Public Health.

Background: Studies comprising cohorts of cognitively unimpaired older adults or with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) that assesses clinical and biological characteristics to conversion to dementia are scarce in Brazil.

Method: To determine the median conversion time to dementia in a cohort of Brazilian older adults with low educational levels. In the cohort, participants undergo an annual comprehensive clinical and neuropsychological evaluation, complemented by neuroimaging and laboratory assessments to determine the diagnosis.

Developing Topics.

Background: Brain imaging plays an important role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) assessment. Combined with cognitive assessment, MRI helps to exclude other brain disorders and to support AD diagnosis based on the atrophy of specific regions. Visual atrophy scales are useful in clinical practice, especially in low-income areas where access to biomarkers and automated volumetric analysis are limited.

Dispersal of Lutzomyia longipalpis and expansion of canine and human visceral leishmaniasis in São Paulo State, Brazil.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), a neglected disease, is a serious public health problem that affects millions of people worldwide. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the sensitivity of Lutzomyia longipalpis and canine VL (CVL) autochthony early detection and describe the spatial and temporal dispersal of vector and expansion of VL in a Brazilian state. We obtained data on the leishmaniasis vector and VL cases in São Paulo State (SP), Brazil, from the Division of Endemic Disease Control and from the Epidemiological Surveillance Center of the São Paulo State Department of Health.

Spatial and spatiotemporal occurrence of human visceral leishmaniasis in Adamantina, State of São Paulo, Brazil.

Introduction: Several municipalities of the Western region of the State of São Paulo have been affected by human visceral leishmaniasis (HVL), including the City of Adamantina, where the first autochthonous cases occurred in 2004. Therefore, this study aimed to describe the spatial and spatiotemporal occurrence of HVL in Adamantina.

Methods: Secondary data regarding the occurrence of HVL in Adamantina between 2004 and 2011 were used.

Temporal, spatial and spatiotemporal analysis of the occurrence of visceral leishmaniasis in humans in the City of Birigui, State of São Paulo, from 1999 to 2012.

Introduction: In 1999, Birigui and Araçatuba were the first municipalities in the State of São Paulo to present autochthonous cases of visceral leishmaniasis in humans (VLH). The aim of this study was to describe the temporal, spatial and spatiotemporal behaviors of VLH in Birigui.

Methods: Secondary data were obtained from the Notifiable Diseases Information System from 1999 to 2012.