Factors associated with tuberculosis retreatment in priority districts of Maranhão, Brazil.

This study investigated factors associated with cases of tuberculosis retreatment due to relapse and readmission after treatment abandonment. This is an analytical cross-sectional study type of cases reported in the Information System for Notifiable Diseases in priority municipalities in the State of Maranhão, from January 2005 to December 2010. A logistic regression model was used to identify the association.

Neural complications and physical disabilities in leprosy in a capital of northeastern Brazil with high endemicity.

Introduction: Leprosy is an infectious disease whose etiologic agent is Mycobacterium leprae, manifested by dermatological and neurological signs and symptoms.

Objective: To investigate neural changes and the degree of physical disability in the eyes, hands and feet before and after treatment, as well as sociodemographic and clinical profile of patients affected by leprosy.

Method: A longitudinal epidemiological study comprising 155 patients with leprosy, from a spontaneous demand, diagnosed between March 2010 and February 2011, and treated with multidrug therapy (MDT) between March 2010 and July 2012 in a program for leprosy eradication in São Luis (MA), Brazil.

Factors associated with neural alterations and physical disabilities in patients with leprosy in São Luis, State of Maranhão, Brazil.

Introduction: Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease that is caused by Mycobacterium leprae. The objective of this study was to evaluate the risk factors that are associated with neural alterations and physical disabilities in leprosy patients at the time of diagnosis.

Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 155 leprosy patients who participated in a program that aimed to eliminate leprosy from São Luis, State of Maranhão.

[The epidemiological profile of HIV-positive individuals and HIV-Leishmaniasis co-infection in a referral center in São Luis, Maranhão, Brazil].

AIDS is a public health problem and visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is the most frequent co-infection. This study seeks to describe the epidemiological aspects of HIV-positive individuals and to investigate the occurrence of HIV-Leishmania co-infection. It is a descriptive study with 287 HIV=positive individuals assisted at the reference center for HIV/AIDS in São Luís, MA.

Association analysis of human leukocyte antigen class II (DRB1) alleles with leprosy in individuals from São Luís, state of Maranhão, Brazil.

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that the variability of the clinical response to infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae is associated with host genetic factors. The present study investigated the frequency of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II (DRB1) alleles in patients with leprosy from São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. A case-control study was performed in 85 individuals with leprosy and 85 healthy subjects.

Factors associated with asymptomatic infection in family members and neighbors of patients with visceral leishmaniasis.

This study analyzed factors associated with asymptomatic Leishmania chagasi infection in family members and neighbors of patients with visceral leishmaniasis (VL). A cross-sectional study was conducted with 361 individuals in the counties comprising Ilha de São Luís (São Luís Island) in Maranhão State, Brazil. The Montenegro skin test (MST) and serology by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were performed to detect infection.

Cytokines and visceral leishmaniasis: a comparison of plasma cytokine profiles between the clinical forms of visceral leishmaniasis.

It is not well established whether cytokine production differs in response to different clinical forms of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). In this work, we performed a cross-sectional study to investigate the plasma levels of cytokines [interferon (IFN)-γ, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-10 and IL-12] involved in the pathogenesis of VL in 80 subjects from VL endemic areas, including subjects with active VL, subjects with asymptomatic infection, subjects with cured VL and uninfected controls. The patients were recruited by sampling from a referral hospital and by random selection from a population-based cohort study.

Immunodominant antigens of Leishmania chagasi associated with protection against human visceral leishmaniasis.

Background: Protection and recovery from visceral leishmaniasis (VL) have been associated with cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses, whereas no protective role has been attributed to humoral responses against specific parasitic antigens. In this report, we compared carefully selected groups of individuals with distinct responses to Leishmania chagasi to explore antigen-recognizing IgG present in resistant individuals.

Methodology And Principal Findings: VL patients with negative delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) were classified into the susceptible group.

Epidemiological, clinical, and operational aspects of leprosy patients assisted at a referral service in the state of Maranhão, Brazil.

Introduction: Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical, and operational aspects of leprosy carriers.

Methods: A cross-sectional study leprosy patients assisted in São Luis, MA, was performed.

Risk factors for Leishmania chagasi infection in an endemic area in Raposa, State of Maranhão, Brazil.

Introduction: Infection with Leishmania chagasi is the most common clinical presentation for visceral leishmaniaisis in endemic areas. The municipality of Raposa is an endemic area in State of Maranhão, Brazil, and have had registration cases of visceral leishmaniasis disease. For this reason, a cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the risk factors for infection with L.

Leishmania infection in humans, dogs and sandflies in a visceral leishmaniasis endemic area in Maranhão, Brazil.

Leishmania infection in humans, dogs and sandflies was examined in the endemic visceral leishmaniasis (VL) municipality of Raposa, state of Maranhão, Brazil. In this study, we examined Leishmania chagasi infection in the blood serum of both humans and Canis familiaris and the natural Leishmania sp. infection rate in the sandfly vector, Lutzomyia longipalpis.

TGFB1 and IL8 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to visceral leishmaniasis.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or Kala-azar is a serious protozoan infectious disease caused by an obligate intracellular parasite. Cytokines have a major role in determining progression and severity of clinical manifestations in VL. We investigated polymorphisms in the TGFB1and IL8 genes, which are cytokines known to have a role in onset and severity of the disease.

Epidemiological study of the association between anti-Lutzomyia longipalpis saliva antibodies and development of delayed-type hypersensitivity to Leishmania antigen.

Recent reports from animal models and from cross-sectional studies have suggested that host responses to anti-Lutzomyia longipalpis saliva antibodies may be related to delayed-type hypersensitivity to Leishmania antigen. In a prospective cohort study, we evaluated 1,080 children from two endemic areas for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) by means of Kaplan-Meier analysis. The incidence rate of delayed-type hypersensitivity to Leishmania antigen, measured at the 24th follow-up month, was higher among those reactive to Lu.

Using recombinant proteins from Lutzomyia longipalpis saliva to estimate human vector exposure in visceral Leishmaniasis endemic areas.

Background: Leishmania is transmitted by female sand flies and deposited together with saliva, which contains a vast repertoire of pharmacologically active molecules that contribute to the establishment of the infection. The exposure to vector saliva induces an immune response against its components that can be used as a marker of exposure to the vector. Performing large-scale serological studies to detect vector exposure has been limited by the difficulty in obtaining sand fly saliva.

Are there differences in clinical and laboratory parameters between children and adults with American visceral leishmaniasis?

A prospective study on 23 patients with American visceral leishmaniasis (VL), comparing clinical and laboratory parameters of 14 children (mean age of 3.85+/-3.39 years) to nine adults (27.

Balance of IL-10 and interferon-gamma plasma levels in human visceral leishmaniasis: implications in the pathogenesis.

Background: Leishmaniasis remains a serious public health problem in several parts of the developing world. Effective prophylactic measurements are hampered by imprecise comprehension of different aspects of the disease, including its immunoregulation. A better comprehension of immunoregulation in human VL may be useful both for designing and evaluating immunoprophylaxis.

[Profile of leprosy patients in a hiperendemic area of Amazonian Maranhão, Brazil].

An epidemiological cross-sectional study of 207 patients with leprosy disease, was undertaken between August 1998 to november 2000, aiming at evaluating the socioeconomic, demographic and ambiental profiles of the patients as well as physical incapacity due to the disease. The study was performed in the municipality of Buriticupu-Maranh o state, a hiperendemic leprosy area in the Amazonian Maranh o. The level of incapacity was assessed from parameters established by the Brazilian Health Minister.

[Assessment of a leprosy control program in a hyperendemic county in the State of Maranhão, Brazil, 1991-1995].

This is a descriptive study to assess the leprosy control program in the municipality of Buriticupu in Maranhão State, Brazil. The records of 214 patients with different forms of leprosy were studied. Patients were treated at a health center of the Federal University in Maranhão located in the above-mentioned municipality.