Henrique da Rocha Lima, Brazilian tropical physician and anatomical pathologist (Rio de Janeiro 24 November 1879 – São Paulo 12 April 1956)

ACHIEVEMENTS

Described genus Rickettsia and species Rickettsia prowazeki, etiologic agent of exanthematic typhus independently from H. Topfer (1916)

With M. Mayer & H. Werner performed histopathological studies on bartonellosis (1913)

Recognized nature and origin of Carrión disease or bartonellosis

Characterized histopathologically bartonellosis discovering intracellular localization of its etiologic agent known as Rocha Lima inclusions

Described Rocha Lima lesion or sign that is a hepatic mediolobular necrosis used as post-mortem diagnosis of yellow fever

Demonstrated that epizootic lymphangitis and histoplasmosis were fungal diseases (1913)

Performed histopathological studies on blastomycosis (1923-4)

Laid the basis of histopathological classification of blastomycosis that was widely used

Demonstrated histologically birds contagious epithelioma virus   

Described calcium inclusions of the kidney in yellow fever (1912) before Hoffmann (1924) 

 TECHNIQUES

Developed a technique for demonstrating elementary bodies in avian bouba 

With H. Aragão developed a technique of bacteriological diagnosis for plague with results in 16 hours

Developed a method of vital coloration 

Established a technique to obtain vaccine for typhus 

OTHERS

With K.M. Silberschmidt & J. Reis authored Methoden der Virusforschungen later incorporated to Abderhalden’s Handbuch der biologischen Arbeitsmethoden (1939) 

With Miguel Couto wrote chapters about yellow fever in Carl Mense’s Handbuch der Tropenkrankheiten (1929) and  Nicola Pende’s  Endocrinologia, Patologia I Clinica degli organi a secrezione interna (1923-4)

HONORS/EPONYMY

Bernhard Nocht Medal, Tropeninstitut (1921)

Subgenus Rochanyssus Castro 1948 (Acari)

Councilman-Rocha Lima corpuscles or bodies

Rocha Lima test