Featured Issue: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Vol.108 No.4

Today we are featuring Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz vol.108 no.4. This issue includes another article on Central-West Brazil, "Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among recyclable waste collectors in Central-West Brazil" by Marinho et al. This study was conducted in 15 cooperatives in Goiânia in Central-West Brazil with 431 recyclable waste collectors participating in the study. The results indicated that the prevalence of hepatitis C virus was 1.6%, associated with a history of sexually transmitted infections. The results also indicated that the studied group did report a 47.3% rate of sharps and needle accidents, but researchers concluded that the hepatitis C infection did not occur more frequently in recyclable waste collectors than the rest of Brazil's population.

This issue also includes "Leishmania infection and host-blood feeding preferences of phlebotomine sandflies and canine leishmaniasis in an endemic European area, the Algarve Region in Portugal" by Maia et al. This article discusses the tourist destination in southern Portugal called the Algarve Region, which, since the 1980s has a high prevalence of zoonotic leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania infantum. For this study, phlebotomine and canine surveys were used. The results indicated that four different sandfly species were captured. The results also indicated that Phlebotomus perniciosus, infected with Leishmania infantum, has no preference of hosts, and its prevalence in the area indicates a need for spatial distribution of phlebotomine populations.

For these articles and others from this issue, click here.