Browsing by Author "Seixas, D"
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- Clinical and Epidemiological Features of Hospitalized and Ambulatory Patients with Human Monkeypox Infection: A Retrospective Observational Study in PortugalPublication . Caria, J; Pinto, R; Leal, E; Almeida, V; Cristóvão, G; Gonçalves, AC; Torres, M; Santos, MB; Pinheiro, H; Póvoas, D; Seixas, D; Lino, S; Cardoso, O; Manata, MJ; Virgolino, A; Maltez, FMonkeypox, a neglected and re-emergent zoonotic disease caused by monkeypox virus (MPXV) infection, has been endemic in Central and Western Africa for decades. More recently, an outbreak has spread to a global level, occurring in sites with no previous reported cases and being clustered among men who have sex with men, suggesting new modes of transmission. There is an urgent need for research for a better understanding of the genomic evolution and changing epidemiology of the Orthopoxvirus group. Our work aimed to characterize the clinical and epidemiological features of a cohort of patients with MPXV infection in a Portuguese hospital, admitted between 5 May and 26 July 2022. In this retrospective observational study, aggregate data of a case series on the presentation, clinical course, and outcomes of confirmed MPXV infections are reported. The study included 40 men and 1 woman, with a mean age of 37.2 years old; 92.7% identified as men who have sex with men, 90.2% had unprotected sex or sex with multiple or anonymous partners in the previous month, and 39.0% reported to have had sex with an MPXV-confirmed case; 59.5% had previously known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, all of whom were under antiretroviral therapy, and no patients had acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) criteria. About a quarter of patients were observed only a week after symptom onset. All patients had skin or mucosal lesions and the anogenital region was the most frequent lesion site. There were no statistically significant clinical differences between HIV-positive and negative individuals. Four patients were admitted to the inpatient clinic, two of whom had proctitis with difficult-to-manage anal pain. There were no reported deaths. Our findings suggest the sexual route as a relevant mode of transmission of MPXV and confirm the mostly benign presentation of this disease.
- Cognitive Impairment and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Correlates in Primary Progressive Multiple SclerosisPublication . Gouveia, A; Dias, S; Santos, T; Rocha, H; Coelho, C; Ruano, L; Galego, O; Diogo, M; Seixas, D; Sá, MJ; Batista, SObjectives: To characterize cognitive impairment in primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) and to correlate the pattern of cognitive deficits with brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) volumetric data. Materials and methods: In a multicenter cross-sectional study, we recruited consecutive patients with PPMS as well as age, sex, and education level-matched healthy controls (HC). All participants underwent neuropsychological (NP) assessment, and brain MRI was performed in patients with PPMS for analysis of lesion load, subcortical GM volumes, and regional cortical volumes. Results: We recruited 55 patients with PPMS and 36 HC. Thirty-six patients were included in the MRI analysis. Patients with PPMS performed significantly worse than HC in all NP tests. Subcortical GM volume was significantly correlated with all NP tests, except for Stroop Test, with the largest effect for the thalamus (r=-.516 [BVMT-R DR, P=.016 FDR-corrected] to r=.664 [SDMT, P<.001 FDR-corrected]). In the stepwise linear regression model, thalamic volume was the only predictor of performance in all NP tests. Conclusion: Cognitive impairment is common in PPMS and affects all evaluated cognitive domains. Subcortical GM volume, particularly of the thalamus, is a strong predictor of cognitive performance, suggesting it has a central role in the pathophysiology of PPMS-related cognitive dysfunction.
- Rare Case of Rickettsiosis Caused by Rickettsia Monacensis, Portugal, 2021Publication . de Sousa, R; dos Santos, ML; Cruz, C; Almeida, V; Garrote, AR; Ramirez, F; Seixas, D; Manata, MJ; Maltez, FWe report a case of rickettsiosis caused by Rickettsia monacensis in an immunocompetent 67-year-old man in Portugal who had eschar, erythematous rash, and an attached Ixodes ricinus tick. Seroconversion and eschar biopsy led to confirmed diagnosis by PCR. Physicians should be aware of this rare rickettsiosis, especially in geographic regions with the vector.