Objetivo: Conhecer a prevalência de infecção ocular em amostras de raspado conjuntival causada por C. trachomatis, no período de janeiro de 2004 a junho de 2007 em laboratório de Genética e Biologia Molecular da região metropolitana de Florianópolis, SC. Métodos: Realizou-se um estudo transversal e descritivo, envolvendo todos os casos de conjuntivite registrados no banco de dados do Laboratório de Genética e Biologia Molecular (DNAnálise) de janeiro de 2004 a junho de 2007. Foi observada a positividade de C. tracomatis nas amostras coletadas de raspado ocular. Resultados: Dos 660 exames realizados foram detectados 359 casos positivos (54,4%), sendo a maior parte do sexo feminino (66,3%). A prevalência foi maior na faixa etária de zero a 15 anos em pacientes de ambos os sexos, sendo 55,8% para o sexo masculino e 62,5% para o sexo feminino. Verificou-se um grande aumento de casos positivos no primeiro semestre do ano de 2006, representando 79,2% de todos os pacientes analisados. Conclusão: Houve um aumento no número de casos de conjuntivite na região metropolitana de Florianópolis no ano de 2006, causada pela C. trachomatis no laboratório de Genética e Biologia Molecular. O grande aumento de casos verificados sugere a necessidade da intensificação das ações de vigilância epidemiológica do tracoma nessa região para confirmar clinicamente o aumento da prevalência do tracoma.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of ocular infection by Chlamydia trachomatis in conjuctival material, from january 2004 to june 2007 at Genetic and Molecular Biology Laboratory from Florianópolis Metropolitan area, SC. Methods: A cross-sectional and descriptive study involving all cases of conjunctivitis using the database of Genetic and Molecular biology Laboratory (DNAanálises) recorded in the period from january 2004 to june 2007 was carried out. The positivity to C. trachomatis in conjunctival material was observed. Results: A total of 660 exams to the detection of C. trachomatis in ocular samples were observed 359 (54,4%) positive cases which the most part of them were from female patients (66,3%). The majority of the cases were observed at the female group (66.3%). The highest prevalence was between one to 15 years old in both sex groups, being 55.8% in the male and 62.5% in the female group. We observed an increased number of cases between january and june of 2006 representing 79.2% of the total positive cases. Conclusion: There was an increased number of conjunctivitis at Florianópolis Metropolitan area at the year of 2006, caused by Chlamydia trachomatis detected at Genetic and Molecular Biology Laboratory. The great number of cases detected in the studied area suggests the need for strengthening epidemiological surveillance activities at the region to confirm clinically the increased prevalence of trachoma.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) isolates have been divided into six genotypes (1 to 6). The duration of hepatitis C standard treatment is 48 weeks for patients infected with HCV genotype 1 vs 24 weeks for those infected with genotypes 2 and 3. A total of 1544 HCV isolates from chronic patients living in the southern Brazilian states of Rio Grande do Sul (RS, n = 627) and Santa Catarina (SC, n = 917) were genotyped by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products. In RS, 338 (53.9%; 95% CI 50.0 - 57.8%), 34 (5.4%; 95% CI 3.8 - 7.4%) and, 255 (40.7%; 95% CI 36.9 - 44.6%) samples were from genotypes 1, 2, and 3, respectively. In SC, 468 (51%; 95% CI 47.8 - 54.2%), 26 (2.9%; 95% CI 1.9 - 4.1%) and, 423 (46.1%; 95% CI 42.9 - 49.3%) samples were from genotypes 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Genotyping results were confirmed by direct nucleotide sequencing of PCR products derived from 68 samples, without any discrepancy between PCR-RFLP and nucleotide sequencing methods. In conclusion, almost half of the hepatitis C patients from South of Brazil are infected by genotypes 2 and 3 and, these results have important consequential therapeutic implications as they can be treated for only 24 weeks, not 48.

OBJECTIVE: The intracellular Gram-negative bacterium Chlamydia pneumoniae has been associated with atherosclerosis. The presence of Chlamydia pneumoniae has been investigated in fragments of the arterial wall with a technique for DNA identification. METHODS: Arterial fragments obtained from vascular surgical procedures in 58 patients were analyzed. From these patients, 39 were males and the mean age was 65±6 years. The polymerase chain reaction was used to identify the bacterial DNA with a pair of primers that codify the major outer membrane protein (MOMP) of Chlamydia pneumoniae. The amplified product was visualized by electrophoresis in the 2% agarose gel stained with ethidium bromide, and it was considered positive when migrating in the band of molecular weight of the positive controls. RESULTS: Seven (12%) out of the 58 patients showed positive results for Chlamydia pneumoniae. CONCLUSION: DNA from Chlamydia pneumoniae was identified in the arterial wall of a substantial number of patients with atherosclerosis. This association, which has already been described in other countries, corroborates the evidence favoring a role played by Chlamydia pneumoniae in atherogenesis.