Implementation of the cascade of care for latent mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in people living with HIV/Aids.

Objective: To describe the outcome indicators of implementing a cascade of care for latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in people living with the human immunodeficiency virus.

Method: Cross-sectional study, carried out with people living with HIV, from 2022 to 2024, in a reference service in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul. It occurred after the implementation of the following work process: Identification of people at risk for investigation of Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI); Test for LTBI; Exclusion of active TB cases; Treatment for LTBI; Adherence to treatment; and Completion of treatment.

Successful treatment of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis in a patient with early pulmonary tuberculosis and COVID-19: a case report.

Introduction: Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) often develops in residual lesions of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Every year, 112,000 to 160,000 people worldwide will develop post-PTB CPA. The simultaneous occurrence of CPA with the first episode of PTB is rare.

Clinical epidemiological and laboratory investigation in co-infection with COVID-19 and tuberculosis.

Currently, COVID-19 and tuberculosis (TB) are the deadliest infectious diseases worldwide. Their synergy, form of presentation, morbidity, and mortality are data that have been scarcely explored. Thus, this study aimed to characterize the clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory factors of this co-infection and to analyze the factors associated with the active TB among COVID-19 cases.

in the Indoor Air of Critical Areas of a Tertiary Hospital in Brazil.

Airborne spp. are critical pathogens that cause nosocomial infections in hospitals. Despite their importance, little is known about the distribution of species in the indoor air of hospitals in Brazil.

Performance of the IMMY® sona Aspergillus lateral flow assay for the detection of galactomannan in tracheal aspirate samples from Brazilian patients with COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis: Cross-sectional and systematic review of literature.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many patients in intensive care units (ICUs) were affected by invasive fungal infections, including aspergillosis, contributing to a high mortality rate. Diagnosing proven COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) requires clinical and radiological evaluations, along with laboratory testing of bronchoalveolar lavage samples or lung biopsies. However, these procedures and equipment are often inaccessible in developing countries or regions with limited resources, including Brazil.

Analysis and Interpretation of Automated Blood Count in the Treatment of Chronic Paracoccidioidomycosis.

Blood count is crucial for assessing bone marrow's cell production and differentiation during infections, gaging disease severity, and monitoring therapeutic responses. The profile of blood count in chronic forms of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) has been insufficiently explored. To better understand the changes in hematological cells in different stages of the PCM chronic form, we evaluated the blood count, including immature blood cells in automated equipment, before and during the treatment follow-up of 62 chronic PCM patients.

The Effect of Geoclimatic Factors on the Distribution of Paracoccidioidomycosis in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.

The incidence of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) varies in Latin America, and it is influenced by environmental factors. This study evaluated the distribution of PCM acute/subacute form (AF) cases and their correlation with geoclimatic factors in the Mato Grosso do Sul (MS) state. The study included 81 patients diagnosed with the PCM/AF at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul between January 1980 and February 2022.

Antifungal Resistance in Cryptococcal Infections.

Antifungal therapy, especially with the azoles, could promote the incidence of less susceptible isolates of and species complexes (SC), mostly in developing countries. Given that these species affect mostly the immunocompromised host, the infections are severe and difficult to treat. This review encompasses the following topics: 1.

Iron metabolism disorders of patients with chronic paracoccidioidomycosis.

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is caused by Paracoccidioides spp.; during infection, some host mechanisms limit the availability of iron, thereby reducing its reproduction. However, Paracoccidioides spp.

Adherence to antiretroviral therapy in people living with HIV with moderate or severe mental disorder.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection remains a serious public health concern, with an estimated 38 million people living with HIV (PLHIV). PLHIV are often affected by mental disorders at higher rate than the general population. One challenge in the control and prevention of new HIV infections is adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART), with PLHIV with mental disorders having seemingly lower adherence than PLHIV without mental disorders.

Recombinant protein KR95 as an alternative for serological diagnosis of human visceral leishmaniasis in the Americas.

In the Americas, visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is caused by the protozoan Leishmania infantum, leading to death if not promptly diagnosed and treated. In Brazil, the disease reaches all regions, and in 2020, 1,933 VL cases were reported with 9.5% lethality.

A scoping study of pulmonary paracoccidioidomycosis: severity classification based on radiographic and tomographic evaluation.

The lungs have great importance in patients with paracoccidioidomycosis since they are the portal of entry for the infecting fungi, the site of quiescent foci, and one of the most frequently affected organs. Although they have been the subject of many studies with different approaches, the severity classification of the pulmonary involvement, using imaging procedures, has not been carried out yet. This study aimed to classify the active and the residual pulmonary damage using radiographic and tomographic evaluations, according to the area involved and types of lesions.

Late peripheral facial paralysis after COVID-19: a rapid systematic review and two case reports.

Peripheral facial paralysis (PFP) has been shown to be a neurological manifestation of COVID-19. The current study presents two cases of PFP after COVID-19, along with a rapid review of known cases in the literature. Both case reports were conducted following CARE guidelines.

Challenges in Serologic Diagnostics of Neglected Human Systemic Mycoses: An Overview on Characterization of New Targets.

Systemic mycoses have been viewed as neglected diseases and they are responsible for deaths and disabilities around the world. Rapid, low-cost, simple, highly-specific and sensitive diagnostic tests are critical components of patient care, disease control and active surveillance. However, the diagnosis of fungal infections represents a great challenge because of the decline in the expertise needed for identifying fungi, and a reduced number of instruments and assays specific to fungal identification.

Paracoccidioidomycosis screening diagnosis by FTIR spectroscopy and multivariate analysis.

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a systemic mycosis with high incidence in Latin America, caused by species of the genus Paracoccidioides spp. Brazil is considered to be the endemic center of this disease, which is identified as the eighth cause of mortality from chronic infectious disease in the country. There are several specific diagnostic methods in PCM, such as microbiological, immunological, histopathological, and molecular.

Prevalence of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis regarding time of tuberculosis diagnosis in Brazil.

Background: Data on the prevalence of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) in patients with active or cured tuberculosis (TB) are scarce, mainly due to diagnostic difficulties. The diagnosis of CPA is based on pulmonary symptoms and chest computed tomography (CT) scans and is considered confirmed when there is microbiological or serological evidence of Aspergillus spp.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of CPA in patients treated or undergoing treatment for PTB, seen in two referral hospitals in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.

Proteomic analysis of serum samples of paracoccidioidomycosis patients with severe pulmonary sequel.

Background: Pulmonary sequelae (PS) in patients with chronic paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) typically include pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema. Knowledge of the molecular pathways involved in PS of PCM is required for treatment and biomarker identification.

Methodology/principal Findings: This non-concurrent cohort study included 29 patients with pulmonary PCM that were followed before and after treatment.

Mask decontamination methods (model N95) for respiratory protection: a rapid review.

Background: N95 respiratory protection masks are used by healthcare professionals to prevent contamination from infectious microorganisms transmitted by droplets or aerosols.

Methods: We conducted a rapid review of the literature analyzing the effectiveness of decontamination methods for mask reuse. The database searches were carried out up to September 2020.

An update on the occurrence of Paracoccidioides species in the Midwest region, Brazil: Molecular epidemiology, clinical aspects and serological profile of patients from Mato Grosso do Sul State.

Background: Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a systemic and endemic fungal infection in Latin American, mainly in Brazil. The majority of PCM cases occur in large areas in Brazil, comprising the South, Southeast and Midwest regions, with the latter demonstrating a higher incidence of the species Paracoccidioides lutzii.

Methodology And Main Findings: This study presents clinical, molecular and serological data of thirteen new PCM cases during 2016 to 2019 from the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, located in the Midwest region, Brazil.

Prediction of Conserved Peptides of for Interferon-γ Release Assay: The First Step in the Development of a Lab-Based Approach for Immunological Assessment during Antifungal Therapy.

Impaired antigen-specific cell-mediated immunity (CMI) is a primary immunological disturbance observed in individuals that develop paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) after exposure to spp. Restoration of -specific CMI is crucial to stop the antifungal treatment and avoid relapses. A convenient and specific laboratory tool to assess antigen specific CMI is required for the appropriate clinical treatment of fungal infections, in order to decrease the time of antifungal therapy.