Abstract Objective To investigate the presence of cervical infection by human papillomavirus (HPV) and associated factors in older women Method A cross-sectional, retrospective descriptive study with a quantitative approach was conducted. The sample comprised 106 women aged 60 years or over, seen at public health services of a city in southern Brazil, who underwent cervical cell collection for cytological analysis and molecular detection of HPV DNA. Clinical and sociodemographic data were collected using a standardized questionnaire and from Pap test result Results Patient age was 60-82 years, with a mean of 64.9 ± 5.1 years. HPV was detected in 14 (13.2%) of the study participants and 8 viral types were identified, the majority (n=7; 87.5%) of high oncogenic risk. Chi-square analysis revealed that positive HPV cases were associated with a higher number of sexual partners (p= 0.018). On cytology, most of the women (n=102; 96.2%) had a negative result for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy, and two (1.8%) had abnormal cytology, but neither were positive for HPV infection on molecular testing. Of the 10 women evaluated at two visits, seven (70%) tested negative for HPV infection on both evaluations, two (20%) eliminated the HPV infection, and one (10%) showed conversion to positive infection status. None of the cases had persistent infection. Conclusion Older women are susceptible to HPV infection and to the lesions caused by the virus. This group should therefore continue regular cytological screening.

Resumo Objetivo Investigar a presença de infecção cervical pelo papilomavírus humano (HPV, human papillomavirus) em mulheres idosas e fatores relacionados. Método Trata-se de um estudo transversal, retrospectivo e descritivo, com abordagem quantitativa. A amostra foi constituída por 106 mulheres com idade igual ou superior a 60 anos atendidas em serviços de saúde pública de uma cidade do Sul do Brasil, as quais realizaram coleta de material cervical para análise citológica e detecção molecular do DNA do HPV, bem como levantamento de dados clínicos e sociodemográficos por meio de um questionário padronizado e requisição do exame citopatológico. Resultados A idade das pacientes variou entre 60 e 82 anos, com média de 64,9 ± 5,1. O HPV foi detectado em 14 (13,2%) idosas avaliadas no estudo e 8 tipos virais foram identificados, a maioria (n=7; 87,5%) de alto risco oncogênico. Observou-se, por análise de qui-quadrado, que casos HPV positivos possuem associação com maior número de parceiros sexuais (p= 0,018). Na citologia, a maioria das mulheres (n=102; 96,2%) apresentou resultado negativo para lesão intraepitelial ou malignidade e duas (1,8%) apresentaram citologia alterada, mas destas, nenhuma apresentou infecção por HPV no teste molecular. Das 10 mulheres avaliadas em duas visitas, sete (70%) não apresentaram infecção pelo HPV em ambas as avaliações, duas (20%) eliminaram a infecção pelo HPV e uma (10%) apresentou conversão para positividade. Nenhuma delas apresentou infecção persistente. Conclusão Mulheres idosas estão suscetíveis à infecção por HPV e às lesões causadas por esse vírus, por isso devem manter o rastreamento citológico.

RESUMO: A mastite bovina é a doença mais comum em gado leiteiro e responsável por perdas econômicas na indústria de laticínios. O presente estudo teve como objetivo identificar as principais espécies e avaliar a suscetibilidade antimicrobiana de isolados bacterianos de rebanhos bovinos com mastite em fazendas leiteiras no sul do Brasil. Um total de 107 amostras de leite foram coletadas em diferentes rebanhos bovinos em uma importante região produtora de leite do sul do Brasil, incluindo fazendas localizadas em 10 cidades da região Nordeste do estado do Rio Grande do Sul. As cepas bacterianas foram isoladas e submetidas à identificação presuntiva por métodos bacteriológicos clássicos. A identificação bacteriana foi confirmada por MALDI-TOF MS e o teste de sensibilidade antimicrobiana foi realizado com antimicrobianos comumente usados em fazendas leiteiras. Cinquenta e uma cepas bacterianas foram isoladas e a identificação presuntiva demonstrou a ocorrência de Staphylococcus spp. (82,3%), Bacillus spp. (3,9%), Klebsiella spp. (3,9%), Streptococcus spp. (3,9%), Corynebacterium sp. (2%), Enterococcus sp. (2%) e Serratia sp. (2%). Os 41 isolados foram identificados com sucesso na análise MALDI-TOF, incluindo 35 isolados de onze espécies bacterianas diferentes. É importante ressaltar que houve a ocorrência de oito espécies diferentes de Staphylococcus, com alta frequência de Staphylococcus chromogenes (48,6%) e Staphylococcus aureus (20%). No geral, os isolados bacterianos tiveram alta resistência à penicilina (46,3%), tetraciclina (39%), amoxicilina (36,6%), ampicilina (34,1%) e sulfametoxazol/trimetoprima (31,7%). A enrofloxacina foi o único antimicrobiano que todos os isolados foram suscetíveis. Além disso, havia seis isolados multirresistentes (cinco S. chromogenes e um S. aureus). Este estudo destaca que os patógenos bacterianos com resistência aos antimicrobianos estão presentes em fazendas leiteiras de subsistência em uma importante região produtora no sul do Brasil. É necessário o monitoramento constante dos patógenos da mastite bovina e a determinação de seu perfil antimicrobiano para o uso racional dos medicamentos.

ABSTRACT: Bovine mastitis is the most common disease in dairy cattle and responsible for economic losses in the milk industry. The present study aimed to identify the main species and to evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibility of bacterial isolates from cow herds with mastitis in dairy farms from southern Brazil. A total of 107 milk samples were collected from different cow herds in one important dairy producing region in southern Brazil, including farms located in ten cities from the Northeast region in the Rio Grande do Sul state. Bacterial strains were isolated and submitted to presumptive identification by classical bacteriological methods. Bacterial species were also identified by MALDI-TOF MS and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed with 12 antimicrobials commonly used in dairy farms. Fifty-one bacterial strains were isolated and the presumptive identification demonstrated the occurrence of Staphylococcus spp. (82.3%), Bacillus spp. (3.9%), Klebsiella spp. (3.9%), Streptococcus spp. (3.9%), Corynebacterium sp. (2%), Enterococcus sp. (2%) and Serratia sp. (2%). Forty-one isolates were successfully identified in the MALDI-TOF analysis, including 35 isolates from eleven different bacterial species. Importantly, there were eight different Staphylococcus species, with a high frequency of Staphylococcus chromogenes (48.6%) and Staphylococcus aureus (20%). Overall, bacterial isolates demonstrated resistance to penicillin (46.3%), tetracycline (39%), amoxicillin (36.6%), ampicillin (34.1%) and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (31.7%). Enrofloxacin was the unique antimicrobial that all isolates were susceptible. In addition, there were six multidrug resistant isolates (five S. chromogenes and one S. aureus). This study highlights that bacterial pathogens with resistance to several antimicrobials were identified in cows from dairy farms in a very important milk producing region located in southern Brazil. Microbial identification of the bovine mastitis pathogens and determination of the antimicrobial profile is necessary for the rational use of the medicines.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Nontyphoidal Salmonella serotypes are the main cause of human food-borne infection, including several hospitalization cases in the developing countries. Aim: To detect the main serotypes and to characterize the antibiotic resistance of human non-enteric and enteric nontyphoidal Salmonella from clinical isolates in Brazil. Methods: Salmonella serotypes were identified by microbiological and molecular methods. Susceptibility testing to antibiotics was performed by agar disk diffusion. Real-time PCRs were carried out for the detection of the genus Salmonella as well as serotypes Typhimurium and Enteritidis. Results: A total of 307 nontyphoidal Salmonella were isolated from 289 different patients in a reference laboratory (LACEN-RS) from Southern Brazil in a six-year period (2010–2015). There were 45 isolates from emerging cases and 244 from sporadic cases in hospitalized patients. Non-enteric isolates were detected in 42.6% of the patients from sources such as urine, blood and other clinical fluids. Serological and PCR-specific tests demonstrated that Typhimurium (48.4%) and Enteritidis (18.3%) were the most frequent serotypes. Typhimurium isolates were generally resistant to three or more antibiotic classes, while Enteritidis isolates to one or two classes. Typhimurium was the most frequent serotype in all samples (48.4%), mainly among the hospitalized patients (55.6%), and presented the highest rates of multidrug resistance (59.3% of the isolates of this serotype). Further, the prevalence of this serotype increased along the years of the study in comparison to other nontyphoidal Salmonella serotypes. Conclusion: Greater public health attention should be given to prevent salmonellosis in the community and in hospital settings to reduce the rates of Typhimurium strains with multidrug resistance.

ABSTRACT Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major public health problem in Brazil. HBV endemicity is usually moderate to low according to geographic regions, and high prevalence of this virus has been reported in people of some specific Brazilian counties, including those with a strong influence of Italian colonization in southern Brazil. Analysis of HBV diversity and identification of the main risk factors to HBV infection are necessary to understand hepatitis B epidemiology in these high prevalence regions in southern Brazil. Objective To investigate epidemiological characteristics and HBV genotypes and subgenotypes circulating in a specific city with high HBV prevalence. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed with 102 HBV chronically infected individuals, recruited in reference outpatient clinics for viral hepatitis in a city of high HBV prevalence (Bento Gonçalves) in Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil between July and December 2010. Socio-demographic, clinical and behavior-related variables were collected in a structured questionnaire. HBV serological markers (HBsAg, anti-HBc), viral load, genotypes/subgenotypes and drug resistance were evaluated and comparatively analyzed among all patients. Results The HBV infected subjects had a mean age of 44.9 (±12.2) years, with 86 patients (84.3%) reporting to have a family history of HBV infection, 51 (50.0%) to share personal objects, and were predominantly of Italian descendants (61; 64.9%). There was a predominance of genotype D (49/54; 90.7%), but genotype A was also detected (5/54; 9.3%). Subgenotypes D1 (1; 4.7%), D2 (3; 14.3%), and D3 (17; 81.0%) were identified. LAM-resistant mutation (rtM204I) and ADV-resistant mutations (rtA181V) were detected in only one patient each. Conclusions These results demonstrate a pivotal role of intrafamilial transmission for HBV spreading in this population. Furthermore, there is a high prevalence of HBV genotype D in this region.

Abstract Functional dyspepsia and lactose intolerance (adult-type hypolactasia, ATH) are common conditions that may coexist or even be confounded. Their clinical presentation can be similar, however, lactose intolerance does not form part of the diagnostic investigation of functional dyspepsia. Studies on the association between functional dyspepsia and ATH are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate whether ATH is associated with symptoms of functional dyspepsia. Patients fulfilling the Rome III diagnostic criteria for functional dyspepsia underwent genetic testing for ATH. Dyspeptic symptoms were evaluated and scored according to a validated questionnaire. The diagnostic criteria for ATH was a CC genotype for the -13910C/T polymorphism, located upstream of the lactase gene. The mean scores for dyspeptic symptoms were compared between patients with ATH and those with lactase persistence. A total of 197 functional dyspeptic patients were included in the study. Mean age was 47.7 years and 82.7% patients were women. Eighty-eight patients (44.7%) had a diagnosis of ATH. Abdominal bloating scores were higher in ATH patients compared to the lactase persistent patients (P=0.014). The remaining dyspeptic symptom scores were not significantly different between the two groups. The study results demonstrate an association between ATH and bloating in patients with functional dyspepsia.

Abstract INTRODUCTION Infections caused by respiratory viruses are important problems worldwide, especially in children. Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a respiratory pathogen and causes severe infections with nonspecific symptoms. This study reports the hMPV occurrence and dissemination in southern Brazil and compares the frequency of occurrence of this virus and the human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) in the epidemiological weeks in a three-year period (2009-2011). METHODS: In total, 545 nasopharyngeal (NP) specimens from individuals with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) who were negative for other seven respiratory viruses were analyzed for the presence of hMPV. Human metapneumovirus was detected by direct immunofluorescence and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: hMPV was detected in 109 patients from the main geographic regions of the southernmost state of Brazil, presenting similar overall prevalence in males (46.8%) and females (53.2%). Among children who were less than six years old, hMPV was detected in 99 samples of all age groups, with a higher frequency in infants who were less than one year old (45.7%) compared to all other age groups until six years. hMPV and hRSV infection occurred in almost the same epidemiological weeks (EWs) of each year, with peaks of incidence between EW 31/37 and EW 26/38 for the years 2009 and 2011, respectively. hMPV was further detected in several cases of SARS and it was the only virus detected in three deaths. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that hMPV is in circulation in southern Brazil and highlight the importance of diagnosing hMPV for influenza-like illness in the population.

BACKGROUND Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major public health problem in Brazil. Several risk factors are involved in HBV infection and their identification by a rational and essential approach is required to prevent the transmission of this infection in Brazil. OBJECTIVES To evaluate risk factors associated with HBV infection in South Brazil. METHODS A total of 260 patients with HBV and 260 controls from Caxias do Sul (state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) participated in this study. All participants were given a standard questionnaire to yield the sociodemographic information and to identify HBV risk factors. HBV infection was detected by HBsAg test in all participants. FINDINGS HBV infection in these cases was strongly associated with history of a family member HBV-infected, mainly mother [odds ratio (OR) = 4.86; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.69–13.91], father (OR = 5.28; 95% CI: 1.58–17.71), and/or siblings (OR = 22.16; 95% CI: 9.39–52.25); sharing personal objects (OR = 1.40; 95% CI: 1.37–2.38); and having history of blood transfusion (OR = 2.05; 95% CI: 1.10–2.84). CONCLUSIONS HBV infection was strongly associated with having a family member infected with hepatitis B, sharing personal objects, and having history of blood transfusion.

Abstract Approximately one-third of the individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) are co-infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Co-infected patients have an increased risk for developing end-stage liver diseases. Variants upstream of the IFNL3 gene have been associated with spontaneous and treatment-induced clearance of HCV infection. Recently, a novel polymorphism was discovered, denoted IFNL4 ΔG > TT (rs368234815), which seems to be a better predictor of spontaneous clearance than the IFNL4 rs12979860 polymorphism. We aimed to determine the prevalence of the IFNL4 ΔG > TT variants and to evaluate the association with spontaneous clearance of HCV infection in Brazilian HIV-1 patients. The IFNL4 ΔG > TT genotypes were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction digestion in 138 HIV-1 positive patients who had an anti-HCV positive result. Spontaneous clearance of HCV was observed in 34 individuals (24.6%). IFNL4 genotype distribution was significantly different between individuals who had spontaneous clearance and chronic HCV patients (p=0.002). The probability of spontaneous clearance of HCV infection for patients with the IFNL4 TT/TT genotype was 3.6 times higher than for patients carrying the IFNL4 ΔG allele (OR=3.63, 95% CI:1.51-8.89, p=0.001). The IFNL4 ΔG > TT polymorphism seems to be better than IFNL4 rs12979860 to predict spontaneous clearance of the HCV in Brazilian HIV-1 positive patients.

Abstract Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is common in sexually active women and viral persistence may cause intraepithelial lesions and eventually progress to cervical cancer (CC). The present study aimed to investigate epidemiological factors related to HPV infection and to evaluate viral persistence and CC precursor lesions frequencies in women from a city in the countryside of South Brazil. Three hundred women were recruited from a primary public health care clinic. The patients were interviewed and underwent sampling with cervical brushes for HPV-DNA detection/typing by a PCR-based assay and cytological analysis by Pap smear test. HPV was detected in 47 (15.7%) women. HPV infection was significantly associated with young age (<30 years) and low socio-economic status. Seventeen (5.7%) women presented cytological abnormalities, three of them with precursor CC intraepithelial lesions. A subgroup of 79 women had been previously analyzed and thirteen (16.4%) were persistently infected, two with precursor CC intraepithelial lesions and high-risk HPV types infection (both of them without cervical abnormalities in the first exam). In conclusion, HPV infection was associated with young age (<30 years) and low family income; viral persistence was low (16.4%) but related to CC precursor lesions; and HPV-DNA high risk types detection would help to screen CC in the population.

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is an emergent human respiratory pathogen. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of direct immunofluorescence (DIF) to detect hMPV in a clinical laboratory setting. METHODS: Nasopharyngeal aspirate samples (448) of children and adults with respiratory illness were used to detect hMPV by using DIF and real time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays. RESULTS: In all, 36 (8%) samples were positive by DIF and 94 (21%) were positive by qRT-PCR. Direct immunofluorescence specificity was 99% and sensitivity was 38%. CONCLUSIONS: DIF is not very sensitive under clinical laboratory settings.

INTRODUCTION: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has spread worldwide, with several subtypes and circulating recombinant forms. Brazil has an incidence of 20.5 HIV-1/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients per 100,000 inhabitants; however, the Southernmost State of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) has more than twice the number of HIV-1-infected people (41.3/100,000 inhabitants) and a different pattern of subtype frequencies, as previously reported in studies conducted in the capital (Porto Alegre) and its metropolitan region. This study examined HIV-1/AIDS epidemiological and molecular aspects in the countryside of Rio Grande do Sul. METHODS: Socio-demographic, clinical and risk behavioral characteristics were obtained from HIV-1-positive adult patients using a structured questionnaire. HIV-1 subtypes were determined by nested-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing of the pol and env genes. RESULTS: The study sample included 149 (55% women) patients with a mean age of 41.8 ± 11.9 years. Most (73.8%) patients had a low education level and reported heterosexual practices as the most (91.9%) probable transmission route. HIV-1 subtypes were detected in 26 patients: 18 (69.2%) infected with subtype C, six (23.1%) infected with subtype B and two (7.7%) infected with BC recombinant forms. CONCLUSIONS: These data highlight the increasing number of HIV-1 subtype C infections in the countryside of South Brazil.

Introduction Molecular biology procedures to detect, genotype and quantify hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in clinical samples have been extensively described. Routine commercial methods for each specific purpose (detection, quantification and genotyping) are also available, all of which are typically based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the HCV 5′ untranslated region (5′UTR). This study was performed to develop and validate a complete serial laboratory assay that combines real-time nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) techniques for the complete molecular analysis of HCV (detection, genotyping and viral load) in clinical samples. Methods Published HCV sequences were compared to select specific primers, probe and restriction enzyme sites. An original real-time nested RT-PCR-RFLP assay was then developed and validated to detect, genotype and quantify HCV in plasma samples. Results The real-time nested RT-PCR data were linear and reproducible for HCV analysis in clinical samples. High correlations (> 0.97) were observed between samples with different viral loads and the corresponding read cycle (Ct - Cycle threshold), and this part of the assay had a wide dynamic range of analysis. Additionally, HCV genotypes 1, 2 and 3 were successfully distinguished using the RFLP method. Conclusions A complete serial molecular assay was developed and validated for HCV detection, quantification and genotyping.

The neuraminidase (NA) genes of A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza virus isolates from 306 infected patients were analysed. The circulation of oseltamivir-resistant viruses in Brazil has not been reported previously. Clinical samples were collected in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) from 2009-2011 and two NA inhibitor-resistant mutants were identified, one in 2009 (H275Y) and the other in 2011 (S247N). This study revealed a low prevalence of resistant viruses (0.8%) with no spread of the resistant mutants throughout RS.