ABSTRACT Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic infection caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The infection is widely disseminated in the human population and is usually benign or asymptomatic. Systemic T. gondii infection presents risks for pregnant women and AIDS patients. Although rare, T. gondii can cause outbreaks in urban centers. The origin of these outbreaks is not completely understood but probably results from introduction of zoonotic T. gondii strains in the population. During such outbreaks other pathogens which mimic T. gondii acute febrile syndrome may also circulate; therefore, detailed investigation of the outbreak is of extreme importance. In this study we performed viral metagenomics next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in patient samples obtained during T. gondii outbreak in Santa Maria city, South Brazil. Specific bioinformatics pipelines specialized in virus discovery were applied in order to identify co-circulating vial agents. Epstein Barr virus and Parvovirus B19 contigs were assembled and these viruses can cause symptoms similar to toxoplasmosis. In conclusion, our findings show the importance of Metagenomics next generation sequencing (mNGS) use to help characterize the outbreak more completely and in the management of the affected patients.

Objetivo: Identificar como centros de hematologia brasileiros trataram e diagnosticaram os casos de leucemia mieloide aguda no ano de 2009. Métodos: Estudo epidemiológico, observacional, multicêntrico de 11 centros brasileiros cadastrados para tratamento de leucemia mieloide aguda e transplante de medula óssea. Os dados foram coletados a partir de prontuários de pacientes com leucemia mieloide aguda tratados nos centros citados entre os anos de 2005 e 2009. Foi avaliada a disponibilidade para realização de exames de imunofenotipagem e citogenética nos centros estudados. Resultados: Foram diagnosticados 345 casos novos de leucemia mieloide aguda no ano de 2009. Observaram-se diferenças na realização de exames entre pacientes que iniciaram o tratamento no centro em relação àqueles referenciados para tratamento. Dos centros participantes, 72% realizaram algum tipo de pesquisa molecular em leucemia mieloide aguda ao diagnóstico. Conclusão: O tratamento da leucemia mieloide aguda no Brasil apresenta resultados muito inferiores quando comparado a outros centros mundiais.

Objective: To identify how the Brazilian hematology centers treated and diagnosed cases of acute myeloid leukemia in 2009. Methods: An epidemiological observational multicenter study of 11 listed Brazilian centers that treat acute myeloid leukemia and perform bone marrow transplantation. Data were collected from clinical charts of patients with acute myeloid leukemia treated at the said centers between 2005 and 2009. The availability for immunophenotyping and cytogenetic tests was assessed. Results: During 2009, a total of 345 new cases of acute myeloid leukemia were diagnosed. Differences were noted in the tests performed between patients who initiated treatment at the center and those referred for treatment. Of the participating centers, 72% conducted some type of molecular study in acute myeloid leukemia upon diagnosis. Conclusion: Treatment for acute myeloid leukemia in Brazil shows significantly inferior results when compared to other centers worldwide.