ABSTRACT The diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis presents limitations and therefore new options are necessary. The analysis of amniotic fluid by real-time PCR has already proved effective for confirmation of fetal infection. However, its performance in other biological samples is not clear yet. The aim of this study is to better understand the role of real-time PCR in the blood of the mother and newborn as well as in the amniotic fluid and placenta in the diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis. This is a descriptive cohort study of pregnant women with toxoplasmosis followed up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Real-time PCR was performed in samples of maternal blood, amniotic fluid, placenta, and blood of newborns. In addition, histopathological examination of placentas was performed, and data collected from babies were collected. 116 pregnant women were followed up and 298 samples were analyzed. One (0.9%) pregnant woman presented positive PCR in the blood, 3 (3.5%) in the amniotic fluid, 1 (2.3%) in the placenta and no newborn had positive PCR in the blood. Histopathological study was suggestive of toxoplasmosis infection in 24 (49%) placentas. Six (5.2%) newborns were diagnosed with congenital toxoplasmosis, and only cases with positive PCR in the amniotic fluid had correlation of the PCR result with the diagnosis of congenital infection. Both maternal and blood samples of new-borns and placenta did not prove to be promising in the diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis. Further studies are needed to evaluate the real role of molecular diagnosis in other biological materials rather than the amniotic fluid.

ABSTRACT Toxoplasmosis in pregnant women can cause significant morbidity and mortality in the fetus, which may be mitigated by early diagnosis and treatment. Social factors have also been related to the risk of developing the congenital form of toxoplasmosis, since some of these factors interfere directly in the quality of prenatal care. This study aimed to describe the clinical, laboratory, and epidemiological data of pregnant women diagnosed with toxoplasmosis and their newborns followed up at a referral hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This was descriptive cohort study of 334 pregnant women with toxoplasmosis followed from May 2014 to December 2017. We conducted interviews to assess knowledge about the disease and its preventive measures, analyzed clinical and laboratory data during antenatal visits, and collected data from the newborns' medical charts. Results: This was a predominantly low-income women cohort study, with little schooling, mainly referred from public health services late in pregnancy (178; 53.3%), in the second and third trimesters (286; 85.6%). Diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis had not been confirmed in 171 cases (51.2%). Out of 183 (54.9%) women who had initiated treatment at the original health services, 45 (24.6%) received an incorrect prescription. Seventy-two amniocenteses were performed, with positive real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in the amniotic fluid in two cases (2.8%). Congenital toxoplasmosis at birth was identified in eight newborns (5.4%). Conclusion: Late referral to specialized medical services, inadequate toxoplasmosis management at the original prenatal care services, and social vulnerabilities are contributing factors to the persistent occurrence of congenital toxoplasmosis cases.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Travel medicine is aimed at promoting health risk reduction. However, travelers’ perception of risk is subjective and may influence implementation of recommendations. This study reports on travelers’ perception of risk, pre-travel characteristics, and recommended interventions. METHODS: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. RESULTS: This study included 111 individuals. Most travelers (74%) perceived their risk as low. Significant differences in travel-related risk perception between practitioners and travelers were observed (Gwet’s agreement coefficient [AC1] 0.23; standard error 0.10; 95% confidence interval 0.02-0.44). CONCLUSIONS: Future studies should investigate the relationship between travelers’ perception of risk and implementation of recommendations.

Resumo Os recifes de coral do Brasil formam estruturas significativamente diferentes dos modelos conhecidos: (i) possuem uma forma de crescimento de pináculos coralíneos em forma de cogumelo, chamados "chapeirões", (ii) são construídos por uma fauna coralínea com baixa diversidade e rica em espécies endêmicas, sendo grande parte destas formas relíquias do período Terciário e (iii) os recifes costeiros estão num ambiente dominado por sedimentos siliciclásticos. Os recifes estão distribuídos em quatro áreas ao longo da costa brasileira: regiões norte, nordeste, leste, e nas ilhas oceânicas, mas espécies isoladas de coral podem ser encontradas em águas mais quentes nas enseadas da região sul. Diferentes tipos de banco recifais, recifes em franja, "chapeirões" isolados e um atol estão presentes ao longo da costa brasileira. Corais, milleporídeos e algas coralinas incrustantes constroem a estrutura rígida dos recifes. As áreas em que ocorrem os maiores recifes de coral correspondem às regiões nas proximidades de centros urbanos que estão experimentando crescimento acelerado e rápido desenvolvimento do turismo. Os principais efeitos antropogênicos sobre o ecossistema recifal estão associados, essencialmente ao aumento da sedimentação devido à remoção da mata atlântica e as descargas de efluentes industriais e urbanos. Os efeitos do aquecimento das águas oceânicas que vem afetando várias áreas de recifes, com alta intensidade de branqueamento de coral, não causaram mortalidade em massa nos recifes brasileiros até o evento de 2010.

Abstract Brazilian coral reefs form structures significantly different from the well-known reef models, as follows: (i) they have a growth form of mushroom-shaped coral pinnacles called "chapeirões", (ii) they are built by a low diversity coral fauna rich in endemic species, most of them relic forms dating back to the Tertiary, and (iii) the nearshore bank reefs are surrounded by siliciclastic sediments. The reefs are distributed in the following four major sectors along the Brazilian coast: the northern, the northeastern and the eastern regions, and the oceanic islands, but certain isolated coral species can be found in warmer waters in embayments of the southern region. There are different types of bank reefs, fringing reefs, isolated "chapeirões" and an atoll present along the Brazilian coast. Corals, milleporids and coralline algae build the rigid frame of the reefs. The areas in which the major coral reefs occur correspond to regions in which nearby urban centers are experiencing accelerated growth, and tourism development is rapidly increasing. The major human effects on the reef ecosystem are mostly associated with the increased sedimentation due to the removal of the Atlantic rainforest and the discharge of industrial and urban effluents. The effects of the warming of oceanic waters that had previously affected several reef areas with high intensity coral bleaching had not shown, by the time of the 2010 event, any episodes of mass coral mortality on Brazilian reefs.

Siderastrea é um pequeno gênero de corais escleractíneos zooxantelados composto por formas coloniais e maciças. Além de contribuir para a consolidação da estrutura dos recifes, representa um grupo com significativa resistência ao estresse ambiental. Até a década de 70, a sua taxonomia foi uma tarefa complicada, limitada pela dificuldade em identificar morfotipos. Mais recentemente, os limites interespecíficos foram redefinidos para as Siderastreas do Atlântico 'Complexo Siderastrea do Atlântico'. No entanto, apesar de novas perspectivas, incluindo a ocorrência de S. radians e S. siderea para o Brasil, os padrões morfológicos são ainda pouco estudados. A fim de caracterizar os níveis de variação intra e interespecífica em S. stellata e S. radians, análises morfométricas foram desenvolvidas em colônias da costa da Bahia. As amostras foram coletadas na Baía de Todos os Santos e Litoral Norte. Uma Análise Discriminante Canônica foi aplicada sobre seis caracteres para avaliar os diferentes níveis de variação. Os testes sugerem que o diâmetro dos coralitos, profundidade da columela e número de septos variam entre populações. Número de septos é o caracter mais importante para a diferenciação das espécies. Siderastrea stellata, com três diferentes padrões morfológicos, foi mais variável do que S. radians.

Siderastrea is a small genus of scleractinian corals, composed by zooxanthellate massive colonial forms. Besides contributing to the consolidation of the reef structure, represent a group with significant resistance to environmental stress. Until the 70's, its taxonomy was a complicated task, limited by the difficulty in identifying morphotypes. More recently, interspecific boundaries were redefined for 'Atlantic Siderastrea Complex'. However, despite new perspectives, including the occurrence of S. radians and S. siderea for Brazil, morphological patterns are still poorly studied and inconspicuous for several coastal areas. In order to characterize levels of intraspecific and interspecific morphological variation in S. stellata and S. radians, morphometric analysis were carried out in colonies from Bahia State coast. Samples were taken in Todos-os-Santos Bay and North Coast. We applied the Canonical Discriminate Analysis upon six corallite characters to evaluate the different levels of variation. The tests revealed that diameter of corallites, columella depth and number of septa varied among populations. Number of septa was the most important character for the species differentiation. Siderastrea stellata, with three different morphological patterns, was more variable than S. radians.

A morfologia de invertebrados sésseis, tais como corais escleractíneos, é controlada por mecanismos genéticos e ambientais e, por conseguinte, é muito variável. Entretanto, variação morfológica tem intrigado os taxonomistas principalmente por desafiar a identificação de complexos de espécies crípticas. O "Complexo Siderastrea do Atlântico" é um exemplo desta problemática. Por conta da sobreposição dos traços diagnósticos, os limites morfológicos interespecíficos deste grupo permanecem controversos e muitas vezes resultaram em sinonímias de interpretação duvidosa. Além disso, a recente identificação do S. radians para o Atlântico Sul revelou que a variação intra-específica tem sido avaliada equivocadamente. Tradicionalmente, categorias hierárquicas de variação são os critérios mais utilizados para investigar os padrões de organismos modulares como corais. No entanto, apesar de sua importância taxonômica e ecológica, a categoria "intracolonial" tem sido amplamente negligenciada. No sentido de elucidar a influencia de variação morfológica intracolonial na identificação do gênero Siderastrea, colônias do Estado da Bahia, nordeste do Brasil, foram coletadas e medidas. Seis características foram selecionadas em S. radians e S. stellata, e a variação destas características foi analisada através da Análise Discriminante Canônica. A profundidade e diâmetro columelar variaram de forma consistente dentro de S. stellata e S. radians, mas o número de septos foi o mais importante para diferenciar as duas espécies. Por fim, o estudo também provê o primeiro relato de S. radians no litoral norte da Bahia.

The morphology of sessile invertebrates, such as scleractinian corals, can be controlled by environmental and genetic mechanisms and, consequently, it is highly variable. Morphological variation has puzzled taxonomists by posing challenges to species classification within cryptic species complexes. The 'Atlantic Siderastrea Complex' is a suitable example. Because of overlapping diagnostic traits, the morphological interspecific limits of this group remain controversial and often resulted in doubtful synonyms. In addition, the recent identification of the Caribbean S. radians in the Southwestern Atlantic has revealed that intraspecific variation has been equivocally assessed. Traditionally, hierarchical categories of variation have been the criteria used to investigate the patterns of modular organisms as corals. However, despite its taxonomic and ecological implications, the category 'intracolonial' has been largely neglected. To evaluate the influences of intracolonial morphological variation in the identification of Atlantic siderastreids, colonies from Bahia State, northeastern Brazil, were collected and measured. Six characters were selected in S. radians and S. stellata, and the variation in these characters was analyzed with Discriminant Canonical Analysis. The columellar depth and diameter varied consistently within S. stellata and S. radians, but the septal number was the most important for differentiating the two species. The results of the study also represent the first report of S. radians on the northern coast of Bahia.

INTRODUÇÃO: Um polimorfismo de nucleotideo único (SNP) no gene codificante para interferon gama influencia a sua produção e pode estar associado à gravidade de diversas doenças infecciosas. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a associação entre SNP para IFNγ+874T/A com a duração da doença, a morbidade e o desenvolvimento de retinocoroidite na toxoplasmose aguda. MÉTODOS: Estudo de caso-controle incluindo 30 pacientes e 90 controles. RESULTADOS: Apesar da ausência de associação estatística, o alelo A foi mais comum entre os casos com retinocoroidite e doença prolongada e o alelo T nas formas mais severas. CONCLUSÕES: Os dados encontrados sugerem uma relação entre o polimorfismo de base única em IFNγ+874T/A com a morbidade e com o desenvolvimento de retinocoroidite por toxoplasmose.

INTRODUCTION: A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the gene encoding gamma interferon influences its production and is associated with severity of infectious diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the association of IFNγ+874T/A SNP with duration of disease, morbidity, and development of retinochoroiditis in acute toxoplasmosis. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted among 30 patients and 90 controls. RESULTS: Although statistical associations were not confirmed, A-allele was more common among retinochoroiditis cases and prolonged illness, while T-allele was more frequent in severe disease. CONCLUSIONS: Despite few cases, the results could indicate a relation between IFNγ+874T/A single nucleotide polymorphism and clinical manifestations of toxoplasmosis.

The crabs of the genus Dissodactylus are well known as ectosymbionts of irregular echinoids belonging to Clypeasteroida and Spatangoida. Dissodactylus crinitichelis is the only species of the genus reported in Brazil. The pea crab species has been already recorded associated with four species of echinoids in Brazilian waters. This paper reviews the known hosts for D. crinitichelis and registers for the first time the association between the pea crab and the sand dollar Leodia sexiesperforata increasing to five the number of known hosts for the crab.

Estudou-se a influência da cafeína, administrada a ratos, no desenvolvimento somático e sensorial-motor da prole. Ratos Wistar fêmeas foram divididos em grupo controle e grupo tratado e receberam água e solução de cafeína a 0,1%, respectivamente. A prole, também dividida em grupo controle e grupo tratado, foi monitorada diariamente até o 20º. dia de vida para se observar as alterações no desenvolvimento somático neural. O grupo tratado apresentou peso reduzido no dia do nascimento e nos 1º, 5º., 15º e 20º. dias de vida; comprimento focinho-ânus mais curto (avaliação efetuada diariamente); comprimento focinho-cauda mais curto no dia do nascimento e nos 1º, 5º., 15º e 20º. dias de vida e sinais de retardamento da maturação somática e sensorial-motora. Esses resultados permitem que se conclua que a administração da cafeína a ratos afeta o desenvolvimento somático e sensorial-motor da prole.

The influence of caffeine, administered to rats, on the somatic and sensory-motor development of the offspring was investigated. Female Wistar rats were divided into a control group and a treated group and received drinking water and a 0.1% solution of caffeine orally, respectively. The offspring, also divided into a control group and a treated group, received daily monitoring until the 20th day of life to verify alterations in somatic neural development. The offspring of the treated group had reduced weight on the day of birth and on the 1st, 5th, 15th and 20th days of life; shorter snout-anus length (evaluation done daily); shorter snout-tail length on the day of birth and on the 1st, 5th and 10th days of life, and signs of retardation of somatic and sensory-motor maturation. These results allowed the conclusion that administration of caffeine to rats affects somatic and sensory-motor development of offspring.

Infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii, toxoplasmosis, is one of the most frequent zoonoses in the world; it normally affects both genders equally. Humans are one of several possible intermediate hosts, and the disease is oligosymptomatic in most cases. Vertical transmission is an important cause of fetal malformation and sequels in newborns. Approximately 10% of postnatal cases present multiple manifestations, ranging from low fever and mild lymphadenopathy to severe encephalitis. In moderate cases, lesions such as retinochoroiditis may emerge during acute infection or even years later. We analyzed 313 cases of toxoplasmosis from 1992 to 2004, including 261 acute cases. Most patients were women (68.1%), and 39% of these were pregnant. Among acute infection cases, 64.8% presented symptomatic disease; the most frequent manifestations were lymphadenomegaly (59.8%), fever (27.2%), headache (10.7%), asthenia (10%), weight loss (8.4%), myalgia (8%), retinochoroiditis (3.4%) and hepatosplenomegaly (1.5%). Although ocular lesions by T. gondii are well documented as a possible consequence of postnatal infection, two patients developed retinochoroiditis only two years after primary infection. This demonstrates the need for toxoplasmosis case surveillance, even long after acute manifestations.

We analyzed the meniscus morphometrics aspects of the knee joint as such: extern circunference tickness, the breadth, the area and distance between anterior and posterior horns, the tibial plateau correspondent area, meniscus area/tibial plateau report, check the Wrisberg's ligament length. There were analyzed 44 meniscus of the 22 knees adults men corpses. The tickness and breadth morphometrics variables were evaluated in three different points: anterior medium and posterior third part and compared values between medial and lateral compartments. In the medial meniscus weren't meaningful difference between anterior, medium and posterior third part thickness, while medium third part lateral meniscus showed such as larger thickness. When analyzed the breadth, watched the medial meniscus posterior third part were the larger area, while the lateral meniscus there weren't neither meaningful difference between three analyzed points. The distance between anterior and posterior horns such as the meniscus medial area, it showed meaningfully lager than lateral meniscus. The tibial plateau area didn't showed statistics difference between lateral and medial compartments. The morphometrics meniscus results demonstrated relation with clinics data. The medial meniscus is more broad and it occupied the area of the higher tibial plateau what justify the higher lesions incidence that attack this meniscus. Like wise, the measurement values of third part confirmed the frequency higher of break in this region

Investigamos los aspectos morfométricos de los meniscos de la articulación de la rodilla tales como: grosor de la circunferencia externa y el ancho de los meniscos, relación área del menisco/área del platillo de la tibia y la distancia entre los cuernos posterior y anterior de cada menisco. Fueron analizados 44 meniscos de 22 rodillas de cadáveres humanos, adultos, de sexo masculino. Las variables morfométricas ancho y grosor fueron evaluadas en tres puntos distintos: tercio anterior, tercio medio y tercio posterior, y sus valores comparados entre los compartimientos medial y lateral. En el menisco medial no hubo diferencia significativa, en lo que se refiere al grosor, entre los tercios anterior, medio y posterior, mientras que en el menisco lateral, el tercio medio se mostró como sitio de mayor grosor. En cuanto al ancho, se observó que el tercio posterior del menisco medial fue estadísticamente el sitio más ancho del menisco, mientras que en el menisco lateral no hubo ninguna diferencia significativa entre los tres puntos analizados. La relación área del menisco/área del platillo de la tibia y la distancia entre los cuernos anterior y posterior fueron mayores en el compartimiento medial. Los resultados morfométricos de los meniscos demostraron relación con los datos clínicos. El menisco medial se mostró más ancho y ocupando una área de cobertura del platillo de la tibia más grande, lo que justifica la mayor incidencia de lesiones que afectan ese menisco. De la misma manera, los valores de medición en su tercio medio, confirman la mayor frecuencia de rupturas en esa región

Os autores relatam um caso de forma íctero- hemorrágica de leptospirose ocorrida em paciente com síndrome de imunodeficiência adquirida (SIDA). A evolução clínica da leptospirose se deu de modo semelhante ao observado em pacientes sem imunodepressão, apesar dos níveis muito baixos de linfócitos TCD4+. Tampouco houve agravamento da SIDA em decorrência da infecção pelo espiroqueta. Observou-se conversão sorológica na prova de aglutinaçãomicroscópica com títulos máximos de 1:3.200. O paciente permaneceu por dois meses com urinocultura positiva para Leptospira interrogans, sendo as hemoculturas negativas.

A case of renal icterohaemorrhagic leptospirosis involving a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is reported. Despite the low levels of CD4+ Tlymphocytes, the clinical course of leptospirosis was similar to that observed in non-immunodepressed patients, and no worsening of AIDS occurred due to the infebtion by the spirochete. Serologic conversion was observed in the microscopic agglutination test, with maximum titer of1:3,200. The patient had positive urine cultures for Leptospira interrogans for two months, whereas blood cultures were negative.