Paracoccidioidomycosis in children in the state of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil): Geographic distribution and the study of a "reservarea"

Thirty six cases of acute disseminated paracoccidioidomycosis in 3 to 12 year-old children, natives of the state of Rio de Janeiro, were seen in the period 1981-1996. All patients were residents in the rural region of 15 counties, scattered on the Southwestern part of this state. The rural region of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo
Main Authors: A. J. RIOS GONÇALVES, A. T. LONDERO, G. M. F. TERRA, R. ROZENBAUM, T. F. ABREU, S. A. NOGUEIRA
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Universidade de São Paulo (USP) 1998
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46651998000100003
https://doaj.org/article/3d5a43d954244521bfb6ca567f809a47
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Summary:Thirty six cases of acute disseminated paracoccidioidomycosis in 3 to 12 year-old children, natives of the state of Rio de Janeiro, were seen in the period 1981-1996. All patients were residents in the rural region of 15 counties, scattered on the Southwestern part of this state. The rural region of two neighboring counties, where 16 cases (44.4%) occurred, was visited. It exhibited the environmental conditions that are considered favorable to the survival of P. brasiliensis. The most important of these conditions, abundant watercourses and autochthonous forest, are distributed on well defined and limited areas, in which the dwellings are also localized. Probably, a careful epidemiological study of forthcoming cases of the disease in children may facilitate the search for the micro-niche of the fungus. No período 1981-1996 foram observados 36 casos de paracoccidioidomicose aguda disseminada em crianças, entre 3 e 12 anos de idade, nativas do estado do Rio de Janeiro. Todos os pacientes residiam em região rural, distribuída por 15 municípios localizados na parte sudoeste do estado. Dois municípios vizinhos, onde haviam ocorrido 16 (44,4%) dos casos, foram visitados. Na região rural de ambos, existem as condições climáticas e ambientais favoráveis à sobrevivência do P. brasiliensis. Dentre essas condições, as mais importantes, abundantes cursos de água e vegetação nativa, distribuem-se em áreas limitadas e bem definidas. Nessas áreas localizam-se, também, as casas dos rurículas. Provavelmente, um cuidadoso estudo epidemiológico de novos casos, que venham a ocorrer na região, facilitará a busca do nicho do fungo