[Basic sanitary conditions in Iporanga, São Paulo State, Brazil]

Development of environmental effects monitoring protocol in Brazil: a fish guide study of three river estuaries

In Brazil, there are no unified and effective environmental monitoring models for bodies of water. Thus, several methodologies are used that result in information that is often difficult to compare, especially for stakeholders involved in regional water management. Studies in some countries such as Australia, Chile, the USA, and Sweden use the monitoring model implemented in Canada that was developed in the early 1990s. This model was designed to evaluate whether the current environmental regulations are sufficiently protective for pulp and paper effluents and for metal mining effluents. In this study, the Canadian Environmental Effects Monitoring methodologies were applied to three different Brazilian river basins, with the goal of constructing a framework for monitoring environmental effects. Pilot studies were carried out in the estuarine regions of the Benevente, Jucu, and Santa Maria da Vitória river basins, which are important rivers in the state of Espírito Santo. Evaluations included fish health, bioaccumulation studies, benthic invertebrate survey, and physical-chemical analyses of water and sediment. The quality of the environments was evaluated by means of seasonal samplings and comparisons between discharge, upstream, and downstream areas. This study made it possible to identify appropriate fish species to be used in environmental effects monitoring and the environmental quality of the rivers themselves as well as knowledge and policy gaps to implement such monitoring programs in Brazil. The study raises questions about the adequacy of Brazilian environmental legislation concerning tidal rivers.

Aedes mosquitoes acquire and transmit Zika virus by breeding in contaminated aquatic environments

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that predominantly circulates between humans and Aedes mosquitoes. Clinical studies have shown that Zika viruria in patients persists for an extended period, and results in infectious virions being excreted. Here, we demonstrate that Aedes mosquitoes are permissive to ZIKV infection when breeding in urine or sewage containing low concentrations of ZIKV. Mosquito larvae and pupae, including from field Aedes aegypti can acquire ZIKV from contaminated aquatic systems, resulting in ZIKV infection of adult females. Adult mosquitoes can transmit infectious virions to susceptible type I/II interferon receptor-deficient (ifnagr-/-) C57BL/6 (AG6) mice. Furthermore, ZIKV viruria from infected AG6 mice can causes mosquito infection during the aquatic life stages. Our studies suggest that infectious urine could be a natural ZIKV source, which is potentially transmissible to mosquitoes when breeding in an aquatic environment.

Socioeconomic, hygienic, and sanitation factors in reducing diarrhea in the Amazon

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the contributions of the socioeconomic, hygienic, and sanitation improvements in reducing the prevalence of diarrhea in a city of the Amazon.

METHODS

In this population-based cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from surveys conducted in the city of Jordão, Acre. In 2005 and 2012, these surveys evaluated, respectively, 466 and 826 children under five years old. Questionnaires were applied on the socioeconomic conditions, construction of houses, food and hygienic habits, and environmental sanitation. We applied Pearson’s Chi-squared test and Poisson regression to verify the relationship between origin of water, construction of homes, age of introduction of cow’s milk in the diet, place of birth and the prevalence of diarrhea.

RESULTS

The prevalence of diarrhea was reduced from 45.1% to 35.4%. We identified higher probability of diarrhea in children who did not use water from the public network, in those receiving cow’s milk in the first month after birth, and in those living in houses made of paxiúba. Children born at home presented lower risk of diarrhea when compared to those who were born in hospital, with this difference reversing for the 2012 survey.

CONCLUSIONS

Sanitation conditions improved with the increase of bathrooms with toilets, implementation of the Programa de Saúde da Família (PSF – Family Health Program), and water treatment in the city. The multivariate regression model identified a statistically significant association between use of water from the public network, construction of houses, late introduction of cow’s milk, and access to health service with occurrence of diarrhea.

Prevalência de diarreia em crianças e condições de saneamento e moradia em áreas periurbanas de Guarulhos, SP

Foi realizado estudo transversal em área periurbana do Município de Guarulhos, SP, atendida pelo Programa Saúde da Família (PSF) para verificar associação entre ocorrência de diarreia em crianças de 0-2 anos de idade e características da criança, condições de saneamento e tipo de moradia. Os dados foram coletados nas fichas de registro do PSF. Foi realizada análise de regressão logística multivariada, a qual indicou a interação Moradia*Esgoto (outros materiais e ausência de rede de esgoto, p < 0,001) e idade (4 - 9 meses, p = 0,054; e 10 meses e mais, p = 0,008) como fatores de risco para ocorrência de diarreia. Em localidades com falta de dados para compor indicadores de saneamento básico que permitem identificar populações que vivem situações de risco para a ocorrência de diarréia, as informações coletadas pelo PSF podem se constituir em excelente ferramenta para identificação de núcleos populacionais com precárias condições de habitação e saneamento.

Avaliação da qualidade da água e percepção higiênico-sanitária na área rural de Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brasil, 1999-2000

Realizaram-se entrevistas e análises laboratoriais de 80 amostras de água em 45 propriedades rurais das sub-bacias dos ribeirões Água Limpa e Santa Cruz, em Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brasil, para comparar a qualidade da água para consumo doméstico e agropecuário e seus fatores determinantes. Na sub-bacia Água Limpa, as propriedades são principalmente caracterizadas como moradia, e seus proprietários apresentam baixo grau de escolaridade. Quanto à sub-bacia Santa Cruz, nas propriedades, explora-se a agropecuária, e a maior parte dos proprietários reside na cidade. Com relação aos graus de escolaridade, ela se apresenta muito baixa ou com nível superior. O abastecimento d'água na sub-bacia Água Limpa provém principalmente de lençóis freáticos, enquanto, na sub-bacia Santa Cruz, predominam as águas superficiais, estando seus mananciais contaminados. A percepção dos proprietários sobre a potabilidade da água relaciona-se às características físicas e organolépticas, não à sanitária. Não há relação entre a contaminação fecal e o tipo de manancial, mas sim com a ocupação do solo e as atividades antrópicas.