New scientific articles about tuberculosis (TB) are published daily worldwide. However, it is difficult for health care workers, overloaded with work, to stay abreast of the latest research findings and to discern which information can and should be used in their daily practice on assisting TB patients. The purpose of the III Brazilian Thoracic Association (BTA) Guidelines on TB is to critically review the most recent national and international scientific information on TB, presenting an updated text with the most current and useful tools against TB to health care workers in our country. The III BTA Guidelines on TB have been developed by the BTA Committee on TB and the TB Work Group, based on the text of the II BTA Guidelines on TB (2004). We reviewed the following databases: LILACS (SciELO) and PubMed (Medline). The level of evidence of the cited articles was determined, and 24 recommendations on TB have been evaluated, discussed by all of the members of the BTA Committee on TB and of the TB Work Group, and highlighted. The first version of the present Guidelines was posted on the BTA website and was available for public consultation for three weeks. Comments and critiques were evaluated. The level of scientific evidence of each reference was evaluated before its acceptance for use in the final text.Keywords: Tuberculosis; Mycobacterium infections; Diagnosis; Tuberculosis, multidrug-resistant. ResumoDiariamente novos artigos científicos sobre tuberculose (TB) são publicados em todo mundo. No entanto, é difícil para o profissional sobrecarregado na rotina de trabalho acompanhar a literatura e discernir o que pode e deve ser aplicado na prática diária juntos aos pacientes com TB. A proposta das "III Diretrizes para TB da Sociedade Brasileira de Pneumologia e Tisiologia (SBPT)" é revisar de forma crítica o que existe de mais recente na literatura científica nacional e internacional sobre TB e apresentar aos profissionais da área de saúde as ferramentas mais atuais e úteis para o enfrentamento da TB no nosso país. As atuais "III Diretrizes para TB da SBPT" foram desenvolvidas pela Comissão de TB da SBPT e pelo Grupo de Trabalho para TB a partir do texto das "II Diretrizes para TB da SBPT" (2004). As bases de dados consultadas foram LILACS (SciELO) e PubMed (Medline). Os artigos citados foram avaliados para determinação do nível de evidência científica, e 24 recomendações sobre TB foram avaliadas, discutidas por todo grupo e colocadas em destaque. A primeira versão das "III Diretrizes para TB da SBPT" foi colocada no website da SBPT para consulta pública durante três semanas, e as sugestões, críticas e o nível de evidência da referência científica que as embasavam foram avaliados e discutidos antes de serem incorporadas ou não ao texto final.Descritores: Tuberculose; Infecções por Mycobacterium; Diagnóstico; Tuberculose resistente a múltiplos medicamentos.

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A rapid indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for measuring antibodies against Anaplasma marginale using a partially soluble antigen prepared from semi-purified initial bodies from erythrocytes with 80.0% of rickettsiaemia. This technique utilized alkaline phosphatase and p-nitrophenyl phosphate as reaction indicators. The high sensitivity (100.0%) was confirmed with sera from 100 calves experimentally-infected with A. marginale. All of these animals showed seroconversion before or at the same time of the first rickettsiaemia or even when it was not detected. Also the elevated specificity (94.0%) was confirmed by the low percentage of cross-reactions with sera from animals experimentally-infected with Babesia bigemina and Babesia bovis (1.4 and 6.6%, respectively). Performances of ELISA and indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) with 324 sera from enzootically stable area did not show statistical difference (P>0.05), since the former showed 96.9% and the latter 97.2% of positive reactions. The advantage of this ELISA is a shorter execution time than others developed until now, allowing more samples to be analyzed.

RESUMO -Um dos fatores limitantes ao cultivo da goiabeira no Brasil é a 'seca dos ponteiros', causada por Erwinia psidii, presente nas regiões Sudeste e Centro-Oeste, onde se concentram grandes áreas produtoras. Considerando a pequena disponibilidade de informações sobre a epidemiologia e níveis de incidência dessa bacteriose, este estudo teve como objetivos: confirmar a distribuição e verificar a dispersão da seca dos ponteiros da goiabeira no Distrito Federal; investigar o efeito da temperatura sobre a multiplicação in vitro de E. psidii; desenvolver um teste de patogenicidade prático e eficiente e avaliar a sobrevivência in vitro da bactéria em diferentes substratos. A doença foi identificada em 56% das propriedades produtoras avaliadas no DF, com 81,9% de correlação entre a presença de sintomas e o diagnóstico laboratorial. A melhor faixa de temperatura para multiplicação de E. psidii foi de 24 a 33 ºC, e a bactéria permaneceu viável por até 120 dias em suspensão em água. A inoculação da bactéria em folhas ou hastes destacadas levou ao aparecimento de sintomas a partir do sétimo dia e mostrou-se eficiente como um teste rápido para se avaliar a patogenicidade de isolados. Termos para indexação: Psidium guajava, bacteriose, sobrevivência in vitro, teste de patogenicidade. GUAVA BACTERIAL BLIGHT DUE TO ERWINIA PSIDII: INCIDENCE LEVELS AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL ASPECTSABSTRACT-A major disease that affects guava is 'bacterial blight', caused by Erwinia psidii, which has been reported in Southeastern and Central Regions of Brazil where the major producing areas are located. Considering the lack of information on epidemiology and incidence levels of this disease, the objectives of this study were to confirm the presence and to verify the spread of the disease in Distrito Federal (DF); to determine optimal temperature for in vitro multiplication of E. psidii; to develop a simple and effective method for pathogenicity testing and to evaluate in vitro bacterial survival on different substrates. The disease was detected in 56% of producing orchards evaluated in DF, with a correlation of 81, 9% between presence of symptoms and positive laboratorial diagnosis. The best temperature range for E. psidii growth was from 24 to 33 ºC, and the best method for short term preservation (up to 120 days) was in water suspension. Inoculation of the pathogen on detached leaves or stems allowed symptom development in seven days and it was shown to be a quick and suitable method for testing isolate pathogenicity.

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In January 1998, home treatment regimens were launched in the municipality of Dourados, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, and accompanied by indigenous health agents as a means of replacing the previous regimen, in which Guaraní-Kaiwá tuberculosis patients were systematically hospitalized for up to six months in the Porta da Esperan a Hospital. In order to verify whether this change in strategy had any effect on the cure and treatment dropout rates, a retrospective study was conducted on 594 patient records from January 1996 to December 1999. Patients were divided into two groups: Group I, treated by hospitalization (291 cases) and Group II, treated as outpatients (303 cases). Group II patients showed a significant increase in the cure rate and a significant reduction in the treatment dropout rate. The study also showed a high tuberculosis prevalence rate in children (40%), subsequently reported to the competent health authorities and thus launching specific projects to deal with this epidemiological reality. Based on these results, it is recommended that the assisted treatment strategy be adopted for other Indian populations.

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