A Meliço-Silvestre

Sexuality and Human Reproduction: A Study of Scientific Knowledge, Behaviours and Beliefs of Portuguese Future Elementary School Teachers.

Sex education in Portugal has become a right and an obligation starting in the first years of school. However, despite being required by legislation, this is not easy to achieve, partly because of weaknesses in the training of teachers, which need to be identified. In this study, data were collected about the knowledge, behaviours and beliefs of 148 teacher trainees of elementary education (6–10 years old) from two Portuguese public higher education institutions. The topic of sexuality and human reproduction had been covered by almost all of them during their initial training and was considered important by most of them. Nevertheless, about 85% asserted they are not confident enough to teach this topic to small children in a classroom and committed scientific errors about physiological‐anatomical aspects of the human body. All subjects felt that there is a lack of specific didactic materials, which does not help to overcome those obstacles. It was also possible to identify in these future teachers risky sexual practices resulting, in part, from their beliefs, which could have implications about the way the topic will be approached in the classroom. These findings show how essential it is for training institutions to pay greater attention to the education of future elementary school teachers in this area.

Mediterranean spotted fever: case series of 24 years (1989-2012)

AbstractPurposeMediterranean spotted fever (MSF) is the most prevalent zoonosis in Portugal. To characterize it’s evolution between 1989 and 2012, the authors reviewed the cases diagnosed at their unit during this period.MethodsReview of clinical records of patients with MSF diagnosis, between 1989 and 2012.ResultsData from 250 patients was included, 54% male. Mean age at diagnosis was 58xa0years (11–92). Mean annual incidence was 10 cases, with clear summer predominance. Most patients, 78% lived in rural areas, 34% had contact with dogs and 10% noticed the tick bite. Most common symptoms were: fever (98%), myo-arthralgia (64%) and headache (48%). Maculopapular rash was noticed in 87%, affecting palms in 77% and soles in 69%. Inoculation eschar was found in 60%, mostly located on the trunk. Treatment included doxycycline in 86% and chloramphenicol in 12%, with a mean duration of 8xa0days. Most frequent blood test abnormalities were C-reactive protein, lactatendehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase and alaninentransaminase elevations and thrombocytopenia. First serologic evaluation was positive in 37% (78/212), having seroconversion been documented in 85% (72/85). Most frequent complication was acute renal injury. ICU admission occurred in 5%. Average length of hospital stay was 11.2xa0days (1–106), with a mortality of 3.6%.ConclusionsIn our series, there was clear summer predominance of MSF, which had rural origin in 78%. Most common symptoms were fever, myo-arthralgia and headache. Maculopapular rash was noticed in 87% of cases and inoculation eschar in 60%. Most cases had favourable outcome, having 5% been admitted to ICU. Mortality was 3.6%.

Detection of the protease codon 35 amino acid insertion in sequences from treatment-naïve HIV-1 subtype C infected individuals in the Central Region of Portugal

BACKGROUNDnAmino acids insertions in the protease (PR) coding region have been reported in protease inhibitors (PIs) treatment-naïve and experienced HIV-1 infected individuals ranging from 0.1% to 4.55% and have been rarely found in non-B HIV-1 subtype strains.nnnOBJECTIVESnTo investigate the presence of amino acid insertions in the PR coding region in sequences from treatment-naïve HIV-1 infected individuals in the Central Region of Portugal.nnnSTUDY DESIGNnSequences of the pol gene from 260 treatment-naïve HIV-1 infected individuals between 2000 and 2008 were analyzed and phylogenetic analysis was performed.nnnRESULTSnA threonine insertion (E35E_T) was detected in 2.69% (n=7) of the sequences analyzed and all the sequences that possessed this insertion were identified as subtype C. All the seven inserted sequences clustered in the same lineage of the phylogenetic tree. Heterosexual and intravenous drug use were found to be the routes of infection. No major mutations in the PR coding region associated with resistance to PIs were detected.nnnCONCLUSIONSnIt was found the highest prevalence of PR codon 35 insertion among treatment-naïve HIV-1 infected individuals ever reported in the western countries. Epidemiological data and Phylogenetic analysis indicated the possibility of transmission of this insertion. The results suggested that these inserted strains have normal susceptibility to PIs containing regimens. This study demonstrated the spreading epidemic of PR codon 35 inserted strains from subtype C in the Central Region of Portugal, during the past eight years.