Using a metagenomic approach, we identified hepatitis A virus among cases of acute febrile illnesses that occurred in 2008-2012 in Brazil suspected as yellow fever. These findings reinforce the challenge facing routine clinical diagnosis in complex epidemiological scenarios.

Dengue virus type 3 was isolated for the first time in the country as an indigenous case from a 40 year-old woman presenting signs and symptoms of a classical dengue fever in the municipality of Nova Iguaçu, State of Rio de Janeiro. This serotype has been associated with dengue haemorrhagic epidemics and the information could be used to implement appropriate prevention and control measures. Virological surveillance was essential in order to detected this new serotype.

This paper presents epidemiological, laboratory, and clinical data on 12 years of dengue virus activity in the State of Rio de Janeiro from the time the disease was first confirmed virologically in April 1986 through April 1998. DEN-1 and DEN-2 viruses are the serotypes circulating in the state and were responsible for the epidemics reported during the last 12 years. The results published here show both the impact of dengue virus infections on the population and laboratory advances that have improved dengue diagnosis.

Os enterovírus foram investigados em secreções respiratórias coletadas de pacientes com infecção respiratória aguda (IRA), durante um período de sete anos (1985-1991), dentro de um estudo longitudinal da etiologia das IRAs. Neste estudo foram encontrados todos os vírus que são mais comumente associados com IRA. Entre os vírus isolados, os enterovírus foram apenas menos frequentes que vírus respiratório sincicial, adenovírus e influenzavírus. Quarenta e cinco amostras de enterovirus foram isoladas de pacientes com infecção do trato respiratório superior ou inferior. Entre estes enterovírus isolados, trinta e uma amostras foram identificadas como poliovírus (n=18) e enterovírus não polio (n=13) pelo teste de soroneutralização. As amostras de poliovirus isoladas foram classificadas como amostras vacinais do tipo 1 e 2. Dos treze enterovírus não polio, doze foram identificados como echovírus sorotipos 1, 2, 7, 11, 19 e 31 e apenas um foi identificado como coxsackievírus B4.

Enteroviruses were investigated in respiratory secretions collected from patients with acute respiratory infections (ARI) over a seven year period (1985-1991), as part of a longitudinal study of ARI aetiology. All the viruses that are most commonly associated with ARI were found in this study. Among the virus isolates, enteroviruses were only less frequent than respiratory syncytial viruses, adenoviruses and influenzaviruses. Forty five enterovirus samples were isolated from patients with either upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) or lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI). From these enterovirus isolates, thirty one samples were identified as poliovirus (n=18) and non polio enterovirus (n=13) by serum neutralization. Poliovirus were identified as type 1 and 2 and all of them were vaccinal strains. From thirteen non polio enterovirus, twelve were identified as echovirus serotypes 1, 2, 7, 11, 19 and 31. The remainder was identified as coxsackievirus B4.