Oswaldo Cruz Foundation

About: Oswaldo Cruz Foundation is a facility organization based out in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Trypanosoma cruzi. The organization has 18673 authors who have published 36752 publications receiving 802378 citations. The organization is also known as: Fundação Oswaldo Cruz & FIOCRUZ.

VACTERL association, epidemiologic definition and delineation

Abstract: This study departed from a preconceived definition of VACTERL, including more than one of these six anomalies in the same infant:; V (vertebral anomalies), A (anal atresia), C (congenital heart disease), TE (tracheoesophageal fistula or esophageal atresia), R (reno-urinary anomalies), and L (radial limb defect). Under this definition, 524 infants were ascertained by ECLAMC from almost 3,000,000 births examined from 1967 through 1990. Observed association rates among VACTERL components as well as between VACTERL and other defects were compared against randomly expected values obtained from 10,084 multiply malformed infants (casuistic method) from the same birth sample. Conclusions were: 1) Cardiac defects are not a part of VACTERL. 2) Single umbilical artery, ambiguous genitalia, abdominal wall defects, diaphragmatic hernia, and anomalies that are secondary to VACTERL components (intestinal and respiratory anomalies, and oligohydramnios sequence defects) are frequent enough to be considered an “extension” of VACTERL, and cardiac defects should be included in this category. 3) Neural tube defects are negatively associated with VACTERL which could not be explained by selection bias or any other operational artifact. High embryonic lethality or mutually exclusive pathogenetic mechanisms could be suitable explanations. 4) Results were not clear enough to determine whether VACTERL should be defined by at least two or three component defects. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Field evaluation of effectiveness of the BG-Sentinel, a new trap for capturing adult Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae).

Abstract: In recent years, the development of new tools to gather field information about vector ecological parameters has increased. This report evaluated the BG-Sentinel Trap (BGS-Trap), a promising new attempt to improve collection of the dengue vector, Aedes aegypti. The efficacy of the BGS-Trap was compared with the CDC backpack aspirator, one of the commonest used methods for capturing adult mosquitoes. BGS-Traps captured significantly more Ae. aegypti males (chi2 = 21.774, df = 1, P < 0.05) and females (chi2 = 56.007, df = 1, P < 0.05) than CDC aspirator during all days of field collection. However, CDC aspirator was significantly more efficient to capture Culex quinquefasciatus males (chi2 = 5.681, df = 1, P < 0.05) and females (chi2 = 6.553, df = 1, P < 0.05). BGS-Traps captured host-seeking females (varying between 68.75 to 89.8%) in detriment of females in other behavioral and physiological stages. BGS-Traps proved to be efficient and can be used for monitoring adult mosquito populations.

Proven and putative vectors of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in Brazil: aspects of their biology and vectorial competence

Abstract: The aim of the present review is to give relevant information on aspects of the biology and ecology, including the vectorial competence of Lutzomyia sand fly species suggested as vectors of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in Brazil The disease, due to Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis, has been registered in most municipalities in all the Brazilian states and its transmission is associated with more than one sand fly species in each geographical region A variety of Leishmania species can be found in the Amazon basin, where different epidemiological chains have been detected with the participation of different phlebotomine vectors Finally, a discussion is presented on some sand fly species found naturally infected by Leishmania, but for which there is as yet no evidence regarding their epidemiological importance

Potential vectors of malaria and their different susceptibility to Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax in northern Brazil identified by immunoassay.

Abstract: During the period from May 1983 to July 1985 we conducted an epidemiological study to determine potential vectors of malaria in 6 districts in the state of Para in northern Brazil. The examination of random human blood smears, prepared at the time of mosquito capture, indicated overall human infection rates of 16.7% and 10.9% for Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax, respectively. Two immunoassays, the immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), based on the use of species-specific antisporozoite monoclonal antibodies, were used to analyze a total of 9,040 field-collected Anopheles mosquitoes for plasmodial infection. P. falciparum sporozoite antigen was detected in A. darlingi at rates varying from 2.7% to 4.2%, and in small numbers of A. oswaldoi collected in 1 of the districts. In contrast, sporozoite antigen of P. vivax was found in A. darlingi, A. triannulatus, A. nuneztovari, and A. albitarsis at rates ranging from 0.9% to 12.0%. By dissection, sporozoites were found in the salivary glands of these same 4 species at rates ranging from 0.8% to 2.2%. The latter 3 species had not previously been implicated as malaria vectors of any significance in northern Brazil.