Critical evaluation of Pap test adherence to routine screening in Amazonas State, Brazil.

Introduction: This study critically evaluates adherence to Pap test screening practices in cytology-based cervical cancer screening in the state of Amazonas over a 10-year period.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of the results of cytological screening examinations (Pap test) in Amazonas State from 2013 to 2023. For this purpose, Brazilian public databases Cervical Cancer Information System (SISCOLO) and Cancer Information System (SISCAN) (from The Department of Information and IT of the Unified Health System - DATASUS) were consulted.

Viruses in the female lower reproductive tract: a systematic descriptive review of metagenomic investigations.

The lower female reproductive tract (FRT) hosts a complex microbial environment, including eukaryotic and prokaryotic viruses (the virome), whose roles in health and disease are not fully understood. This review consolidates findings on FRT virome composition, revealing the presence of various viral families and noting significant gaps in knowledge. Understanding interactions between the virome, microbiome, and immune system will provide novel insights for preventing and managing lower genital tract disorders.

A critical evaluation of the status of HPV vaccination in São Paulo State, Brazil.

Unlabelled: Cervical cancer, whose well-recognized etiological agent is the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), is responsible for approximately 300,000 deaths worldwide, 80% of cases occurring in developing countries. In Brazil, 17,010 cases were expected, with 2,550 cases in São Paulo State, in 2023. The Papanicolaou test is the diagnostic method for the detection of precancerous lesions of the cervix, and HPV vaccination is now available for prevention.

Novel members of the order Picornavirales identified in freshwater from Guarapiranga reservoir in São Paulo.

The global challenge of water resource availability is exacerbated by anthropogenic influences that promote the emergence of pollutants. Among these pollutants are microbiological agents, including viruses, which are ubiquitous in the biosphere and play a pivotal role in both ecological balance and the occurrence of diseases in animals and plants. Consequently, monitoring viruses in water sources becomes indispensable for the establishment of effective prevention, promotion, and control strategies.

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy and spectrum of predisposing conditions: a 20-year retrospective cohort study in a tertiary center in São Paulo, Brazil.

Background: Epidemiological studies on predisposing conditions and outcomes of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) cases have been carried out exclusively in high-income countries. We aim to report and compare the main characteristics and outcomes of patients with PML and several underlying diseases in a referral center in a middle-income country.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of PML cases admitted to a tertiary care hospital in São Paulo, Brazil during 2000-2022.

SARS-CoV-2 shedding, infectivity, and evolution in an immunocompromised adult patient.

This study aimed to provide further insight into the evolutionary dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 by analyzing the case of a 40-year-old man who had previously undergone autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation due to a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. He developed a persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection lasting at least 218 days and did not manifest a humoral immune response to the virus during this follow-up period. Whole-genome sequencing and viral cultures confirmed a persistent infection with a replication-positive virus that had undergone genetic variation for at least 196 days after symptom onset.

Analysis of chlorhexidine, antibiotics and bacterial community composition in water environments from Brazil, Cameroon and Madagascar during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The widespread of chlorhexidine and antibiotics in the water bodies, which grew during the global COVID-19 pandemic, can increase the dispersion of antibiotic resistance. We assessed the occurrence of these pharmaceutical compounds as well as SARS-CoV-2 and analysed the bacterial community structure of hospital and urban wastewaters from Brazil, Cameroon, and Madagascar. Water and wastewater samples (n = 59) were collected between January-June 2022.

Ocular manifestations of Monkeypox virus (MPXV) infection with viral persistence in ocular samples: A case series.

Objective: We describe the clinical presentation and ocular viral dynamics in patients with Monkeypox virus-related ophthalmic disease (MPXROD).

Methods: In this case series, we investigated five consecutive patients with confirmed mpox, diagnosed through a positive Monkeypox virus (MPXV) Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test and presenting with ocular symptoms. They were referred from the Reference Center for Sexually Transmitted Infections in São Paulo (CRT) to the Uveitis Sector at the Federal University of São Paulo, between August and December 2022.

Data-driven, cross-disciplinary collaboration: lessons learned at the largest academic health center in Latin America during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted global research efforts to reduce infection impact, highlighting the potential of cross-disciplinary collaboration to enhance research quality and efficiency.

Methods: At the FMUSP-HC academic health system, we implemented innovative flow management routines for collecting, organizing and analyzing demographic data, COVID-related data and biological materials from over 4,500 patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection hospitalized from 2020 to 2022. This strategy was mainly planned in three areas: organizing a database with data from the hospitalizations; setting-up a multidisciplinary taskforce to conduct follow-up assessments after discharge; and organizing a biobank.

Evaluation of enterovirus concentration, species identification, and cerebrospinal fluid parameters in patients of different ages with aseptic meningitis in São Paulo, Brazil.

Human enteroviruses (EV) are the most common cause of aseptic meningitis worldwide. Data on EV viral load in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and related epidemiological studies are scarce in Brazil. This study investigated the influence of EV viral load on CSF parameters, as well as identifying the involved species.

Prevalence and clinical consequences of Hepatitis C virus infection in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT) recipients. In Brazil, its occurrence in HCT recipients remains undetermined. We now report on HCV prevalence in HCT recipients and its clinical consequences.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B, C, and D and associated factors in the semi-isolated Yanomami Amazonian indigenous community.

Background: Viral hepatitis is a significant health concern among indigenous population in the Americas. In Brazil, reports find high endemicity of HBV and HDV infections has been reported in several indigenous groups. However, few studies have documented the prevalence of HBV, HCV and HDV in the Yanomami.

Intranasal Liposomal Formulation of Spike Protein Adjuvanted with CpG Protects and Boosts Heterologous Immunity of hACE2 Transgenic Mice to SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Mucosal vaccination appears to be suitable to protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this study, we tested an intranasal mucosal vaccine candidate for COVID-19 that consisted of a cationic liposome containing a trimeric SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and CpG-ODNs, a Toll-like receptor 9 agonist, as an adjuvant. In vitro and in vivo experiments indicated the absence of toxicity following the intranasal administration of this vaccine formulation.

Association between torquetenovirus in vaginal secretions and infertility: An exploratory metagenomic analysis.

Problem: The association of viruses with infertility remains incompletely evaluated.

Method Of Study: Vaginal secretions from 46 women seeking treatment in the Center for Reproductive Medicine and Infertility at Weill Cornell Medicine were tested for viruses by metagenomic analysis by lab personnel blinded to all clinical data.

Results: Torquetenovirus (TTV) was identified in 16 women, alphapapillomavirus in seven women and most were positive for bacteriophages.

Survival analysis over a 20-year period of a Brazilian cohort of blood donors coinfected HIV-HCV.

Among individuals coinfected with HCV and HIV, studies of mortality from non-hepatic causes have shown inconsistent results. The aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of HCV and HIV co-infection to mortality from hepatic and non-hepatic causes in Brazil. This retrospective cohort study included blood donors from Fundação Pró-Sangue de São Paulo (FPS) who were followed from 1994 to 2016 to compare mortality and its causes between HIV-HCV coinfected individuals versus those seronegative for all tested infections.

Encephalopathy Caused by Human Parvovirus B19 Genotype 1 Associated with Meningitis in a Newborn.

Parvovirus B19 infection is associated with a wide range of clinical manifestations, from asymptomatic to severe neurological disorders. Its major clinical symptoms, fever and rash, are common to multiple viruses, and laboratory tests to detect B19 are frequently not available. Thus, the impact of B19 on public health remains unclear.

Detailed characterization of Redondovirus in saliva of SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Background: Redondovirus (ReDoV) is a DNA virus present in the respiratory tract of many healthy individuals. Since SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, also primarily infects the same site, we evaluated whether ReDoV was present at increased frequency in patients with COVID-19 and influenced infection parameters.

Methods: Saliva samples were collected weekly from 59 individuals with COVID-19 and from 132 controls.

Characterization of Torquetenovirus in amniotic fluid at the time of fetal surgery: correlation with early premature delivery and respiratory distress.

Torquetenovirus (TTV) is a commensal virus present in many healthy individuals. Although considered to be non-pathogenic, its presence and titer have been shown to be indicative of altered immune status in individuals with chronic infections or following allogeneic transplantations. We evaluated if TTV was present in amniotic fluid (AF) at the time of surgery to correct a fetal neurological defect, and whether its detection was predictive of adverse post-surgical parameters.

SARS-CoV-2 Detection and Culture in Different Biological Specimens from Immunocompetent and Immunosuppressed COVID-19 Patients Infected with Two Different Viral Strains.

Introduction-The dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 shedding and replication in humans remain incompletely understood. Methods-We analyzed SARS-CoV-2 shedding from multiple sites in individuals with an acute COVID-19 infection by weekly sampling for five weeks in 98 immunocompetent and 25 immunosuppressed individuals. Samples and culture supernatants were tested via RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 to determine viral clearance rates and in vitro replication.