indivíduos sadios com IDRM negativa e 16 pacientes com leishmaniose visceral. Os indivíduos dos quatro primeiros grupos eram provenientes de uma área da periferia da cidade do Rio de Janeiro (Jacarepaguá) onde a leishmaniose tegumentar causada por Leishmania braziliensis brasiliensis é endêmica. Entre os pacientes com leishmaniose cutânea foi observado que os títulos de IF-IgM foram significantemente mais altos nos casos com menos de quatro meses de evolução do que em pacientes com períodos mais longos de evolução da doença e que os títulos de IF-IgG foram significantemente mais altos em pacientes com lesões múltiplas do que nos portadores de lesão única. Os pacientes com leishmaniose visceral tiveram títulos de IF-IgG significantemente superiores aos dos pacientes com leishamiose cutânea. zum grupo de 28 indivíduos selecionados entre os 214 pacientes com leishmaniose cutânea tiveram seus títulos de IF (IgG e IgM) comparados aos de dois grupos controles constituídos de indivíduos sadio, moradores na área endêmica com IDRM respectivamente positiva e negativa. Títulos de IF-IgG e IF-IgM significantemente superiores foram encontrados no grupo com doença ativa. O mesmo grupo de pacientes apresentou título de IF-IgG significantemente mais baixos após a terapêutica antimonial do que durante a mesma.

The indirect immunofluorescence test (IF) for anti-Leishmania antibodies (IgC and IgM) was performed with sera form the following groups of individuals: 214 cutaneous leishmaniasis patients, 28 healthy subjects with positive Montenegro's skin test (MST), 29 healthy subjects with negativeMST and 16 visceral leishmaniasis patients. The first four groups came from a suburban area of Rio de Janeiro (Jacarepaguá) where cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania braziliensis braziliensis is endemic. It was observed that IF-IgM titers were significantly higher amongst the cutaneous leishmaniasis patients with less than four months of disease as compared to those with longer periods and that IF-IgG titers were significantly higher in patients with multiple lesions as compared to those with single lesions. The visceral leishmaniasis patients had IF-IgG titers significantly higher than those from cutaneous leishmaniasis patients. A group of 28 individuals selected amongst the 214 cutaneous leishmaniasis patients had their IF-titers (IgG and IgM) compared to those of the two control groups of healthy subjects from the endemic area, respectively with positive and negative MST. Significantly higher titers of IF-IgG and IF-IgM were found in the group with active disease. The same group of patients showed IF-IgG titers significantly lower at the end of the antimonial therapy than those observed during this tratment.