Development and validation of a clinical rule for the diagnosis of chikungunya fever in a dengue-endemic area.

Rio de Janeiro is a dengue-endemic city that experienced Zika and chikungunya epidemics between 2015 and 2019. Differential diagnosis is crucial for indicating adequate treatment and assessing prognosis and risk of death. This study aims to derive and validate a clinical rule for diagnosing chikungunya based on 3,214 suspected cases consecutively treated at primary and secondary health units of the sentinel surveillance system (up to 7 days from onset of symptoms) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Detection of Zika Virus in April 2013 Patient Samples, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

We tested 210 dengue virus‒negative samples collected from febrile patients during a dengue virus type 4 outbreak in Rio de Janeiro in April 2013 and found 3 samples positive for Zika virus. Our findings support previously published entomological data suggesting Zika virus was introduced into Brazil during October 2012-May 2013.

Systematic review with meta-analyses and critical appraisal of clinical prediction rules for pulmonary tuberculosis in hospitals.

Objective: To systematically review studies evaluating clinical prediction rules (CPRs) for adult inpatients suspected to have pulmonary tuberculosis.

Design: Systematic review with meta-analyses.

Setting: Hospitals.

Selenium Treatment and Chagasic Cardiopathy (STCC): study protocol for a double-blind randomized controlled trial.

Background: Heart disease progression occurs in 30% of patients with chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Supplementation with selenium (Se) in animal model of T. cruzi infection produced promising results.

Accuracy and repeatability of a micro plaque reduction neutralization test for vaccinia antibodies.

The detection of neutralizing antibodies against vaccinia virus is a valuable tool for the investigation of previous smallpox vaccination. Compulsory smallpox vaccination ended in Brazil during the early 1970s, although the vaccine was available until the late 1970s. The threat of smallpox as a biological weapon has called the attention of public health authorities to the need for an evaluation of the immune status of the population.

Prevalence of psychoactive drug use among medical students in Rio de Janeiro.

Background: Drug use and abuse may hamper learning capabilities and the development of technical skills in medical students and, therefore, the quality of care offered to patients. The aim of this investigation was to estimate the prevalence of psychoactive drug use among medical students of public universities in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and to identify characteristics associated with substance use.

Method: This was a cross-sectional investigation designed to include all medical students of four universities.