Background: COVID-19 has exacerbated health inequalities worldwide. Yet, such a perspective has not been investigated in specific healthcare workers and their resulting inclusion as a priority group for vaccination have been an important focus of political and social discussion. This study aimed at investigating whether SARS-CoV-2-seropositivity in healthcare workers in a public hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was influenced by social determinants of health and the social vulnerability in subgroups of workers. Methods: A serological survey was conducted in 1,154 healthcare workers in June and July 2020. The association between the serological test results for detection of IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and socioeconomic, occupational characteristics and transportation used by the workers to commute was assessed using the Pearson´s chi-square test and Cramer's V. Findings: Overall, the serum prevalence for the virus in the healthcare workers was 30% (342/1141). Non-white workers (208/561) with lower income (169/396) and schooling (150/353), as well as users of the mass transportation system (157/246) showed the highest infection rates. Importantly they mostly corresponded to hospital support workers (131/324), in particular the cleaning personnel (42/70). Accordingly, income, schooling and work modality appeared as negative predictors, as ascertained by forest plot analysis. Interpretations: The data clearly illustrate the inequality in SARS-CoV-2 infection in the Brazilian population, comprising even healthcare workers of the Brazilian unified health system.

Mutations in the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 gene (FGFR3) cause achondroplasia (ACH), hypochondroplasia (HCH), and thanatophoric dysplasia types I and II (TDI/TDII). In this study, we performed a genetic study of 123 Brazilian patients with these phenotypes. Mutation hotspots of the FGFR3 gene were PCR amplified and sequenced. All cases had recurrent mutations related to ACH, HCH, TDI or TDII, except for 2 patients. One of them had a classical TDI phenotype but a typical ACH mutation (c.1138G>A) in combination with a novel c.1130T>C mutation predicted as being pathogenic. The presence of the second c.1130T>C mutation likely explained the more severe phenotype. Another atypical patient presented with a compound phenotype that resulted from a combination of ACH and X-linked spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia tarda (OMIM 313400). Next-generation sequencing of this patient's DNA showed double heterozygosity for a typical de novo ACH c.1138G>A mutation and a maternally inherited TRAPPC2 c.6del mutation. All mutations were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. A pilot study using high-resolution melting (HRM) technique was also performed to confirm several mutations identified through sequencing. We concluded that for recurrent FGFR3 mutations, HRM can be used as a faster, reliable, and less expensive genotyping test than Sanger sequencing.

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Introdução:A Leishmaniose Visceral Canina (LVC) continua sendo um problema de saúde pública. Esta doença é causada pelo protozoário Leishmania, sendo a Leishmania chagasi responsável por esta infecção no Brasil. Cães domésticos são um dos reservatórios do parasito e quando são picados pelo flebótomo, vetor desta doença, podem infectar os seres humanos. Apesar das medidas de controle, as notificações por Leishmaniose têm aumentado constantemente. O diagnóstico precoce e correto é muito importante, pois ajuda na prevenção e controle da doença. Bio-Manguinhos/Fiocruz-RJ, desde 2004, vem produzindo o conjunto diagnóstico para atender à demanda do Ministério da Saúde. Com a alteração do algoritmo de testagem da Leishmaniose Canina, houve a necessidade da manutenção do fornecimento do teste Elisa que passou a ser usado como confirmatório, sendo imprescindível a otimização nos processos de estocagem e transporte, facilitando a sua utilização pelo usuário final e possibilitando a redução de custos.Objetivo: Neste estudo testamos reagentes comerciais que possibilitem a armazenagem e o transporte de todo o kit entre 2 e 80 C. Atualmente, parte dos reagentes é mantida a -200C e outra sob refrigeração, o que implica em maior complexidade logística tanto de transporte como de estocagem e, consequentemente, maior custo.Metodologia: Resultados obtidos em ensaios com placas de Elisa sensibilizadas com antígeno de Leishmaniose (L.Major) e mantidas a -200C foram comparados aos obtidos com placas sensibilizadas com o mesmo antígeno e mantidas entre 2 e 80C. Nestas últimas, adicionouse um estabilizante que previne degradação e desnaturação, além de bloquear qualquer sítio livre na superfície da placa, minimizando possíveis reações cruzadas. Para mantermos o conjugado entre 2 e 80C, o mesmo foi diluído 1:10 em estabilizante e testado em ensaio imunoenzimático, comparando-se os resultados obtidos com os resultados do conjugado diluído em PBS-glicerol 80% e mantido a -200C. Para a conservação dos controles positivo e negativo, adicionouse 0,2% de azida sódica a fim de evitar contaminações no kit mantido entre 2 e 80C. Estes controles foram testados para avaliarmos possíveis interferências da azida sódica e a performance em relação aos mantidos à -200C.

Background: COVID-19 increased health inequalities worldwide. Even among healthcare workers, social-economical features enhanced the risk of infection (having positive serology) during the first outbreak. The Omicron variant changed the pandemic course and differs from previous variants in many aspects (molecular, clinical, and epidemiological). Herein, we investigated if the profile of our hospital SARS-CoV-2-positive workers during the Omicron outbreak was the same as the first COVID-19 wave. Methods: Socio-demographics, previous infection, and vaccine status of 351 healthcare workers from our institution during the Omicron outbreak were compared between SARS-CoV-2-negative and -positive workers, using chi-square tests. These data were confronted with the profile observed at the beginning of the pandemic. Results: Compared to the original COVID-19 wave, higher odds of SARS-CoV-2 positivity in highly exposed workers in our hospital and a loss of impact of public transportation and other socio-demographic features in SARS-CoV-2 transmission were observed. Conclusions: Our data suggest the current phase of the pandemic is associated with a reduction of social inequalities among healthcare workers in Rio de Janeiro, possibly due to vaccine-associated protection. Therefore, a worldwide effort to advance vaccination coverage, especially for healthcare workers in developing countries, should be reinforced.