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J B Pereira

Publications and source records attributed to J B Pereira.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Use of recombinant antigens for the accurate immunodiagnosis of Chagas' disease.

We tested two Trypanosoma cruzi recombinant antigens in a diagnostic test for Chagas' disease. These antigens were a cytoplasmic repetitive antigen (CRA) and a flagellar repetitive antigen (FRA). The results indicate that the recombinant antigens give better results when used in combination than when used separately, and that the removal of the beta-galactosidase portion of the recombinant fusion proteins increases the specificity of the diagnostic test for Chagas' disease. In addition, a direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), which involves the use of peroxidase-labeled antigens to detect the immune-complexes, was developed and compared with a conventional ELISA. The results indicate that the recombinant (CRA+FRA) ELISA is better than the conventional ELISA in the diagnosis of Chagas' disease, providing 100% specificity and sensitivity in all sera tested to date. The recombinant ELISA was compared with conventional serologic tests (hemagglutination and immunofluorescence) for Chagas' disease diagnosis, and the results show that the recombinant ELISA does not give rise to false-positive results that are observed with the two other tests. The use of the recombinant ELISA should be useful in the prevention of transmission of Chagas' disease by blood transfusions.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

[Modified Cooley technique for surgical repair of left ventricular aneurysms].

PURPOSE: To evaluate early postoperative results of modified Cooley's technique of ventricular endoaneurysmorrhaphy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eight patients, seven males, with ages ranging 38.0 to 67.0 years (m = 51.2 +/- 11.4 years) and with postinfarction left ventricular aneurysms were submitted to surgical repair by a modified Cooley's technique of ventricular endoaneurysmorrhaphy. RESULTS: No postoperative complication occurred and all patients were discharged from the hospital asymptomatic on a mean time of 9.0 +/- 2.3 days after surgery. The mean cardiac index increased from 2.1 +/- 0.5 to 3.3 +/- 1.1 l/min (p less than 0.05) with a mean percentual increase of 53.0%. No patient required mechanical circulatory assistance after surgery and the pharmacological support could be interrupted soon. CONCLUSION: Ventricular endoaneurysmorrhaphy searchs to restore shape, contour and volume to the left ventricle and has shown excellent initial results.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Parasitemia in chronic chagasic patients evaluated using the index of infected Triatoma in xenodiagnosis].

As part of a pre-treatment study of chronic Chagas infections, the parasitemia of 206 patients (85 men and 121 women, aged 7 to 80 y) from Virgem da Lapa, Minas Gerais State Brazil, was evaluated by three xenodiagnoses per patient during a one year period. Each time, 40 3rd or 4th instar nymphs of Triatoma infestans were applied. The parasitemia was arbitrarily classified as: not detected (when all nymphs were negative), low (when the number of infected nymphs was less than 2%), medium (when it was higher than 2% and up to 7%) and high (when higher than 7%). The parasitemia was not detected in 105 (51%) of the patients, and was considered low in 55 (26.7%), medium in 27 (13.1%) and high in 19 (9.2%). There was no significant differences in levels of parasitemia in relation to sex or age, but the high parasitemia was more frequent among the patients with chagasic cardiomyopathy. Persistent parasitemia (all three xenodiagnoses positive) was observed in 100% of the patients with high parasitemia, in 22.2% with medium and in none with low parasitemia.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Development of chronic human chagas cardiopathy in the hinterland of the Paraíba State, Brazil, in a 4.5 year period].

Two sectional studies about chronic Chagas' disease were performed at a 4.5 year interval, involving the urban populations of Agua Branca, Catingueira, Emas, Imaculada, Mãe D'Agua, Olho D'Agua, Piancó and São José de Caiana counties in the Sertão region of the State of Paraíba. The evolution of heart disease was evaluated in 125 matched pairs of chronic chagasic and non-chagasic patients of the same sex, age and county of origin through electrocardiograms (ECG) at rest. The following evaluation criteria were considered: unchanged - no change in the original ECG pattern; progressive-changes in ECG pattern from normal to abnormal or deterioration of ECG abnormalities; and ECG normalization. In chagasic patients evolution of the disease was unchanged in 101 (80.8%), progressive in 13 (10.4%) and ECG normalization in 11 (8.8%), while those observed in non-chagasic patients were respectively values 117 (93.6%), 6 (4.8%) and 2%) patients. Findings indicate that the share of Chagas-linked etiological component affecting the development of chronic Chagas cardiopathy was 5.9% with an estimated annual average of 1.3%. There was no significant difference in the frequency of progressive disease between the sexes either in the chagasic or in the non-chagasic group. On the other hand, progression of heart disease occurred earlier among chagasic patients. Lethality caused by heart disease was 1.6% (2 cases) in the chagasic group and zero in the non-chagasic group during the period under survey. These morbidity and mortality rates were significantly lower than those found in endemic areas such as Virgem da Lapa and Pains-Iguatama in the State of Minas Gerais and can probably be attributed to the weaker pathogenic it of human infection by Trypanosoma cruzi in the Paraíba hinterland.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The evolution of chronic chagasic cardiopathy. I. The influence of parasitemia].

During eight years (1982-1990) the evolution of chronic chagasic cardiopathy and its relation to parasitemia was evaluated in 279 patients, 85 men and 194 women, studied by resting electrocardiography and xenodiagnosis. All patients were residents in Virgem da Lapa, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil and their ages varied from 7 to 76 years (average 42.6 y). According to the results of the electrocardiograms the evolution of chagasic cardiopathy was classified as a) unchanged--when there was no change of the initial pattern off the ECG, b) progressive--when there was deterioration of the ECG pattern and c) regressive-when there was normalization or regression of the ECG alterations. Regarding xenodiagnosis 120 were considered with positive parasitemia, one or more xenodiagnoses positive, and 159 with negative parasitemia--all xenodiagnoses negative. The results showed: a) chagasic cardiopathy unchanged in 172 (61.6%) patients, b) progressive in 99 (35.5%) patients and c) regressive in 8 (2.9%). There was no relation between the evolution of chagasic cardiopathy and parasitemia. Independent from parasitemia, the cardiopathy was progressive according to the age of the patients and significantly greater in males. In conclusion we can state that evolution of chronic chagasic cardiopathy is associated with the age and with the male sex, but not with parasitemia, and this may suggest that parasitemia is not related to the development of the chronic chagasic cardiopathy.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Morbidity in Chagas' disease. III. Longitudinal study of 6 years, in Virgem da Lapa, MG, Brazil].

In a clinical, radiological and electrocardiographical, follow-up study of the "case control" type performed in Virgem da Lapa, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, 124 chagasic patients were followed during six years. The results of the patients, the majority in the indeterminate form, did not register any change, in 32.2% there was a progress in the disease and in 5.6% the electrocardiogram returned to normal. These results when compared to that achieved by the control group, composed of pairs of non chagasic persons with the same age and sex, was shown to be 27.4% higher than among patients with positive serology. This factor represents the excess risk or exclusively chagasic component in the development of the disease. No differences were observed by sex related to the development of the disease. It was more premature and seven times more frequent however when related to the cardiopathy than to the megaesophagus. Both conditions occurring mainly in slight or moderate degree. In 192 chagasic patients and 188 non chagasic persons observed in that area in the same period, the mortality was 3.6 times higher among the chagasic patients with a letality due to cardiopathy of 8.9% without difference between sexes but more premature among the males. Sudden death was more frequent than that one caused by cardiac insufficiency. The prognostic was good for the patients with indeterminate and digestive forms and reserved for patients with the highest degree of cardiopathy.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Morbidity in Chagas' disease. IV. Longitudinal study of 10 years in Pains and Iguatama, Minas Gerais, Brazil].

An evolutive study of the "case-control" type was carried out in an endemic area of Chagas' disease in Minas Gerais State, Brazil, using two cross-section evaluations with an interval of ten years between them (1974-1984). Patients were paired for sex and age. In the first cross-section study 264 pairs one with a positive serology and the other with a negative serology for T. cruzi antibodies were included. In the second evaluation, ten years later, 235 patients among those with previous positive serology and 216 with negative serology were located, but only 110 pairs could be recomposed and reexamined (clinical examination, ECG and Rx of the heart and esophagus). The incidence of chagasic cardiopathy in the cases with positive serology but previously assymptomatic was 38.3% during the ten year period. On the other hand there was a deterioration in 24% of the patients with chagasic cardiopathy since the first examination. Considering all clinical forms of the disease in 34.5% of the patients the clinical situation deteriorated, in 57.3% there was no change and in 8.2% the situation improved. The general mortality in the period was 23% in the chagasic group and 10.6% in the control group, but the lethality by cardiopathy was 17% in chagasic group and only 23.3% in the control group. The mortality was twice as high in males than in females, mainly in the age group from 30 to 59 years.

Adult↗