Immunotherapy, immunochemotherapy and chemotherapy for American cutaneous leishmaniasis treatment

O tratamento de primeira escolha para leishmaniose tegumentar americana é o antimonial pentavalente. Embora este tratamento seja na maioria das vezes efetivo e indicado, devem ser consideradas as desvantagens tais como efeitos colaterais, longa duracão do tratamento e contra-indicacão para cardiopatas, nefropatas, idosos, grávidas e outras condicões. Com o advento da vacina antileishmaniose tegumentar americana para fins profiláticos e terapêuticos, associando-a ou não a outros fármacos, muitas pesquisas têm sido desenvolvidas, sendo a vacina a principal entre os atuais recursos no tratamento e prevencão da leishmaniose tegumentar americana. Em conclusão, a associacão do antimônio com a vacina (imunoquimioterapia) apresentou o mesmo índice de cura em relacão ao tratamento padrão (100%), e ainda reduziu o volume do sal em 17,9% e o tempo de cura significativamente, de 87 para 62 dias; conseqüentemente, reduzindo os efeitos colaterais.

Experimental infection of Culex (Culex) quinquefasciatus and Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti with Wuchereria bancrofti

A study was conducted to determine the susceptibility of local strains of Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti to infection with the strain of Wuchereria bancrofti that occurs in Maceió, State of Alagoas, Brazil. Cx. quinquefasciatus blood fed simultaneously on the same microfilariae carrier ingested more blood and 2-3x more microfilariae than Ae. aegypti. Survival rates of both species of insects living for 21 days after blood feeding on microfilaraemic patients were not significantly different from the survival rates of mosquitoes that blood fed on amicrofilaraemic individuals. W. bancrofti parasites underwent normal development in Cx. quinquefasciatus, with third stage larvae first being recorded on the 11th day post infection, and their numbers increasing thereafter. Development of filariae in Ae. aegypti did not proceed beyond the first larval stage, and there was a progressively increasing number of non-viable larvae with the passage of time. It is concluded that Ae. aegypti is not involved in the transmission of W. bancrofti in Maceió.

External morphology of the immature stages of Metacuterebra apicalis

The second and the third instar larvae, and the pupa of Metacuterebra apicalis (Guerin-Menevilli), are described based on light and scranning electron microscope observations.

The first instar larva of Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Phlebotomidae)

The morphology and chaetotaxy of the first instar of Lutzomyia (Lutzomyia) longipalpis are described based on observations made under scanning electron microscope. Because three-dimensional images were studied, some terminological changes are proposed to give a more realistic description of the position of the setae. On the larval body, the pairs of setae have the following number: 9 on the head, 12 on the prothorax, 8 on the meso- and metathorax, 6 on the first to eighth abdominal segments, and 8 on the ninth abdominal segment.

Description of the fourth instar larva of Lutzomyia longipalpis, under scanning electron microscopy

The fourth instar larva of Lutzomyia (Lutzomyia) longipalpis (Phlebotomidae: Phlebotominae) was studied by scanning electron microscope. Based on three-dimensional observations, the fine structure and setal position (using of setal position (using of setal numeration) of the larva are presented.

Assessment of immunity induced in mice by glycoproteins derived from different strains and species of Leishamnia

A comparative study was undertaken on the immunogenic properties of 63kDa glycoproteins obtained from five different strains/species of Leishmania and assessed in C57BL/10 mice. The humoral immune response was assessed by ELISA against the five different antigens of the immunized animals. The cellular immune response was derived from Leishmania. The response was found to be species-specific in all of determined by means of the cytokine profiles secreted by the spleen cells of immunized animals. The presence of y-IFN and IL-2, and the absence of IL-4 in the supernatants of cells stimulated by L. amazonensis antigen established that the cellular response is of Th1 type. The five glycoproteins tested were equally effective in protecting C57BL/10 mice against challenge by L. amazonensis. About 50 por cento of the immunized animals were protected for six months.

Relationships of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera)

The status of phlebotomine sand flies in relationship to the family Psychodidae (Diptera) is reviewed. It is concluded that sand flies should be given familial recognition as Phlebotomidae, divided into subfamilies Phlebotominae and Bruchomyiinae. A comparison is made between the evolution of Psychodidae and Phlebotomidae, and it is concluded that the two families represent contrasting evolutionary experiments at an early stage of the diversification of Diptera.

Teste de susceptibilidade do percevejo, Cimex lictularius L. (Hemiptera, Cimicidae) ao DDT em Belo Horizonte, MG (Brasil) / Susceptibility tests of the bed-bug Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera, Cimicidae) do DDT in Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)

O nível de susceptibilidade de percevejos adultos, Cimex lectularius, ao DDT, em Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais (Brasil), foi determinado durante o período de 1985 a 1986. Os resultados indicaram, para os insetos testados, que uma dose de 4,0 por cento do inseticida näo foi suficiente para matar 55 por cento dos insetos. Os dados permitem concluir que existem colonias de percevejos resistentes ao DDT em Belo Horizonte

Distinctions between promastigotes of Leishmania species developing in the digestive tract of laboratory reared Lutzomyia longipalpis

Female Lutzomya longipalpis were exposed to infection by three different species/strains of Leishmania. When the insects were dissected four days after exposure, stained preparations were made of the flagellates contained in the digestive tract. Using traditional morphometric methods, L. amazonensis, L. guyanensis and an unnamed species of the mexicana complex could be distinguished from one another

Susceptibility of laboratory-reared female Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva, 1912) to infection by different species and strains of Leishmania Ross, 1903

A study was undertaken to compare the susceptibility of laboratory-reared female Lutzomyia longipalpis to infection by different species or strains of New World Leishmania. The sand flies proved to be highly susceptible to infection by a strain of Le. guyanensis, with flagellates developing in all (18/18) of the specimens examined. A lower infection rate of 37 per cents (10/27) was recorded in flies exposed to infection by a strain of Le. amazonensis. Flagellates developed in 13 per cents (6/46) of the sand flies that glood fed on dogs in the earlly stage of experimental infection with an old laboratory strain of Le. chagasi. In contrast, promastigotes did not develop in sand flies that blood fed on dogs with naturally acquired Le. chagasi. The naturally infected dogas were in an advanced stage of disease. Flagellates developed in 9// (3/32) of the sand flies that blood fed on lesions of hamsters infected with a strain of Le. braziliensis and in 9 per cents (3/34) of those that fed on hamsters with lesions due to a parasite fo the mexicana complex (strain MHOM/BR/73/BH121). Sand flies did not develop flagellate infections after blood feeding on hamsters bearing lesions induced by strain MHOM/BR/71/BR49. Factors influencing the susceptibility of Lu. longipalpis to infection by New World species of Leishmania are discussed

Histological observations on Montenegro's reaction in man

Foi realizado o estudo histológico do material obtido nas biópsias do local de inoculaçäo do antígeno para teste de Montenegro (T.M.) nos seguintes grupos de indivíduos: I) Seis pacientes com leismaniose cutânea comprovados parasitologicamente, com Montenegro positivo; II) Cinco indivíduos normias, näo residentes em zona endêmica, com Montenegro negativo; III) Nove soldados participantes de ensaios clínicos com vacina anti-LTA - MAYRINK e cols. 1979 e que tiveram o TM positivo 35 dias após vacinaçäo. IV) Um último grupo constituído de quatro soldados, também participantes de ensaio clínico com a mesma vacina acima, dois vacinados que näo mostraram TM positivo 35 días após vacinaçäo dois que receberam placebo. As biópsias foram realizadas 48 horas após a inoculaçäo do antígeno. O material foi fixado em formol à 10% (pH 7.2). Histologicamente, excetivando o grupo II (controle negativo), os grupos I-III-IV mostraram diferenças quantitativas no infiltrado mononuclear. Os quadros histológicos de cada grupo säo descritos e discutidos

Morphological observations on the egg and first instar larva of metacuterelba apicalis (Diptera: cuterebidae)

O ovo e a larva de primeiro estágio de Metacuterebra apicalis (Diptera, Cuterebridae) säo descritos a nível de microscopia óptica e eletrônica de varredura

The life cycle of MetaCutereba apicalis (Diptera: Cuterebidae)

Em condiçöes experimentais de laboratório, foi desenvolvido o ciclo biológico de Metacuterebra apicalis. Serviram como hospedeiros Rodentia Oryzomys subflavus e Rattus norvegicus. O ciclo foi desenvolvido em cerca de 73 dias, sendo os períodos aproximados de 10 dias para embrionia dos ovos, de 23 e 26 dias, respectivamente, para o parasitismo em O. sublflavus e R. norvegicus, de 32 dias para pupa, e de seis dias para sobrevida dos insetos adultos

Descriptions of syntypes of Brumptamyia brumpti (Lsrrousse, 1920) (Diptera: Psychodidae-Phlebotominae)

É apresentada a redescriçäo de sinotipos macho e fêmea de Brumptomya brumpti (Larrousse, 1920), a espécie típica do gênero Brumptomyia França e Parrot, 1921 (diptera: Psychodidae - Phlebotominae)

A female sand fly (Diptera: Psychodidae spinosipes (Floch & Abonnenc, 1943)

É apresentada a descriçäo de um espécimen fêmea semelhante a Brumptomyia spinosipes (Floch & Abonnenc, 1943) (Diptera: Psychodidae - Phlebotominae)