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BACKGROUND: Anemia during childhood is one of the biggest public health problems worldwide, including Brazil. Insufficient or abnormal production of hemoglobin, loss of iron and excessive destruction of red blood cells are the most common causes of anemia. Among the reasons of anemia, iron deficiency accounts for 50% of anemia cases in developing countries. Affected individuals present a wide range of clinical problems, including delayed neuropsychomotor progression, impaired cellular immunity and reduction of intellectual capacity. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of anemia in children attending public schools in the metropolitan region of Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. METHOD: A retrospective study was conducted of 409 children aged 8-12 years old included in an extension project of the Universidade Federal do Paraná. The results of complete blood count and hemoglobin electrophoresis of all children were evaluated. Anemia was considered when the hemoglobin levels were <11.5 g/dL. RESULTS: The prevalence of anemia was found to be 2.2% of the population studied, with hypochromic microcytic anemia being the most common type. Seven children had sickle cell trait and one had ß-thalassemia. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of anemia in this study was considered normal according the World Health Organization classification, which is different from the data found in other Brazilian regions.

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ABSTRACT Background: Anemia during childhood is one of the biggest public health problems worldwide, including Brazil. Insufficient or abnormal production of hemoglobin, loss of iron and excessive destruction of red blood cells are the most common causes of anemia. Among the reasons of anemia, iron deficiency accounts for 50% of anemia cases in developing countries. Affected individuals present a wide range of clinical problems, including delayed neuropsychomotor progression, impaired cellular immunity and reduction of intellectual capacity. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of anemia in children attending public schools in the metropolitan region of Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. Method: A retrospective study was conducted of 409 children aged 8-12 years old included in an extension project of the Universidade Federal do Paraná. The results of complete blood count and hemoglobin electrophoresis of all children were evaluated. Anemia was considered when the hemoglobin levels were <11.5 g/dL. Results: The prevalence of anemia was found to be 2.2% of the population studied, with hypochromic microcytic anemia being the most common type. Seven children had sickle cell trait and one had β-thalassemia. Conclusion: The prevalence of anemia in this study was considered normal according the World Health Organization classification, which is different from the data found in other Brazilian regions.

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CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Microcytic anaemia results from defective synthesis of haemoglobin in the erythroid precursors, causing a reduction in its mean corpuscular volume (MCV). The most common causes of microcytosis, without the increase in HbA2 levels, are iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) and α-thalassemia. The aim of this study was to identify the causes of microcytic anaemia and evaluate the haematological parameters from blood donors deemed ineligible (due to the low haematocrit level) that would differentiate the IDA and α-thal, whether isolated or in association. METHODS: Genomic DNA was submitted to the polymerase chain reaction multiplex for the diagnosis of the most common allele deletions of α-thal and erythrogram and in order to verify haematological parameters. Iron deficiency (ID) was determined through the measurement of serum ferritin. RESULTS: Of the 204 samples, 82 (40.2%) were identified with ID, 24 (17.8%) with α-thal and 10 (4.9%) with ID associated with α-thal. In the α-thal with ID group haemoglobin (Hb), MCV, mean corpuscular Hb concentration (MCHC) and mean corpuscular Hb (MCH) values were significantly lower compared to the isolated α-thal. In the group with ID Hb, MCV, MCHC and MCH values were significantly lower compared to those with isolated α-thal. The α-thal with ID group, showed Hb, MCV, MCHC and MCH significantly reduced when compared to those with IDA. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the values of haematological parameters, especially haematocrit, Hb, MCV, MCH, MCHC and red blood cell distribution width (RDW), are lower in patients with IDA, especially when associated with α-thal and therefore it may be useful to discriminate between the different types of microcytic anaemia.

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A free living female adult of Myrmecophaga tridactyla was captured in an area of deforestation in Salta Province of northwest Argentina, for subsequent relocation in Iberá Park. Three days after entering the quarantine it died with clinical signs of anorexia and ascites. It presented severe hypochromic microcytic anemia, hypoproteinemia and increase of CPK, AST and LDH on blood analysis. Grossly, there were ascites, hydrothorax, pulmonary congestion and severe catarrhal hyperplasic gastritis. The gastric mucosa was diffusely hyperemic with two clusters of numerous Physaloptera magnipapilla attached in the fundic region. Fundic mucosa was irregular with convoluted surface and covered with abundant brown-yellow catarrhal exudates. Microscopically, the gastric mucosa had well described punctate areas (pit-like structures) at points of P. magnipapilla attachment. Additionally, there were mucous hyperplasia of gastric glands and focal fibrosis with scarce infiltration of plasma cells, lymphocytes, multinucleated giant cells and eosinophils in the underlying lamina propria. This report describes a case of anemia and hyperplastic gastritis due to Physaloptera magnipapilla parasitism in a free-living Myrmecophaga tridactyla.(AU)

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RESUMO

A free living female adult of Myrmecophaga tridactyla was captured in an area of deforestation in Salta Province of northwest Argentina, for subsequent relocation in Iberá Park. Three days after entering the quarantine it died with clinical signs of anorexia and ascites. It presented severe hypochromic microcytic anemia, hypoproteinemia and increase of CPK, AST and LDH on blood analysis. Grossly, there were ascites, hydrothorax, pulmonary congestion and severe catarrhal hyperplasic gastritis. The gastric mucosa was diffusely hyperemic with two clusters of numerous Physaloptera magnipapilla attached in the fundic region. Fundic mucosa was irregular with convoluted surface and covered with abundant brown-yellow catarrhal exudates. Microscopically, the gastric mucosa had well described punctate areas (pit-like structures) at points of P. magnipapilla attachment. Additionally, there were mucous hyperplasia of gastric glands and focal fibrosis with scarce infiltration of plasma cells, lymphocytes, multinucleated giant cells and eosinophils in the underlying lamina propria. This report describes a case of anemia and hyperplastic gastritis due to Physaloptera magnipapilla parasitism in a free-living Myrmecophaga tridactyla.

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