Denise da Silva Pinto

Prevalência de infecção genital pelo HPV em populações urbana e rural da Amazônia Oriental Brasileira

Foram investigados a prevalencia e os fatores associados a infeccao genital pelo HPV em mulheres de populacao urbana e rural de duas regioes da Amazonia Oriental brasileira. Foi um estudo transversal com 444 mulheres submetidas ao rastreamento para câncer cervical, sendo 233 urbanas e 211 rurais, de janeiro de 2008 a marco de 2010. Coletaram-se amostras da cervice uterina para a pesquisa de DNA do HPV pela PCR. Todas responderam a um formulario epidemiologico. Analise bivariada e por regressao logistica foram empregadas na investigacao dos fatores associados ao HPV. A prevalencia geral de HPV foi de 14,6%. Entre as populacoes, nao houve diferenca significativa, 15% urbana e 14,2% rural. O unico fator de risco explorado no estudo significativamente associado ao HPV foi a situacao conjugal de mulheres residentes na zona rural na faixa de 13 a 25 anos, com maior prevalencia de infeccao entre solteiras, separadas ou viuvas. Conclui-se que, apesar das prevalencias entre as populacoes serem semelhantes, as estrategias preventivas a serem aplicadas seriam especificas para cada populacao.

T‐helper 17 cytokines expression in leprosy skin lesions

DEAR EDITOR, Until recently, it was believed that T-helper (Th) 1 and Th2 lymphocytes were the only effector cells of the immune response; however, another group of T cells producing cytokines that differ from those observed in the Th1–Th2 model has been identified recently. These cells comprise a third subtype of CD4 effector T-helper called type 17 Th cells, or Th17. Th17 lymphocytes produce interleukin (IL)-17, IL-17F, IL-6, IL-21, IL-22 and tumour necrosis factor-a, which play a role in both tissue inflammation and neutrophil activation. IL-17 is a potent proinflammatory cytokine that exerts effects on a variety of cells. In leprosy, the cytokine profile of the tuberculoid and lepromatous forms (stable forms) has been extensively investigated and is

Relationship between growth factors and its implication in the pathogenesis of leprosy.

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae which affects the skin and peripheral nervous system. The immune response of the host determines the clinical course of the disease. The tuberculoid form is the result of high cell-mediated immunity characterized by a Th1 response, whereas the lepromatous form is characterized by low cell-mediated immunity and a Th2 humoral response. The neural damage established produces marked changes in the expression of growth factors such as nerve growth factor (NGF) and its receptors (NGF-R). The expression of NGF, associated with the expression of Th1 and Th2 cytokines, might be involved in the tissue damage caused by the bacillus. Therefore, the objective of this study was to correlate the immunoexpression patterns of NGF and NGF-R in the different clinical forms of leprosy, and to associate the findings with the in situ expression of TGF-β and clinical classification of the disease. TGF-β, NGF and NGF-R immunoexpression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in paraffin-embedded material. Most patients were males with a mean age of 40.7 years. TGF-β levels were significantly higher in the lepromatous forms. No significant difference in the immunoexpression of NGF or NGF-R was observed between the clinical forms, but expression tended to be higher at the lepromatous pole. There was a significant positive correlation between NGF and NGF-R in the different clinical forms of leprosy. A significant positive correlation was observed between NGF, NGF-R and TGF-β. It can be concluded that, even existing evidence on the role of these molecules in the clinical spectrum of leprosy.

Perfil clínico-epidemiológico de pacientes infectados pelo HTLV-1 em Belém/Pará

ObjectiveThe clinical-epidemiological profile of patients with HTLV-1 in Belem, Para state, Brazil was investigated describing the characteristics of these patients at an outpatient service of the Clinical and Epidemiologic Laboratory of Endemic Diseases - LCEDE from the Tropical Medicine Center - NMT of the Federal University of Para - UFPA.MethodologyIt was a descriptive, cross-sectional study with data collected from the records of HTLV-1 patients from 2000 to 2012. Descriptive analysis used Epi Info 3.2.5 software.ResultsOf the 182 patients, 35.2% were male and 64.8% female, with a predominance of married individuals (47.8%), approximately 73.6% were from Belem. Among the symptomatic patients, 51% presented neurological symptoms, 21% dermatological complaints, 18% rheumatologic complaints, and 10% autonomic complaints. Among the patients with neurological symptoms, 16 (39%) were diagnosed with HAM/TSP.ConclusionThere is predominance of females, aged 40-49 years, married, with informal jobs, from Belem, with neurological sings and regular return to medical visits.

Housing conditions and the degree of home satisfaction of elderly riverside residents of the Amazon region

At the crossroads of environmental psychology and social gerontology, this descriptive and exploratory study investigates the housing conditions of the elderly who live close to an Amazonian river and assesses their degree of satisfaction with their housing. Using four instruments, we study 23 elderly residents of the river islands of the municipality of Cametá, Pará, Brazil. Despite high territorial isolation, low socioeconomic status, and largely inappropriate housing conditions, the results reveal the elderly’s overall satisfaction with their home environment, except in relation to accessibility and safety. The data of this study give larger visibility to people’s main needs in this context and provide relevant information for the planning of social and health policies aimed at bettering the quality of this stage of the life span.

Percepção de idosos ribeirinhos amazônicos sobre o processo de envelhecimento: o saber empírico que vem dos rios

Objective: To study and identify the perception of elderly riverside people of the Amazon region regarding old age. Method: An exploratory, descriptive, qualitative study was performed. Data was collected through interviews with 14 elderly riverside residents Palavras-chave: Envelhecimento; Idoso; Percepção; População Ribeirinha. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1809-98232016019.150121 430 Rev. BRas. GeRiatR. GeRontol., Rio de JaneiRo, 2016; 19(3):429-440

Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health as a tool for analysis of the effect of physical therapy on spasticity in HAM/TSP patients

INTRODUCTION This study aimed to evaluate spasticity in human T-lymphotropic virus type 1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) patients before and after physical therapy using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). METHODS Nine subjects underwent physical therapy. Spasticity was evaluated using the Modified Ashworth Scale. The obtained scores were converted into ICF body functions scores. RESULTS The majority of subjects had a high degree of spasticity in the quadriceps muscles. According to the ICF codes, the spasticity decreased after 20 sessions of physical therapy. CONCLUSIONS The ICF was effective in evaluating spasticity in HAM/TSP patients.

O modo de vida do idoso ribeirinho amazônico em imagens e linguajar cultural

Esta producao tem o intuito de apresentar fotografias e textos, resultados de uma proposta de investigacao sobre o ambiente e o cotidiano de idosos ribeirinhos amazonicos. Traz, na sua composicao, elementos culturais tipicos dessa regiao e peculiaridades proprias do processo de envelhecimento a margem dos rios.This production has the intent to present photos and texts, results of a research proposal about the environment and the daily life of Amazon’s riverine elderly. Brings in its composition cultural elements typical of this region and own peculiarities of the aging process on the rivers’ margin.

The lifestyle of Amazon’s riverine elderly in images and cultural language

Esta producao tem o intuito de apresentar fotografias e textos, resultados de uma proposta de investigacao sobre o ambiente e o cotidiano de idosos ribeirinhos amazonicos. Traz, na sua composicao, elementos culturais tipicos dessa regiao e peculiaridades proprias do processo de envelhecimento a margem dos rios.This production has the intent to present photos and texts, results of a research proposal about the environment and the daily life of Amazon’s riverine elderly. Brings in its composition cultural elements typical of this region and own peculiarities of the aging process on the rivers’ margin.

La vida cotidiana de los ancianos de la Amazonia ribereña en imáenes y lenguaje cultural

Esta producao tem o intuito de apresentar fotografias e textos, resultados de uma proposta de investigacao sobre o ambiente e o cotidiano de idosos ribeirinhos amazonicos. Traz, na sua composicao, elementos culturais tipicos dessa regiao e peculiaridades proprias do processo de envelhecimento a margem dos rios.This production has the intent to present photos and texts, results of a research proposal about the environment and the daily life of Amazon’s riverine elderly. Brings in its composition cultural elements typical of this region and own peculiarities of the aging process on the rivers’ margin.