OBJECTIVE To describe the clinical aspects of cases of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 in Brazil. METHODS A descriptive study of cases reported in Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação (SINAN), 2009-2010. RESULTS As the final classification, we obtained 53,797 (56.79%) reported cases confirmed as a new influenza virus subtype, and 40,926 (43.21%) cases discarded. Fever was the most common ...

Diabetes mellitus is a relatively common condition and is frequently encountered in patients seen by hand surgeons. This review examines the known problems associated with diabetes, as well as some of the clinical findings noted in these patients, who often have multiple visits for hand conditions over time.

Actinomycosis is a very rare cause of orbital abscess usually attributable to direct spread from adjacent structures. A case of actinomycosis of the orbit is presented, which was treated as orbital pseudotumour for 3 months before progression of signs and symptoms, despite high dose steroids, led to the diagnosis being reconsidered.

The CDC presented considerations for distinguishing influenza-like illness from inhalational anthrax (MMWR, 9 Nov 01, 50:44 pp. 984-986). “Although many different illness might present with influenza-like illnesses (ILI) symptoms, the presence of certain signs and symptoms might help to distinguish other causes of ILI from inhalational anthrax. Nasal congestion and rhinorrhea are features of mo...

The discussion of H5N1 influenza virus gain-of-function research has focused chiefly on its risk-to-benefit ratio. Another key component of risk is the level of containment employed. Work is more expensive and less efficient when pursued at biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) than at BSL-3 or at BSL-3 as modified for work with agricultural pathogens (BSL-3-Ag). However, here too a risk-to-benefit ratio a...

Psychiatric descriptions of bodily symptoms have usually been derived from narrowly restricted clinical experience. It is argued that it is more useful to review evidence from all medical settings and occurrence, nature, disability and presentation are here discussed. Syndromes of hypochondriacal reactions appear to be extreme and uncommon manifestations of a universal potential.

5-HT concentration in blood of 24 randomly selected pregnant women presenting with signs and symptoms of toxaemia of pregnancy were estimated and compared with 30 normal pregnant women. As such 5-HT level increases with the progress of pregnancy and in toxaemia group in comparison to normal pregnancy. A change in the degree of oedema from moderate to severe could bring a statistically significa...

Delusional misidentification syndromes are reviewed by their phenomenology, epidemiology, clinical characteristics, associated clinical findings, etiological theories, diagnostic evaluation, and treatment. Related neuropsychiatric syndromes are described and distinctions between them and delusional misidentification syndromes addressed. Current psychological and biologic-cognitive theories are ...

UNLABELLED Little is known about stroke patients' awareness about the warning signs of stroke and its therapeutic time window in Brazil. METHOD We interviewed consecutive patients with acute stroke admitted to a terciary public hospital in Brazil. Data collected included demographics, mode of arrival, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores and knowledge of stroke warning si...

Objective We present an annotation scheme developed to analyze syndromic Twitter data, and the results of its application to a set of respiratory syndrome-related tweets [1]. The scheme was designed to differentiate true positive tweets (where an individual is experiencing respiratory symptoms) from false positive tweets (where an individual is not experiencing respiratory symptoms), and to qua...