Improvement of Rheumatic Valvular Heart Disease in Patients Undergoing Prolonged Antibiotic Prophylaxis.

Secondary prophylaxis of rheumatic heart diseases is efficient in reducing disease recurrence, heart damage, and cardiac impairment. We aimed to monitor the clinical evolution of a large Brazilian cohort of rheumatic patients under prolonged secondary prophylaxis. From 1986 to 2018, a cohort of 593 patients with rheumatic fever was followed every 6 months by the Reference Center for the Control and Prevention of Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Cardiopathy (CPCFR), Paraná, Brazil.

[Outbreak of nephritis by Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus: case-control study in the municipality of Monte Santo de Minas, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 2013].

Objective: to investigate an outbreak of nephritis by Streptococcus zooepidemicus in Monte Santo de Minas, Minas Gerais State, Brazil.

Methods: a case-control study and attempt to isolate the bacterial agent were carried out from January to April 2013, using clinical and laboratory data, interviews and inspections.

Results: 417 suspected cases were reported, of which 175 (42.

Management of Contacts of Patients With Severe Invasive Group A Streptococcal Infection.

Background: Conflicting recommendations regarding antibiotic prophylaxis for contacts of patients with invasive group A streptococcal (GAS) infection exist. Close contacts of patients with such severe and rapidly progressive disease often strongly appeal to the treating clinicians for antimicrobial treatment to prevent additional cases. We aimed to use an approach based on pharyngeal culture testing of contacts and targeted antibiotic prophylaxis.

Group A streptococcus meningitis in children.

Objective: To characterize the epidemiologic burden and the molecular determinants of group A streptococcal (GAS) meningitis among the pediatric population of the state of Paraná, Brazil.

Methods: Clinical and epidemiologic data were gathered by a compulsory notification system during the period 2003 to 2011. Bacterial identification, antibiotic resistance profile, emm-typing, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis typing and virulence profile were analyzed by a central reference laboratory.

Group a streptococcus antibiotic resistance in southern Brazil: a 17-year surveillance study.

Background: Scarce data are available about the antimicrobial resistance of Group A Streptococcus in South America.

Methods: This study evaluated the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of 1,112 isolates of Group A Streptococcus during the period from 1993 to 2009 in Curitiba city, Brazil. Macrolide-resistant isolates were characterized by emm typing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.