Despite the wealth of information on the prevalence and correlates of canine Leishmania infection (CLI), data on its incidence are still sparse, and little is known regarding risk factors for CLI. We studied a cohort of dogs in an urban area in Brazil to determine whether incidence varied with age, breed, and environmental characteristics. The mean follow-up was 1.5 years, and the crude incidence rate was 11.8 cases/100 dog-years (95% confidence interval [CI] ‫ס‬ 8.6−15.6). In the multivariate analysis, short fur was the strongest predictor of CLI (relative risk [RR] ‫ס‬ 9.4). In addition, our data indicate that raising pigs (RR ‫ס‬ 4.1), chickens (RR ‫ס‬ 3.3), or other livestock (RR ‫ס‬ 2.6) significantly increased the risk of CLI. Thus, suggesting control measures directed towards modifying the environmental factors favoring contact between vectors, reservoirs, and susceptible humans, such as proximity to pigpens or hen houses. Furthermore, conventional control programs of insecticidal spraying of human dwellings should also apply insecticide in and around animal sheds.

Randomized controlled trial, Level I.

Objective  This research aims to study the effectiveness of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the treatment of patients with rotator cuff impingement syndrome compared with the treatment with subacromial injection of corticosteroids. Methods  This is a double-blind, randomized, comparative clinical trial. The patients were clinically evaluated with the use of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) outcome measure, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder rating scale and Constant-Murley shoulder outcome score (CMS) on the day of application, and then again after 1, 3 and 6 months. Results  No statistically significant differences were found ( p  < 0.05) when comparing the results of the DASH outcome measure, UCLA shoulder rating scale and CMS of the two groups at baseline and after 1, 3, and 6 months of treatment with subacromial injection. After the treatment, both groups showed a significant improvement in the DASH and UCLA scores ( p  < 0.05) when compared with the baseline. However, the CMS at 6 months after treatment with steroids was lower than the baseline. Concusions  These findings suggest that PRP is a safe treatment and can be a useful tool in the therapeutic arsenal against of the rotator cuff diseases, for there was no significant difference between the subacromial use of PRP and corticosteroids.

Objective: To evaluate if the injection of intra-articular platelet--rich plasma (PRP) can reduce impact-induced chondrocyte apoptosis. Methods: A double-blind experimental study was developed in four knees of two adult rabbits. Each knee was injured after anesthesia. Subsequently, 1ml PRP was injected in the right knees and 1ml of normal saline (NS) in the left knees. The animals were euthanized ten days after the intervention. All cartilage was removed from the 4 knees and prepared for analysis in electron microscopy (EM). Results: Four EM samples were obtained. The PRP-injected knees showed apoptosis rates of 47,62% (50/105) and 48,36% (59/122), respectively. NS--injected knees showed 56.67% (17/30) and 70.40% (88/125) of apoptosis. PRP-injected knees had statistically significant less apoptosis (48.02%) than NS-injected ones, (67.74%, p<0,001) and odds ratio of 0.439 (95% CI=0.287-0.673). Conclusion: Immediately post-traumatic intra-articular injection of PRP reduces impact-induced chondrocyte apoptosis in rabbits.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the percentage of apoptotic cells in a contusion model of osteoarthritis (OA) and to assess whether intra-articular injection of high doses of hyaluronic acid (HA) immediately after trauma reduces chondrocyte apoptosis. METHODS: Forty knees from adult rabbits were impacted thrice with a 1 kg block released through a 1 meter tall cylinder (29.4 Joules). Subsequently, 2 mL of HA was injected in one knee and 2 mL saline in the contra-lateral knee. Medication were administered twice a week for 30 days, when animals were sacrificed. Specimens were prepared for optical microscopy exam and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase end labeling assay (TUNEL). RESULTS: The apoptosis rate in the contusion model was 68.01% (± 19.73%), a higher rate than previously described. HA significantly reduced the rate of apoptosis to 53.52% (± 18.09) (p <0.001). CONCLUSION: Intra-articular HA administration started immediately after trauma reduces impact-induced chondrocyte apoptosis rates in rabbits. Level of Evidence I, Experimental Study.