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BackgroundPanel studies have shown adverse effects of air pollution from biomass burning on children's health. This study estimated the effect of current levels of outdoor air pollution in the Amazonian dry season on peak expiratory flow (PEF).MethodsA panel study with 234 schoolchildren from 6 to 15 years old living in the municipality of Tangará da Serra, Brazil was conducted. PEF was measured daily in the dry season in 2008. Mixed-effects models and unified modelling repeated for every child were applied. Time trends, temperature, humidity, and subject characteristics were regarded. Inhalable particulate matter (PM10), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and black carbon (BC) effects were evaluated based on 24-hour exposure lagged by 1 to 5 days and the averages of 2 or 3 days. Polynomial distributed lag models (PDLM) were also applied.ResultsThe analyses revealed reductions in PEF for PM10 and PM2.5 increases of 10 µg/m3 and 1 µg/m3 for BC. For PM10, the reductions varied from 0.15 (confidence interval (CI)95%: −0.29; −0.01) to 0.25 l/min (CI95%: −0.40; −0.10). For PM2.5, they ranged from 0.46 (CI95%: −0.86 to −0.06) to 0.54 l/min (CI95%:−0.95; −0.14). As for BC, the reduction was approximately 1.40 l/min. In relation to PDLM, adverse effects were noticed in models based on the exposure on the current day through the previous 3 days (PDLM 0–3) and on the current day through the previous 5 days (PDLM 0–5), specially for PM10. For all children, for PDLM 0–5 the global effect was important for PM10, with PEF reduction of 0.31 l/min (CI95%: −0.56; −0.05). Also, reductions in lags 3 and 4 were observed. These associations were stronger for children between 6 and 8 years old.ConclusionReductions in PEF were associated with air pollution, mainly for lagged exposures of 3 to 5 days and for younger children.

The objective of this article is to characterize social and economically the Pomeranian community from 'Alto Santa Maria' in the municipality of Santa Maria de Jetibá at Espírito Santo State and investigate the main factors of pesticides exposure in rural community. A cross-sectional study was carried out interviewing 151 members of a rural Pomeranian community using a semi-structured questionnaire. The analysis was based in descriptive statistics and logistics regression models. The results revealed that the majority of the community members own their land. The child participation in agricultural activities is a tradition in the Pomeranian culture. The use of pesticides by this community began in the 80s since then; different types of pesticides have frequently been used by rural residents. The logistic regression models that associate the presence of some health problem with how the land is cleaned, pesticides usage, pesticides application frequency and the use of protection equipment, showed that the chance of an individual to present some health problem is related with the use of pesticides. Another regression model showed that the education level is an important factor to the use of protection equipment. The Pomeranian community studied has some cultural habits that contribute for the exposure of pesticides.

Objective: To examine the association between wheezing in children and adolescents and living downwind of the dispersion plume of atmospheric pollutants emitted by the Guamaré Petrochemical Complex, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Methods:Cross-sectional study of wheezing in children and adolescents (aged 0 to 14 years) living in the vicinity of the Guamaré petrochemical complex in 2006. The standardized International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire was used, with additional questions concerning tobacco use, income, living conditions, and educational achievement. Daily concentrations of PM 10 , PM 2.5 , black carbon, SO 2 , NO 2 , O 3 , benzene, toluene, and xylenes were measured at a fixed monitoring station. According to their position relative to wind direction, communities present in the area affected by plant emissions were categorized into one of two groups, exposed communities and reference communities.Results: Two hundred and nine children and adolescents took part in the study. Mean daily concentrations of the monitored pollutants were consistently below established acceptable upper limits. The prevalence of wheezing in the 12 months prior to study was 27.3%. After adjustment, statistically significant associations were found between wheezing and living in exposed communities (adjusted odds ratio [OR adj ] 2.01; 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 1.01-4.01), male gender (OR adj 2.50; 95%CI 1.21-5.18), and age 0 to 6 years (OR adj 5.00; 95%CI 2.41-10.39). Conclusion:Even with low levels of atmospheric pollutants, respiratory symptoms in children and adolescents were associated with living downwind of a petrochemical plant. Male preschoolers were the most vulnerable group. Resultados: Participaram do estudo 209 crianças e adolescentes. As concentrações médias diárias dos poluentes monitorados mantiveramse abaixo dos limites estabelecidos nos padrões de qualidade do ar. A prevalência de sibilos nos últimos 12 meses foi de 27,3%. Associações estatisticamente significantes com sibilos nos últimos 12 meses foram verificadas mesmo após ajustamentos para comunidades expostas [razão de chances (odds ratio, OR ajust ) = 2,01; intervalo de confiança de 95% (IC95%) 1,01-4,01], gênero masculino (OR ajust = 2,50; IC95% 1,21-5,18) e idade de 0 a 6 anos (OR ajust = 5,00; IC95% 2,41-10,39). J Pediatr (Rio J) Conclusão:Mesmo em baixas concentrações de poluentes atmosfé-ricos, a ocorrência de sintomas respiratórios em crianças e adolescentes nas comunidades no entorno de um PPQ esteve associada a residência na direção preferencial dos ventos, mostrando-se mais vulnerável o grupo de pré-escolares do gênero masculino.J Pediatr (Rio J). 2010;86(4):337-344

In the last 40 years, Latin America countries, including Brazil, have suffered from the emergence and reemergence of arboviruses, first Dengue (DENV) and recently Zika (ZIKV) and Chikungunya (CHIKV). All three arboviruses are currently endemic in Brazil and have caused major outbreaks in recent years. Rio de Janeiro city, host of the last Summer Olympic Games and the Football World Cup, has been specially affected by them. A surveillance system based on symptomatic reports is in place in Rio, but the true number of affected individuals is unknown due to the great number of Zika, Dengue and Chikungunya asymptomatic cases. Seroprevalence studies are more suitable to evaluate the real number of cases in a given population. We performed a populational seroprevalence survey in Rio, with recruitment of a sample of volunteers of all ages and gender from July to October 2018, within randomly selected census tracts and household. A total of 2,120 volunteers were interviewed and tested with rapid immunochromatographic test for ZIKV, DENV and CHIKV. Individuals with positive results for IgG and/or IgM from only one virus were classified accordingly, while those with test results positive for both ZIKV and DENV were classified as flaviviruses. We corrected for sample design and non-response in data analysis, and calculated point estimate prevalence and 95% confidence intervals for each virus. Arbovirus prevalence in the Rio's population (n = 6,688,927) was estimated at 48.6% [95% CI 44.8–52.4] (n = 3,254,121) for flaviviruses and at 18.0% [95% CI 14.8–21.2] (n = 1,204,765) for CHIKV. Approximately 17.0% [95% CI 14.1–20.1] (n = 1,145,674) of Rio´s population had no contact with any of the three arboviruses. The reported cases of Zika, Dengue and Chikungunya by the current surveillance system in place is insufficient to estimate their real numbers, and our data indicate that Zika seroprevalence could be at least five times and Chikungunya 45 times bigger. The high number of individuals having never been infected by any of the three arboviruses, may indicate a proper scenario for future outbreaks.

Wheezing is highly prevalent in Brazil, with variations in rates and risk factors between the regions of the country. This cross-sectional study aimed to analyze the prevalence of wheezing in children under 5 years of age (n = 733) in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. The study used a brief version of the standardized instrument from the International Study of Wheezing in Infants (EISL). Analysis of factors associated used logistic regression with a hierarchical approach. Prevalence of wheezing in the previous 12 months was 43.2%. Factors associated with wheezing were: lack of at least 6 months of breastfeeding (adjusted OR = 1.91; 95%CI: 1.18-3.06), diagnosis of asthma in the family (adjusted OR = 2.02; 95%CI: 1.06-3.87), current respiratory infection (adjusted OR = 1.81; 95%CI: 1.05-3.14), and male gender (adjusted OR = 1.50; 95%CI: 1.07-2.11). The study concludes that prevalence of wheezing is high among children in this age bracket in Cuiabá and is associated with factors related to allergy, current respiratory infection, and male gender.

OBJETIVO: Descrever a evolução temporal da mortalidade por doenças cardiorrespiratórias em idosos. MÉTODOS: Estudo epidemiológico descritivo com delineamento ecológico de séries temporais realizado no estado do Mato Grosso, de 1986 a 2006. Foram utilizados dados sobre doenças dos aparelhos respiratório e circulatório obtidos do Sistema de Informação sobre Mortalidade do Ministério da Saúde. Modelos de regressão linear simples foram ajustados para avaliar a tendência das taxas específicas de mortalidade por grupos específicos de idade (60 a 69, 70 a 79 e 80 ou mais anos) e sexo. RESULTADOS: Houve aumento na proporção de óbitos por doenças respiratórias e diminuição por doenças cardiovasculares. Na comparação de taxas entre os sexos, as mulheres apresentaram taxas 15% menores para as causas cardiovasculares e taxas similares ao sexo masculino para as causas respiratórias. Foi observada taxa elevada de mortalidade por doenças respiratórias e cardiovasculares, com importante tendência de incremento entre os grupos mais longevos. Em idosos com idade > 80 anos o aumento anual médio na taxa de mortalidade por doenças respiratórias foi de 1,99 óbitos e de 3,43 por doenças do aparelho circulatório. CONCLUSÕES: O estado de Mato Grosso apresenta elevada taxa de mortalidade por doenças respiratórias e cardiovasculares em idosos, com importante tendência de incremento entre os grupos mais longevos.

The aim of this study was to analyze the trend in mortality due to external causes in the State of Espírito Santo, Brazil, from 1994 to 2005, according to specific groups (traffic injuries, poisoning, intentional self-harm, assault), age group and gender. The trend analysis was performed with polynomial regression models, based on data from the Brazilian Ministry of Health's Mortality Information System. For all external causes, the trend was not statistically significant, but when it was stratified by gender and age group the results showed a downward trend in some strata. According to gender, the yearly increase in mortality rate was higher for men. In general, this increase was observed in all age groups. For traffic injuries, there was a decrease in the mortality rate, mainly for men. There was a decrease in deaths from poisoning for both men and women. Intentional self-harm showed an upward trend, especially for 50 and over age group. As a specific group, assault also showed a significant upward trend for under-34 age groups and for men.