The duration and severity of COVID-19 are related to age, comorbidities, and cytokine synthesis. This study evaluated the impact of these factors on patients with clinical presentations of COVID-19 in a Brazilian cohort. A total of 317 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were included; cases were distributed according to clinical status as severe (n=91), moderate (n=56) and mild (n=170). Of these patients, 92 had acute COVID-19 at sample collection, 90 had already recovered from COVID-19 without sequelae, and 135 had sequelae (long COVID syndrome). In the acute COVID-19 group, patients with the severe form had higher IL-6 levels (p=0.0260). In the post-COVID-19 group, there was no significant difference in cytokine levels between groups with different clinical conditions. In the acute COVID-19 group, younger patients had higher levels of TNF-α, and patients without comorbidities had higher levels of TNF-α, IL-4 and IL-2 (p<0.05). In contrast, patients over age 60 with comorbidities had higher levels of IL-6. In the post-COVID-19 group, subjects with long COVID-19 had higher levels of IL-17 and IL-2 (p<0.05), and subjects without sequelae had higher levels of IL-10, IL-6 and IL- 4 (p<0.05). Our results suggest that advanced age, comorbidities and elevated serum IL-6 levels are associated with severe COVID-19 and are good markers to differentiate severe from mild cases. Furthermore, high serum levels of IL-17 and IL-2 and low levels of IL-4 and IL-10 appear to constitute a cytokine profile of long COVID-19, and these markers are potential targets for COVID-19 treatment and prevention strategies.

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In long coronavirus disease 2019 (long COVID‐19), involvement of the musculoskeletal system is characterised by the persistence or appearance of symptoms such as fatigue, muscle weakness, myalgia, and decline in physical and functional performance, even at 4 weeks after the onset of acute symptoms of COVID‐19. Muscle injury biomarkers are altered during the acute phase of the disease. The cellular damage and hyperinflammatory state induced by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection may contribute to the persistence of symptoms, hypoxaemia, mitochondrial damage, and dysregulation of the renin‐angiotensin system. In addition, the occurrence of cerebrovascular diseases, involvement of the peripheral nervous system, and harmful effects of hospitalisation, such as the use of drugs, immobility, and weakness acquired in the intensive care unit, all aggravate muscle damage. Here, we review the multifactorial mechanisms of muscle tissue injury, aggravating conditions, and associated sequelae in long COVID‐19.

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Resumo Introdução As hepatites virais são graves problemas de saúde pública e estão relacionadas às diferentes características socioeconômicas do território brasileiro. Objetivo Analisar a distribuição espacial das hepatites B e C e sua relação com o Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano Municipal (IDHM) nas áreas de três Centros Regionais de Saúde (CRS), no Estado do Pará, Brasil, de 2010 a 2014. Método Neste trabalho descritivo e transversal, foram utilizados dados do Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação, do Ministério da Saúde, e do Censo 2010, do Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística. Resultados As análises mostraram que o 11º CRS notificou o maior número de casos (60,9%). Os indivíduos mais acometidos por ambas as doenças foram do gênero feminino, pardos, adultos e com ensino fundamental. Os fatores de riscos mais significativos foram uso de medicamentos injetáveis e tratamentos dentário e cirúrgico. Foi observada dependência espacial entre o IDHM e os parâmetros da taxa de incidência das doenças, com autocorrelações diretas e indiretas. Assim, áreas com IDHM médio e baixo apresentaram altas taxas de incidência, sobretudo em municípios com intenso fluxo migratório, nas últimas décadas. Conclusão As análises foram eficazes para construir cenários epidemiológicos das doenças. Ressaltamos a necessidade de expandir o controle das hepatites nas áreas estudadas.

Introduction: Cutaneous leishmaniasis is an infectious disease transmitted by phlebotomine sandflies and is considered a great environmental and public health problem. Thus, this work presents initial results of the analyses about the relationship between the spatial distribution of this disease and its environmental risk factors in three municipalities, in the state of Pará, Brazil, from 2012 to 2016. Methodology: It was used data from the Ministry of Health, the National Institute for Space Research and the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. The statistical and spacial analysis of the variables were done using G-test goodness-of-fit, kernel interpolation technique and the Bivariate Global Moran Index (I). Results: The analyses showed that the most affected individuals were males, adults, low schooling, residents in rural areas and small farmers. The disease spatial distribution was not homogeneous in the municipalities and it was associated to different relationships between the land use and occupation and the notificated cases density, with direct spatial autocorrelation. Conclusions: The deforestation was the most significant risk factor linked to the cases occurrence in all the studied area. We emphasize the need of intensification of epidemiological and environmental surveillance actions in the studied areas.

Different relationships among the variables studied and the occurrence of the disease in the municipality were observed. The technologies used were satisfactory to construct the disease epidemiological scenarios.

Introduction:The association between leprosy and pregnancy is currently poorly understood and has been linked to serious clinical consequences. Methods: A retrospective study between 2007 and 2009 was performed in the integration region of Carajás, Brazil on a population of pregnant lepers, with non-lepers of ages 12-49 years serving as the reference population. Results: Twenty-nine pregnant lepers were studied during the study period. The detection rates (DRs) for the studied association were 4.7 in 2007, 9.4 in 2008, and 4.3 in 2009. Conclusions: The Carajás region presented a medium pattern of endemicity during most of the study period, with a high DR found in 2008.