Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence, associated risk factors, and ocular health outcomes related to Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity in 161 residents from four Quilombolas communities in the northern region of Tocantins, Brazilian Legal Amazon. Peripheral blood samples were collected and tested by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and/or Immunoglobulin M (IgM) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), while a standardized form was used to collect sociodemographic, health, and behavioral data. Statistical analysis, conducted using Epi-Info 3.3.2, considered T. gondii seropositivity as the primary outcome, with a significance level less than 5% (p ≤ 0.05). An overall seroprevalence of 62.11% (100/161) was observed. Key risk factors significantly, as measured by the Odds Ratio (OR), associated with T. gondii seropositivity included being elderly (OR: 4.07, CI: 2.05–8.06, p < 0.01), having cats (OR: 5.56, CI: 2.74–22.27, p < 0.01), a low parental education level (OR: 2.97, CI: 1.46–6.02, p < 0.01), children playing on the ground (OR: 2.50, CI: 1.30–4.82, p < 0.01), and having a home vegetable garden (OR: 3.80, CI: 1.94–7.47, p < 0.01). Regarding ocular health, no conclusive direct association was established between T. gondii seropositivity and specific ocular manifestations when analyzed for children and the elderly separately. Observed ocular problems in the grouped population were primarily linked to age-related comorbidities rather than parasitic infection. High rates of T. gondii seropositivity, driven by specific environmental and socioeconomic factors, highlight the vulnerability of these communities, emphasizing the need for targeted preventive strategies.

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CAR-T immunotherapy in inducing remission in patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). Methods: The search strategy was conducted in the BVS, Embase, PubMed, and ScienceDirect databases, where 4138 studies were initially identified. Results: The final analysis resulted in the inclusion of 35 studies, all of which were incorporated into the meta-analysis, covering a cohort of 1313 patients. Statistical analysis was performed using R software (version 4.5.2), revealing a Complete Remission rate of 70.68% and a Minimal Residual Disease negativity rate of 76.68%. Tactical superiority was observed in the second-generation cells and in the dual CD19/CD22 target (82.20% CR). The risk of bias assessment using the ROBINS-I tool indicated high quality for most of the studies. The certainty of evidence according to the GRADE system was classified as moderate. Adverse events such as cytokine release syndrome (46.81%) and neurotoxicity (23.52%) were frequent but reversible. Conclusions: We thus observe that CAR-T therapy is an effective strategic bridge to bone marrow transplantation, with advances in cell persistence being fundamental for sustained cure.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the association between T. gondii genotypes (types I, II, III) and cases of spontaneous abortion in humans. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, and ScienceDirect) were searched for studies published in the last 10 years. Observational studies evaluating T. gondii genotypes in abortion cases were included. Results: Eight cross-sectional studies were included. A pooled positivity proportion for T. gondii of approximately 20% was observed among abortion cases, with substantial heterogeneity (I² > 90%). Genotype distribution varied across studies, with types I and III being the most frequently reported. Conclusions: Available evidence suggests a possible association between T. gondii infection and spontaneous abortion; however, the role of specific genotypes remains uncertain due to limited and heterogeneous data. More multicenter studies are needed to robustly address the issue.

RESUMO Objetivo: Determinar a prevalência de cegueira em pessoas idosas de comunidades quilombolas localizadas na região geográfica imediata de Araguaína, no norte do Tocantins. Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo transversal, no qual foram examinados 80 moradores, com 60 anos ou mais, de 4 comunidades quilombolas certificadas dessa região, a saber: Pé do Morro, Baviera, Dona Juscelina e Cocalinho. Todos responderam a um questionário de variáveis demográficas e socioeconômicas e foram submetidos ao exame de acuidade visual, utilizando-se a tabela de [...] RESUMO Objetivo: Determinar a prevalência de cegueira em pessoas idosas de comunidades quilombolas localizadas na região geográfica imediata de Araguaína, no norte do Tocantins. Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo transversal, no qual foram examinados 80 moradores, com 60 anos ou mais, de 4 comunidades quilombolas certificadas dessa região, a saber: Pé do Morro, Baviera, Dona Juscelina e Cocalinho. Todos responderam a um questionário de variáveis demográficas e socioeconômicas e foram submetidos ao exame de acuidade visual, utilizando-se a tabela de