ABSTRACT Chikungunya fever (CHIK) is a neglected tropical disease associated with chronic arthritis. CHIK is usually a self-limiting condition; however, extra-articular manifestations present as atypical illness in a minority of patients. These atypical features may mimic other conditions and potentially distract physicians from the true diagnosis. This review analyzes the evidence of many unusual extra-articular manifestations reported in cases of CHIK. Depending on the affected system, these unusual manifestations include encephalitis, myocarditis, acute interstitial nephritis, cutaneous manifestations, acute anterior uveitis, abdominal pain, and depression. In addition, coinfections and comorbidities may cause atypical illness and obscure the diagnosis. Further studies are required to clarify the pathophysiology and natural history of CHIK, as it remains a burdening condition. Exploring its atypical symptoms may be the missing scientific piece of this puzzle. (CHIK arthritis selflimiting self limiting condition however extraarticular extra articular patients diagnosis system encephalitis myocarditis nephritis uveitis pain depression addition puzzle

ABSTRACT Background: The school community was heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, especially with the long time of school closures. This study aimed to analyze the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and possible factors associated with seropositivity for COVID-19 in teachers and other school staff, and to estimate the fraction of asymptomatic individuals by sex and age group. Methods: We conducted a serological survey of SARS-CoV-2 infections. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in Fortaleza, Brazil. Teachers and other staff members from pre-schools to universities of higher education to were investigated. Results: A total of 1,901 professionals participated in the study, of which 1,021 were staff and 880 were teachers. The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 was 8.0% (152/1901). In the seropositive group, 48.3% were asymptomatic. There was a predominance of women (68.4%); and, 47.1% of the participants were between 31 and 45 years old. There was an increase in prevalence with increasing age. An inverse relationship was found for education level: more professionals with less education tested positive for COVID-19. The presence of an infected person living in the same household was significantly associated with positive results for COVID-19 among the professionals. Conclusions: This is the first study to report the seroprevalence of IgG against SARS-CoV-2 in Brazilian educational staff after the first wave of the disease. In this study, the seroprevalence was much lower than that in the general population. During school reopening, a small fraction of school workers showed serologically detectable signs of SARS-CoV-2 exposure.

Background Since the end of 2020, there has been a great deal of international concern about the variants of SARS-COV-2 B.1.1.7, identified in the United Kingdom; B.1.351 discovered in South Africa and P.1, originating from the Brazilian state of Amazonas. The three variants were associated with an increase in transmissibility and worsening of the epidemiological situation in the places where they expanded. The lineage B.1.1.7 was associated with the increase in case fatality rate in the United Kingdom. There are still no studies on the case fatality rate of the other two variants. The aim of this study was to analyze the mortality profile before and after the emergence of the P.1 strain in the Amazonas state. Methods We analyzed data from the Influenza Epidemiological Surveillance Information System, SIVEP-Gripe (Sistema de Informação de Vigilância Epidemiológica da Gripe), comparing two distinct epidemiological periods: during the peak of the first wave, between April and May 2020, and in January 2021 (the second wave), the month in which the new variant came to predominate. We calculated mortality rates, overall case fatality rate and case fatality rate among hospitalized patients; all rates were calculated by age and gender and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were determined. Findings We observed that in the second wave there were a higher incidence and an increase in the proportion of cases of COVID-19 in the younger age groups. There was also an increase in the proportion of women among Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) cases from 40% (2,709) in the first wave to 47% (2,898) in the second wave and in the proportion of deaths due to COVID-19 between the two periods varying from 34% (1,051) to 47% (1,724), respectively. In addition, the proportion of deaths among people between 20 and 59 years old has increased in both sexes. The case fatality rate among those hospitalized in the population between 20 and 39 years old during the second wave was 2.7 times the rate observed in the first wave (female rate ratio = 2.71; 95% CI: 1.9-3.9], p <0.0001; male rate ratio = 2.70, 95%CI:2.0-3.7), and in the general population the rate ratios were 1.15 (95% CI: 1.1-1.2) in females and 0.78 (95% CI: 0.7-0.8) in males]. Interpretation Based on this prompt analysis of the epidemiological scenario in the Amazonas state, the observed changes in the pattern of mortality due to COVID-19 between age groups and gender simultaneously with the emergence of the P.1 strain suggest changes in the pathogenicity and virulence profile of this new variant. Further studies are needed to better understanding of SARS-CoV-2 variants profile and their impact for the health population.

Introdução Desde o final de 2020 tem havido grande preocupação internacional com as variantes do SARS-COV-2: B.1.1.7, identificada no Reino Unido; B.1.351, descoberta na África do Sul e P.1, que emergiu inicialmente estado brasileiro do Amazonas. As três variantes foram associadas a aumento na transmissibilidade e piora da situação epidemiológica nos locais onde se expandiram. A linhagem B.1.1.7 foi associada ao aumento da taxa de letalidade no Reino Unido. Ainda não existem estudos conclusivos sobre letalidade das outras duas variantes. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar o perfil de mortalidade antes e depois da emergência da linhagem P.1 no Amazonas. Métodos Analisamos os dados do sistema nacional de vigilância epidemiológica, comparando dois momentos epidemiológicos distintos: durante o pico da primeira onda, entre abril e maio de 2020, e em janeiro de 2021, mês em que a nova variante passou a predominar. Calculamos as taxas de mortalidade, letalidade e letalidade entre pacientes internados, todas as taxas foram calculadas por idade e por sexo e determinados os intervalos de confiança de 95%. Achados Observamos que na segunda onda houve maior incidência e aumento na proporção de casos de COVID-19 nas faixas etárias mais jovens. Observou-se, também, um aumento na proporção de mulheres entre os casos de SARI de 40% (2.709) na primeira onda para 47% (2.898) na segunda onda e entre mortes por COVID-19 de 34% (1,051) para 47% (1.724), respectivamente. Além disso, a proporção de mortes entre 20 e 59 anos aumentou em ambos os sexos. A letalidade entre os hospitalizados na população entre 20 e 39 anos durante a segunda onda foi 2.7 vezes a primeira onda [razão de taxas sexo feminino=2,71; CI(95%)=1,9-3,9], p<0.0001; razão de taxas sexo masculino=2.70(2.0-3.7)), na população geral as razões de taxa foram 1,15(1,1-1,2) no sexo feminino e 0,78(0,7-0,8) no sexo masculino. Interpretação Observamos mudanças no padrão de mortalidade por COVID-19 entre as faixas etárias e sexo simultaneamente à emergência da linhagem P.1, sugerindo mudanças nos perfis de patogenicidade e virulência, novos estudos são necessários para melhor compreensão das variantes do SARS-CoV-2 e suas consequências na saúde da população.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Newborn who had Zika vírus but did not show microcephaly at birth may have neuropsychomotor development problems. We aimed to evaluate the developmental and anthropometric milestones of asymptomatic children whose mothers had Zika during pregnancy in Northeastern Brazil in 2015 and 2016. METHODS: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional case series study of children in Fortaleza born without microcephaly whose mothers had Zika during pregnancy. Home visits were undertaken to evaluate the developmental milestones and gather anthropometric data of the children and to conduct semi-structured interviews with the mothers to identify their socioeconomic and gestational profiles and assess the newborns after birth. RESULTS: In total, 30 cases were identified. Of these, 17 children and their mothers participated in the study. The median age of the mothers at the time of delivery was 26 years. All were symptomatic, and TORCH was negative. At the time of the home visit, all had growth profiles suitable for their age. However, nearly all children (15/17, 88.2%) presented at least one developmental delay, considering their age group. CONCLUSIONS: There were late changes in the neuropsychomotor development of children born to mothers who had Zika during pregnancy, suggesting the need for specialized medical follow-ups.

Abstract In this study, we report the occurrence of multisystemic inflammatory syndrome among 64 children (2 deaths) with recent severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) infections in the northeast region of Brazil. The major clinical symptoms and signs reported were exanthema (60.9%), abdominal pain (56.3%), nausea and vomiting (46.9%), diarrhea (37.5%), and dyspnea (37.5%). Laboratory findings revealed that the levels of C-reactive protein (75.0%), hemoglobin (51.6%), D-dimer (48.4%), lymphocytes (43.8%), LDH (45.3%), AST (42.2%), ALT (51.6%), and ferritin (48.4%) were above the reference values for a given age and gender. The clinical findings were similar to those observed in Kawasaki disease, although it represents a separate entity, emphasizing the need for proactive surveillance and early treatment.

In early 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized the pandemic situation of the new coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2), which causes Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19). In Brazil by the end of April 2020, another 110 thousand cases and 5,000 deaths had been confirmed. The scarcity of laboratory resources and overload of the care network, added to the broad clinical spectrum of the disease, can make it difficult to capture all mortality from this disease through epidemiological surveillance based on individual notification of cases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the excess of deaths in Brazilian capitals with the highest incidence of COVID-19, as a way of validating the method, we also evaluated a capital with low incidence. We assessed weekly mortality from all causes during the year 2020, up to the epidemiological week 17, compared with the previous year. The data were obtained through the National Civil Registry Information Center (CNIRC, acronym in Portuguese). We estimate the expected mortality and the 95% confidence interval by projecting the observed mortality in 2019 for the population of 2020. In the five capitals with the highest incidences it was possible to identify excess deaths in the pandemic period, the age group most affected were those over 60 years old, 31% of the excess deaths occurred in the population between 20 and 59 years old. There was a strong correlation (r = 0.94) between the excess of deaths in each city and the number of deaths confirmed by epidemiological surveillance. There was no excess of deaths in the capital with the lowest incidence, nor among the population under 20 years old. We estimate that epidemiological surveillance managed to capture only 52% of all mortality associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in the cities studied. Considering the simplicity of the method, its low cost and reliability for assessing the real burden of the disease, we believe that the assessment of excess mortality associated with the COVID-19 pandemic should be widely used as a complementary tool to regular epidemiological surveillance and its use should be encouraged by WHO.

No início de 2020 a Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) reconheceu a situação de pandemia do novo coronavírus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2), causador da Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19). No Brasil até o final de abril de 2020 já tinham sido confirmados mais 110 mil casos e de 5 mil óbitos. A escassez de recursos laboratoriais e sobrecarga da rede assistencial, somados ao amplo espectro clínico da doença, pode dificultar a captação de toda a mortalidade por esta doença pela vigilância epidemiológica baseada na notificação individual dos casos. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o excesso de mortes nas capitais brasileiras com maiores incidências de COVID-19, como forma de validação do método avaliamos, também, uma capital com baixa incidência. Nós avaliamos a mortalidade semanal por todas as causas durante o ano de 2020, até a semana epidemiológica 17, comparando com o ano anterior. Os dados foram obtidos através da Central Nacional de Informações do Registro Civil (CNIRC). Nós estimamos a mortalidade esperada e o intervalo de confiança de 95% projetando a mortalidade observada em 2019 para a população de 2020. Nas cinco capitais com maiores incidências foi possível identificar excesso de mortes no período da pandemia, a faixa etária mais afetada foram aqueles com mais de 60 anos, 31% do excesso de mortes ocorreu na população entre 20 e 59 anos. Houve uma forte correlação (r=0.94) entre o excesso de mortes em cada cidade e o número de mortes confirmados pela vigilância epidemiológica. Não houve excesso de mortes na capital com mais baixa incidência, nem entre a população com menos de 20 anos. Estimamos que a vigilância epidemiológica conseguiu captar apenas 52% de toda a mortalidade associada à pandemia de COVID-19 nas cidades estudadas. Considerando a simplicidade do método, seu baixo custo e confiabilidade para avaliação da carga real da doença, acreditamos que a avaliação do excesso de mortalidade associado à pandemia de COVID-19 deveria ser amplamente utilizada como ferramenta complementar à vigilância epidemiológica regular e ter seu uso incentivado pela OMS.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak a pandemic. In Brazil, 110 thousand cases and 5,901 deaths were confirmed by the end of April 2020. The scarcity of laboratory resources, the overload on the service network, and the broad clinical spectrum of the disease make it difficult to document all the deaths due to COVID-19. The aim of this study was to assess the mortality rate in Brazilian capitals with a high incidence of COVID-19. METHODS: We assessed the weekly mortality between epidemiological week 1 and 16 in 2020 and the corresponding period in 2019. We estimated the expected mortality at 95% confidence interval by projecting the mortality in 2019 to the population in 2020, using data from the National Association of Civil Registrars (ARPEN-Brasil). RESULTS: In the five capitals with the highest incidence of COVID-19, we identified excess deaths during the pandemic. The age group above 60 years was severely affected, while 31% of the excess deaths occurred in the age group of 20-59 years. There was a strong correlation (r = 0.94) between excess deaths and the number of deaths confirmed by epidemiological monitoring. The epidemiological surveillance captured only 52% of all mortality associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in the cities examined. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the simplicity of the method and its low cost, we believe that the assessment of excess mortality associated with the COVID-19 pandemic should be used as a complementary tool for regular epidemiological surveillance.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: The state of Ceará (Brazilian Northeast) has a high incidence of dengue. Therefore, we aimed to characterize the temporal patterns and spatial distribution of dengue cases in Ceará during 2001-2019. METHODS: A spatiotemporal ecological study was performed with secondary data. Time-trend analysis was performed using a segmented log-linear regression model to estimate the average annual percentage change (AAPC) and the annual percentage change (APC) in incidence of dengue. We also performed spatiotemporal analysis to identify the place, time, and relative risk (RR) of dengue clusters. RESULTS: There were 539,653 dengue cases. The AAPC reduced over time (-9.5%; 95% confidance interval [CI]: -18.3; -0.3). Three trends were identified-2001-2004: APC=-20.9% (95% CI: -65.1 to 44.8), 2005-2015: APC=7.9% (95% CI: -6.0 to 98.9), and 2016-2019: APC=-48.8% (95% CI: -83.0 to -6.1). During 2001-2007, 10 significant clusters were identified (RR=3.57-14.38: n=4 and RR=0.05-0.39: n=6). During 2008-2013, there was 1 cluster in the western region (RR= 3.40) and four other clusters (RR=0.02-0.15). The last period presented 5 high-RR clusters (RR=2.95-9.24). The low-RR clusters were located in the central-north, central-south, south, and northwest regions. However, the central-west region remained a high-RR cluster region throughout the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Dengue showed a decreasing incidence. During the epidemic years, the southern, eastern, and western regions presented high-risk clusters. Introduction of a new dengue serotype in a low-RR area can cause explosive outbreaks due to population susceptibility.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: In 2014, the first cases of autochthonous chikungunya (CHIK) were recorded in Brazil. Lethality associated with this disease is underestimated. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the causes of death among individuals with CHIK in Brazil. METHODS: A descriptive observational study was conducted on individuals with CHIK who died within 6 months from symptom onset. Data pairing between the Information System for Notifiable Diseases and the Mortality Information System was performed. Deaths were classified according to case confirmation criterion, mention of CHIK in the death certificates (DCs), and disease phase. The lethality rate per 1,000 cases was corrected for underreporting and was estimated according to region, sex, age, years of education, race/color, and cause groups. RESULTS: We identified 3,135 deaths (mention of CHIK in the DCs, 764 [24.4%]). In 17.6% of these cases, CHIK was the underlying cause. Most deaths occurred in the acute (38.1%) and post-acute (29.6%) phases. The corrected LR (5.7; x1,000) was 6.8 times higher than that obtained from the Information System for Notifiable Diseases (0.8). The highest corrected LRs were estimated for among individuals living in the Northeast region (6.2), men (7.4), those with low years of education and those aged <1 year (8.6), 65-79 years (20.7), and ≥80 years (75.4). CONCLUSIONS: The LR of CHIK estimates based on information system linkage help to reveal the relevance of this disease as the direct cause or as a cause associated with serious or fatal events, provide timely interventions, and increase the knowledge about this disease.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 emerged in late 2019 and quickly became a serious public health problem worldwide. This study aim to describe the epidemiological course of cases and deaths due to COVID-19 and their impact on hospital bed occupancy rates in the first 45 days of the epidemic in the state of Ceará, Northeastern Brazil. METHODS: The study used an ecological design with data gathered from multiple government and health care sources. Data were analyzed using Epi Info software. RESULTS: The first cases were confirmed on March 15, 2020. After 45 days, 37,268 cases reported in 85.9% of Ceará’s municipalities, with 1,019 deaths. Laboratory test positivity reached 84.8% at the end of April, a period in which more than 700 daily tests were processed. The average age of cases was 67 (<1 - 101) years, most occurred in a hospital environment (91.9%), and 58% required hospitalization in an ICU bed. The average time between the onset of symptoms and death was 18 (1 - 56) days. Patients who died in the hospital had spent an average of six (0 - 40) days hospitalized. Across Ceará, the bed occupancy rate reached 71.3% in the wards and 80.5% in the ICU. CONCLUSIONS: The first 45 days of the COVID-19 epidemic in Ceará revealed a large number of cases and deaths, spreading initially among the population with a high socioeconomic status. Despite the efforts by the health services and social isolation measures the health system still collapsed.