Buriticupu may be considered endemic for hepatitis B and C. Hepatitis B infection could be related to precarious living conditions and old age. Hepatitis C was not associated with the variables investigated in the present investigation.

Serra Pelada is a village in the Amazon region of Brazil where most of the inhabitants are former gold miners. Of 235 individuals evaluated, 219 were males (93.19%), 16 were females (6.80%), and the mean age was 52.07 years (standard deviation = 11.57). Most were heavy drinkers (62.44%) and smokers (70.30%), and 85.53% had previously suffered from malaria. Reported symptoms included fatigue (30.60%), irritability (35.62%), excitability (14.16%), insomnia (34.48%), memory loss (61.80%), visual field constriction (4.18%), paresthesia (64.93%), partial hearing loss (16.35%), and gingivitis (18.01%). After an examination of the residents, the authors observed several neurological symptoms: tremors (22.80%), involuntary ocular movement (2.20%), visual field constriction (4.18%), Romberg syndrome (2.33%), involuntary tongue movement (2.19%), dysdiadochokinesia (0.43%), failure of a finger-nose test (10.96%), failure of a knee-heel test (4.84%), inability to complete a tandem march (6.25%), muscular weakness (2.27%), and damage to sensory organs (24.66%). The authors concluded that these neurological changes possibly resulted from mercury toxicity; however, they could not determine a significant correlation with the mercury levels detected in participants' urine.

PURPOSE:This study was carried out in Monte Negro (state of Rondônia), a village in the Brazilian western Amazon region, where a University of São Paulo Medical School program for medical student training in rural assistance took place. It aimed to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus, to investigate risk factors for infection, and to evaluate the State immunization program against hepatitis B virus in the region. METHODS:The study is a cross-sectional seroprevalence survey, comprising 267 volunteers who answered a comprehensive questionnaire and had blood samples collected, which were analyzed in São Paulo for the presence of antibodies against hepatitis B virus (Hbs Ag, anti-Hbs, and anti-Hbc) and hepatitis C virus using commercial kits. Data were stored in a specific data bank, and the association between seropositivity and potential risk factors was analyzed by means of uni-, bi-, and multi-variate analysis, considering ±5%. RESULTS:The seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus was 61.79% and of hepatitis C virus was 0.38%. Statistical analysis on the data bank showed that the prevalence of hepatitis B virus rose significantly with age, especially after adolescence. Infection was higher in those coming from outside the state of Rondônia. Exposure to vaccination against hepatitis B virus was higher in younger individuals and in those who were born in Rondônia.CONCLUSION: Monte Negro is a highly endemic region for hepatitis B virus but not for hepatitis C virus. Our results also provide indirect evidence indicating a significant improvement in the immunization program in Rondônia in recent years.

The global prevalence of hepatitis B virus is estimated to be 350 million chronic carriers, varying widely from low (<2%, as in Western Europe, North America, New Zealand, Australia, and Japan) to high (>8% as in Africa, Southeast Asia, and China). The overall prevalence in Brazil is about 8%. There are currently 7 genotypic variations, from A to G, and also 4 main surface antigen subtypes: adw, ayw, adr, and ayr. There has been great interest in identifying the geographic distribution and prognosis associated with the various genotypes and subtypes. Although the serologic test is highly sensitive and specific, it does not detect cases of mutant hepatitis B, which is increasingly common worldwide due to resistance and vaccine escape, antiviral therapy, and immunosuppression, among other causes. Alterations in surface, polymerase, X region, core, and precore genes have been described. The main mutations occur in surface and in core/precore genes, also known as occult hepatitis, since its serologic markers of active infection (HBsAg) and viral replication (HBeAg) can be negative. Thus, mutation should be suspected when serologic tests to hepatitis B show control of immunity or replication coincident with worsened clinical status and exclusion of other causes of hepatitis.

A dor tem sido descrita como sendo uma experiência sensorial e emocional desagradável que é associada ou descrita em termos de lesão tecidual. Na atenção primária à saúde, a dor crônica atinge altos níveis de prevalência, especialmente devido aos quadros de lombalgia e de cefaléias. O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar a prevalência de dor crônica na atenção primária à saúde na cidade de Buriticupu, localizada no estado do Maranhão, Brasil. Dentre todos os quadros clínicos, a dor crônica foi o diagnóstico mais prevalente entre os pacientes investigados, sendo encontrada em 539 pacientes (23,02%). Dor músculo-esquelética foi o quadro de dor crônica mais comum, atingindo 250 pacientes (10,62%), sendo que lombalgia foi o diagnóstico mais prevalente entre os quadros de dor músculo-esquelética, sendo encontrada em 120 pacientes (5,12%). Por outro lado, as cefaléias foram o segundo quadro de dor crônica mais comum, depois da dor músculo-esquelética, tendo sido diagnosticada em 212 pacientes (9,05%). Assim, 61,6% dos pacientes com dor crônica apresentavam lombalgia ou cefaléia. Análise estatística univariada encontrou associação entre gênero feminino e cefaléia, entre idade avançada e os principais tipos de dor crônica que foram avaliados neste estudo (músculo-esquelética, lombalgia e cefaléia), e entre índice de massa corpórea e dor músculo-esquelética e lombalgia. Quando a análise multivariada foi conduzida, as associações observadas com gênero feminino e idade avançada não mostraram alterações, mantendo os mesmos padrões de associação. No entanto, o índice de massa corpórea não apresentou mais associação com qualquer tipo de dor crônica.

SUMMARYThe present study intended to analyze the seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori, IgG, and its relation to dyspepsia in a population from the western Amazon region. During the "Projeto Bandeira Científica", a University of São Paulo Medical School program, in Monte Negro's rural areas, state of Rondônia, 266 blood samples were collected from volunteers. The material was tested for IgG antibodies anti-Helicobacter pylori by ELISA method and the participants were also interviewed on dyspepsia, hygiene and social aspects. Participants aged between five and 81 years old (34 years on average), 149 (56%) were female and 117 (44%) male. We found 210 (78.9%) positive, 50 (18.8%) negative and six (2.3%) undetermined samples. Dyspeptic complaints were found in 226 cases (85.2%). There was no statistical association between dyspepsia and positive serology for H. pylori. We concluded that the seroprevalence in all age categories is similar to results found in other studies conducted in developing countries, including those from Brazil. On the other hand, the seroprevalence found in Monte Negro was higher than that reported in developed countries. As expected, there was a progressive increase in the positivity for H. pylori in older age groups.

A dor musculoesquelética é um problema de saúde pública, devido à sua alta prevalência, alto custo e impacto negativo que pode causar na qualidade de vida dos pacientes e também de seus familiares. A dor musculoesquelética é um quadro clínico importante no atendimento aos pacientes da atenção primária à saúde. Assim, o objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar a freqüência de dor musculoesquelética como razão para consulta médica na atenção primária à saúde, na cidade de Serra dos Aimorés, localizada na região nordeste do estado de Minas Gerais, no Vale do Mucuri, Brasil, e tentar correlacionar tal quadro clínico às variáveis de gênero e idade. Dentre todas as queixas clínicas referidas como razão para consulta médica, a dor musculoesquelética foi a mais prevalente entre os 1.306 pacientes investigados, sendo encontrada em 139 deles (10,64%). A análise estatística dos dados encontrou associação significante entre gênero masculino e presença de queixa de dor musculoesquelética. Em relação à faixa etária, pôde-se observar um aumento na freqüência de queixa de dor musculoesquelética, conforme a idade avançava. No entanto, não foi encontrada diferença estatisticamente significante, quando a população, dividida por faixa etária, foi analisada. Tais achados reforçam a importância de adequada avaliação e tratamento dos quadros de dor musculoesquelética pelas equipes da atenção primária à saúde. Importância especial deve ser dada a algumas populações específicas, como os idosos. Ademais, há que se atentar também para a diferença existente entre pacientes do sexo masculino e feminino.

Paulo (FMUSP) in partnership with the Brazilian Ministry of Health, the local healthcare system and the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), took the Bandeira Científica project to the town of Buriticupu, located in the state of Maranhão, Brazil (Fig. 1). The Bandeira Científica project consists of an annual expedition, each year to different part of Brazil, directed by FMUSP faculty members and executed by FMUSP medical students. Objectives are to train medical students in primary healthcare to deprived communities and to offer such primary healthcare as well as educational lectures. The Bandeira also performs epidemiological studies. On this occasion, Buriticupu, in the backlands of the state of Maranhão was selected as the target town. Buriticupu has a population of 50,059 inhabitants, but lacks basic sanitation and education, the latter provided mainly by an insufficient set of public schools. Illiteracy is predominant in adults over the age of twenty. The last Demographic Census, collected in the year of 2000 indicated illiteracy rates of 63,8% among children over the age of 10. UFMA provides basic