Teste de ELISA indireto para diagnóstico sorológico de leishmaniose visceral em canídeos silvestres

Identification of infection by Leishmania spp. in wild and domestic animals in Brazil: a systematic review with meta-analysis (2001-2021)

Leishmaniasis is a zoonosis caused by protozoan species of the genus Leishmania. It generates different clinical manifestations in humans and animals, and it infects multiple hosts. Leishmania parasites are transmitted by sandfly vectors. The main objective of this systematic review was to identify the host, or reservoir animal species, of Leishmania spp., with the exception of domestic dogs, that were recorded in Brazil. This review included identification of diagnostic methods, and the species of protozoan circulating in the country. For this purpose, a literature search was conducted across index journals. This study covered the period from 2001 to 2021, and 124 studies were selected. Eleven orders possible hosts were identified, including 229 mammalian species. Perissodactyla had the highest number of infected individuals (30.69%, 925/3014), with the highest occurrence in horses. In Brazil, the most commonly infected species were found to be: horses, domestic cats, rodents, and marsupials. Bats, that were infected by one or more protozoan species, were identified as potential reservoirs of Leishmania spp. Molecular tests were the most commonly used diagnostic methods (94 studies). Many studies have detected Leishmania spp. (n = 1422): Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum (n = 705), Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis (n = 319), and Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis (n = 141). Recognizing the species of animals involved in the epidemiology and biological cycle of the protozoan is important, as this allows for the identification of environmental biomarkers, knowledge of Leishmania species can improve the control zoonotic leishmaniasis.

TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI AND LEISHMANIA SP. INFECTION IN WILDLIFE FROM URBAN RAINFOREST FRAGMENTS IN NORTHEAST BRAZIL

:  Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania sp. are important protozoan parasites for humans and animals in the Americas, causing Chagas disease and cutaneous or visceral leishmaniasis, respectively. These vector-borne diseases affect permanent and transient populations in developing tropical countries that exhibit favorable conditions for the perpetuation of the parasite cycle. Our objective was to investigate the occurrence of infection with these parasites in wild animals from urban rainforest fragments in the city of Salvador, the largest city in the northeast region of Brazil. Sixty-five wild animals were captured, clinically examined, and sampled for parasite detection by PCR and culture. Ten different mammalian genera were identified, being 58% (38/65) marsupials. The prevalence of T. cruzi and Leishmania sp. infections was 13% and 43%, respectively. Both parasites were detected by PCR in 11% (7/65), three of which were also double infected as determined by culture. Among the 28 animals found infected with at least one parasite (43%, 28/65), 68% (19/28) were marsupials, two specimens were Callithrix sp. (7%), and one was Trinomys sp. (3%). Most infected animals (89%) had no clinical signs of disease. We found that healthy free-living animals from urban rainforest fragments harbored pathogenic trypanosomatids and should be included in epidemiology studies of diseases in big cities in tropical countries, as these cities grow and engulf rainforest remnants.

Nycthemeral Rhythm of Phlebotominae (Diptera: Psychodidae) in a Craggy Region, Transitioning Between the Wetland and the Plateau, Brazil

Recording the nycthemeral rhythm of sand flies allows the evaluation of the daily activity in different ecotypes, the period of greatest activity, and their degree of anthropophily. We investigated the fauna and the rhythm of sand fly activity in an ecotourism region in Mato Grosso do Sul (MS) state, Brazil. Sand flies were captured monthly, using a Shannon trap for 24 h periods between July 2012 and June 2014. We collected 1,815 sand flies, in which Lutzomyia whitmani (=Nyssomyia whitmani, sensu Galati) and Lutzomyia longipalpis were the most abundant species during the dry season, with activity from 5 p.m.-7 a.m. and 6 p.m.-5 a.m., respectively. Both species require particular attention as vectors of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis and Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum in several regions of Brazil, including MS. However, Lutzomyia dispar was more anthropophilic, and was most active between January and March, from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. Lutzomyia misionensis (=Pintomyia misionensis, sensu Galati) was present throughout both years, active from 4 p.m. to 5 a.m. Other species were active from 5 p.m. to 6 a.m. Due to intense tourism in the months that coincide with a high number of vectors for leishmaniases in Piraputanga, it is essential to determine vector-monitoring strategies in the area by investigating sand fly rhythm while not neglecting other periods of the year when the insects are present.