No abstract

O objetivo desse estudo foi analisar o uso de Práticas Integrativas e Complementares em Saúde (PICS) durante a pandemia da COVID-19 entre os residentes do Brasil, associando com fatores sociodemográficos e a presença de doenças crônicas. Trata-se de um estudo transversal com amostragem não probabilística por conveniência, cujas informações foram obtidas a partir da aplicação de um questionário on-line, durante os meses de abril de 2020 a setembro de 2020. Participam do estudo 691 indivíduos, com idade a partir de 18 anos, sobre seus aspectos sociodemográficos, de saúde e uso das PICS no período da pandemia. Os resultados mostram que a frequência do uso de PICS foi de 33,9%, sendo 61,9% residentes da Região Centro-Oeste, 38,6% possuindo duas ou mais doenças crônicas, 37,6% do sexo feminino e 38,9% pós-graduados. Meditação, Yoga e Homeopatia foram as práticas mais utilizadas, correspondendo a 65,4% de todas as práticas mencionadas no estudo. Recomenda-se uma revisão das estratégias e a realização de novos estudos de forma mais ampla e detalhada das macrorregiões para um maior aprofundamento sobre as potencialidades da utilização da PICS.

Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) are neglected diseases caused by helminths and protozoa, with the relationships between parasite, host and environment having the potential to produce high morbidity and incapacity to work and mortality in vulnerable areas. This study assessed the prevalence of IPIs concerning socio-environmental conditions and analyzed the knowledge, attitudes and practices related to these diseases among men living in the slums of Rio de Janeiro city, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted in an agglomeration of urban slums between 2018 and 2019, with men aged between 20 and 59 years. A socioeconomic status questionnaire and an IPIs knowledge, attitudes and practices questionnaire (KAPQ) were applied. Coproparasitological diagnoses (n=454) were performed using four methods and samples of water for household consumption (n=392) were subjected to microbiological and physicochemical analysis. A total of 624 participants were enrolled. About 40% of the households had "water unsuitable for consumption". Only one Major Area, MA 3 was not statistically significant for IPIs (AOR=0.75; 95% CI: 0.30-1.88; p=0.55). The overall prevalence of IPIs was 23.8%. Endolimax nana (n=65, 14.3%) and hookworm (n=8, 1.7%) were the most frequently identified parasites. The analysis of the frequency of responses to the KAPQ has shown that men reported to seeking medical care if they were suspicious of IPIs, and around 35% would self-medicate. The results have shown the need to adopt integrated health education practices targeting male residents in urban slums to qualify the care with water for human consumption and promote self-care about IPIs. The household can be considered strategic for Primary Health Care activities for men.

No abstract

Schistosomiasis is a widely distributed parasitic disease and one of the most important neglected tropical diseases globally, for which Praziquantel® (PZQ) is the only available treatment. In this context, tests with new PZQ formulations become relevant for disease control. This study evaluated the effects of PZQ treatment in the prepatent phase of schistosomiasis using two formulations: nanoencapsulated (PZQ-NANO) and active pharmaceutical ingredient (PZQ-API). Five experimental groups were established, for which the following serological parameters were evaluated: ALT, AST, ALP, and TP. Animals treated with PZQ-API at 15 and 30 days post-infection showed decreased eggs per gram of feces (EPG) compared to untreated infected animals. The same animals showed reductions of 63.6 and 65.1%, respectively, at 60 days post-infection. Animals treated with PZQ-NANO experienced no significant changes in EPG at any time of observation. Animals treated with either PZQ-API or PZQ-NANO had higher ALT and AST levels in the patent period (60 and 90 days post-infection). Treatment with PZQ, either API or NANO, at 15 days post-infection reduced AST, ALT, and TP levels. It is concluded that prepatent treatment with PZQ-API can reduce the parasite load of infected animals and that treatment at 15 days post-infection can prevent increased serum levels of ALT, AST, and TP.