OBJETIVO: Conhecer o perfil de sensibilização dos pacientes com diagnóstico de doenças alérgicas atendidos no Ambulatório de Alergia do Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia. MÉTODOS: Foi realizado um estudo retrospectivo por meio da análise de prontuários de pacientes atendidos no serviço, que foram submetidos ao teste cutâneo de puntura (TCP) para os alérgenos de Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p), Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f), Blomia tropicalis (Blo t), Canis familiaris (Can f), Felis domesticus (Fel d), Blattella germanica (Bla g) e Alternaria alternata, e respondido corretamente ao questionário ISAAC. RESULTADOS: Foram analisados 212 prontuários de pacientes que preenchiam os critérios de inclusão. A rinite alérgica isoladamente foi a maior causa de atendimento (32%), seguida das associações asma e rinite (29,7%) e asma, rinite e eczema (9,4%). Pacientes com asma isoladamente perfizeram apenas 1,9% dos atendimentos. A sensibilização dos pacientes observada foi de 73,5%, sendo de 61,7% para Der p, 59,9% para Der f, 54,7% para Blo t, 45,7% para Bla g, 38,2% para Can f, 33,3% para Fel d e 9,9% para Alternaria. Não houve diferenças significantes entre as patologias encontradas e os perfis de sensibilização. CONCLUSÃO: Os principais alérgenos sensibilizantes determinados pelo TCP foram os ácaros, com predomínio de Der p e Der f, chamando a atenção a elevada prevalência de sensibilização ao último. Ainda foi observada elevada sensibilização aos alérgenos de B. germanica, superior aos estudos anteriores realizados no País.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate allergens among patients with allergic respiratory disease attended at the Allergy Clinic of the University Hospital - Federal University of Uberlândia. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed using medical records. Patients were included if their ISAAC questionnaires were correctly filled out and their skin prick tests were positive to at least one of the allergens from Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p), Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f), Blomia tropicalis (Blo t), Canis familiaris (Can f), Felis domesticus (Fel d), Blattella germanica (Bla g) and Alternaria alternata. RESULTS: Two-hundred and twelve medical records fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Allergic rhinitis was the main clinical diagnosis (32%), followed by concomitant manifestation of asthma and rhinitis (29.7%), and asthma, rhinitis and atopic dermatitis (9.4%). Asthma alone was found only in 1.9% of patients. The total sensitization observed was 73.5%, of which 61.7%, 59.9%, 54.7%, 45.7%, 38.2%, 33.3%, 9.9% were sensitized to Der p, Der f, Blo t, Bla g, Can f, Fel d and Alternaria, respectively. No significant difference was found between allergic disease types and source of allergen sensitization. CONCLUSION: The highest sensitization in allergic patients under study was to dust mites, especially Der p and Der f. It is noteworthy that the number of patients sensitized to cockroach extract was uncommonly high when compared to previous studies.

The main purpose of the present study was to examine if there is difference in terms of incidence rates of congenital toxoplasmosis among populations assisted in public and private hospitals from Uberlândia, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. A total of 805 serum samples from cord blood were collected, being 500 from public hospital and 305 from private hospital, and all patients answered a questionnaire about pregnancy and newborns. An indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to detect IgG antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii and the positive samples were retested to verify the presence of specific IgM and IgA antibodies in a capture ELISA. We found significant differences among data from both hospitals with respect to maternal age, origin city, gestational age, number of visits to physicians during pregnancy, type of delivery, and birth weight. Seroprevalence of IgG antibodies against T. gondii for patients from public and private hospitals was 57.6% and 41.9% respectively, and this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.0001). In addition, the frequency of congenital toxoplasmosis measured by the presence of IgM and/or IgA antibodies toward T. gondii was exclusively located in samples from public hospital (0.8%), and no positive sample was seen in private hospital (0%). Considering that almost all babies suffering from congenital toxoplasmosis, if undiagnosed and untreated, will develop visual or neurological impairments by adulthood, the results presented herein emphasized the importance to accomplish screening programs for toxoplasmosis during pregnancy, particularly in the public hospitals, due to the expressive rate of congenital disease showed in the patients attended at these centers.

OBJETIVOS: Determinar os níveis séricos do fator reumatóide-imunoglobulina E na artrite reumatóide juvenil e correlacioná-los com parâmetros clínicos e laboratoriais. MÉTODOS: Estudo multicêntrico prospectivo, realizado entre janeiro de 1993 a janeiro de 1999 com participação de três centros de reumatologia pediátrica. Estudaram-se 91 crianças com o diagnóstico de artrite reumatóide juvenil de acordo com os critérios do Colégio Americano de Reumatologia: 38 (42%) com a forma de início sistêmica, 28 (31%) pauciarticular e 25 (27%) poliarticular. A idade variou de 2,1 a 22,6 anos (média de 10,5 ± 4,7 anos) e 59 (65%) crianças eram do sexo feminino. O grupo controle constituiu-se de 45 crianças sadias. A detecção do fator reumatóide-imunoglobulina E foi realizada através de um ensaio imunoenzimático. Associações do fator reumatóide-imunoglobulina E com: fator reumatóide-imunoglobulina M (látex), imunoglobulina E sérica total, VHS, FAN, classe funcional e radiológica III ou IV foram analisadas. RESULTADOS: Das 91 crianças com artrite reumatóide juvenil, quinze (16,5%) apresentaram fator reumatóide-imunoglobulina E positivo. Destas, 7(18,5%) na forma sistêmica, 5 (18%) na pauciarticular e 3 (12%) na poliarticular. Observou-se correlação estatisticamente significativa entre o fator reumatóide-imunoglobulina E e a média geométrica da imunoglobulina E sérica total no total dos pacientes com artrite reumatóide juvenil; não foi observada correlação estatística entre o fator reumatóide-imunoglobulina E e positividade para o Látex, VHS, FAN e classe funcional e radiológica 3 ou 4 em nenhuma das formas de início da doença. Dos 45 controles, 4 (8,9%) também apresentaram fator reumatóide-imunoglobulina E positivo, mas não houve correlação com a imunoglobulina E sérica total. CONCLUSÕES: O fator reumatóide-imunoglobulina E pode ser detectado em 16,5% dos pacientes com artrite reumatóide juvenil, especialmente naqueles com níveis elevados de imunoglobulina E sérica total. O fator reumatóide-imunoglobulina E parece não se associar com atividade ou gravidade da artrite reumatóide juvenil.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the presence of immunoglobulin E-rheumatoid factor in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and to correlate it with clinical and laboratory parameters. METHODS: A multicenter prospective study was carried out from January 1993 to January 1999 with the enrollment of 3 centers of pediatric rheumatology. Ninety-one children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis diagnosed according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria were studied: 38 (42%) with systemic, 28 (31%) with pauciarticular, and 25 (27%) with polyarticular onset. Ages ranged from 2.1 years to 22.6 years (mean 10.5 ± 4.7), with 59 (65%) girls. The control group consisted of 45 healthy children. The detection of immunoglobulin E-rheumatoid factor was carried out utilizing an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Associations of immunoglobulin E-rheumatoid factor with immunoglobulin M-rheumatoid factor (latex agglutination test), total serum immunoglobulin E, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, antinuclear antibody, and functional and radiological classes III or IV were analyzed. RESULTS: Positive immunoglobulin E-rheumatoid factor was found in 15 (16.5%) of the 91 children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis: 7 (18.5%) with systemic, 5 (18%) with pauciarticular, and 3 (12%) with polyarticular onset. A significant correlation was observed between immunoglobulin E-rheumatoid factor and total serum immunoglobulin E in the juvenile rheumatoid arthritis patients. No correlation was found between immunoglobulin E-rheumatoid factor and positive latex agglutination slide test, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, antinuclear antibody, or the functional and radiological classes III or IV in any disease onset group. In 4 out of 45 control children (8.9%), immunoglobulin E-rheumatoid factor was positive but with no correlation with total serum immunoglobulin E levels. CONCLUSIONS: Immunoglobulin E-rheumatoid factor could be detected in 16.5% of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis patients, particularly in those with high levels of total serum immunoglobulin E, and immunoglobulin E-rheumatoid factor appears not to be associated with disease activity or severity.

An experimental model for acquired and congenital ocular toxoplasmosis as well as a model to induce experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) was investigated in Calomys callosus. Toxoplasma gondii, ME-49 strain, was used to infect males and pregnant- and not pregnant-females while S-antigen, a major glycoprotein of the retinal photoreceptor cell, was used to induce EAU. The ocular lesions elicited by T. gondii were characterized by the presence of cysts, free tachyzoites and inflammatory cells in the retina or related tissues. In the congenital form, 40% of the fetus presented ocular lesions, i.e., presence of cysts in the retina, vitreous, and extra-retinal tissues. In the acquired form, 75% of the females and 50% of the males presented unilateral ocular cysts both at 21 and 47 days post-infection. It was also demonstrated that S-antigen was not uveitogenic in the C. callosus model. No lesion was observed in the animals exclusively immunized with this retinal component, even when jacalin was used as additional adjuvant for polyclonal response to the retinal antigen. It can be concluded that C. callosus may constitute in a promising model for study both acquired and congenital ocular toxoplasmosis, particularly when it is important to make sure that a non autoimmune process is involved in the genesis of the ocular infection.