Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2014-01"
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- WP 9 - individual consultation before the pilot study Topics for discussion by INSAPublication . Vasco, Elsa; Dias, M. Graça
- Crosstalk between inflammation, iron metabolism and endothelial function in Behçet’s diseasePublication . Oliveira, R.; Napoleão, P.; Banha, J.; Paixão, E.; Bettencourt, A.; M da Silva, B.; Pereira, D.; Barcelos, F.; Teixeira, A.; Vaz Patto, J.; Viegas-Crespo, A.M.; Costa, L.Behçet's disease (BD) is a rare chronic vasculitis of unclear etiology. It has been suggested that inflammatory response has an important role in BD pathophysiology. Herein, we aimed to study the interplay between inflammation, iron metabolism and endothelial function in BD and search for its putative association with disease activity. Twenty five patients clinically diagnosed with BD were selected and twenty four healthy age-sex matched individuals participated as controls. Results showed an increase of total number of circulating white blood cells and neutrophils, serum transferrin, total iron binding capacity, mieloperoxidase (MPO), ceruloplasmin (Cp), C reactive protein, β2 microglobulin and Cp surface expression in peripheral blood monocytes in BD patients comparatively to healthy individuals (p < 0,05). Of notice, the alterations observed were associated to disease activity status. No significant differences between the two groups were found in serum nitric oxide concentration. The results obtained suggest an important contribution from innate immunity in the pathogenesis of this disease. In particular, surface expression of leukocyte-derived Cp may constitute a new and relevant biomarker to understand BD etiology.
- Smoking behaviour trends among Portuguese physicians: are they role models? A conference-based surveyPublication . Ravara, S.B.; Castelo-Branco, M.; Aguiar, P.; Calheiros, José M.
- MERS coronavirus: data gaps for laboratory preparednessPublication . de Sousa, Rita; Reusken, Chantal; Koopmans, MarionSince the emergence of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in 2012, many questions remain on modes of transmission and sources of virus. In outbreak situations, especially with emerging organisms causing severe human disease, it is important to understand the full spectrum of disease, and shedding kinetics in relation to infectivity and the ability to transmit the microorganism. Laboratory response capacity during the early stages of an outbreak focuses on development of virological and immunological methods for patient diagnosis, for contact tracing, and for epidemiological studies into sources, modes of transmission, identification of risk groups, and animal reservoirs. However, optimal use of this core public health laboratory capacity requires a fundamental understanding of kinetics of viral shedding and antibody response, of assay validation and of interpretation of test outcomes. We reviewed available data from MERS-CoV case reports, and compared this with data on kinetics of shedding and immune response from published literature on other human coronaviruses (hCoVs). We identify and discuss important data gaps, and biases that limit the laboratory preparedness to this novel disease. Public health management will benefit from standardised reporting of methods used, details of test outcomes by sample type, sampling date, in relation to symptoms and risk factors, along with the currently reported demographic, clinical and epidemiological findings.
- Novel genes causing familial hypercholesterolaemiaPublication . Bourbon, Mafalda
- Prevalência e incidência de hipertensão arterial na população portuguesa: âmbito da actividade de investigação e evolução das tendênciasPublication . Sousa-Uva, Mafalda; Victorino, Paulo; Roquette, Rita; Machado, Ausenda; Dias, Carlos MatiasA hipertensão arterial (HTA) tem vindo a ser descrita como o fator de risco mais relevante para as doenças cardiovasculares e cerebrovasculares, nomeadamente o Enfarte agudo do Miocárdio e o Acidente Vascular Cerebral, as quais se encontram entre as mais importantes causas de morbilidade e mortalidade em todo o mundo.Durante os últimos 30 anos, Portugal tem sido descrito como um dos países com os mais elevados níveis de tensão arterial média 8 e em 2008, estima-se que as doenças cardiovasculares fossem responsáveis por cerca de um terço de todas as mortes . Nesse mesmo ano, em Portugal, a prevalência de hipertensão arterial ou de uso de medicamentos anti-hipertensores em adultos com idades superiores ou iguais a 25 anos foi estimado em aproximadamente 41,9% (46,5% nos homens e 37,4% nas mulheres) . Entre 1980 e 2008 verificou-se um decréscimo da tensão arterial sistólica, mais acentuado nas mulheres do que nos homens.Com vista a melhorar o conhecimento sobre a epidemiologia da doença de hipertensão arterial em Portugal, assim como da atividade de investigação realizada nesse domínio, foram estabelecidos os seguintes objetivos: I. Realização de uma revisão de âmbito para descrição do âmbito da atividade de investigação (natureza, foco e quantidade) na prevalência e incidência de hipertensão arterial na população portuguesa. II. Descrição da evolução e tendências nas estimativas de prevalência de HTA auto-declarada em Portugal, através da análise dos dados ECOS (Em Casa Observamos Saúde) 2002, 2007 e 2010. III. Definição da evolução das tendências na incidência de hipertensão arterial utilizando os dados da Rede de Médicos Sentinela, para os anos em que foi recolhida essa informação (1995-1997 e 2011).
- Critérios microbiológicos de higiene e segurança alimentarPublication . Saraiva, MargaridaSumário: 1- Apresentação do INSA, I.P. 2- Como alcançar níveis aceitáveis de Segurança Alimentar 3- Definir objectivos de segurança e de desempenho 4- Critérios microbiológicos 4.1 Tipos de critérios 4.2 Ensaios a realizar (indicadores de alteração e de higiene e patogénicos) 4.3 Planos de amostragem 4.4 Limites a aplicar 4.5 Métodos de análise 4.6 Formas de expressão de resultados 4.7 Onde aplicar os critérios 4.7 Medidas a tomar
- Implementation of Electronic Transmission of Chemical Occurrence Data in PortugalPublication . Ravasco, Francisco; Lopes, Ana; Pereira, João; Sidney, Tomé; Vilarinho, Fernanda; Valente, Ricardo; Nunes, João Pedro; Oliveira, LuisaABSTRACT: The present report describes the work done in the project Implementation of the Electronic Transmission of Chemical Occurrence Data in Portugal. The objective of the project was to implement and test an electronic system for the transmission of food contaminant data to EFSA and create a national database, according to EFSA standards. This document describes also the challenges encountered during the implementation of the standard model and makes a general analysis on its limitations and potential developments.
- Clinically relevant multidrug resistant Salmonella enterica in swine and meat handlers at the abattoirPublication . Gomes-Neves, Eduarda; Antunes, Patrícia; Manageiro, Vera; Gärtner, Fátima; Caniça, Manuela; Correia da Costa, José Manuel; Peixe, LuísaThe presence of multidrug resistant (MDR) Salmonella serotypes in slaughtered swine, carcasses, meat and meat handlers is scarcely evaluated. Recently we demonstrated that diverse Salmonella serotypes are frequently present in swine, pork meat and carcasses, and meat handlers at Portuguese abattoirs. Here we have characterized their antibiotic resistance phenotypes and genotypes, helping elucidate the flow of MDR Salmonella in the food chain. Testing 60 Salmonella isolates from different serotypes, the highest frequencies of resistance were observed for tetracycline (T) [70% (n = 42/60), tet(A)/tet(B)/tet(G)], streptomycin (S) [63% (n = 38/60), aadA2/strA/strB], sulfamethoxazole (Sul) [62% (n = 37/60), sul1/sul2/sul3] and ampicillin (A) [57% (n = 34/60), blaPSE-1/blaTEM]. Thirty-seven percent (n = 22/60) carried class 1 integrons and multidrug resistance was frequently observed (63% n = 38/60), including those serotypes common to human infections [S. Typhimurium 78% n = 25/32; S. 4,[5],12:i:- 67% n = 2/3; S. Rissen 75% (n = 3/4); S. London 67% n = 2/3; S. Derby 55%; n = 6/11)]. The emergent S. 4,[5],12:i:- isolates were mostly characterized by ASSuT phenotype [blaTEM/strA-strB/sul2/tet(B)], typical of the European clone, while for the first time the ST phenotype [strA-strB-tet(A)-tet(B)] was also observed. Moreover, we report a first finding of a MDR phenotype in S. London [ANSSuT; blaTEM-strA-strB-sul2-tet(A)]. Our findings suggest that the abattoir environment and the slaughter operations seem not only to harbor MDR serotypes that originated in the pig reservoir, but also propagate them through cross-contamination processes, involving meat handlers. The present study suggests a probable relationship between swine and human salmonellosis throughout the food chain, which is of interest for epidemiological, animal health and public health purposes.
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