Overdoses among cocaine users in Brazil.

Aims: A survey of cocaine users was undertaken to study (i) the frequency of reported drug overdoses among cocaine users; and (ii) the frequency of witnessing drug overdoses in the same population.

Design And Setting: A cross-sectional study as part of the World Health Organization (WHO) Multi-city Study among injecting drug users (IDUs), phase II, was conducted in Santos Metropolitan Region, State of São Paulo, Brazil, in 1999.

Participants: Three hundred and ninety-six exclusive users of cocaine in the Santos Metropolitan Region, São Paulo State, Brazil were surveyed concerning their past experience with drug overdoses.

Trends of HIV infection among injection drug users in Brazil in the 1990s: the impact of changes in patterns of drug use.

Background: Santos Metropolitan Region (SMR), State of Sao Paulo, historically is well known as being one of the areas with the largest number of AIDS cases in Brazil, especially among injection drug users (IDUs). The main objective of this study was to assess the effects of changes in drug-using patterns among IDUs on trends in HIV infection among IDUs in the 1990s.

Methods: During 1991 through 1992 (wave 1; n = 214), 1994 through 1996 (wave 2; n = 135), and 1999 (wave 3; n = 108), we conducted three cross-sectional studies of IDUs.

Rapidly responding to injecting drug use and HIV in Brazil: a field-report from São Vicente, São Paulo State.

As part of Phase II of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Injecting Drug Use Multi-City Study, Rapid Assessment and Response (RAR) methodology was used in São Vicente City (São Paulo State, Brazil) to analyse the situation regarding injecting drug use and HIV infection. Over a period of 8 weeks, analysis of existing information, focus groups (four) and depth interviews (45) were conducted, with qualitative data analysis taking a further 12 weeks. This work was undertaken by a team of six researchers (working mostly part-time on the project), and the research process was overseen by an Advisory Community Group.

The effect of calcium channels blockers in the K+-evoked release of [3H]adenine nucleotides from rat brain cortical synaptosomes.

The role of L-,N-, P- and Q-type voltage-dependent calcium channels in K+-induced release of [3H]adenine nucleotides from rat brain cortical synaptosomes was investigated. Cd2+, a non-specific blocker of calcium channels, inhibited by 69% the release of the nucleotides induced by 33 mM K+. Nifedipine, omega-Conotoxin GVIA and omega-Agatoxin IVA had no effect whereas omega-Conotoxin MVIIC inhibited by 62% the K+ induced release of adenine nucleotides in rat brain cortical synaptosomes.

Serological evidence of HTLV-I and HTLV-II coinfections in HIV-1 positive patients in Belém, state of Pará, Brazil.

The occurrence of HTLV-I/II and HIV-1 coinfections have been shown to be frequent, probably in consequence of their similar modes of transmission. This paper presents the prevalence of coinfection of HTLV among HIV-1 infected and AIDS patients in Belém, State of Pará, Brazil. A group of 149 patients attending the AIDS Reference Unit of the State Department of Health was tested for the presence of antibodies to HTLV-I/II using an enzyme immunoassay and the positive reactions were confirmed with a Western blot that discriminates between HTLV-I and HTLV-II infections.

[Value of "cardiac event recorders" in the assessment of sporadic cardiac symptoms].

Objectives: To determine the value of the Cardiac Event Recorder (CER) in the diagnosis and treatment orientation of bradydysrhythmias, tachydysrhythmias and ischaemic events, based on our experience at the Santa Cruz Hospital.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed 100 consecutive patients tested with a CER between January 1990 and December 1996 (mean follow-up, 272 +/- 202 days); the mean age of the patients (66 women and 34 men) was 45 +/- 18 years (range: 7 to 83); structural cardiac disease was present in 34% of the patients. CER was indicated for the investigation of symptoms suggestive of bradydysrhythmias (pre-syncope and/or syncope)--Group B--in 24 patients, tachydysrhythmias (palpitations and/or tachycardia sensation)--Group T--in 72 patients and ischaemic events--Group I--in the remaining four patients.

HIV and infections of similar transmission patterns in a drug injectors community of Santos, Brazil.

To study the prevalence of HIV and infections with related transmission patterns, we interviewed and obtained blood samples from 220 injecting drug users (IDUs), sampled by snowballing, from the city of Santos in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, where the estimated number of IDUs (10,000) comprises approximately 2% of the entire population. Seroprevalence of HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, and HTLV (1 and 2) was assessed and compared with that in 197 blood donors from the same city, matched for age and gender. Risk behavior related to HIV was assessed by a standard questionnaire applied to the IDU sample.

The basic reproduction ratio of HIV among intravenous drug users.

A new approach for the estimation of the Basic Reproduction Ratio R0 for HIV among intravenous drug users (IVDU) is proposed. This approach is based in an adaptation of the models proposed by Ross and Macdonald for vector-borne infections. A straightforward adaptation of Macdonald's model is presented first: biological vectors are replaced by needles and syringes and we consider a homogeneous population of IVDUs; next we present a modified model where several heterogeneities are considered.