Past and current hepatitis E virus infection in renal transplant patients.

The chronic course of hepatitis E virus infection in immunosuppressed patients has been recently documented; however, clinical features and factors associated with this occurrence are not well known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of previous or current HEV infection in renal transplant patients. One hundred ninety-two kidney transplant patients were studied and classified in three groups: G1-infected with hepatitis B and/or C virus; G2-patients with elevated ALT; G3-patients with normal ALT and no hepatotropic virus infection.

Human coronavirus ocurrence in different populations of Sao Paulo: A comprehensive nine-year study using a pancoronavirus RT-PCR assay.

Human coronaviruses (HCoVs) are considered one of the most common respiratory viruses associated with respiratory tract illnesses. An emergent human coronavirus was identified as the causal agent of an epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) during 2002-2003. The severity of the disease combined with its rapid spread requires the continuous surveillance of coronaviruses in worldwide populations.

First report and molecular characterization of hepatitis E virus infection in renal transplant recipients in Brazil.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) causes acute and chronic hepatitis in organ transplant recipients. Serological evidence for HEV infection has been discovered in various population groups in Brazil, and a single acute case has been confirmed. To date, however, no cases of HEV infection in immunocompromised patients have been reported in Brazil.

Surveillance of influenza A H1N1 2009 among school children during 2009 and 2010 in São Paulo, Brazil.

Introduction: Influenza A H1N1 2009 is associated with a high morbidity rate among children around the world, including Brazil. This survey was conducted on samples of symptomatic children (< 12 years) to investigate the influenza virus as the etiological agent of respiratory infections in a day care school in a health facility during the first and second pandemic wave of H1N1 (2009-2010) in São Paulo, Brazil.

Methods: Influenza infections were determined by real-time PCR in 34% (47/137) of children with a median age of 5 years (8 months - 12 years), from June to October 2009 and in 16% (14/85) of those with median age of 6 years (1-12 years), from March to November 2010.

Hepatitis B marker seroprevalence and vaccination coverage in adolescents in the City of Itajaí, State of Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil, in 2008.

Introduction: Hepatitis B infection constitutes an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Brazil, however, the current epidemiological situation is not clear. Considering the importance of establishing this prevalence, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HBV markers in voluntary adolescents, junior high (secondary school) students, in the City of Itajaí, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil.

Hepatitis B immunity and vaccination coverage among young adult males in the Air Force in South Brazil.

We conducted a cross-sectional seroprevalence study to determine hepatitis B vaccination coverage and hepatitis B virus (HBV) immunity in a population of young adult males. Specifically, the population is comprised of Air Force conscripts from the metropolitan region of Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, South Brazil, who were born prior to the full implementation of the HBV vaccination program. Of the 371 young males surveyed, 90% received at least 1 dose of the vaccine and 84% completed the 3-dose schedule.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B and hepatitis C markers in adolescents in Southern Brazil.

This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) markers among adolescents aged between 10 and 16 years old, who are elementary school students in the city of Chapecó, Santa Catarina State, Brazil. The study involved a cross-sectional survey that included 418 volunteers, from March to July, 2008. Serology comprised HBsAg, anti-HBc, anti-HBs and anti-HCV.

Seroprevalence of cytomegalovirus antibodies in blood donors in southern, Brazil.

Introduction: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a matter of concern for blood bank professionals and blood transfusion recipients, especially in cases of transfusions to neonates and immunocompromised patients. Thus, the present study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of CMV IgG and IgM antibodies among blood donors in the city of Lages, in the mountain region of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil, and to investigate possible associations between the socioeconomic characteristics of donors and CMV serological status.

Methods: A seroepidemiological cross-sectional study was conducted on 1,045 blood samples from donors that were used in serological screening over a one-year investigation.

An overview of the mechanisms of HIV-related thrombocytopenia.

The first thrombocytopenia cases related to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were described even before its isolation in 1983. Subsequently, multiple mechanisms have been proposed to elucidate the etiology of thrombocytopenia. In addition to other types of cytopenia affecting patients with HIV, thrombocytopenia is observed in about 10-50% HIV patients as one of the first clinical signs of infection.