New anti-SARS-CoV-2 aminoadamantane compounds as antiviral candidates for the treatment of COVID-19.

Here, the antiviral activity of aminoadamantane derivatives were evaluated against SARS-CoV-2. The compounds exhibited low cytotoxicity to Vero, HEK293 and CALU-3 cells up to a concentration of 1,000 µM. The inhibitory concentration (IC) of aminoadamantane was 39.

Analysis of catastrophic costs incurred by patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in an outpatient clinic in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Background: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a serious global public health concern associated with social vulnerability. In Brazil, the Unified Health System (SUS, Portuguese) provides free diagnosis and treatment for MDR-TB; however, other expenses may still be incurred for patients and their families which, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), can be catastrophic when these costs surpass 20.0% of the annual household income.

Serum biomarkers in patients with unilateral or bilateral active pulmonary tuberculosis: Immunological networks and promising diagnostic applications.

The present observational study was designed to characterize the integrative profile of serum soluble mediators to describe the immunological networks associated with clinical findings and identify putative biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of active tuberculosis. The study population comprises 163 volunteers, including 84 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis/(TB), and 79 controls/(C). Soluble mediators were measured by multiplexed assay.

Molecular characterization of nontuberculous Mycobacteria in a tuberculosis and HIV reference unit in the State of Amazonas, Brazil.

Background: In recent years, the prevalence of nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections has increased in different regions of the world. The American Thoracic Society (ATS) recommends standardized identification criteria, reinforcing the need for faster and less complicated clinical and laboratory techniques.

Methods: In this retrospective study, NTM species isolated from pulmonary, extrapulmonary, and disseminated samples from patients treated at a TB/HIV reference unit in the State of Amazonas from 2011 to 2014 were identified through a combination of molecular techniques.

Impact of a computer system as a triage tool in the management of pulmonary tuberculosis in a HIV reference center in Brazil.

Background: The Neural Clinical Score for tuberculosis (NCS-TB) is a computer system developed to improve the triage of presumed pulmonary TB (pPTB).

Methods: A study was performed with cohorts of pPTB patients cared for at a reference hospital in Northeast Brazil.

Results: The NCS-TB sensitivity was 76.

Clinical Impact of the Line Probe Assay and Xpert® MTB/RIF Assay in the Presumptive Diagnosis of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Brazil: A Pragmatic Clinical Trial.

Background: Rapid molecular methods such as the line probe assay (LPA) and Xpert® MTB/RIF assay (Xpert) have been recommended by the World Health Organization for drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) diagnosis. We conducted an interventional trial in DR-TB reference centers in Brazil to evaluate the impact of the use of LPA and Xpert.

Methods: Patients with DR-TB were eligible if their drug susceptibility testing results were available to the treating physician at the time of consultation.

Cost analysis for patients with presumed pulmonary tuberculosis attended in the public health system of rio de janeiro, Brazil.

Background: In last years, few attention has given to the patient's prediagnostic costs when evaluating the introduction of new technologies for tuberculosis (TB) and in this context, this study evaluated patient's costs and cost-effectiveness incurred with TB diagnosis comparing BactecMGIT960 system (MGIT) to the Löwestein-Jensen (LJ) culture in a health center and in a university hospital, in Rio de Janeiro City, Brazil.

Methods: Patient's mean costs were evaluated during the diagnosis process and cost-effectiveness based on mean time in days for the adoption of appropriate clinical anti-TB treatment in two health units comparing culture by means LJ and MGIT.

Results: The mean cost of LJ and MGIT in the health center was U.

The impact of the stratification by degree of clinical severity and abandonment risk of tuberculosis treatment.

Objective: Evaluate the impact of the instrument of the "Stratification by Degree of Clinical Severity and Abandonment Risk of Tuberculosis Treatment" (SRTB) on the tuberculosis outcome.

Methods: This study was a pragmatic clinical trial involving patients with a confirmed diagnosis of tuberculosis treated at one of the 152 primary health care units in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, between May of 2016 and April of 2017. Cluster areas for tuberculosis were identified, and the units and their respective patients were divided into intervention (use of SRTB) and nonintervention groups.

Pulmonary functional assessment: longitudinal study after treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Even when treated adequately, pulmonary tuberculosis can lead to pulmonary sequelae. Patients treated for PTB between 2012 and 2016 answered a standardized questionnaire and underwent chest radiography and spirometry, measurement of absolute pulmonary volume, Diffusing Capacity for Carbon Monoxide (DLCO) and the 6-min walk test (6MWT) on two occasions: within the first year after the end of treatment (follow-up 1), and one and two years after follow-up 1 (follow-up 2). A total of 55 patients they underwent spirometry, 23 (41.

[Performance assessment of primary healthcare services in tuberculosis control in a city in Southeast Brazil].

The World Health Organization highlights the importance of health services organization and performance in tuberculosis (TB) control activities. This study aimed to assess the performance of primary healthcare services in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, in TB control activities in the dimensions Structure and Process, before and after the use of a validated instrument called Stratification by Degree of Clinical Risk and Tuberculosis Treatment Dropout (ERTB). This was a descriptive and prospective study with two interviews (455 professionals), the second of which after the ERTB.

Cost-effectiveness of Xpert®MTB/RIF in the diagnosis of tuberculosis: pragmatic study.

Introduction: The intensification of research and innovation with the creation of networks of rapid and effective molecular tests as strategies for the end of tuberculosis are essential to avoid late diagnosis and for the eradication of the disease. We aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of Xpert®MTB/RIF (Xpert) in the diagnosis of drug-resistant tuberculosis in reference units, in scenarios with and without subsidies, and the respective cost adjustment for today.

Methods: The analyses were performed considering as criterion of effectiveness, negative culture or clinical improvement in the sixth month of follow-up.

Characterization of heteroresistance by genotyping.

Background: Heteroresistance is the coexistence of susceptible and resistant strains in the same individual, considered the preliminary step for total resistance, and can stem from mixed infection or clonal heterogeneity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the heteroresistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to rifampicin and isoniazid and its characterization.

Method: GenoType MTBDRplus; Sanger sequencing of the rpoB, katG, and inhA genes; and Mycobacterial Interspersed Repetitive Unit - Variable Number Tandem Repeat (MIRU-VNTR) were performed.

Cost analysis of smear microscopy and the Xpert assay for tuberculosis diagnosis: average turnaround time.

Introduction: Rapid and accurate tuberculosis detection is critical for improving patient diagnosis and decreasing tuberculosis transmission. Molecular assays can significantly increase laboratory costs; therefore, the average time and economic impact should be evaluated before implementing a new technology. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost and average turnaround time of smear microscopy and Xpert assay at a university hospital.

The activity-based cost of drug-susceptibility test of through Kit SIRE Nitratase Plastlabor.

Background: Drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) is an ongoing health threat, and the greatest challenge to adequate control of TB in many countries lies in the lack of proper laboratory drug-susceptibility test. The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity-based costs (ABC) of Kit SIRE Nitratase (Kit SIRE) and compare its values with the conventional drug-susceptibility test.

Methods: The ABC was calculated for three different approaches: Kit SIRE (clinical samples and cultures), proportion methods in Lowenstein Jensen (PM-LJ), and the Bactec™ MGIT™ 960 system based on Mycobacterial Research Laboratory's routine.

Rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA and genetic markers for Isoniazid resistance in Ziehl-Neelsen stained slides.

Background: Early diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) and identification of strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistant to anti-TB drugs are considered the main factors for disease control.

Objectives: To standardise a real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay technique and apply it to identify mutations involved in M. tuberculosis resistance to Isoniazid (INH) directly in Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) stained slides.

Mapping the tuberculosis scientific landscape among BRICS countries: a bibliometric and network analysis.

Background: The five BRICS (Brazil, Russian, Indian, China, and South Africa) countries bear 49% of the world's tuberculosis (TB) burden and they are committed to ending tuberculosis.

Objectives: The aim of this paper is to map the scientific landscape related to TB research in BRICS countries.

Methods: Were combined bibliometrics and social network analysis techniques to map the scientific publications related to TB produced by the BRICS.

Factors associated with tuberculosis and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in patients treated at a tertiary referral hospital in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Objective: To evaluate the risk factors for the development of tuberculosis and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in patients treated at a tertiary referral hospital.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study based on data obtained from patients treated at the Júlia Kubitschek Hospital, located in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, between October of 2012 and October of 2014. We evaluated sociodemographic, behavioral, clinical, and radiological variables.

Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. bolletii keratitis: rare case reported in Brazil.

In this report, we described a rare case of Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. bolletii keratitis in a young healthy male, in the absence of risk factors.

Genotype®MTBDRplus and Xpert®MTB/RIF in the diagnosis of tuberculosis and resistant tuberculosis: cost analysis in a tertiary referral hospital.

Introduction: The present study sought to assess the mean and activity based cost (ABC) of the laboratory diagnosis for tuberculosis through the application of conventional and molecular techniques-Xpert®MTB/RIF and Genotype®MTBDRplus-in a tertiary referral hospital in Brazil.

Methods: The mean cost and ABC formed the basis for the cost analysis of the TB laboratory diagnosis.

Results: The mean cost and ABC were US$ 4.

Frequency of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis RD genotype and its association with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

Background: In recent decades, Mycobacterium tuberculosis with the RD genotype, frequently isolated from tuberculosis patients in Rio de Janeiro, has become part of the Latin American - Mediterranean (LAM) family and has been associated with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of M. tuberculosis RD in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and its relationship with MDR-TB.

Correlation between the BACTEC MGIT 960 culture system with Genotype MTBDRplus and TB-SPRINT in multidrug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates from Brazil.

Background: The accurate detection of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is critical for the application of appropriate patient treatment and prevention of transmission of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates. The goal of this study was to evaluate the correlation between phenotypic and molecular techniques for drug-resistant tuberculosis diagnostics. Molecular techniques used were the line probe assay genotype MTBDRplus and the recently described tuberculosis-spoligo-rifampin-isoniazid typing (TB-SPRINT) bead-based assay.