Biomedical subjects

F Coutinho

Publications and source records attributed to F Coutinho.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1999

A theoretical model of the evolution of virulence in sexually transmitted HIV/AIDS.

INTRODUCTION: The evolution of virulence in host-parasite relationships has been the subject of several publications. In the case of HIV virulence, some authors suggest that the evolution of HIV virulence correlates with the rate of acquisition of new sexual partners. In contrast some other authors argue that the level of HIV virulence is independent of the sexual activity of the host population. METHODS: Provide a mathematical model for the study of the potential influence of human sexual behaviour on the evolution of virulence of HIV is provided. RESULTS: The results indicated that, when the probability of acquisition of infection is a function both of the sexual activity and of the virulence level of HIV strains, the evolution of HIV virulence correlates positively with the rate of acquisition of new sexual partners. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that in the case of a host population with a low (high) rate of exchange of sexual partners the evolution of HIV virulence is such that the less (more) virulent strain prevails.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed1999

[Infective endocarditis].

Two different series of patients with Infectious Endocarditis (IE), hospitalized in the same ward of Curry Cabral Hospital in Lisbon, are presented and compared. The two series were separated by a ten-year period--the first included patients observed from 1970 to 1976 and the second from 1988 to 1998. In the first series (20 patients), IE occurred mainly in patients with previous cardiac valvular lesion, the course was subacute and Streptococcus viridans was the predominant agent. In the last series (65 patients), most of the patients were young and had no previous valvular lesions. Right side endocarditis predominated and the course was acute. Most of patients were drug addicts and had HIV infection. Staphylococcus aureus was the predominant agent. The ages of the two series were significantly different (p < 0.005). The diagnostic value of transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography is stressed. The details of the evolution of patients with HIV infection are presented according to the values of CD4+ lymphocyte counts. The relatively good prognosis of IE in drug addicts with antibiotic treatment, even with HIV infection, is emphasized.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Primary lymphoma of the central nervous system in a patient with AIDS].

The increasing incidence of primary brain lymphoma appears to be real in immunologically normal people. However, lymphoma of the central nervous system has a much higher incidence in patients with immune deficient status as in renal and cardiac transplants, patients with IgA deficiency, or Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome. Thus, the increased predisposition of AIDS patients to brain lymphoma is not surprising, this being the second most frequent cause among cerebral mass lesions in the AIDS population. We report a case of a 36 year old white woman with AIDS and a cerebral mass lesion which we demonstrated to be a primary brain lymphoma.

Adult↗