Henrique da Rocha Lima
Encyclopedia
Henrique da Rocha Lima was a Brazilian physician
, pathologist and infectologist. He discovered Rickettsia prowazekii
, the pathogen
of epidemic typhus. Rickettsia prowazekii was named after German zoologist Stanislaus von Prowazek
.
Henrique da Rocha Lima received his M.D. degree from the Medical School of Rio de Janeiro in 1905. He was one of the founders of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute, where he worked with other famous Brazilian researchers, such as Oswaldo Cruz
himself, Adolfo Lutz
and Carlos Chagas
(the discoverer of Chagas disease
) in the areas of microbiology
, immunology
and infectious diseases. Rocha Lima developed an international career in medical research, successively in the chair of pathological anatomy of the University of Munich, and in the Tropical Diseases Institute of Hamburg
, both in Germany
. In Brazil, he was a great scientific and educational leader, having participated in the foundation of the Paulista School of Medicine, and of the University of São Paulo
. Rocha Lima was also a president of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science
. He received many awards and distinctions, such as the Iron Cross
of the German Empire, the Benemerence Medal by Pope Pius XI
, the Nocht Medal for distinguished researchers on Tropical Diseases, and the effective membership of the German Academy of Natural Sciences. His name has been given to the Student Union (Centro Acadêmico) of the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto
, in Ribeirão Preto
, Brazil.
In 2007, a new strain of Gram-negative bacteria was named after Rocha Lima, Bartonella rochalimae
.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, pathologist and infectologist. He discovered Rickettsia prowazekii
Rickettsia prowazekii
Rickettsia prowazekii is a species of gram negative, Alpha Proteobacteria, obligate intracellular parasitic, aerobic bacteria that is the etiologic agent of epidemic typhus, transmitted in the feces of lice. In North America, the main reservoir for R. prowazekii is the flying squirrel. R...
, the pathogen
Pathogen
A pathogen gignomai "I give birth to") or infectious agent — colloquially, a germ — is a microbe or microorganism such as a virus, bacterium, prion, or fungus that causes disease in its animal or plant host...
of epidemic typhus. Rickettsia prowazekii was named after German zoologist Stanislaus von Prowazek
Stanislaus von Prowazek
Stanislaus Josef Mathias von Prowazek, Edler von Lanow , born Stanislav Provázek, was a Czech zoologist and parasitologist, who along with pathologist Henrique da Rocha Lima discovered the pathogen of epidemic typhus.Prowazek had studied epidemic typhus in Serbia and Istanbul...
.
Henrique da Rocha Lima received his M.D. degree from the Medical School of Rio de Janeiro in 1905. He was one of the founders of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute, where he worked with other famous Brazilian researchers, such as Oswaldo Cruz
Oswaldo Cruz
Oswaldo Gonçalves Cruz, better known as Oswaldo Cruz |São Paulo]] state, Brazil – February 11, 1917, Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro state) was a Brazilian physician, bacteriologist, epidemiologist and public health officer and the founder of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute.He also occupied the 5th chair of...
himself, Adolfo Lutz
Adolfo Lutz
Adolfo Lutz was a Brazilian physician, 1855-1940, father of tropical medicine and medical zoology in Brazil, and a pioneer epidemiologist and researcher in infectious diseases....
and Carlos Chagas
Carlos Chagas
Carlos Justiniano Ribeiro Chagas, or Carlos Chagas , was a Brazilian sanitary physician, scientist and bacteriologist who worked as a clinician and researcher. He discovered Chagas disease, also called American trypanosomiasis in 1909, while working at the Oswaldo Cruz Institute in Rio de Janeiro...
(the discoverer of Chagas disease
Chagas disease
Chagas disease is a tropical parasitic disease caused by the flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. T. cruzi is commonly transmitted to humans and other mammals by an insect vector, the blood-sucking insects of the subfamily Triatominae most commonly species belonging to the Triatoma, Rhodnius,...
) in the areas of microbiology
Microbiology
Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, which are defined as any microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell , cell clusters or no cell at all . This includes eukaryotes, such as fungi and protists, and prokaryotes...
, immunology
Immunology
Immunology is a broad branch of biomedical science that covers the study of all aspects of the immune system in all organisms. It deals with the physiological functioning of the immune system in states of both health and diseases; malfunctions of the immune system in immunological disorders ; the...
and infectious diseases. Rocha Lima developed an international career in medical research, successively in the chair of pathological anatomy of the University of Munich, and in the Tropical Diseases Institute of Hamburg
Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine
Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine; is a medical institution based in Hamburg, Germany which is dedicated to research, treatment, training and therapy of tropical and infectious diseases....
, both in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. In Brazil, he was a great scientific and educational leader, having participated in the foundation of the Paulista School of Medicine, and of the University of São Paulo
University of São Paulo
Universidade de São Paulo is a public university in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. It is the largest Brazilian university and one of the country's most prestigious...
. Rocha Lima was also a president of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science
Sociedade Brasileira para o Progresso da Ciência
Sociedade Brasileira para o Progresso da Ciência is a Brazilian scientific society created in 1948 by several prominent scientists, with the aim of promoting science, culture and education in the country by means of publications, conferences and political actions on behalf of science's advancement...
. He received many awards and distinctions, such as the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
of the German Empire, the Benemerence Medal by Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
, the Nocht Medal for distinguished researchers on Tropical Diseases, and the effective membership of the German Academy of Natural Sciences. His name has been given to the Student Union (Centro Acadêmico) of the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto
Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto
Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto is a medical school of the University of São Paulo located in the city of Ribeirão Preto, state of São Paulo, Brazil, founded 1952...
, in Ribeirão Preto
Ribeirão Preto
Ribeirão Preto is a municipality and city in the Northeastern region of the state of São Paulo in Brazil. It is nicknamed Brazilian California, because of a combination of an economy based on agrobusiness plus high technology, wealth and sunny weather all year long. With 605,114 inhabitants,...
, Brazil.
In 2007, a new strain of Gram-negative bacteria was named after Rocha Lima, Bartonella rochalimae
Bartonella rochalimae
Bartonella rochalimae is a recently discovered strain of Gram-negative bacteria in the Bartonella genus, isolated by researchers at the University of California at San Francisco , Massachusetts General Hospital, and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...
.
External links
- Henrique da Rocha Lima. Um processo do conhecimento contemporâneo - I. Instituto Biológico de São Paulo (In Portuguese)