As far as we know, no screening questionnaire has been developed and validated for identification of adverse food reactions in Portuguese-speaking adults, as an initial approach towards the investigation of cases of possible food allergy. Thus, the objective of this study was to develop and validate a screening questionnaire of food allergy in adult Portuguese-speaking patients. This was a multicentre, cross-sectional study using a simple random sample of 186 adults between 18 and 82 years old from various parts of the centre of Portugal. Intelligibility of the questionnaire was first assessed in 24 patients with confirmed IgE- or non-IgE-mediated food allergy, and in 24 volunteers without food allergies. The 17-item questionnaire was subsequently applied by phone to 78 food allergic patients (66 IgE-mediated and 12 non-IgE mediated) and to 60 non-food allergic volunteers, with subsequent reassessment (re-test). Face and content validity, intelligibility, construct validity, and test-retest reliability (temporal stability) were analysed. Face and content validity allowed item reduction from 30 to 17 items with adequate content validity index >0.78. Construct validity was confirmed in the 66 confirmed IgE-mediated food allergic patients, 12 non-IgE-mediated food allergic patients, and 60 non-allergic patients. Test-Retest Reliability (general temporal stability) of the test had a Spearman correlation coefficient value of 0.845 for the retest. Cohen's Kappa values for the relevant questions were greater than 0.890 for almost all items. No differences were found when sex, age, and volunteers' recruitment origin were analysed. An inverse relationship was found between reliability and retest time interval. Due to the quick and easy implementation, confirmation of face, content and construct validity as well as high temporal reproducibility, this screening questionnaire may be a useful study tool for an initial approach to detection of food allergies in adults.

Background/Objectives: This study explores the prevalence of podiatric disorders in relation to factors such as gender, age, and the type of sports activity. Understanding these elements is crucial for implementing effective prevention strategies. Methods: The sample consisted of 70 participants, aged 12 to 30, with 71.4% youths and 28.6% adults, including 50 Portuguese and 20 Spanish individuals, who practiced either terrestrial or aquatic sports at varying training intensities. Statistical analyses were performed on data collected from athletes using chi-square tests and proportion tests. Variables such as exercise intensity and sport type (terrestrial vs. aquatic) were examined. Results: Skin disorders were more frequent in men (70.2%) compared to women (29.8%). Regarding age, 70% of individuals aged 19 to 30 years presented dermatoses, compared to 36% in the 12 to 18-year-old group. Exercise intensity also had an impact: 53.8% of athletes engaging in moderate activity exhibited keratoses, compared to 30.8% of those practicing intense activity. Additionally, athletes in terrestrial sports showed an average of 5.2 podiatric disorders, significantly higher than the 3.2 average in aquatic sports. Specifically, terrestrial athletes have a higher prevalence of pinch callus (84.6%) and hyperkeratosis on metatarsal heads (85.7%), while aquatic athletes have more onychomycosis (91.7%) and less hyperkeratosis. A higher prevalence of rotated toes (61.4%) and subungual hematoma (90.9%) was also observed in terrestrial athletes. Conclusions: The prevalence of podiatric disorders is significantly related to gender, age, and the type of physical activity. Men and young adults are more prone to dermatoses, while athletes engaging in moderate intensity activity and those athletes in terrestrial sport face a higher risk of podiatric issues. These findings highlight the need for prevention and treatment strategies in relation to the specific characteristics of each group.

Introduction: Colonization by Staphylococcus aureus—including methicillin-resistant strains (MRSA)—represents a growing public health concern, particularly in community and rural settings. In Portugal, limited data are available regarding its prevalence in populations with agricultural or animal-related exposures. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of S. aureus and MRSA nasal colonization among adults residing in the municipality of Sertã, Portugal, and to explore potential sociodemographic and behavioral factors associated with colonization. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 292 adult participants from multiple parishes of Sertã. Nasal swabs were collected for microbiological identification of S. aureus and MRSA. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, occupational exposure, animal contact, and recent antibiotic use were collected via structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and inferential analyses (chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests) were performed, and odds ratios were estimated. Results: The overall prevalence of S. aureus colonization was 19.9% (58/292), with MRSA detected in 4.8% (14/292) of participants, representing 24.1% of all S. aureus carriers. Colonization by S. aureus was slightly more frequent among females (51.7%) and predominantly observed in individuals aged 35–59 years. MRSA was more frequent in participants aged ≥ 60 years and was equally distributed between sexes. 57% of MRSA cases reported recent antibiotic use and all MRSA cases reported daily contact with animals—primarily domestic species. No statistically significant associations were identified between colonization and the analyzed variables, although trends suggested increased risk among individuals with animal contact and moderate to high-risk occupations. Conclusions: This study revealed a notable prevalence of S. aureus and MRSA colonization in a rural Portuguese population. Although no statistically significant associations were found, with animal contact, occupational exposure, and recent antibiotic use emerged as relevant epidemiological factors. These findings highlight the need for strengthened surveillance and further investigation into zoonotic transmission and occupational risk in rural environments.

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the leading causes of both community- and healthcare-associated infections. Nasal colonization constitutes the primary reservoir for subsequent infection and transmission, while methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) remains a major public health concern because of its resistance to multiple antimicrobial agents. However, data regarding community nasal colonization in rural Portuguese populations remain scarce. The BI-STAPH Project was established to address this knowledge gap through systematic surveillance of rural communities in inland Portugal. To estimate the prevalence of presumptive nasal colonization by Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA among adults living in the municipality of Fundão, Portugal, and to explore potential associations between colonization and demographic, behavioural, occupational, and environmental characteristics. A prospective community-based cross-sectional study was conducted as the second phase of the BI-STAPH Project. A total of 200 adults were recruited from different parishes of the municipality of Fundão. Bilateral nasal swabs were collected and processed using standardized microbiological methods for the presumptive identification of S. aureus. Presumptive MRSA isolates were investigated using a PBP2′ latex agglutination assay. Sociodemographic and exposure-related information was obtained through structured questionnaires. Associations between presumptive colonization and participant characteristics were evaluated using Pearson’s chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests, as appropriate. Presumptive S. aureus nasal colonization was identified in 56 of 200 participants, corresponding to a prevalence of 28.0% (95% CI: 21.8–34.2%). No presumptive MRSA-positive isolates were identified, corresponding to an observed prevalence of 0% (95% CI: 0.0–1.8%). Colonization prevalence was 29.5% among females and 26.8% among males, and ranged from 25.8% to 31.1% across age groups; neither sex nor age was significantly associated with colonization. Participants reporting daily animal contact had a colonization prevalence of 32.3%, compared with 20.5% among those without animal contact, but this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.075). Overall, no statistically significant associations were identified between presumptive S. aureus colonization and the demographic, behavioural, occupational, or environmental variables evaluated. Presumptive S. aureus nasal colonization was common among adults living in the rural municipality of Fundão, Portugal, whereas no presumptive MRSA-positive isolates were identified in this study population. No statistically significant associations were observed between colonization and the characteristics evaluated. These findings expand the epidemiological evidence generated by the BI-STAPH Project and support continued community-based surveillance of S. aureus in rural Portugal. Future multicentre studies incorporating molecular confirmation, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and larger populations will be important to better characterize circulating strains and transmission patterns within a One Health framework.