Meningite e encefalite são complicações da infecção pelo vírus do Oeste do Nilo (VON). Embora o VON seja endêmico na América do Norte, recentemente o vírus foi descrito na Colômbia e Argentina. Sua pesquisa no Brasil é importante uma vez que o vírus nunca fora estudado antes em nosso país. OBJETIVO: Investigar a presença do VON em casos de meningite e encefalite viral de etiologia desconhecida, na cidade no Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. MéTODO: Trinta e sete adultos com quadro de meningite/encefalite tiveram seu LCR e soro testados para anticorpos anti-VON, pelo método ELISA. RESULTADOS: Apenas um caso obteve sorologia positiva para VON, mas a sorologia para dengue também fora positiva. O teste da neutralização por redução de placa foi utilizado para distinção entre as infecções, sendo negativo para VON. CONCLUSÃO: A infecção por VON pode ser confundida com a infecção pelo vírus da dengue, seus sintomas e quadro neurológico são similares. Nós não encontramos o VON em pacientes com meningite/ encefalite na cidade do Rio de Janeiro. Até o momento ele ainda não foi identificado no Brasil

Meningitis and encephalitis are complications of West Nile virus (WNV) infection. Although WNV is endemic in North America, the virus has recently been reported in Colombia and Argentina. Investigation of WNV in Brazil is important since this virus has never been studied previously in this country. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the presence of WNV infection in viral encephalitis/meningitis cases of unknown etiology in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. METHOD: Thirty-seven adults with viral meningitis/encephalitis had their serum and CSF tested for WNV antibodies using the ELISA method. RESULTS: Only one case was WNV-positive, but this case was also positive for dengue. The plaque reduction neutralization test distinguished infections, and was negative for WNV. CONCLUSION: WNV can be confused with dengue infection. Their symptoms and neurological picture are similar. We did not find WNV in any patients with encephalitis and meningitis in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Up to now, it has not been detected in Brazil

The kinetic constants of an aerobic biodegradation mechanism of dairy wastewaters were estimated using techniques of simulation, estimation of parameters and sensitivity analysis, available in the software Aquasim v 2.1b. A discontinuous, agitated reactor, of 4 liters capacity with a permanent air injection was used. Two kinetic models, Monod and first order were considered to represent substrate consumption as a function of time. Due to a high value of Monod's constant, K S, the data analysis was restricted to the first kinetic proposed. The values obtained for the parameters of endogenous breathing k d and cellular synthesis Y, were similar, whereas the sensitivity analysis revealed non-identifying Monod parameters. The importance of this software to carry out the analysis shown above and the validation of the first order kinetic for representing the substrate consumption are two of the most important conclusions of this work.

Se estimaron parámetros cinéticos del mecanismo de biodegradación aeróbica de efluentes lácteos, empleando técnicas de simulación, estimación de parámetros y análisis sensitivo, disponibles en el software Aquasim v 2.1b. Se utilizó un reactor tanque agitado discontinuo de 4 litros de capacidad con inyección de aire permanente. El consumo de sustrato se representó considerando cinética de primer orden en un caso y del tipo de Monod en el otro. Se obtuvo un elevado valor de la constante de Monod, K S, lo cual limitó el análisis a la primera alternativa. Los valores hallados de los parámetros de respiración endógena k d y síntesis celular Y, fueron similares en ambos casos, mientras que el análisis sensitivo determinó parámetros de Monod no identificables. Se concluye que para este caso resulta válida una cinética de primer orden para representar el consumo de sustrato y se destaca la importancia de esta herramienta para efectuar el análisis.

a comparative analysis of three kinetic models (Monod, exponential and n-order kinetic) representative of substrate degradation of effluents from a dairy factory is presented. Estimation of model parameters and sensitivity analysis were done through data analysis and computational simulation using the software Aquasim v. 2.1.b. Experimental data from a pilot plant were used, estimating the kinetic parameters and performing sensitivity analysis for each case. The n-order kinetic model (μ=kSn) showed to be the best option to represent the degradation of the treated wastewater. With this model, besides achieving acceptable fitting of the experimental data, its parameters k and n are clearly identified. The Monod model, however, although gives lower error, contains parameters with no physical meaning.

Se realizó un análisis comparativo de tres modelos cinéticos (Monod, exponencial y cinética de orden-n) representativos del consumo de substrato de los efluentes de una empresa láctea. Se empleó técnicas de simulación y de análisis de datos disponibles en el programa Aquasim v. 2.1.b. Para ello se correlacionaron datos experimentales obtenidos a nivel piloto, efectuándose en cada caso la estimación de los parámetros cinéticos y el análisis de sensibilidad. Se determinó que el modelo cinético de orden-n (μ=kSn), resulta la opción más adecuada para representar la degradación del substrato de los efluentes. Con este modelo, además de lograr un ajuste aceptable de los datos experimentales sus parámetros k y n son claramente identificables. El modelo de Monod, sin embargo, aún cuando genera un menor error, contiene parámetros no identificables.

Amostras de soro de 88 pacientes dos Estados de Santa Catarina e São Paulo, Brasil, com crises epilépticas e que se submeteram a exame de Tomografia Computadorizada (TC), foram examinadas para detecção de anticorpos anti-cisticercos de Taenia solium por meio de ELISA e Immunoblot (IB) utilizando-se os seguintes antígenos: extrato salino total de cisticercos de T. solium (Tso); líquido vesicular de Taenia crassiceps (Tcra-vf) e glicoproteínas purificadas de cisticercos de T. crassiceps (Tcra-gp). Os resultados de ELISA com os antígenos Tso, Tcra-vf e Tcra-gp mostraram 95%, 90% e 80% de sensibilidade, respectivamente, e 68%, 85% e 93% de especificidade, respectivamente. No grupo de pacientes epilépticos, a positividade do ELISA foi 30%, 51% e 35% com os antígenos Tso, Tcra-vf e Tcra-gp, respectivamente. Considerando o IB como teste confirmatório, a positividade foi de 16% (14/88) no grupo total de pacientes epilépticos e 22% (12/54) no grupo de pacientes epilépticos com TC positiva e sinais clínicos compatíveis com neurocisticercose. Foi encontrada correlação estatística significativa entre os resultados de ELISA ou IB e a fase da doença com quaisquer dos antígenos utilizados (p < 0,05). Os resultados indicam a necessidade de introduzir na rotina dos laboratórios o diagnóstico de neurocisticercose nos pacientes com convulsões epilépticas devido ao elevado risco de aquisição da cisticercose em nossa região e sua participação na etiologia da epilepsia.

Sera from 88 patients from Santa Catarina and São Paulo states of Brazil, with epileptic seizures who underwent cerebral computed tomography (CT) were analyzed for the detection of antibodies to T. solium cysticercus by ELISA and Immunoblot (IB) with the following antigens: Taenia solium cysticercus total saline (Tso), Taenia crassiceps cysticercus vesicular fluid (Tcra-vf) and T. crassiceps cysticercus glycoproteins (Tcra-gp). ELISA carried out with Tso, Tcra-vf and Tcra-gp antigens showed 95%, 90% and 80% sensitivities, respectively, and 68%, 85% and 93% specificities, respectively. In the epileptic patients group, ELISA positivity was 30%, 51% and 35% with Tso, Tcra-vf and Tcra-gp antigens respectively. Considering the IB as the confirmatory test, the positivity was 16% (14/88) in the epileptic patients total group and 22% (12/54) in the epileptic patients with positive CT and signals of cysticercosis. We found a significant statistical correlation among ELISA or IB results and the phase of the disease when any antigens were used (p < 0.05). We emphasize the need to introduce in the laboratory routine the search for neurocysticercosis (NC) in patients presenting with epileptic seizures because of the high risk of acquiring NC in our region and its potential cause of epilepsy.

Small mammals are found naturally infected by Schistosoma mansoni, becoming a confounding factor for control programs of schistosomiasis in endemic areas. The aims of this study were: to investigate the infection rates by S. mansoni on the water-rat Nectomys squamipes during four years in endemic areas of Sumidouro, state of Rio de Janeiro, using mark-recapture technique; to compare two diagnostic methods for schistosomiasis; and to evaluate the effects of the chemotherapy in the human infected population on the rodent infection rates. The rodent infection rates of S. mansoni increased when rodent population sizes were lower. Coprology and serology results presented the same trends along time and were correlated. Serology could detect recent infection, including the false negatives in the coprology. The chemotherapy in the humans could not interrupt the rodent infection. Rodents can increase the schistosomiaisis transmission where it already exists, they probably maintain the transmission cycle in the nature and can be considered as biological indicators of the transmission sites of this parasite since they are highly susceptible to infection. The water-rats may present different levels of importance in the transmission dynamics of S. mansoni infection cycle for each area, and can be considered important wild-reservoirs of this human disease.