Abstract The objective of this study was to describe if the victims of the Zika have access to essential public policies to guarantee social rights. Methods: We used a cross-sectional study of a historical cohort of children with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) in a reference hospital. CZS diagnosis was based on the Ministry of Health protocol. The variables analyzed were sociodemographic and social rights of children. Results: Of the 161 children seen from April 2016 to July 2018, 42 were diagnosed with CZS. Of these, 37 children participated in the study and 75.7% of them had severe neurological disorders. Anticonvulsants were used by 73% of the children, with 81% paid by families. The families were also responsible for purchasing nutritional formulas and diapers in, respectively, 79% and 100% of cases, and 89% of the children had access to rehabilitation therapy, although 70% of them faced several barriers to do it. Of the 24 working mothers, 83% did not return to the labor market after the birth of their children. Conclusions: The results showed that the families were at an intersection between the integral activity of caring for a child with severe disabilities and inefficient and omissive public authorities, a disincentive and discouraging context that made them give up in seeking their rights.

Resumo Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar se as vítimas da epidemia da Zika têm acesso às políticas públicas essenciais à garantia dos direitos sociais. Métodos: Estudo transversal de uma coorte histórica de crianças com síndrome da Zika congênita (SZC) em um hospital de referência. Utilizou-se o protocolo do Ministério da Saúde para o diagnóstico de SZC. As variáveis analisadas foram características sociodemográficas e direitos sociais das crianças. Resultados: Das 161 crianças avaliadas de abril/2016 a julho/2018, 42 apresentavam SZC. Destas, 37 participaram do estudo, 75,7% com grave comprometimento neurológico. Anticonvulsivantes eram utilizados em 73% dos casos, 81% custeados pelas famílias. As famílias ainda custeavam fórmulas nutricionais (79%) e fraldas (100%). A terapia de reabilitação era realizada por 89% das crianças, embora 70% enfrentassem diversas barreiras para tal. Das 24 mães que trabalhavam, 83% não retornaram ao mercado de trabalho após o nascimento dos filhos. Conclusões: As famílias estavam situadas na interseção entre a atividade integral de cuidado de um filho com deficiências graves e a ineficiência e omissão do poder público, um contexto de desincentivo e desalento que, vencendo-as pelo cansaço, fazia com que muitas acabassem desistindo de tentar buscar seus direitos.

Abstract The objective of this study was to describe if the victims of the Zika have access to essential public policies to guarantee social rights. Methods: We used a cross-sectional study of a historical cohort of children with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) in a reference hospital. CZS diagnosis was based on the Ministry of Health protocol. The variables analyzed were sociodemographic and social rights of children. Results: Of the 161 children seen from April 2016 to July 2018, 42 were diagnosed with CZS. Of these, 37 children participated in the study and 75.7% of them had severe neurological disorders. Anticonvulsants were used by 73% of the children, with 81% paid by families. The families were also responsible for purchasing nutritional formulas and diapers in, respectively, 79% and 100% of cases, and 89% of the children had access to rehabilitation therapy, although 70% of them faced several barriers to do it. Of the 24 working mothers, 83% did not return to the labor market after the birth of their children. Conclusions: The results showed that the families were at an intersection between the integral activity of caring for a child with severe disabilities and inefficient and omissive public authorities, a disincentive and discouraging context that made them give up in seeking their rights.

Resumo Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar se as vítimas da epidemia da Zika têm acesso às políticas públicas essenciais à garantia dos direitos sociais. Métodos: Estudo transversal de uma coorte histórica de crianças com síndrome da Zika congênita (SZC) em um hospital de referência. Utilizou-se o protocolo do Ministério da Saúde para o diagnóstico de SZC. As variáveis analisadas foram características sociodemográficas e direitos sociais das crianças. Resultados: Das 161 crianças avaliadas de abril/2016 a julho/2018, 42 apresentavam SZC. Destas, 37 participaram do estudo, 75,7% com grave comprometimento neurológico. Anticonvulsivantes eram utilizados em 73% dos casos, 81% custeados pelas famílias. As famílias ainda custeavam fórmulas nutricionais (79%) e fraldas (100%). A terapia de reabilitação era realizada por 89% das crianças, embora 70% enfrentassem diversas barreiras para tal. Das 24 mães que trabalhavam, 83% não retornaram ao mercado de trabalho após o nascimento dos filhos. Conclusões: As famílias estavam situadas na interseção entre a atividade integral de cuidado de um filho com deficiências graves e a ineficiência e omissão do poder público, um contexto de desincentivo e desalento que, vencendo-as pelo cansaço, fazia com que muitas acabassem desistindo de tentar buscar seus direitos.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: The growing incidence of post-surgical atypical mycobacteriosis (PSAM) may be related to the increased use of low- and medium-complexity video-assisted surgery. METHODS: Between April 2007 and June 2009, 125 patients were referred from the State Health Department of Rio de Janeiro for the treatment of confirmed, probable, or suspected PSAM. RESULTS: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was the most frequent surgical procedure (48.8%) among patients. Clarithromycin, ethambutol, and terizidone were used to treat 113 patients for a mean duration of 226 days. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the need for multidrug therapy and long treatment duration, most included patients adhered to treatment and experienced cure without relapse.

ABSTRACT Patients' data during daily clinical care are extremely important for improving the allocation of healthcare resources and for assessing healthcare demands. The prospective gathering of these data over decades allowed us to describe the trends of infectious diseases in a tertiary hospital. The results concerning the period between 1965 and 1994 described the exponential increase in the incidence of HIV infection and its important effects on our institutional mortality. The present study describes the demand for the same hospital between 1995 and 2016. There were 4,691 admissions and the main causes of admissions were, in descending order, HIV infection (1,312, 28.0%), noninfectious diseases (447, 9.5%), meningoencephalitis (432, 9.2%), soft tissue infections (427; 9.1%), tuberculosis (272, 5.8%), pneumonias (212, 4.5%) and leptospirosis (212, 4.5%). There were 864 readmissions; most due to HIV infections (65.2%). The institutional mortality fell from 16.9% in the first two years to 5.0% in the last two years of the study. The case-fatality rates among the HIV patients decreased from more than 40% to approximately 5% over the study period. In the last two decades, the hospital experienced a decrease in demand due to vaccine-preventable diseases. The demand for children has fallen and the demand for patients over the age of 50 has increased. These results reflect the improvement in public health standards over more than half a century and the positive effects of the National Immunization Program. They also illustrate the sharp decline in the HIV case-fatality rate after the introduction of combined antiretroviral therapy.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Dengue is one of the most important mosquito-borne infections. Severe cases are more frequently observed in adults. However, in 2008, the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, experienced a severe dengue epidemic that primarily affected children and caused many cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and death. METHODS: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted to examine laboratory diagnosis and clinical epidemiologic factors for confirmed dengue cases in patients aged less than 16 years, from January to June 2008, at a municipal hospital in the City of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Variables associated with severe outcomes and P values less than .05 were evaluated by means of a logistic regression model. RESULTS: Of the 419 dengue cases studied, 296 were classified as DHF and 123 as classical dengue. Six patients who had DHF died. In multivariate analysis, some laboratory and clinical variables were independently associated with DHF: age 5 years or older (odds ratio [OR], 4.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.30-18.71), abdominal pain (OR, 8.59; 95% CI, 3.17-23.27), hepatomegaly (OR, 15.87; 95% CI, 5.38-46.85), and positive tourniquet test (OR, 10.84; 95% CI, 3.96-29.71). Hypoalbuminemia occurred more frequently than hemoconcentration in DHF cases, and high aminotransferase levels were associated with severity. CONCLUSIONS: Age greater than 5 years, abdominal pain, painful hepatomegaly, and positive tourniquet test were predictors of DHF. The high frequency of hepatic impairment suggests that acetaminophen should be avoided in severe cases of dengue.

Abstract This study was conducted to provide information on the genetic diversity of human parvovirus B19 (B19V) circulating in the municipality of Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Southeast Brazil during 1996–2006, a period with two distinct outbreaks of B19V infection: 1999–2000 and 2004–2005. A total of 27 sera from patients with erythema infectiosum and five sera from HIV-infected patients that tested positive for B19V DNA during the study period were analyzed. To genotype B19V strains, a semi-nested PCR for partial amplification of the capsid gene was performed and sequence analysis revealed that 31 sequences belonged to subgenotype 1a (G1a) of the main genotype 1 and one sequence was characterized as subgenotype 3b (G3b). The phylogenetic tree supported the division of the G1a into two well-defined clades with 1.3% of divergence. The low diversity of the G1a strains may be explained by the fact that all patients had acute B19V infection and 30/32 sera were collected during two distinct outbreaks. The G3b strain was from an HIV-infected patient who seroconverted to anti-B19 IgG antibodies in September/2005. This is the first report of G3b in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Immunocompromised patients may develop severe chronic anaemia when infected by human parvovirus B19 (B19V). However, this is not the case in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients with good adherence to highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART). In this study, we investigated the clinical evolution of five HIV-infected patients receiving HAART who had B19V infections confirmed by serum polymerase chain reaction. Four of the patients were infected with genotype 1a strains and the remaining patient was infected with a genotype 3b strain. Anaemia was detected in three of the patients, but all patients recovered without requiring immunoglobulin and/or blood transfusions. In all cases, the attending physicians did not suspect the B19V infections. There was no apparent relationship between the infecting genotype and the clinical course. In the HAART era, B19V infections in HIV-positive patients may be limited, subtle or unapparent.

This retrospective study (April-September 2003) was designed to investigate the roles of the main viruses responsible for cases of acute infantile gastroenteritis in hospitalised children up to two years of age. The viruses were identified in 64.7% (88/136) of the cases and the detection rates of rotavirus A (RVA), norovirus (NoV) and astrovirus were 41.9% (57/136), 30.3% (24/79) and 12.7% (7/55), respectively. RVA and NoV were detected in 20 of the 24 reported nosocomial infection cases. This study identified the first circulation of the genotype NoV GII.21 in Brazil and highlights the need to establish differential diagnoses through active laboratorial surveillance.

Erythrovirus B19 (B19V) infection may cause red cell aplasia in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has improved the immune function of these patients by modifying the course of B19V infection. The purpose of this study was to estimate the frequency of B19 seroconversion in a cohort of HIV-infected patients and evaluate the occurrence of B19V-related anaemia during the seroconversion period. Adult HIV-infected patients were studied at a public hospital in Niterói, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. IgG and IgM antibodies against B19V were detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and B19 viraemia was assayed by polymerase chain reaction. Medical records were reviewed for any clinical evaluation of anaemia. Seroconversion was detected in 31.8% of the 88 individuals who began the study as anti-B19V IgG-negative. No clinical manifestations of B19V infection were detected during the period of seroconversion. Patients who seroconverted were 5.40 times more likely to have anaemia than those who did not [odds ratio 5.40 (95% confidence interval: 1.33-22.93)]. Anaemia was detected in eight patients. All patients recovered from anaemia by either beginning or continuing HAART, without requiring blood transfusions. In the HAART era, B19V infection may only be associated with a course of disease characterised by less severe chronic anaemia. This milder course of B19V-associated disease is likely due to the increased immune function of HAART-treated patients.

OBJECTIVE: Compare the anti-T. gondii IgG titer between HIV-1 infected and non HIV-1 infected pregnant women and report three cases of congenital toxoplasmosis resulting from reactivation of infection during pregnancy of HIV-1 infected women. METHODS: This study was conducted among 2,270 pregnant women with chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection (absence of IgM and presence of IgG), including 82 HIV-1 infected and 2,188 non-infected women. RESULTS: The average anti-T. gondii IgG titer was 127 for the 2,188 non-HIV-1 infected women, and 227 for the 82 HIV-1-infected women (p = 0,007). These results suggested that higher anti-T. gondii IgG titers in HIV-1-infected pregnant women may not be indicative of an elevated risk for fetal infection. In this study three cases of congenital toxoplasmosis that resulted from infection reactivation during pregnancy of HIV-1-infected women were manifested by fetal death, symptomatic infection, and infant without symptoms, respectively. In two of these women, a ten-fold increase in IgG levels above used cutoff was observed (2,320 UI/mL and 3,613 UI/mL, respectively). In the third pregnant women anti-T. gondii IgG titers during pregnancy did not rise despite the occurrence of congenital toxoplasmosis (204; 198; 172 UI/mL). CONCLUSIONS: Congenital toxoplasmosis resulting reactivation of infection during pregnancy in the studied group leads us to believe that it is a public health problem, especially in our population, in which seroprevalence of T. gondii infections is high. These findings also suggest that special attention is necessary during pregnancy, because the serologic diagnosis may not be indicative of toxoplasmosis reactivation.

Dengue virus (DENV) and parvovirus B19 (B19V) infections are acute exanthematic febrile illnesses that are not easily differentiated on clinical grounds and affect the paediatric population. Patients with these acute exanthematic diseases were studied. Fever was more frequent in DENV than in B19V-infected patients. Arthritis/arthralgias with DENV infection were shown to be significantly more frequent in adults than in children. The circulating levels of interleukin (IL)-1 receptor antagonist (Ra), CXCL10/inducible protein-10 (IP-10), CCL4/macrophage inflammatory protein-1 beta and CCL2/monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) were determined by multiplex immunoassay in serum samples obtained from B19V (37) and DENV-infected (36) patients and from healthy individuals (7). Forward stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed that circulating CXCL10/IP-10 tends to be associated with DENV infection and that IL-1Ra was significantly associated with DENV infection. Similar analysis showed that circulating CCL2/MCP-1 tends to be associated with B19V infection. In dengue fever, increased circulating IL-1Ra may exert antipyretic actions in an effort to counteract the already increased concentrations of IL-1β, while CXCL10/IP-10 was confirmed as a strong pro-inflammatory marker. Recruitment of monocytes/macrophages and upregulation of the humoral immune response by CCL2/MCP-1 by B19V may be involved in the persistence of the infection. Children with B19V or DENV infections had levels of these cytokines similar to those of adult patients.

We report the occurrence of congenital toxoplasmosis in three infants born to HIV infected women who had high anti-toxoplasma IgG and negative IgM during pregnancy. We briefly reviewed available literature and discussed the possible transmission mechanisms of congenital toxoplasmosis among HIV infected pregnant women. Serum samples were tested for Toxoplasma gondii IgM and IgG antibodies using commercial enzyme immunoassay and IgG-avidity tests. In the first case, fetal death occurred at 28th week of gestation. In the second case, congenital toxoplasmosis was diagnosis at 6th month of life; and in the third case, an HIV-infected newborn, congenital toxoplasmosis was asymptomatic. These cases point out to the possibility of enhanced maternal-fetal transmission of T. gondii infection by HIV-infected women chronically infected, which may have important public health consequences, considering that increasing frequency of HIV-infection has been observed among women of childbearing age around the world.

Parvovirus B19 (B-19) may cause chronic anaemia in immunosuppressed patients, including those infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We studied single serum samples from 261 consecutive HIV-infected patients using an enzyme immunoassay to detect IgG antibodies to B-19. The seroprevalence of B-19-IgG was 62.8%. The differences in seroprevalence across gender, age, educational categories, year of collection of the serum samples, clinical and antiretroviral therapy characteristics, CD4+ count, CD4+ and CD8+ percentage and CD4+/CD8+ ratios were neither substantial nor statistically significant. There was a non-significant, inverse association between B-19 seropositivity and plasma HIV load and haemoglobin level. Our results indicated that 37.1% of patients might be susceptible to B-19 infection and remained at risk for being infected, mainly during epidemic periods. As B-19 infection can be treated with immune globulin preparations, it may be included in the diagnostic approach toward chronic anaemia in HIV-infected patients.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a acurácia da definição de caso suspeito de rubéola entre pacientes com doenças exantemáticas atendidos em unidades de saúde pública. MÉTODOS: A população de estudo foi constituída de pacientes com doença exantemática, com ou sem febre, atendidos em serviços de saúde pública, de janeiro de 1994 a dezembro de 2002 no município de Niterói, RJ. Dados clínicos e sorológicos foram utilizados para estimar os valores preditivos positivos da definição de caso suspeito de rubéola do Ministério da Saúde do Brasil e outras combinações de sinais e sintomas, considerando o resultado da sorologia como referência. A detecção de IgM específica para rubéola em amostras sangüíneas foi realizada por ensaio imunoenzimático. Foram calculados os valores preditivos positivos e respectivos intervalos de confiança de 95%. RESULTADOS: Foram estudados 1.186 pacientes com uma doença caracterizada por uma variada combinação de rash com ou sem febre, artropatia e linfoadenopatia. Pacientes com exantema, independentemente da presença de outros sinais e sintomas, apresentaram uma probabilidade de 8,8% de serem IgM positivos para rubéola. A definição de caso suspeito de rubéola utilizada no Brasil apresentou baixo valor preditivo positivo (13,5%). Esta definição de caso identificou corretamente 42,3% dos casos IgM positivos, e classificou de forma incorreta 26,1% dos IgM negativos. CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados indicam que as doenças exantemáticas devem ser investigadas em conjunto para fins de vigilância epidemiológica e coleta de espécimens clínicos para o diagnóstico laboratorial. Esta estratégia aumenta os custos, mas gera benefícios na interrupção da circulação do vírus e na prevenção da síndrome da rubéola congênita.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the performance of the rubella suspect case definition among patients with rash diseases seen at primary care units. METHODS: From January 1994 to December 2002, patients with acute rash, with or without fever, were seen at two large primary health care units and at a public general hospital in the municipality of Niterói, metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Data from clinical and serologic assessment were used to estimate the positive predictive values of the definition of rubella suspect case from the Brazilian Ministry of Health and other combination of signs/symptoms taking serologic status as the reference. Serum samples were tested for anti-rubella virus IgM using commercially available enzyme immunoassays. Positive predictive values and respective 95% confidence intervals were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 1,186 patients with an illness characterized by variable combinations of rash with fever, arthropathy and lymphadenopathy were studied. Patients with rash, regardless of other signs and symptoms, had 8.8% likelihood of being IgM-positive for rubella. The Brazilian suspect case definition (fever and lymphadenopathy in addition to rash) had low predictive value (13.5%). This case definition would correctly identify 42.3% of the IgM-positive cases, and misclassify 26.1% of the IgM-negative cases. CONCLUSIONS: These results support the recommendation to investigate and collect clinical specimens for laboratory diagnosis of all cases of rash, for surveillance purposes. Although this strategy may increase costs, the benefits of interrupting the circulation of rubella virus and preventing the occurrence of congenital rubella syndrome should pay off.

Erythrovirus B19 infects erythrocytic progenitors, transiently interrupting erythropoiesis. In AIDS patients it causes chronic anemia amenable to treatment. We looked for evidences of B19 infection in stored bone marrow material from patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Histological sections were made from stored paraffin blocks from 33 autopsies (39 blocks) and 35 biopsies (45 blocks, 30 patients) performed from 1988 to 2002. They were examined after hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, immunohistochemical (IHC), and in situ hybridization. HE revealed intra-nuclear inclusion bodies ("lantern cells") suggesting B19 infection in 19 sections corresponding to 19 of 63 patients examined with this test. Seven of 78 sections subjected to immunohistochemistry were positive, corresponding to 7 of 58 patients examined with this test. Fourteen sections corresponding to 13 of the 20 HE and/or IHC positive patients were subjected to in situ hybridization, with six positives results. Among the 13 patients subjected to the three techniques, only one gave unequivocal positive results in all and was considered a true positive. The frequency of B19 infection (1/63 patients) in the material examined can be deemed low.