Publications by authors named "Maria H F Morais"

Background: In the Americas, visceral leishmaniasis (VL) results from the zoonotic transmission of Leishmania infantum. VL has a high occurrence rate in the Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte (BH), Minas Gerais, Brazil, and has rapidly spread throughout the municipality since it was first recorded in 1994. This research analysed a historical perspective over 25 y of human VL occurrence in BH.

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Article Synopsis
  • - A study analyzed 288 cases of feline sporotrichosis from 2007 to 2018, mainly involving male mongrel cats and adult individuals, aiming to identify risk factors and calculate monthly incidence rates.
  • - Statistical findings indicated significant links between prolonged lesion duration and factors like respiratory symptoms and previous treatments, with empirical treatment being a key risk factor for disease progression.
  • - The SARIMA model was effective in predicting disease incidence trends, highlighting its importance for monitoring and guiding public health strategies in areas affected by sporotrichosis.
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The research addresses zoonotic sporotrichosis in Brazil, particularly caused by Sporothrix brasiliensis, highlighting its epidemiological severity. Transmission occurs through contact with sick animals, especially felines, and diagnosis in humans is challenging due to the low fungal load in the lesions. The study analyzed data from Information System for Notifiable Diseases (SINAN) and Zoonosis Surveillance Unit (UVZ) from January 2017 to March 2023, carried out in Contagem, Minas Gerais.

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Dengue is a viral infection transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. This study aimed to assess the distribution of cases and deaths from dengue and severe dengue, and its relationship with social vulnerability in Belo Horizonte, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, from 2010 to 2018. The incidence and lethality rates of dengue and their relationship with sex, age, education, skin color, and social vulnerability were studied using chi-square tests, Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) analyses.

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Article Synopsis
  • Sporotrichosis is a fungal infection in cats caused by Sporothrix spp., which can affect both skin and internal tissues.
  • Over a year, a study examined 102 euthanized cats suspected of having sporotrichosis, utilizing various diagnostic methods including macroscopic, cytological, histopathological, and IHC examinations.
  • The findings revealed that all cats tested positive for the infection, with the most effective diagnostic methods being IHC and cytology, and highlighted a range of skin and extracutaneous symptoms, including pneumonia and meningitis, indicating the need for further research into the severity and chronic nature of the disease.
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Dengue, a disease with multifactorial determinants, is linked to population susceptibility to circulating viruses and the extent of vector infestation. This study aimed to analyze the temporal trends of dengue cases and deaths in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, from 2007 to 2020. Data from the Notifiable Diseases Information System (Sinan) were utilized for the investigation.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Sporotrichosis is a fungal disease affecting both humans and animals, particularly in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, where a study aimed to examine its spread and the species of *Sporothrix* involved in recent outbreaks.
  • - The research found a notable rise in sporotrichosis cases among animals, mostly affecting cats, with *Sporothrix brasiliensis* identified as the primary pathogen in all tested cases over four years.
  • - Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the strains found in Belo Horizonte likely originated from earlier outbreaks in Rio de Janeiro, suggesting interconnected outbreaks in Brazil, which highlights the need for genetic monitoring to manage and control the disease effectively.
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Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a neglected disease of public and animal health importance. With the urbanization of the disease, there is evidence of a temporal correlation between the occurrence of human (HVL) and canine (CVL) visceral leishmaniasis, usually with cases in dogs preceding those in humans. In this context, the objective of this study was to develop a time series model suitable for canine-human transmission of Leishmania infantum.

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Being a Re-Emerging Infectious Disease, dengue causes 390 million cases globally and is prevalent in many urban areas in South America. Understanding the fine-scale relationships between dengue incidence and environmental and socioeconomic factors can guide improved disease prevention strategies. This ecological study examines the association between dengue incidence and satellite-based vegetation greenness in 3826 census tracts nested in 474 neighborhoods in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, during the 2010 dengue epidemic.

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An epidemiological characterization of animal sporotrichosis was carried out between 2017 and 2018, in a highly urbanized area in Brazil, including outcomes and the spatial distribution of the cases according to the health vulnerability index (HVI) of the study territory. One hundred and sixty-five cats and four dogs suspected of sporotrichosis were identified by a surveillance and control program previously implemented in the study area. One hundred and five of these animals (62.

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Article Synopsis
  • COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, rapidly became a global pandemic, notably impacting Brazil and specifically Minas Gerais State.
  • Researchers conducted an ecological study of confirmed COVID-19 cases from March 2020 to June 2020, analyzing the patterns and risk areas through incidence rates and spatial analysis techniques.
  • Results indicated significant infection foci in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte and the Vale do Rio Doce, with the Triangulo Mineiro/Alto Paranaiba region showing the highest infection risk, along with the identification of six important spatiotemporal clusters for targeted surveillance and control strategies.
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We report the implementation of an animal sporotrichosis surveillance and control program that evaluates strategies to identify suspected and infected cats in a municipality in southeastern Brazil. All adopted measures reinforced the program, although strategies had different abilities to detect the presence of infection.

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Objectives: Understanding the intra-urban spatial dynamics of Aedes aegypti and dengue transmission is important to effectively guide vector control. Ovitraps are a sensitive, cost-effective vector surveillance tool, yet few longitudinal studies have evaluated ovitrap indices and dengue occurrence. We aimed to assess the spatial patterns of dengue incidence and Ae.

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The spread of SARS-CoV-2 and the distribution of cases worldwide followed no clear biogeographic, climatic, or cultural trend. Conversely, the internationally busiest cities in all countries tended to be the hardest hit, suggesting a basic, mathematically neutral pattern of the new coronavirus early dissemination. We tested whether the number of flight passengers per time and the number of international frontiers could explain the number of cases of COVID-19 worldwide by a stepwise regression.

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Sporotrichosis is a subcutaneous granulomatous disease caused by the fungus Sporothrix spp. In Brazil, S. brasiliensis is reported in regions of outbreaks and epidemics in the zoonotic form of the disease where cats play an important role in the transmission of the disease to humans.

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Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a neglected disease with worldwide distribution. Brazil is the country with the largest number of cases in the Americas, and the state of Minas Gerais presents a high VL-related burden and a high case fatality rate. We aimed to analyse the spatial and spatiotemporal patterns of VL occurrence and to identify priority risk areas for surveillance and control in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte-MG, the third largest metropolitan area in Brazil.

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This research applies indicators concerning control of the visceral leishmaniasis canine reservoir in the city of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Data were obtained from the Zoonoses Control Information System (SCZOO) and the Brazilian Information System on Diseases of Notification (SINAN) database. First we analyzed (i) existing associations between canine epidemiological indicators, where the dependent variable was the canine seroprevalence A (2007 to 2013), and the independent variables were, as follows: canine seroprevalence B (2006 to 2012); percentage of positive dogs by ELISA test reagents that were not euthanized; the relationship between the human and canine population; canine population testing coverage by census surveys; and the years of study (2006 to 2013); (ii) then, we examined the association between human visceral leishmaniasis (HVL) cases between 2007 to 2013 and the mentioned variables related to dogs and years.

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An epidemiological characterization of human and feline sporotrichosis was carried out between 2016 and 2018, in a high density-populated area in Brazil. Professionals were trained to identify suspect cats and notify vets to interview the owners and collect swabs of the wounds from these animals. Mycological cultures were performed, and colonies identified as Sporothrix spp.

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Background: The aim of this study was to identify the prognostic factors associated with death from visceral leishmaniasis (VL) considering the clinical evolution of patients through a case-control study.

Methods: We randomly selected 180 cases (death caused by VL) and 180 controls (cured) from Belo Horizonte's hospitals in Brazil, according to data found in the patients' medical records. Five models of multivariate logistic regression were performed following the chronological order of the variables between the onset of the symptoms and evolution of the VL cases.

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Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a zoonosis that greatly impacts public health, especially in developing countries. The effectiveness of deltamethrin-impregnated dog collars for preventing transmission of canine leishmaniasis (CanL) by the sand fly Lutzomyia spp. in countries with high incidence of the disease, such as Brazil, remains unknown.

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This ecological study analyzed the temporal pattern of clinically diagnosed and laboratory confirmed dengue cases in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil from 1996 to 2017. The study was divided into two analytical parts, the first of which evaluated the association between dengue incidence and host and climatic factors. The second part encompassed data from 2002 to 2017 and examined dengue incidence in relation to virus serotype and an intra-urban socioeconomic index.

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Human and canine visceral leishmaniasis (HVL and CVL, respectively) represent serious public health issues in Brazil. The surveillance and control measures currently employed have had limited effect in impeding the territorial expansion of the disease and in reducing the number of cases. We have investigated the space-time distribution of HVL incidence rates and CVL prevalence in the coverage areas of the 148 primary healthcare units in Belo Horizonte (MG, Brazil) during a 6-year period in order to identify those that should be prioritized for disease control actions.

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Article Synopsis
  • The Brazilian Visceral Leishmaniasis Surveillance and Control Programme (VLSCP) includes strategies like culling infected dogs and early diagnosis to combat Leishmania infantum among children.
  • A study analyzed the prevalence and incidence of infections in children across areas with different VLSCP intervention start dates, involving nearly 2,000 children and using blood tests for diagnosis.
  • Results showed varying incidence rates of infection across areas: 14.4% in the earliest intervention area (AI2006), 21.1% in AI2008, and a decrease in AI2010, with children from the later intervention area (AI2008) facing nearly double the risk of infection compared to those in the control area (
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Background: Visceral leishmaniasis is a serious public health problem in Brazil, and control of this disease constitutes a major challenge. The purpose of this study was to assess the existing spatial and temporal relationships between cases of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CanL) and human visceral leishmaniasis (HVL) recorded in Belo Horizonte, State of Minas Gerais, from 2006 to 2013.

Methods: Data provided by the Belo Horizonte Health Services regarding the disease control routine were analyzed in order to perform a retrospective observational and ecological study.

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Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is expanding in Brazil and in other South American countries, a process that has been associated with the urbanization of the disease. This study analyzes the spatial and temporal distribution of VL in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais and identifies the areas with higher risks of transmission.

Methodology: An ecological study with spatial and time series analyzes of new confirmed cases of VL notified to the Brazilian Notifiable Disease Information System between 2002 and 2013, considering the 12 mesoregions of Minas Gerais.

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