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INTRODUCTION: Serological assays are alternative laboratory tools for the diagnosis of parasitic infections. The aim of this work was to evaluate the performance of the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and Western blotting (WB) for the detection of IgG anti-Giardia antibodies in human sera. METHODOLOGY: Sera from individuals infected with Giardia duodenalis, other parasites or non-parasitized were selected for serological assays. Ninety-seven sera were tested by IFAT at 1:20 and 1:40 dilutions and of these, 40 samples were also analyzed by WB. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of the IFAT was 97% and 46.9% at 1:20 sera dilution, and 39.4% and 59.4% at 1:40 sera dilution. The low molecular weight polypeptides fractions of 25 kDa, 27-31 kDa and 45-55 kDa were the most frequently identified by the sera of individuals infected with G. duodenalis, along with low cross-reactivity, presenting an individual sensitivity of 42.8%, 50.0% and 57.1%, and specificity of 83.3%, 83.3% and 91.7%, respectively. The highest overall sensitivity of WB (85.7%) was based on the immunoreactivity of sera with at least one of those proteins. The concordance between the detection of G. duodenalis in feces by microscopy and the WB results was considered substantial (Kappa = 0.61). CONCLUSION: Constant exposure to Giardia infection throughout a lifetime can maintain high levels of specific antibodies in serum, even without active infection. Moreover, proteins found in intestinal amoebas may hinder the serological diagnosis of giardiasis in endemic areas due to cross-reactivity, which can be partially solved using Giardia low molecular weight proteins.

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AIM: This study compared the shaping ability of four new reciprocating and rotary nickel-titanium instruments, with triangular or S-shaped cross-section, in the mesial canals of mandibular molars using micro-computed tomographic (micro-CT) evaluation. METHODOLOGY: Twenty-four extracted mandibular molars with Vertucci's class IV configuration in the mesial root were selected for this study. The teeth were matched in fours according to anatomic similarities as revealed by micro-CT and then distributed into four groups of 12 mesial canals each according to the instrumentation technique: Reciproc Blue, R-motion, VDW.Rotate and RaCe EVO. The final apical size of instrumentation was 30/0.04 for three systems and 25/08 for the Reciproc Blue instrument. Micro-CT scans were taken before and after preparation to evaluate the canal volume, area and unprepared surface areas, as well as the centring ability, and the canal: root width ratio. RESULTS: Preparation with all systems significantly increased the volume and area of the canals (p < .05). There were no significant differences between groups regarding the amount of unprepared areas in both the apical and full canal lengths (p > .05). Variation in the centre of gravity showed no significant difference between groups either (p > .05). The canal: root width ratio at levels 0 and 4 mm apically to the coronal canal opening was significantly increased by all systems (p < .01), with no significant differences between groups (p > .05). The canal width never exceeded 40% of the root width. CONCLUSIONS: Reciprocating or rotary instruments, with a triangular or an S-shaped cross-section, performed equally in shaping Vertucci's class IV mesial canals of mandibular molars.

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The aim was to assess neurological complications in children with an invasive neurological disease by dengue virus (DENV) and the time to resolve symptoms after hospital discharge. A prospective study was conducted at a referral hospital for infectious diseases in Brazil between March 2014 and July 2019. All children hospitalized with neurologic manifestations and DENV RNA detected by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were followed up until complete resolution of neurological complications. On average, they were followed up for 16 months. Among 56 DENV-positive children, 39% had some neurologic complications after hospital discharge and found that 19.6% were discharged with anticonvulsants due to seizures, 10.7% developed motor complications (e.g. muscle weakness, paresis, ataxia, and walking disability), 5.4% had headaches, and 14.3% had sleep disorders. Among the 56 children, only three had a clinical diagnosis of dengue because the symptoms are nonspecific and 35% showed no change in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The average time to resolve complications was 5.9 months (ranging from 1 m to 32 m). These results should alert physicians to the difficulties of a clinical diagnosis of an infection that causes neurological complications after discharge in a significant number of children. RT-qPCR's etiological diagnosis of DENV infection enabled better clinical follow-up for early intervention in children with neurological complications.

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We evaluated neurologic complications following noncongenital Zika virus infection in 11 children who presented with central nervous system signs. Zika virus RNA was detected by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in cerebrospinal fluid. Approximately one-quarter of patients required antiepileptic medication in follow-up, and 2 children progressed to learning difficulties or developmental delay.

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BACKGROUND: Viruses are a common cause of central nervous system (CNS) infections. However, studies of CNS viral pathogens in pediatric patients are poorly explored because viral infections are often erroneously diagnosed as bacterial infections. METHODS: 299 CNS samples were collected from pediatric patients aged from one month to 14 years old. A total of 140 viral meningitis cases that met the inclusion criteria were included in this study. In 38 of the 140 cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) samples (27.1%), conventional and real-time PCR were used to identify viruses commonly associated with CNS infections. RESULTS: Among them, 23 patients (16.5%) tested positive for flaviviruses such as dengue, Zika, and yellow fever virus, eight patients (5.7%) were positive for enterovirus (ENTV), and six patients (4.3%) were positive for human herpesvirus 1/2. We also identified one case of dengue virus and ENTV co-infection. CONCLUSIONS: A correlation between clinical symptoms and laboratory findings for the viruses was identified. Our study also reinforces the importance of including viruses in the laboratory diagnosis of CNS infections especially flaviviruses, which assists public health authorities in implementing early interventions.

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A dor lombar é uma disfunção que atinge a região baixa da coluna vertebral, podendo comprometer quadris e pernas. A Organização Mundial da Saúde estima que 80% dos sujeitos tem ou terão lombalgia e, em 40% dos casos, a dor inicial tende a se tornar crônica. O exercício é um dos poucos tratamentos baseados em evidências para a lombalgia crônica, mas a melhor forma de aplicar este tratamento é desconhecida. Este estudo teve como objetivo comparar dois protocolos de intervenção para o manejo da dor lombar crônica não-específica em mulheres de 25 a 50 anos quanto à dor, à funcionalidade e à qualidade de vida dos indivíduos. Um protocolo foi baseado em exercícios do método Pilates e o outro na Escola de Postura. Os instrumentos de avaliação foram o questionário de Roland Morris, O SF-36 e a Escala Visual Analógica para dor. A maior parte das mulheres apresentou diminuição da dor, melhora da funcionalidade e da qualidade de vida. O grupo tratado com a Escola de Postura obteve resultados melhores quando comparados com os resultados do grupo tratado com o método Pilates. Entretanto, devido ao pequeno número de voluntárias, não é possível afirmar as diferenças entre os dois grupos.

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