Mês: agosto 2020

At a time when the new coronavirus pandemic continues to advance in Brazil and in the world, the need for massive tests to detect the disease and to know the true number of infected people is growing. An accurate and correct diagnosis is essential to propose any measure related to the prevention and prognosis of infections.

The gold standard technique, considered the most accurate for diagnosis, is RT-PCR (an acronym for reverse transcription followed by polymerase chain reaction). It consists of the detection of viral RNA sequences. The test has the disadvantage of requiring a few days to be processed and the report must be issued by the laboratory.

Serological tests, on the other hand, detect the presence of class M (IgM) and G (IgG) immunoglobulins, produced by the body in response to infection by the virus. IgM is the main immunoglobulin that is formed after infection and begins to be detected between days 3 and 5 after infection, with a detection peak after the seventh day. As the infection progresses, IgM levels decrease and, conversely, IgG levels increase rapidly, with maximum detection after day 14 of infection.

The rapid test can be performed on whole blood, serum or plasma samples and the result will be available in approximately 15 minutes. The possibility of infection, however, cannot be ruled out with a negative result. This is because the production of antibodies, at the beginning of the disease, may not have been detected by TR, which caused the false negative. In such cases, it is suggested to repeat the test, to confirm, or not, the absence of infection. In addition, rapid tests can identify if the person has been previously infected, even without experiencing symptoms.

Rapid tests play an important role in understanding the dynamics of virus transmission in the population and in identifying groups at high risk of infection. They can also determine the proportion of the population that has been infected, helping to identify which communities have had a high rate of infection.

Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/testing-overview.html

https://saude.abril.com.br/blog/com-a-palavra/a-importancia-do-teste-rapido-para-conter-a-covid-19/

RenyLab In Vitro Diagnostics, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry of Barbacena-MG, carried out massive tests of its employees for Covid-19 between 07 and 08 July 2020. The test was carried out through rapid serological tests, with the aim of prioritizing the well-being and safety of employees, as well as contributing to the control of pandemic rates in Barbacena and region. All employees were tested and 100% of the results were negative for the new coronavirus.

According to the Ministry of Health, the state of Minas Gerais has the lowest incidence rate of the disease among all Brazilian states. On July 10, 2020, the state had 302.5 confirmed cases per 100,000 inhabitants, and a total of 64,035 infected by the new coronavirus, a figure much lower than São Paulo, which already has stable cases and a possible drop, and in Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo, which are on the rise like Minas Gerais. Large laboratories in the state of Minas Gerais point to an increase in the percentage of tests carried out mainly in the interior of the state, where only in June 60% more tests were carried out than in the previous month.

Massive tests play an important role in understanding the dynamics of virus transmission, in identifying high-risk groups and with the possibility of verifying if those analyzed have been infected or have had contact with Sars-COV-2, contributing to establish infection rates. In addition, it allows the health authorities to understand the city’s indexes and decide on the flexibility of security measures for the recovery of the economy.

RenyLab In Vitro Diagnostics is committed to the fight against coronavirus, providing products with a high quality guarantee, with a rapid test for Covid-19 with 100% accuracy (proximity between the experimentally obtained value and the true measurement value) certified by Anvisa, by FDA – Federal Agency of the United States and by the National Institute of Quality Control in Health-NIQCH.

Dengue is a disease caused by an arbovirus that has four antigenically distinct serotypes: DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-4.

Currently in Brazil circulate the four serotypes that intersect in the occurrence of epidemics, which are generally associated with the introduction of new serotypes in previously unreached areas or alteration of the predominant serotype. Dengue virus is transmitted by the bite of the mosquito of the genus Aedes, which is also responsible for the transmission of other viral diseases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 4 billion people live in areas at risk of infection from the disease. Annually, approximately 390 million cases are recorded worldwide. In Brazil, transmission has been occurring continuously, in cyclical outbreaks, the largest of which had around 2 million reported cases.

Dengue can have different clinical presentations and an unpredictable prognosis, its incubation period varies from 3 to 15 days. The illness begins suddenly with a high fever, severe pain in the head and eyes, as well as muscle and joint pain. In the most severe cases, when the fever subsides, around the third or fourth day, bleeding occurs due to bleeding from the skin vessels and internal organs that characterize dengue hemorrhagic fever. In these cases, the clinical picture worsens rapidly, showing signs of circulatory insufficiency, intense and continuous abdominal pain, pale skin, bleeding from the nose, mouth and gums and red spots on the skin, which can cause death.

Dengue diagnosis is usually made by serology to determine the presence of antibodies against the virus in the blood or specific antigens, varying their plasma concentrations according to the moment of initiation of the infection.

NS1 is a protein that appears in detectable concentrations during dengue infection, it appears on the first day with a decrease from the fourth day, disappearing around the fifth, sixth day after the onset of symptoms.

IgM appears on average 5 to 8 days after symptoms and can last 30 to 90 days, while IgG appears on average after 14 days and can persist for life.

Given the importance of this disease, RenyLab is committed to quality by providing rapid tests with results in 20 minutes, with high rates of sensitivity and specificity with certified efficacy and strict quality control.

The Renylab Dengue Immunotest is a solid phase immunochromatographic test that qualitatively and differentially detects IgG, IgM antibodies against the four serotypes of dengue virus in human serum and plasma.

The test is fast, safe and represents an important tool for the treatment of patients with suspected dengue.

RenyLab is determined to contribute and support its clients and partners in this difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic. We would like to share with you an article on gastrointestinal endoscopy (GIE) on the impact of coronavirus on endoscopic procedures. In this article you will find recommendations with a specific focus on personal protection and dress code, to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

We have summarized the most important steps below. If you want to access the full article click here.

Some important steps we would like to point out:

• Every patient entering the endoscopy room must wear a mask to protect others. Patients considered at risk should also wear gloves;
• For clinic staff and physicians, the recommendation is to maintain a safe distance from patients throughout the procedure. According to the article, it is mandatory to wash your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based disinfectant:

1. Before and after interaction with the patient;
2. Contact with potentially infected surfaces;
3. Before putting on and after taking off any personal protective equipment, including gloves.

• In the article you will find the minimum composition of an individual protection kit in endoscopic procedures, which can be modified depending on the risk.