Implementation of integration strategies between primary care units and a regional general hospital in Brazil to update and connect health care professionals: a quasi-experimental study protocol.

Background: Better communication among field health care teams and points of care, together with investments focused on improving teamwork, individual management, and clinical skills, are strategies for achieving better outcomes in patient-oriented care. This research aims to implement and evaluate interventions focused on improving communication and knowledge among health teams based on points of care in a regional public health outreach network, assessing the following hypotheses: 1) A better-working communication process between hospitals and primary health care providers can improve the sharing of information on patients as well as patients' outcomes. 2) A skill-upgrading education tool offered to health providers at their work sites can improve patients' care and outcomes.

Identification and Biological Characterization of Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis Isolated from a Patient with Tegumentary Leishmaniasis in Goiás, a Nonendemic Area for This Species in Brazil.

The aim of this study was to characterize clinical field isolates of Leishmania spp. obtained from patients with American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis (ATL) who live in Goiás state, Brazil. The presumed areas of infection were in Goiás, Tocantins, and Pará states.

Leishmania braziliensis amastigotes stimulate production of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10 and TGF-β by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from nonendemic area healthy residents.

Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis causes cutaneous and mucosal leishmaniasis in several countries in Latin America. In mammals, the parasites live as amastigotes, interacting with host immune cells and stimulating cytokine production that will drive the type of the specific immune responses. Generation of Th17 lymphocytes is associated with tissue destruction and depends on IL-1β, IL-6, TGF-β and IL-23 production, whereas IL-10 and TGF-β are associated with tissue protection.

S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) is cytotoxic to intracellular amastigotes and promotes healing of topically treated Leishmania major or Leishmania braziliensis skin lesions.

Objectives: This study was designed to verify the cytotoxic activity of S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) against intracellular Leishmania amastigotes and to test its efficacy as a topical treatment of localized cutaneous leishmaniasis (LCL) in Leishmania major- or Leishmania braziliensis-infected mice.

Methods: Cytotoxic activity of GSNO was verified in L. major-infected THP-1 macrophages.