Neglected diseases are a group of communicable diseases that mainly affect tropical regions of developing countries. Among this group of diseases is Chagas disease, which has been classified among the six most important parasitic diseases in the world, and it is estimated that more than one billion people are at risk in endemic countries. The objective of this study is to review the literature on the symptomatological and clinical characterization of Chagas disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. This is an integrative literature review study. For this, we used the following descriptors in the search: Trypanosoma cruzi, epidemiological profile, Chagas disease and clinical aspects (together and separately). In the selection criteria we opted for full articles, in the period 2013 - 2021 (last 9 years), in Portuguese and English. The searches were conducted in the following databases: Scientific Electronic Library Online (Scielo), Pubmed, Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences (Lilacs), Google Scholar. The articles were selected first by title, then by abstract, and finally by complete reading. The literature shows that Chagas disease is caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, characterized by the presence of a flagellum and kinetoplast. Some of its clinical manifestations include: fever, asthenia, adynamia, myalgia, arthralgia, headache, myocarditis, and hepatosplenomegaly. Therefore, it is important to know all the characteristics of this disease, since it can be considered a public health problem. It is suggested that new studies be carried out with different approaches, in order to elucidate even more specifically the dynamics surrounding this disease.

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Background: COVID-19 disrupted NTD programs in 60% of countries, impairing public health goals. Thus, boosting NTD's research knowledge is pressing, and in vivo screening of candidates allows for the prospect of auspicious options based on their overall profile Objective: In this work, we highlighted the relevant research done between 2015-2021 in the fields of synthetic and repurposed drugs that were tested in vivo for Chagas disease, malaria, and schistosomiasis. Methods: MEDLINE, PUBMED, CAPES PERIODIC, and ELSEVIER databases were used for a comprehensive literature review of the last 5 years of research on each area/disease. Results: Overall, research focused on nitro heterocyclic, aromatic nitro, nucleoside, and metal-based scaffolds for analogue-based drug generation. Repurposing was widely assessed, mainly with heterocyclic drugs, their analogues, and in combinations with current treatments. Several drug targets were aimed for Chagas treatment, specific ones such as iron superoxide dismutase, and more general ones, such as mitochondrial dysfunction. For malaria, hemozoin is still popular, and for schistosomiasis, more general structural damage and/or reproduction impairment were aimed at in vitro analysis of the mechanism of action. Conclusion: Latest in vivo results outlined trends for each disease - for Chagas Disease, heterocyclics as thiazoles were successfully explored; for Malaria, quinoline derivatives are still relevant, and for schistosomiasis, repurposed drugs from different classes outstood in comparison to synthetic compounds. This study uprises the continuous development of Chagas disease, malaria, and schistosomiasis drugs, providing researchers with tools and information to address such unmet therapeutic needs.

Childhood is a phase of life that, for the most part, is symbolized by the act of playing. It is through this stage that the child has new skills, experiences, and discoveries. In addition, one can also notice the development of processes such as creativity, self-confidence, social-affective relationships, and cognition. However, some situations sometimes hinder the realization of processes that are essential for childhood, hospitalization being one of them. The study aims to know the playful strategies in the scenario of pediatric hospitalization, highlighting its benefits and importance in hospital humanization. This is an integrative review, carried out from articles collected from the Scielo, PubMed, Lilacs, Medline and BDENF databases. The descriptors applied were "Child Health" AND "Play Therapy". The findings showed that play strategies are extremely important in the humanization of care for hospitalized children, as they reduce suffering and make hospitalization less painful and traumatic. It was concluded that playful strategies when implemented in the pediatric hospital setting promote a less traumatic recovery, in addition to allowing for greater tranquility in the hospital environment. Moreover, the use of playful strategies was pointed out by the studies as a communication resource that benefits not only the physical, emotional, and immunological stimuli, but also the relationship between the child and the health professional, thus contributing to a greater trust in the therapy adopted and in the multiprofessional team.