Notified cases of mpox in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: a descriptive study, 2022

OBJECTIVE

To describe the profile of cases of mpox in the city of Rio de Janeiro between June and November 2022.

METHODS

This was a descriptive study of secondary data obtained from mpox notification forms. Socioeconomic, clinical and spatial data were analyzed.

RESULTS

Of the 928 cases, 93.7% were male, 85.0% cisgender male, 65.6% homosexual, 41.8% between 30 and 39 years old, and 41.0% were of White race/skin color. A total of 34.5% had immunosuppression due to illness, and 41.9% reported their HIV status as being positive. The most prevalent signs and symptoms were: skin lesions (96.6%), especially with multiple manifestations (67.8%) in the genital region (46.1%), in addition to fever (58.3%), adenomegaly (43.3%) and headache (38.7%). Most notifications occurred in public services (81.3%) and in hospital care (51.3%).

CONCLUSION

The study revealed high incidence of mpox, especially among young, cisgender and homosexual men. Most cases were mild, with genital lesions, progressing to cure without hospitalization. Person-to-person transmission was predominant.

Brown spiders (Loxosceles) are taking hold in Pernambuco, Brazil: a case series, 2018-2022

OBJECTIVE

To describe accidents involving brown spider (genus Loxosceles) bites notified by the Pernambuco Poison Information and Care Center (CIATox-PE), Brazil, from January 2018 to December 2022.

METHODS

This was a case series study of brown spider bites notified by the CIATox-PE.

RESULTS

The study included 22 cases with median age of 35 years, the majority being female (13); the cases occurred in rural and urban areas (12 versus 10), at night (10); Petrolina was the municipality with the highest number of notifications (6); spider bites occurred mainly in the lower (11) and upper (9) limbs, almost exclusively inside households (21); specific serum therapy was not indicated for 8 cases because the time for its effectiveness had already elapsed.

CONCLUSION

Loxoscelism cases occurred more frequently in females, in both rural and urban areas and mainly at home, with delays in seeking medical care.

MAIN RESULTS

The 22 cases described represent an alert for the presence of a venomous species not reported in previous studies in Pernambuco. The severity of cases may be associated with delays in seeking medical care, especially due to the population's lack of information.

IMPLICATIONS FOR SERVICES

Identify the presence of brown spiders in households in the region and the potential severity of poisonings. Alert health professionals to recognize the clinical picture with a view to appropriate early treatment.

PERSPECTIVES

Develop research on poisoning by venomous animals and educational actions alerting the population to prevent these accidents and updating health professionals on care.

What does Google Trends reveal about the proportion of waterpipe users in the Brazilian population?

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the relationship between internet search volume and the prevalence of waterpipe use among young Brazilians in 2019.

METHODS

This was a descriptive study with data from Brazil in 2019, using the relative search volume on waterpipes extracted from Google Trends and the proportion of waterpipe users aged between 15 and 24 years, as measured by the National Health Survey (Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde - PNS), and aged between 13 and 17 years, as measured by the National Adolescent School-based Health Survey (Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde do Escolar - PeNSE). The relationship was assessed by means of Spearman's correlation.

RESULTS

The point prevalence of waterpipe use across the Brazilian Federative Units (FUs) showed a moderate (r = 0.51; PNS) to strong correlation (r = 0.74 and r = 0.80; PeNSE) with the relative search volume (p-value < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Google Trends can support the monitoring system on waterpipe use in the FUs, providing additional information to existing population-based surveys.

MAIN RESULTS

The search volume for waterpipes by states in Brazil, as measured by Google Trends, showed a moderate to high correlation with the respective proportions of current use and experimentation of waterpipe among the adolescent/young adult population.

IMPLICATIONS FOR SERVICES

The use of Google Trends as a support to the monitoring system for waterpipe consumption in Brazil warrants further exploration in terms of the validity of additional information to existing population surveys.

PERSPECTIVES

Expanding the use of Google Trends searches to assess its potential in monitoring other health risk products and detecting (or predicting) incidence or seasonality of health-related events.

Subnational certification of elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and/or syphilis: a Brazilian experience report

OBJECTIVE

to describe the subnational implementation process of the certification for elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and/or syphilis, its main barriers, challenges and opportunities.

METHODS

in 2022, indicators from the last full year for impact targets and the last two full years for process targets, available in national information systems, were evaluated; descriptive reports were analyzed and actions were acknowledged within four thematic axes, according to PAHO/WHO recommendations.

RESULTS

43 municipalities ≥ 100,000 inhabitants were certified, covering 24.6 million inhabitants; one municipality achieved dual elimination (HIV-syphilis), 28 municipalities achieved elimination of HIV and 10 received silver tiers; regarding syphilis, one elimination was observed, along with 4 gold tiers, 13 silver tiers and 4 bronze tiers; a higher number of certifications was identified in the Southeast and South regions.

CONCLUSION

barriers and challenges of the process were overcome through tripartite collaboration; the experience provided better integration of surveillance with care and improved actions aimed at preventing mother-to-child transmission.

MAIN RESULTS

First experience of the sub-national process of certification of elimination of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV and/or syphilis at a global level. In 2022, 43 municipalities ≥ 100,000 inhabitants were certified, covering 24.6 million inhabitants.

IMPLICATIONS FOR SERVICES

The experience of sub-national certification of the EMTCT was important in mobilizing the municipalities that engaged in its initiatives, worked to improve the quality of care and surveillance and emerging as the main proponents in the process.

PERSPECTIVES

Through this ongoing and dynamic initiative, there is an anticipation of over 100 municipalities and states joining in 2023. Sub-national certification aims to enhance comprehensive care for pregnant women, in order to achieve national certification of EMTCT.