Publications by authors named "Fernanda Varela"

Article Synopsis
  • * A total of 1,644 individuals participated, with a pneumococcal carriage rate of 14.9%, and the most common serotype identified was 19A, indicating a significant presence of non-vaccine serotypes.
  • * The findings suggest a need for ongoing monitoring of pneumococcal serotypes, as many prevalent ones are not covered by existing vaccines, highlighting potential implications for public health policies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: To determine the effects of in-utero exposure to maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection on offspring's neurodevelopment during the first year of life.

Methods: We performed a prospective cohort of babies exposed to SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy, and a control group (CG) of unexposed babies in a low-income area in Brazil. Children's neurodevelopment was assessed using the guide for Monitoring Child Development in the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness context for both groups (at 1,2,3,4,5,6, 9, and 12 months), and the Ages & Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3) for the exposed group (EG) (at 4, 6 and 12 months).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This is the third year of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, and yet most children remain unvaccinated. COVID-19 in children manifests as mostly mild or asymptomatic, however high viral titers and strong cellular and humoral responses are observed upon acute infection. It is still unclear how long these responses persist, and if they can protect from re-infection and/or disease severity.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: To evaluate the association between obesity and hospitalization in mild COVID-19 adult outpatients in Brazil.

Methods: Adults with signs and symptoms suggestive of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection who sought treatment in two hospital (public and private) emergency departments were prospectively enrolled. Patients with confirmed COVID-19 at inclusion were followed by phone calls at days D7, D14 and D28.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Although the clinical course of the COVID-19 in adults has been extensively described, the impact of the co-detection of SARS-CoV-2 and rhinovirus on severity outcomes is not understood.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the risk of hospitalization of outpatients with COVID-19 with and without the co-detection of rhinovirus in southern Brazil. Secondarily, such risk was also compared between all individuals with COVID-19 and those with single rhinovirus infection.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: Changes in the epidemiology of respiratory infections during the restrictions imposed as a response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have been reported elsewhere. The present study's aim was to describe the prevalence of a large array of respiratory pathogens in symptomatic children and adolescents during the pandemic in Southern Brazil.

Methods: Hospitalized and outpatients aged 2 months to 18 years with signs and symptoms of acute COVID-19 were prospectively enrolled in the study from May to November 2020 in two hospitals in a large metropolitan area in a Brazilian city.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We aimed to describe the SARS-CoV-2 lineages circulating early pandemic among samples with S gene dropout and characterize the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of viral spike protein. Adults and children older than 2 months with signs and symptoms of COVID-19 were prospectively enrolled from May to October in Porto Alegre, Brazil. All participants performed RT-PCR assay, and samples with S gene dropout and cycle threshold < 30 were submitted to high-throughput sequencing (HTS).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) is often prescribed to cats despite being recognized eventually as diabetogenic. To assess MPA-related insulin resistance and evaluate the efficacy of metformin or an obesity and diabetes mellitus (O&D) adjuvant diet as protective factors, a randomized clinical trial was conducted with 28 owned cats undergoing glucocorticoid therapy. A single MPA dose of 20 mg intramuscularly was administered to each cat.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Point-of-care serological tests for SARS-CoV-2 have been used for COVID-19 diagnosis. However, their accuracy over time regarding the onset of symptoms is not fully understood. We aimed to assess the accuracy of a point-of-care lateral flow immunoassay (LFI).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

COVID-19 manifests as a milder disease in children than adults, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully characterized. Here we assess the difference in cellular or humoral immune responses of pediatric and adult COVID-19 patients to see if these factors contribute to the severity dichotomy. Children's non-specific immune profile is dominated by naive lymphocytes and HLA-DRCX3CR1 dendritic cells; meanwhile, children show strong specific antibody and T cell responses for viral structural proteins, with their T cell responses differing from adults by having weaker CD8TNF T cells responses to S peptide pool but stronger responses to N and M peptide pools.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The viral dynamics and the role of children in the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are not completely understood. Our aim was to evaluate reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) cycle threshold (Ct) values among children with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 compared with that of adult subjects.

Methods: Patients (from 2 months to ≤18 years of age and adults) with signs and symptoms of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection for less than 7 days were prospectively enrolled in the study from May to November 2020.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: to evaluate the accuracy of an antibody point-of-care lateral flow immunoassay (LFI - Wondfo Biotech Co., Guangzhou, China) in a pediatric population.

Methods: children and adolescents (2 months to 18 years) with signs and symptoms suggestive of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection were prospectively investigated with nasopharyngeal RT-PCR and LFI at the emergency room.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza are prevalent seasonal community viruses. Although not completely understood, SARS-CoV-2 may have the same means of transmission. Preventive social measures aimed at preventing SARS-CoV-2 spread could impact transmission of other respiratory viruses as well.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and factors associated with no intention to exclusively breastfeed for the first 6 months of life in a sample of women in the first 24 h postpartum during the hospital stay.

Methods: Cross-sectional study with data from screening phase of a birth cohort. The proportion of mothers who did not intend to breastfeed exclusively for 6 months (primary outcome) derived from a negative response to the question "Would you be willing to try to breastfeed exclusively for the first 6 months?", in an interview conducted by previously trained interviewers.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Although varicella is usually a mild and self-limited disease, complications can occur. In 1998, the World Health Organization recommended varicella vaccination for countries where the disease has a significant public health burden. Nonetheless, concerns about a shift in the disease to older groups, an increase in herpes zoster in the elderly and cost-effectiveness led many countries to postpone universal varicella vaccine introduction.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Case Summary: An 8-year-old male neutered Persian cat was presented with polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia and muscle weakness associated with a 7 month history of diabetes mellitus (DM). The cat had initially been treated with neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) insulin 2 U q12h, followed by porcine lente insulin 2 U q12h and, most recently, 3 U glargine insulin q12h, without improvement of clinical signs. The cat also suffered from concurrent symmetrical bilateral alopecia of thorax and forelimbs, abdominal distension and lethargy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: To describe the epidemiology of acute kidney injury, its relationship to chronic kidney disease, and the factors associated with its incidence.

Methods: A cohort study and follow-up were conducted in an intensive care unit in Montevideo, Uruguay. We included patients admitted between November 2014 and October 2015 who were older than 15 years of age and who had at least two measurements of serum creatinine.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: The guidelines to prophylaxis of infectious endocarditis changed, but many congenital heart diseases continue to be considered as high risk for the development of the disease.

Objective: To evaluate the knowledge of parents or guardians of children and adolescents with congenital heart disease seen at a referral center in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil on infective endocarditis and its prevention.

Methods: Cross-sectional study with 90 patients with congenital heart defects in regular outpatient treatment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF