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.

Featured Issue: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Vol.108 No.3

This is our second post in the series of blog posts on Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz that we will be posting over the next couple of days.

This issue includes "Historical trends in the epidemiology of candidaemia: analysis of an 11-year period in a tertiary care hospital in Brazil" by Wille et al. This study looks at the Candida species' effect on two different groups of patients with Candida infections, one group who was treated from 1994 to 1999 and the other group treated from 2000 to 2004. The results indicated that many patients had a previous history of cancer and were using antibiotics before infection. The results also indicated that Candida albicans had the highest incidence rate, found in 42% of patients, and almost 2.47% of the strains were resistant to fluconazole. Research also suggested that candidaemia was prevalent among elderly patients.

This issue also includes "Climatic factors influencing triatomine occurrence in Central-West Brazil" by Pereira et al. This article looks at the Triatominae species, also commonly known as the triatomine species, in Central-West Brazil. For the study, 27 triatominae species were analyzed using the maximum entrophy method to create models for eight species. The results indicated that Triatoma sordida and Rhodinus neglectus were the two species that were widely found throughout Central-West Brazil, and that the Central-West region of Brazil has suitable climate conditions for different triatominae species.

You can find these articles and others from this issue here.

Featured Issue: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Vol.108 No.5

Today we are featuring Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz vol.108 no.5. 

This issue includes "Polycystic echinococcosis in the state of Acre, Brazil: contribution to patient diagnosis, treatment and prognosis" by de Siquera et al., which examines the process of diagnosis and treatment for patients with Polycystic echinococcosis. The study started in 1999 and by 2009, included 60 patients. Patients were classified based on parasite lesions, neighbouring organ invasion and metastases, and were subsequently divided into three groups to receive either chemotherapy, surgical removal of the cysts or puncturing of the cysts using the PAIR method. The results indicated that surgical removal of the cysts could be the best method of treatment out of the three treatments described above, and that the PAIR method requires more research.

Also included in this issue is "Culicidae (Diptera) selection of humans, chickens and rabbits in three different environments in the province of Chaco, Argentina" by Stein et al. For this study, mosquitoes were collected by using chicken and rabbit bait during the period of June 2001 to May 2002. The incidence of mosquitoes biting the humans operating the traps was also collected. 49 species and 10 genera of mosquitoes were collected. The results indicated that Culex species were most attracted to chicken bait, while Wyeomyia species were most attracted to rabbit bait. Several species including Psorophora albigenu were most attracted to human bait.

For the complete articles and other articles from this issue, click here.

Did you know...

Did you know that DNA and RNA nucleotide changes can have minor to drastic effects on a person? An article in Bioline's recently posted vol. 108 no. 1 issue of Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz ("Response to treatment in Brazilian patients with chronic hepatitis C is associated with a single-nucleotide polymorphism near the interleukin-28B gene") studies Brazilian patients who suffer from chronic hepatitis C. These patients responded to treatments differently based on a single-nucleotide polymorphism near the interleukin 28B-gene. This research may determine the best course of treatment for a patient depending on the change near the interleukin-28B gene. 

Want to learn more? Read other articles from Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz vol. 108 no. 1 here: http://www.bioline.org.br/titles?id=oc&year=2013&vol=108&num=01&keys=v108N1.

Featured Issue: Special Issue of Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Vol. 107

Did you know that leprosy (also known as Hansen's disease) affects many people around the world today? This special issue of vol. 107 of Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz focuses on leprosy. The issue contains articles discussing where leprosy is most prevalent, effects of the disease, as well as current case studies and research articles on how leprosy is treated and diagnosed today.

For these articles and a Foreword by the Editors of this issue, please go to: http://www.bioline.org.br/titles?id=oc&year=2012&vol=107&num=s1&keys=V107Ns1

Featured Issue: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Vol. 107 No. 8

Interested in finding out more about the relationship between the HIV-1 infection and malaria? These two infections are the leading causes of death in Africa. Find out more in the article "Enhanced T cell activation in Plasmodium falciparum malaria-infected human immunodeficiency virus-1 patients from Mozambique" in Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz volume 107, no. 8.

This issue also contains articles on the genus Lutzomyia:

• One article studies Lutzomyia tolimensis in Colombia ("Description of Lutzomyia (Helcocyrtomyia) tolimensis, a new species of phlebotomine sandfly (Diptera: Psychodidae) from Colombia")

• Another article studies Lutzomyia diamantinensis in Brazil ("Lutzomyia diamantinensis sp. nov., a new phlebotomine species (Diptera: Psychodidae) from a quartzite cave in Diamantina, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil")     

Check out other articles from this issue here: http://www.bioline.org.br/titles?id=oc&year=2012&vol=107&num=08&keys=V107N8

A reminder for all researchers that Bioline abstracts contain species links to CRIA's Scientific Name Search database. Be sure to click on species links in Bioline abstracts to find more information in the Scientific Name Search database!

Did you know...

Did you know that Tonic Water contains quinine and was used as treatment decades ago for malaria, but the taste became so popular that people drink it for leisure? If you want to learn more about quinine and other antimalarial compounds read the article by Rocha e Silva et. al., called "In vitro susceptibility of Plasmodium falciparum Welch field isolates to infusions prepared from Artemisia annua L. cultivated in the Brazilian Amazon" published in the vol. 107 no. 7 of Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, where the authors describe 3 antimalarial compounds: chloroquine, quinine and artemisinin.

For access to this article and others from this issue, go to: http://www.bioline.org.br/titles?id=oc&year=2012&vol=107&num=07&keys=v107N7

Featured Issue: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Vol. 107 No. 3, 4 and 5

Today we are featuring Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz vol. 107 no. 3, 4, and 5. Among the articles in no. 3 is one (Prevalence of hepatitis e virus antibodies in individuals exposed to swine in Mato Grosso, Brazil) on a study of participants exposed to swine in Mato, Grosso, Brazil. The study participants were tested for hepatitis E antibodies. Among 310 participants, 8.4% were found to be anti-HEV-positive.

For other articles from this issue, please visit:http://www.bioline.org.br/titles?id=oc&year=2012&vol=107&num=03&keys=V107N3 
 
No. 4 of vol. 107 includes an article (Evolution of insecticide resistance in non-target black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) from Argentina) on the resistance of black flies to pyrethroids fenvalerate and organophosphate azinphos methyl over a 12-year period, from 1996 to 2008. How many times insecticide is used on the population and how much of it is used at a time were two factors that had to be considered in understanding the evolution of pesticide resistance.
 
For other articles from vol. 107 no. 4, please visit:
http://www.bioline.org.br/titles?id=oc&year=2012&vol=107&num=04&keys=V107N4 

Finally, we now have vol. 107 no. 5 on the Bioline International website. This issue includes an article (Declining prevalence of hepatitis A virus antibodies among children from low socioeconomic groups reinforces the need for the implementation of hepatitis A vaccination in Brazil) about anti hepatitis A virus (HAV) antibodies tested in children of low socioeconomic status. The study showed that 74.1-90% of children under five are susceptible to HAV infection. It also mentioned that the hepatitis A vaccine currently being offered in the area is too costly for people of low socioeconomic status. The article cries for a call to action for hepatitis A vaccine to be included in the Brazilian National Program for Immunisation.
 
To access this article and others from vol. 107 no. 5, please visit:
http://www.bioline.org.br/titles?id=oc&year=2012&vol=107&num=04&keys=V107N4