Browsing by Author "Castro, R"
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- Evaluation of liquid biphasic Granada medium and instant liquid biphasic Granada medium for group B streptococcus detection.Publication . Martinho, F; Prieto, E; Pinto, C; Castro, R; Morais, A; Salgado, L; Exposto, FINTRODUCTION: Group B streptococci (GBS) are transmitted from the mother to the newborn. Prevention of neonatal infection is achieved by intrapartum prophylaxis given to mothers colonized with GBS at 35 to 37 weeks of pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Liquid biphasic Granada medium (LB) and instant liquid biphasic Granada medium (ILB) were evaluated for GBS detection. Vaginal swabs obtained from 300 women were inoculated onto LB or ILB, or onto Todd-Hewitt broth and analyzed with the ATB system (comparison method). RESULTS: Prevalence of GBS was 20% (61/300). LB and Todd-Hewitt with ATB detected GBS in 20% of women, and ILB in 19% of women. No growth was observed at four hours in any of the media studied. At 10 h and 14 h, identification of GBS was possible in 43/300 (14%) and 53/300 (18%) of ILB cultures, respectively, and in 32/300 (11%) and 46/300 (15%) of LB cultures. CONCLUSION: All the media used are suitable for GBS detection. The majority of GBS were identified in ILB and LB cultures at 10 h and 14 h.
- Hepatite C em toxicodependentes: acompanhamento e acesso à terapêuticaPublication . Castro, R; Valente, C; Ramos, J; Almeida, J; Marinho, R; Branco, T; Andrade, S; Macedo, AA hepatite C constitui, actualmente, um grave problema de saúde pública. Estima-se que existam, em todo o mundo, 180 milhões de pessoas com infecção crónica por vírus da hepatite C (VHC) e que a sua prevalência na população portuguesa varie entre 1 e 1,5%. Em Portugal, não existem normas de orientação actualizadas de tratamento, nem recomendações para o diagnóstico e acompanhamento dos doentes com VHC e, em particular, para os UDEVs. O presente artigo reúne informação de consenso relativa à de prática clínica e propõe algumas orientações para o acompanhamento e acessibilidade ao tratamento dos doentes toxicodependentes com infecção crónica por VHC, em Portugal.
- HIV, HBV and syphilis screening in antenatal care in Lubango, Angola.Publication . Oliveira, D; Martins, MR; Castro, R; Cordeiro, L; Barroso, MR; Nazaré, MA, et al.
- Non-AIDS-related comorbidities in people living with HIV-1 aged 50 years and older: The AGING POSITIVE study.Publication . Serrão, R; Piñero, C; Velez, J; Coutinho, D; Maltez, F; Lino, S; Sarmento, E; Castro, R; Tavares, AP; Pacheco, P; Lopes, MJ; Mansinho, K; Miranda, AC; Neves, I; Abreu, R; Almeida, J; Pássaro, LOBJECTIVE: To characterize the profile of non-AIDS-related comorbidities (NARC) in the older HIV-1-infected population and to explore the factors associated with multiple NARC. METHODS: This was a multicentre, cross-sectional study including HIV-1-infected patients aged ≥50 years, who were virologically suppressed and had been on a stable antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimen for at least 6 months. A multiple regression model explored the association between demographic and clinical variables and the number of NARC. RESULTS: Overall, 401 patients were enrolled. The mean age of the patients was 59.3 years and 72.6% were male. The mean duration of HIV-1 infection was 12.0 years and the median exposure to ART was 10.0 years. The mean number of NARC was 2.1, and 34.7% of patients had three or more NARC. Hypercholesterolemia was the most frequent NARC (60.8%), followed by arterial hypertension (39.7%) and chronic depression/anxiety (23.9%). Arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus were the most frequently treated NARC (95.6% and 92.6% of cases, respectively). The linear regression analysis showed a positive relationship between age and NARC (B=0.032, 95% confidence interval 0.015-0.049; p=0.0003) and between the duration of HIV-1 infection and NARC (B=0.039, 95% confidence interval 0.017-0.059; p=0.0005). CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of NARC was found, the most common being metabolic, cardiovascular, and psychological conditions. NARC rates were similar to those reported for the general population, suggesting a larger societal problem beyond HIV infection. A multidisciplinary approach is essential to reduce the burden of complex multi-morbid conditions in the HIV-1-infected population.
- Population mobility and the changing epidemics of HIV-2 in PortugalPublication . Carvalho, A; Valadas, E; França, L; Carvalho, C; Aleixo, M; Mendez, J; Marques, R; Sarmento, A; Doroana, M; Antunes, F; Branco, T; Águas, M; Castro, R; Lazarus, J; Barros, HINTRODUCTION: Portugal is the European country with the highest frequency of HIV-2 infection, which is mainly concentrated in West Africa. The cumulative number of notified HIV-2 infections in Portugal was 1813 by the end of December 2008. To better characterize the dynamics of HIV-2 infection in the country and to obtain data that may be of use in the prevention of the spread of HIV-2, we evaluated a large pooled sample of patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Five Portuguese hospitals provided data on HIV-2-infected patients from 1984 to the end of 2007. Data concerning demographic characteristics and clinical variables were extracted. Patients were stratified according to date of diagnosis in approximately 5-year categories. RESULTS: The sample included 442 patients, accounting for 37% of all HIV-2 infections notified in Portugal during that period. HIV-2-infected patients showed clearly different characteristics according to the period of diagnosis. Until 2000, the majority of HIV-2-infected patients were Portuguese-born males living in the north of the country. From 2000 to 2007, most of the patients diagnosed with HIV-2 infection had a West African origin, were predominantly female and were living in the capital, Lisbon. The average age at diagnosis and loss to follow-up significantly increased over time. CONCLUSION: HIV-2 infection has been documented in Portugal since the early 1980s and its epidemiology appears to reflect changes in population movement. These include the movements of soldiers and repatriates from African territories during the independence wars and, later, migration and mobility from high-endemicity areas. The findings of this study stress the importance of promoting migrant-sensitive health care.
- Seropositivity rate and sociodemographic factors associated to HIV, HBV, HCV and syphilis among parturients from Irene Neto Maternity of Lubango city, AngolaPublication . Oliveira, D; Martins, MDR; Castro, R; Cordeiro, L; Barroso, MR; Nazaré, MA, et al.OBJECTIVES: To characterise infections by HIV, Treponema pallidum, hepatitis B (HBV) and C virus (HCV) in parturients admitted to Irene Neto Maternity, Lubango city, Huíla province, Angola, namely its seropositivity rate and its association with sociodemographic factors. METHODS: An observational, cross-sectional and analytical facility-based survey was conducted among 500 parturients at Irene Neto Maternity, from October 2016 to September 2017. Women in labour were screened for antibodies against HIV-1/2, T. pallidum and HCV. Antigen detection was used to diagnose HBV infections. Sociodemographic data were also collected. The seropositivity rate and respective CIs were estimated at a level of 95%. Multivariable logistic regression models were performed to explore the association between the studied infections and sociodemographic factors. RESULTS: In 11.8% of the parturients (95% CI 9.3 to 14.9), at least one infection was detected. HBV infection was the most common (8.6%), followed by HIV infection (3.0%) and syphilis (1.0%). Coinfection with HBV and HIV was observed in two parturients (0.4%) and HBV, HIV and T. pallidum were all detected in one parturient (0.2%). No HCV infection was detected. For each additional year of formal education, pregnant women had a 10.0% lower chance of being infected with HBV (adjusted OR=0.900, 95% CI 0.816 to 0.992). CONCLUSIONS: This study is one of the few reports contributing for the knowledge of some sexually transmitted infections epidemiology in Angola. The seropositivity rate of the studied infections is of concern, especially the high endemicity of HBV. There is a need for a stronger commitment and further research to design cost-effective public health and clinical interventions to improve the situation.