Pesticides are a complex mixture of chemicals used to protect crops from a number of pests and diseases. They have been considered as potential mutagenic agents. This study aims at evaluation of the mutagenic effect of pesticide exposure to agricultural workers through chromosomal aberrations (CA) and micronucleus (MN) assay in peripheral blood lymphocytes and oral mucosal cells, respectively. The exposed group was consisted with 97 farmers, while the control (un-exposed) group consisted of 55. The results showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in frequency of CA and MN in the exposed group. Both CA and MN profiles were linked to a significant (p < 0.05) co-relation with the confounding factors such as smoking habits, alcohol, vegetables, tea/coffee, vitamins, and sweetener consumptions. More cytogenetic events were denoted in smoking and alcohol consumption as well as non-personal protective equipment (non-PPE) and low/no vegetables user farmers. In conclusion, a deficiency of dietary and medicaments-derived antioxidants, while consumption of alcohol and tobacco, as well as effects of radiation, heavy metal poisoning (especially from sweeteners), and non-PPE using habits, may contribute cytogenetic damage to the workers.

A dengue é uma doença, cuja disseminação rápida atraiu atenção das autoridades públicas do Brasil na década de 1990. Os arbovírus transmitidos por mosquitos do gênero Aedes, como Aedes aegypti, estão associados a epidemias sérias de doenças febris nas regiões tropicais do mundo. Este vírus se tornou um preocupante problema de saúde pública, devido elevada incidência anual. As infecções são geralmente assintomáticas e quando sintomáticas, evoluem para uma situação de cura ou de quadros hemorrágicos/neurológicos. Este trabalho objetivou verificar a prevalência da transmissão da Dengue através do vetor Aedes aegypti nos anos de 2015 a 2019 no Piauí. A pesquisa é do tipo descritiva, de caráter quantitativo, retrospectivo e transversal. Coletaram-se os dados no Sistema Nacional de Informação de Agravos de Notificação (SINAN). Com base nos dados coletados foram notificados 28.219 casos de Dengue, sem diferenças significativas de percentuais em relação ao gênero, mas quanto à faixa etária, houve prevalência de pessoas de 20 a 39 anos. Em relação à classificação, a maioria das notificações não especificou o sorotipo. Identificou-se predomínio de casos de cura, com alguns campos de notificação não preenchidos. Conclui-se que a suscetibilidade ao vírus da Dengue seja universal, com um valor de prevalência de 8,57/000 habitantes, cabendo estudos e discussões dos dados epidemiológicos e reforço da prevenção. Apontam-se reflexões para sensibilização dos profissionais na realização das notificações das Doenças de Notificação Compulsória no SINAN propondo obrigatoriedade no preenchimento de todos os campos da ficha.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo descrever o perfil epidemiológico de intoxicações exógenas notificadas no estado do Piauí - Brasil entre os anos de 2013 a 2017. Foi desenvolvida uma pesquisa de caráter exploratória, epidemiológica e descritiva com abordagem transversal, quantitativo e retrospectivo, os dados foram retirados do Sistema Nacional de Agravos de Notificações (SINAN) do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), o perfil evidenciou o predomínio do sexo feminino, faixa etária entre 20-39 anos, ensino fundamental incompleto, o agente tóxico mais frequente foram os medicamentos, as circunstâncias foram as tentativas de suicídios e com evolução de cura sem sequela na maioria dos casos. Foram registrados um total de 6.113 casos de intoxicações entre os anos analisados. Conclui-se, com esse estudo, a importância das notificações como proposta de implementação de melhorias contínuas das notificações e do preenchimento das fichas no SINAN, pois nos permitirá a obtenção de dados confiáveis e consistentes.

Assessments of chromosomal integrity and structure enable the prevention of diseases associated with the work environment, with the frequencies of chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei often being used as markers in biomonitoring. Owing to their routine manipulation of potentially toxic chemicals, tannery workers as a group merit a more thorough evaluation and discussion. This study investigated chromosomal damage in 30 workers from a tannery in the city of Teresina, the state capital of Piauí, northeast Brazil, and a control group consisting of 30 employees from a nearby accounting firm. The frequencies of chromosomal aberrations (CAs) and binucleated cell micronuclei (MN) were assessed as a measure of damage. Means were compared using the Student t-test and ANOVA-Dunnett test. Our results indicated a higher number of CAs in exposed individuals compared to the control group, including dicentric (P < 0.0001) and tricentric chromosomes (P < 0.001), and those in ring (P < 0.0001) and acentric ring forms (P < 0.001). Assessment of MN frequency demonstrated a similar trend (exposed vs control, P < 0.0001). It was concluded that the tannery workers in this study exhibited a higher incidence of genetic damage than comparable unexposed individuals. However, further research on this subject is needed, particularly in regard to potentially clastogenic agents used in the tanning process.

Objective: To evaluate the haematological and genotoxic profile of workers exposed to medical waste. Method: Descriptive study of an observational nature, performed with two distinct groups: exposed (20 individuals) and unexposed (20 individuals), which had blood samples collected for analysis. Results: The results revealed an increased erythrocytes, hematocrit and leukocytes of the exposed group compared to the unexposed group. In the group exposed were identified: eosinophilia (45%), atypical lymphocytes (35%) and neutrophil toxic granulation (25%). It revealed a significant genotoxic effect by the content and frequency of major damage in the exposed group. There was no correlation of these results with the habits and life styles reported. Conclusion: It was found that the study group might be undergoing reaction processes caused by some agent, as well as genetic instability. These data highlight the need for greater biomonitoring of these workers in order to prevent neoplastic conditions. Descriptors: Medical Waste, Waste Collectors, Occupational Risk.

The External Quality Control (EQC) is an important tool to ensure the Clinic Laboratory (CL) services quality. This way, the objective of this study was to evaluate the EQC in the hematology, parasitology and urinalysis sectors of Biomedical Clinic, at a Higher Education Institution from October 2011 to September 2012, through a descriptive study with a performance data collection in the National Quality Control Program (NQCP) from the Brazilian Society of Clinical Analyses (BSCA). The urinalysis sector presented the best percentage of accuracy, a 94,5%, while the hematology one obtained 86.15 % and the parasitology sector presented 58.83 % of accuracy. However, in general terms, Clínica Biomédica obtained 82.83 % fitting on the level of “Excellence”, according to the standards set by NQCP, underscoring the reliability of its analyzes. The continuity of the EQC implementation must be preserved to ensure accurate diagnosis, minimizing negative impacts to the patient’s health.

Objective: Evaluate hand hygiene performed by health professionals in a public hospital and identify non-adherence factors for the correct technique. Methods: The professionals were submitted to a questionnaire, testing their knowledge of Hand Hygiene Compliance for Health Professionals and were observed while hand washing. Results: 62.5% received training either during undergraduation course, or by the hospital, while 37.5% did not know how to do the technique. Regarding the reason for the noncompliance of proper hygiene techniques, 61.1% of professionals said that excessive professional activity, and insufficient time are the main causes. 44.4% mentioned the lack of priority of the institution as to the procedure and 16.6% lack the time to perform the technique. Conclusion: It appears that most of the professionals interviewed did not obey the rules recommended hand hygiene and the main reason is no time due to excessive workload. Descriptors: Infection, Hand hygiene, health professionals.

Objetivo: Analisar o perfil epidemiológico dos casos de meningite no Piauí, entre os anos de 2014 a 2021. Métodos: Foram coletados dados através do Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação (Sinan) do Ministério da Saúde sobre os casos notificados de meningite no estado do Piauí entre os anos de 2014 à 2021. Os dados foram estratificados de acordo com o ano, gênero, faixa etária, etiologia e evolução. Resultados: No período estudado foram notificados 1.160 casos de meningite, 62% foram do sexo masculino. 51% correu na faixa etária de 20 – 59 anos; A meningite viral foi a mais prevalente (39,5%) e, do total de casos notificados, 76,9% evoluiu para alta médica. Conclusão: Observou-se uma diminuição dos casos notificados de meningite dentro do período pesquisado, tal diminuição pode estar associada de forma direta à vacina pneumocócia e também ao impacto da pandemia da Covid-19 na regularidade das notificações das demais doenças de notificação compulsória nos anos de 2020 e 2021.