Acta Medica Port
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International evidence has unveiled the existence of social inequalities in the risk of death associated with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). In Portugal, the impossibility to identify the socioeconomic condition of deceased people hinders this evaluation. This study analyzes the social inequalities in the risk factors of COVID-19 mortality in Portugal. ⋯ In 2019, we observed socioeconomic inequalities of high magnitude for the eight diseases with demonstrated link to COVID-19 mortality.
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The COVID-19 pandemic led to the reorganization of healthcare services and teleconsultation emerged as a solution to facilitate patient appointments. The aim of this study was to characterize, from a physician perspective, the teleconsultations carried out in the Portuguese National Health Service (SNS) during the first phase of the pandemic and to identify factors that influence the experience of the teleconsultation. ⋯ Teleconsultation seems to have potential to to become a common practice in the future. However, it is important to address clinical, technical, organizational, and legal questions and, above all, to ensure that it is a safe and valuable practice for patients.
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Q fever (or query fever) is a zoonotic infectious disease with worldwide distribution transmitted by an intracellular Gram-negative bacterium, Coxiella burnetii. The most common identified sources of human infection are farm animals, such as sheep, goats and cattle. The disease is endemic in mainland Portugal, with most cases notified in the central and southern regions. ⋯ Given the complexity of this infection, there is no universal consensus to date on the best strategy to manage Q fever patients. These guidelines provide recommendations regarding the treatment and follow-up of these patients, based on studies, on the author's experience and on the opinion of international experts. The aim is to harmonize the management of these patients taking into account not only the clinical manifestations but also the risk factors of the host in order to reduce disease-associated morbidity and mortality.