A deficiência de vitamina A constitui um problema de saúde pública no Nordeste brasileiro. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a prevalência da deficiência de vitamina A e os fatores associados em pré-escolares de Teresina, Piauí, Brasil. Os níveis de retinol sérico foram determinados por HPLC, e foram investigadas as características sócio-econômicas e demográficas de 631 crianças com idade de 36 a 83 meses. Investigou-se a associação entre os níveis de retinol e as variáveis de interesse por análise de regressão linear uni e multivariada. O nível médio de retinol foi de 1,21mmol/L (IC95%: 1,17-1,25µmol/L), independente do sexo (p = 0,259). A hipovitaminose A (retinol < 0,69µmol/L) foi observada em 15,4% das crianças (IC95%: 12,7-18,4), com tendência à diminuição com o avanço da idade; 29% das crianças (IC95%: 25,2-32,4) tinham valores aceitáveis de retinol, mas não adequados (0,70 a 1,04µmol/L). Encontrou-se associação positiva entre níveis de retinol e idade, renda per capita, suplementação prévia com vitamina A e escolaridade materna. A prevalência de hipovitaminose A representa um problema moderado de saúde pública, ressaltando a importância das estratégias de combate a essa carência na região.

During a measles outbreak, 2 mothers with measles gave birth at University Hospital in São Paulo City, Brazil. Blood, saliva and urine were collected from the mothers and newborns. Measles virus genome and IgM antibodies against measles were detected. In 1 infant, measles virus genome persisted in peripheral blood mononuclear cells for 157 days after birth.

0.05). The amount of viral antigen production seems to depend not only on cell concentration, but also on other culture factors such as the characteristic of the cell-growth surface. Thus, the present findings provide a baseline for further improvements and strategies to be established for a scaling-up virus production since depending on the type of virus the optimal conditions found for a small-scale virus production seem unsuitable for large-scale production, requiring new standardization and evaluation.]]>

Recent measles outbreaks in different countries led to an increase of laboratory measles diagnosis. Thus, we developed the IgM-Measles ELISA IAL , using measles virus antigens obtained from cell cultured in microcarriers in order to supply reagent kits to Brazilian public health laboratories. A batch of antigenic reagent was produced and evaluated in the enzyme immunoassay in comparison with clinical diagnosis and with as reference assay (IgM Capture ELISA CDC ) data. This study was performed in a positive panel with 70 serum samples from patients with measles, and a negative panel with 132 samples from patients with unrelated diseases and without recent measles or vaccination history. In relation to other diagnostic methods, the IgM ELISA IAL presented sensitivity higher than 97.1%, specificity and precision of 97%, and agreement kappa (k) index higher than 0.94 (P < 0.05). Moreover, the IgM antibody profile from measles acute phase revealed by the assay was similar to the reference assay. A practical analysis system for checking the quality of new reagent batches was proposed based on the diagnostic features and agreement kappa index. Our findings suggest that measles antigenic reagents can be produced with reliable quality control system, and supplied to public health laboratories for routine serodiagnosis or population surveys.

25Pertussis resurgence worldwide calls for new prevention strategies, as the recently 26 incorporated vaccine booster dose during pregnancy, whose aim is to protect newborns 27 from infection. In Brazil, maternal Tdap vaccination is recommended since 2014, and we 28 reported that this strategy promotes high transplacental transfer of anti-PT IgG and it is 29 effective in protecting infants early in life. Young children are the most susceptible group 30 and with higher mortality rates, however, it is not well known whether the elicited anti-31 pertussis maternal antibodies could influence in the children's immune responses further 32 in life, especially after their own vaccination against pertussis. Considering this scenario, 33 we conducted a study with children born to mothers who either received or not the booster 34 dose during pregnancy, after their primary pertussis vaccination, in order to investigate 35 the first impact of maternal immunisation on the response to infant immunisation 36 regarding the cellular immune response, while comparing with data from the literature. 37As transfer of maternal antibodies could result in attenuation of the immune response to 38 vaccination in infants, this study performed to determine whether higher levels of 39 maternal antibodies could influence in the immune response of infants to the whole-40 pertussis vaccination series. Results showed no difference in cytokine production 41 between groups, a first suggestion that maternal vaccination may not interfere with 42 recognition and cellular response generation to vaccination. This data, together with 43 humoral immunity and epidemiological studies, is important for the implementation of 44 maternal immunisation strategies nationwide and will contribute to assure public policies 45 regarding vaccination schemes. 46 47 Importance: Pertussis, or whopping cough, is a respiratory infectious disease caused by 48 a bacterial agent, resulting in violent coughs and possibly death in vulnerable groups, 49 3 such as young children and neonates. It is known that pregnant mothers transfer 50 antibodies to their developing foetuses for protection in early life, however anti-pertussis 51 antibodies are not highly detected in young children. Thus, a pertussis maternal 52 vaccination was implemented to increase maternal anti-pertussis antibodies levels in 53 pregnant women and therefore the transference to the foetus. However, maternal 54 antibodies can also interfere in the child immune response in the first months of life. The 55 significance of our research is in analysing the cellular immune response of children born 56 from pertussis-vaccinated mothers, which will give a first glimpse on how maternal 57 antibodies could modulate the child's response to pertussis in early life. 58 59 Introduction 60 Pertussis is a contagious respiratory disease caused by the Bordetella pertussis bacteria 61 [1]. Despite high vaccination coverage, it remains an important public health problem, re-62 emerging in several countries every several yea...