No abstract

Educational interventions may trigger actions that contribute to prevent parasitic diseases, such as Chagas disease (CD). This study aimed at investigating the impact of an instructional video named “Documentary on Chagas Disease” on knowledge about CD and its vectors displayed by a population that lives in an endemic area in Brazil, so as to validate it as an educational tool. The video was shown to 226 subjects, divided into two groups. Group 1 was composed of users of Basic Health Units (BHU) in Pelotas and Pinheiro Machado, cities located in Rio Grande do Sul (RS) state, Brazil, where CD is endemic. Group 2 consisted of students who attend three public schools located in the rural area in Pinheiro Machado, RS. Two questionnaires with questions about their knowledge about triatomines and CD were applied, before and after the documentary was shown. After the video was shown, there was significant increase in individuals’ knowledge (in both groups) about “kissing bugs”, their notification, the disease and its prevention. Besides, watchers considered that the quality of the material was satisfactory. Since the “Documentary on CD” can be easily accessed on the internet and was effective in teaching the population that lives in endemic areas, its use should be encouraged in places and meetings connected to health that aim at fighting against triatominae and at exposing an updated view of CD.

Chagas disease (CD) has been considered endemic in the South of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) State, Brazil. This study aimed at evaluating the occurrence of Trypanosoma cruzi vectors based on the main species captured in Southern Rio Grande do Sul State from 2008 to 2019. The study area comprised counties that belong to the 3 rd Regional Health Coordination (RHC) and to the 7 th RHC, whose headquarters are in Pelotas and Bage, respectively. The study was based on secondary data provided by the partnership between the Federal University of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul State (UFPel-RS) and the State Health Surveillance Center in RS (SCHS-RS). One thousand and four hundred triatomines were captured in the area supervised by the 3 rd RHC, mainly in Cangucu (37.7%), Piratini (22.4%) and Pinheiro Machado (15.1%), while, in the area supervised by the 7 th RHC, the largest number of triatomines was captured in Lavras do Sul (64.15%). In both areas, Triatoma rubrovaria (90.6%) and Panstrongylus tupynambai (7.4%) were the most common species. Most were captured inside households but T. cruzi -positive insects were not found in the period under study. The results of this study show that, in Southern Rio Grande do Sul State, there is still a high rate of triatomine household invasion and dispersal, mainly by T. rubrovaria . Thus, the entomological surveillance should be maintained with the participation of the population and further studies should be deepened in the area.

RESUMOObjetivo: Realizar um levantamento de dados sobre mortalidade no Brasil em decorrência de: esquistossomose, dengue, doença de Chagas (DC), leishmaniose e confrontá-las com aspectos epidemiológicos e socioeconômicos. Método: Foi elaborado um estudo retrospectivo e descritivo, considerando o período de 2008 a 2017, a partir da consulta e interpretação dos dados disponibilizados no Sistema de Informação sobre Mortalidade (SIM) e do DATASUS/TABNET no que tange a mortalidade pelas 04 doenças infectoparasitárias já citadas. Foram também aferidas as variáveis: idade, sexo, grau de instrução, estado e município dos indivíduos, além de dividir o período em dois quinquênios A tabulação e análise estatística foram realizadas em Microsoft Excel® e Minitab versão XVIII®. Resultados: A DC correspondeu por 80,3% do número total de mortes para as quatro moléstias avaliadas. Na região Sudeste a ocorrência de óbitos foi maior para a DC e dengue, enquanto que na região Nordeste, prevaleceram a esquistossomose e as leishmanioses. Conclusão: a DC apresentou o maior número de óbitos, para as quatro moléstias investigadas, e mesmo que a notificação de novos casos venha diminuindo, esta enfermidade ainda causa grande impacto, principalmente, nas populações mais pobres, acima de 40 anos e com baixa escolaridade.

RESUMOEste artigo teve como objetivo realizar uma revisão de literatura sobre as plantas medicinais mais utilizadas pela população no RS, contempladas na REPLAME/RS, com potencial para o tratamento da doença de Chagas. Foi realizada uma revisão de literatura, com os seguintes descritores: "planta medicinais", "Trypanosoma cruzi" e "doença de chagas", selecionados, nos sites PubMed, SciELO, LILACS e no Portal de Periódicos CAPES. 50 artigos foram lidos na íntegra, dos quais cinco foram explanados no texto. Das plantas estudadas com potencial anti-Tripanosoma no RS, destacam-se as espécies: Achyrocline satureioides popularmente conhecida como "marcela"; Baccharis trimera identificada como "carqueja"; ambas pertencentes à família Asteraceae e Eugenia uniflora L., intitulada "pitangueira", e contemplada na família Myrtaceae. O estado do RS apresenta plantas promissoras para desenvolvimento de pesquisas com resultados em tecnologias e terapêuticas apropriadas anti o gênero Trypanosoma, com ênfase para a espécie T. cruzi.

Serological profiles are important in cases of solid organ donation where serological findings, such as antibodies against Trypanosoma cruzi and toxoplasmosis, may interfere in organ donation by increasing morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to outline seroprevalence of anti-Trypanosoma cruzi and anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in possible and potential organ donors in the south of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) State, Brazil. A cross-sectional quantitative and retrospective epidemiological study was carried out, based on secondary data. Data on serology were extracted from medical records found in the Sistema de Gestão Hospitalar (SIGH), a hospital management system used by a university hospital in the south of RS, Brazil.Sociodemographic variables, such as age, sex and race, as well as clinical variables, such as titration of IgM and IgG anti-T. cruzi and anti–T. gondii antibodies, were analyzed. Medical records were found to be poorly filled in, since 67.6% (506 records) could not be used due to lack of information. Seroprevalence of T. cruzi was 6.8% (5 cases), mostly in white males. Regarding seroprevalence of T. gondii, 76.2% (64 donors) were serologicaly  positive, 10.9% of which were IgM positive. This is the first study on anti-T. cruzi and anti-T. gondii antibodies inorgan donors in RS, Brazil and should be furthered since there may be consequences regarding organ uptake and donation.KEY WORDS: Epidemiological studies; Trypanosoma cruzi; Toxoplasma gondii; organ donation

Objetivo: avaliar o desempenho dos indicadores taxa de ocupação geral e média de permanência geral em instituições prestadoras do Sistema Único de Saúde em Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul. Método: estudo quantitativo, descritivo, delineamento dedutivo, em dados secundários do TABWIN, realizado de 2011 a 2015. Resultados: quanto a média de permanência geral, o hospital D esteve dentro do parâmetro. Os demais estavam acima do preconizado, com 9,2 dias de internação. Sobre a taxa de ocupação geral, o hospital A, em 2015, manteve-se no recomendado. O B destacou-se com padrão de 100%. O C, em 2011 e 2012, permaneceu na média, declinando posteriormente. No hospital D, em 2012 e 2013, a média ficou dentro do preconizado, nos demais anos a taxa foi de 89,8%. Conclusões: a média de permanência em um hospital foi dentro do parâmetro. A taxa de ocupação geral em duas entidades foi considerada acima da média.Descritores: Indicadores; Avaliação em saúde; Qualidade da assistência à saúde.

This study aimed at determining prevalence of anti-Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies in pregnant women in the extreme south of Brazil and at evaluating their knowledge about Chagas Disease (CD) and its vectors. The study was carried out in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul (RS) state, Brazil. The Chemiluminescent Microparticle Immunoassay (CMIA) was used for the triage and, when it was reagent, results were confirmed by the Indirect Immunofluorescence Assay (IFA). A semi-structured questionnaire was applied to evaluate patients’ knowledge. The Chi-squared test was used for evaluating correlations among variables under study while an Odds Ratio was conducted when associations were statistically significant. Only 33 (27.7%) out of 119 pregnant women under investigation underwent the serological test to identify T. cruzi because the study was carried out in the worst phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, prevalence was 6.1% (2 cases). Only 26.9% of pregnant women were able to identify triatominae and 66.4% did not know that the heart could be affected by CD. Associations between variables “lived/have lived in a rural area” and “having found ‘kissing bugs’ in the household”; “high schooling level” and “knowing that CD causes heart disorders”; and “stating that they know what CD is” and “identifying triatominae” exhibited statistical significance. Results showed that the rate of positive pregnant women is high and needs attention, even though the size of the sample is a limiting factor. Besides, the patients’ lack of knowledge about the disease and its vectors shows the importance of educational interventions.