Publications by authors named "Marcia Costa Castilho"

Background: Hepatitis B is an infectious disease of worldwide importance and of great interest to transfusion medicine. The Amazon region has areas of high endemicity, outlining a worrying scenario for transfusion and epidemiological safety.

Objective: To analyze the profiles of serological and molecular markers for HBV of blood donors from HEMOAM.

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We generated 238 Zika virus (ZIKV) genomes from 135 persons in Brazil who had samples collected over 1 year to evaluate virus persistence. Phylogenetic inference clustered the genomes together with previously reported ZIKV strains from northern Brazil, showing that ZIKV has been remained relatively stable over time. Temporal phylogenetic analysis revealed limited within-host diversity among most ZIKV-persistent infected associated samples.

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Article Synopsis
  • * A total of 260 individuals were monitored for 12 months, revealing that Zika virus RNA was detectable for long periods, especially in semen, and various factors influenced how quickly the virus cleared from different fluids.
  • * The research highlighted the potential for recurrent detection of Zika virus even after it was cleared, underscoring the importance of ongoing monitoring and prevention strategies to manage its transmission.
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Background: In the clinical course of diseases such as arboviruses, skin rashes may appear, as is often seen in other infectious diseases. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of arboviruses and other infectious causes of skin rash in a tertiary health unit in Manaus, Amazonas state, Western Brazilian Amazon.

Methodology/principal Findings: This was a cross-sectional study of patients presenting with rash who sought care at Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr.

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Background: Zika virus infection is commonly described as a mild and self-limiting illness. However, cardiac complications were associated with acute Zika virus infection.

Case Presentation: A 46-year-old woman without previous comorbidities with a 1-day history of symptoms tested positive for ZIKV by real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR).

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Background: The Zika virus outbreak has triggered a set of local and global actions for a rapid, effective, and timely public health response. A World Health Organization (WHO) initiative, supported by the Department of Chronic Condition Diseases and Sexually Transmitted Infections (DCCI) of the Health Surveillance Secretariat (SVS), Brazil Ministry of Health (MoH) and other public health funders, resulted in the start of the "Study on the persistence of Zika virus in body fluids of patients with ZIKV infection in Brazil - ZIKABRA study". The ZIKABRA study was designed to increase understanding of how long ZIKV persists in bodily fluids and informing best measures to prevent its transmission.

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The epidemic transmission of Zika virus (ZIKV) in Brazil has been identified as a cause of microcephaly and other neurological malformations in the babies of ZIKV-infected women. The frequency of adverse outcomes of Zika virus infection (ZIKVi) in pregnancy differs depending on the characteristics of exposure to infection, the time of recruitment of research participants, and the outcomes to be observed. This study provides a descriptive analysis-from the onset of symptoms to delivery-of a cohort registered as having maternal ZIKVi in pregnancy, from November 2015 to December 2016.

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The Zika virus can induce a disruptive sequence in the fetal brain and is manifested mainly by microcephaly. Knowledge gaps still exist as to whether the virus can cause minor disorders that are perceived later on during the first years of life in children who are exposed but are asymptomatic at birth. In this case series, we describe the outcomes related to neurodevelopment through the neurological assessment of 26 non-microcephalic children who had intrauterine exposure to Zika virus.

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Zika virus (ZIKV) has caused an explosive epidemic linked to severe clinical outcomes in the Americas. As of June 2018, 4,929 ZIKV suspected infections and 46 congenital syndrome cases had been reported in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. Although Manaus is a key demographic hub in the Amazon region, little is known about the ZIKV epidemic there, in terms of both transmission and viral genetic diversity.

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Article Synopsis
  • Zika virus (ZIKV) has been detected in various body fluids of infected individuals, where it may linger longer in urine and semen, raising concerns about its transmission and potential severe health effects like microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome.
  • This study will recruit non-pregnant adults aged 18+ with confirmed ZIKV infection to analyze the presence of the virus in different biological specimens over a 12-month period, using methods like RT-PCR and assessing for other co-infections.
  • The research aims to explore ZIKV’s persistence and reactivation in the body, providing crucial insights that could inform prevention strategies and enhance understanding of the virus’s behavior in the long term.*
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Comorbidities in human immunodeficiency virus infection are of great interest due to their association with unfavorable outcomes and failure of antiretroviral therapy. This study evaluated the prevalence of coinfection by human immunodeficiency virus and viral hepatitis in an endemic area for hepatitis B in the Western Amazon basin. Serological markers for hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and hepatitis D virus were tested in a consecutive sample of all patients referred for treatment of human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

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