São Paulo medical journal = Revista paulista de medicina
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Coronavirus is a family of viruses that cause respiratory infections. From cases first recorded in China at the end of 2019, a new type of virus in this family, named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was discovered. The disease caused by this virus, COVID-19, was brought into Brazil by people in social classes with greater purchasing power, but groups with larger demographic dimensions have tended to become more affected over time. ⋯ Installation of piped water in homes and basic education for the population are fundamental measures for disease control, including in relation to COVID-19. In this updating article, the COVID-19 pandemic was analyzed in the context of iniquities in Brazil (comparing these with the situation in other countries). A bibliographic search of texts relating to basic sanitation, socioeconomic development and transmission of COVID-19 in Brazil and worldwide was conducted.
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Cardiovascular risk factors are frequently associated with lowered cognitive performance among elderly people, but rarely among middle-aged adults. ⋯ Aging, low schooling and cardiovascular risk factors may represent life course disadvantages associated with cognitive decline even among middle-aged Brazilian adults.
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Neck pain is a major public health problem. ⋯ There is high prevalence of neck pain among students and striking associations with female sex, use of electronic devices and mental health problems.
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Review
Critical analysis on the use of cholecalciferol as a COVID-19 intervention: a narrative review.
The World Health Organization has declared that a pandemic situation exists in relation to the disease caused by the new coronavirus, COVID-19. So far, the absence of a vaccine against the new coronavirus has led people worldwide to seek various therapeutic alternatives, including use of cholecalciferol. ⋯ Current studies on vitamin D used for purposes other than bone health promotion cannot be taken as support to justify its use in a disease as recent as COVID-19. Studies of greater robustness, with higher levels of clinical evidence, need to be conducted. Rational use of this vitamin needs to be ensured, thereby minimizing the impacts on the patient and the public healthcare system.
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Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is a worldwide concern given its presence even in non-hospitalized healthy individuals, such as university students. ⋯ The prevalence of colonization of MRSA among healthcare students is high, and the nasal cavity was cited as an important reservoir location for these microorganisms.