ABSTRACT
As condições sanitárias e composição populacional de uma colônia de gatos urbanos, errantes, habitantes do zoológico do Rio de Janeiro foram estudadas, objetivando-se um programa de controle populacional e sanitário. Capturou-se o maior número de indivíduos possível durante dois meses (47 animais). Os animais capturados foram examinados quanto ao gênero, idade, peso, pelagem, inspeção geral e presença de ectoparasitas e eram encaminhados a um programa de esterilização cirúrgica. Cada animal teve uma amostra de sangue colhida para realização de hemograma completo, plaquetometria, pesquisa de hemoparasitas e de retrovírus. As marcações e cores de pelagem encontradas foram "tabby" (70%), preta (17%); bicolor (11%) e arlequim (2%). A presença de pulgas foi observada em 28% dos animais. Os hemoparasitas encontrados foram Haemobartonella felis (38%) e piroplasmas indistinguíveis entre Cytauxzoon spp. e Babesia spp. (47%). Nenhum dos gatos foi encontrado com antigenemia de Dirofilaria immitis ou do vírus da leucemia felina (FeLV), embora anticorpos contra o vírus da imunodeficiência felina (FIV) tenham sido detectados (21%). Não houve correlação entre infecção por FIV e hemoparasitas. A população total estimada (método de captura-recaptura) foi de 59 gatos, sendo 68% fêmeas e 32% machos. Os resultados sugerem que um programa de esterilização cirúrgica é de fato necessário.
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Female , Cats , Castration , Cat Diseases , Population Density , Brazil , Population Control , Urban PopulationABSTRACT
A dirofilariose é uma doença que se apresenta distribuída mundialmente, sendo causada pelo nematóide Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy, 1856) que acomete várias espécies animais. Nos gatos a microfilaremia é inexistente ou de duraçäo muito curta, há grande quantidade de migraçöes erráticas e curas espontâneas. Os sintomas, quando presentes, freqüentemente säo mais graves do que em cäes. Por isso, diagnóstico da dirofilariose felina é mais difícil de ser estabelecido. No entanto, podem ser utilizados testes laboratoriais, pesquisa de antígeno de parasitas adultos ou pesquisa de anticorpos. Com o objetivo de conhecer-se a prevalência da dirofilariose canina e felina no Engenho do Mato, Niterói, RJ, coletou-se sangue de cäes e gatos dessa área. Foi realizado o teste de Knott modificado para o diagnóstico em cäes e o teste de ELISA para pesquisa de anticorpos nos gatos. Dentre os cäes observou-se que 26 por cento (20/77) eram portadores de microfilárias. Näo se detectou a presença de anticorpos nos gatos.
Subject(s)
Animals , Cats , Dogs , Dirofilaria immitis , Dirofilariasis , Dog Diseases/diagnosis , Cat Diseases/diagnosis , Prevalence , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent AssayABSTRACT
Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy 1856), a nematode parasite, is the etiologic agent of canine heartworm disease and mosquitoes are essential intermediate hosts. Mosquito susceptibility to the worms differ with species, strains and also among individuals of the same strain. To evaluate the degree of susceptibility of Rio de Janeiro laboratory raised strain of Aedes aegypti, we fed mosquitoes on canine blood with different densities of microfilariae (mf). There was no significant difference in the rate of development among the three different densities of mf. Infective larvae were found in the head and proboscis of all mosquitoes provided bloodmeals with different densities of mf after the 11th day post-infection. The infection rate of mosquitoes after ingestion of blood containing 3,000 mf/ml, 5,000 mf/ml and 7,000 mf/ml were 55.3 percent, 66.7 percent and 100 percent, respectively. The vector efficiency indices ranged from 1.6 to 9.3. The finding of L3 stage larvae, high infection rates and vector efficiency indices suggest that Ae. aegypti, Rio de Janeiro laboratory strain, is a potential vector of D. immitis, although of low efficiency
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Female , Dogs , Aedes/parasitology , Dirofilaria immitis/isolation & purification , Insect Vectors/parasitology , Aedes/genetics , Brazil , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Insect Vectors/geneticsABSTRACT
The identification of arthropod bloodmeals is important in many epidemiological studies, as, the understanding of the life cycle of vectors and the patogens they transmit, as well as helping to define arthropods' control strategies. The precipitin test has been used for decades, but ELISA is slowly becoming more popular. To compare the two tests for sensitivity, specificity and accuracy to detect small insect bloodmeals, Aedes aegypti or Ae. fluviatilis mosquitoes were fed either on feline, canine or human hosts. Mosquitoes were frozen at 6, 12, 24, 48 or 72 h after feeding. Precipitin test showed better specificity and accuracy and ELISA test showed higher sensitivity. Better results with both tests were achieved when mosquitoes were frozen within 48 h from feeding
Subject(s)
Humans , Animals , Female , Cats , Dogs , Aedes/physiology , Blood , Eating , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods , Precipitin Tests/methods , Cryopreservation/methods , Feeding Behavior , Sensitivity and Specificity , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Para conhecer a populaçäo de cäes e gatos de Itacoatiara, Niterói, RJ, realizou-se um censo de janeiro a março de 1995. Determinou-se somente a prevalência da infecçäo canina por Dirofilaria immitis no bairro, já que em gatos a microfilaremia é rara e transitória e, portanto, sem importância epidemiológica. Demonstrou-se também a ocorrência de casos autóctones da doença. A populaçäo de animais de companhia em Itacoatiara correspondeu a 36 por cento da populaçäo humana. Estimou-se que no bairro, em 1995, havia 95 cäes infectados por D. immitis e portadores de microfilaremia e, portanto, fonte de infecçäo. A prevalência de casos microfilarêmicos foi 31,7 por cento. Dentre os 91 cäes nascidos, criados e que nunca saíram de Itacoatiara (autóctones), 37,8 por cento eram portadores de microfilárias na circulaçäo.
Subject(s)
Animals , Dogs , Dirofilaria immitis , Dirofilariasis , Dog Diseases/epidemiology , PrevalenceABSTRACT
Dirofilaria immitis is a widespread mosquito-borne parasite that causes dirofilariasis, a commonly diagnosed disease of dogs that is rarely reported in cats and humans. A mosquito survey was conducted in Itacoatiara in the State of Rio de Janeiro, from March 1995 to February 1996, using canine, feline and human baits. A total of 3.667 mosquitos were dissected for D. immitis larvae, representing 19 species and 10 genera. From those, Ae. scapularis, Ae. taeniorhynchus, Cx quinquefasciatus, Cx. declator, Cx. saltanensis and Wy. bourrouli were found infected with D. immitis parasites, and among those, only the first three harbored infective larvae. The majority of larvae were found in the Malpighian tubules (889/936), and larval melanization was observed in the two Aedes species. In descending order, the best vector were Ae. scapularis, Ae. taeniorhynchus, and Cx. quinquefasciatus which alternate seasonally in importance. Cx. quinquefasciatus is suggested to be a vector to cats. The potential transmission of D. immitis parasites by these three vectors to man is discussed.
Subject(s)
Animals , Culicidae/parasitology , Dirofilaria immitis/parasitology , Insect Vectors , Aedes/parasitology , Culex/parasitologyABSTRACT
Heartworm, a chronic fatal mosquito-borne canine disease, is frequently diagnosed in dogs from the State of Rio de Janeiro, where its prevalence is 29,7 per cent in the city of Niteroi. Nevertheless it is rarely detected in cats (0.8 per cent) from the same state. Dogs are primary source of infection to mosquitoes, because cats either do not demonstrate microfilaremia or it is too low and transient for transmission. A mosquito survey was conducted in Itacoatiara, Niteroi, from March 1995 to February 1996, using canine, feline and human baits. A total of 21 mosquito species (3,888 females) was collected and biting frequency was highest at dusk. The four species collected most frequently (88.9 per cent) were: Aedes taeniorhynchus (30 per cent of the total catch; with the peak in May/June); Culex quinquefasciatus (22,5 per cent; August/October); Aedes scapularis (19,4 per cent; August, October/November and January) and Culex declarator (17 per cent November/January). Human baits were attractive to these species and dogs were significantly more attractive to them than cats. Ae. taeniorhynchus, Cx. quinquefasciatus, Ae. scapularis, Cx. declarator and Cx. nigripalpus are the most likely mosquito species to transmit Dirofilaria immitis parasites to dogs and may transmit the parasite to humans. It is also suggested that the vector to cats belongs to the genus Culex.