ABSTRACT
Mansonella ozzardi infections are common in the riverside communities along the Solimões, Negro and Purus Rivers in the state of Amazonas (AM). However, little is known about the presence of this parasite in communities located in regions bordering AM and the state of Acre. The prevalence rate of M. ozzardi infections was determined in blood samples from volunteers according to the Knott method. A total of 355 volunteers from six riverine communities were enrolled in the study and 65 (18.3%) were found to be infected with M. ozzardi. As expected, most of the infections (25%) occurred in individuals involved in agriculture, cattle rearing and fishing and an age/sex group analysis revealed that the prevalence increased beginning in the 40-50-years-of-age group and reached 33% in both sexes in individuals over 50 years of age. Based on the described symptomatology, articular pain and headache were found to be significantly higher among infected individuals (56 and 65% prevalence, respectively, p < 0.05). Sera from volunteers were subjected to ELISA using a cocktail of recombinant proteins from Onchocerca volvulus to evaluate the specificity of the test in an endemic M. ozzardi region. No cross-reactions between M. ozzardi-infected individuals and recombinant O. volvulus proteins were detected, thus providing information on the secure use of this particular cocktail in areas where these parasites are sympatric.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Animals , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Mansonella/isolation & purification , Mansonelliasis/epidemiology , Brazil/epidemiology , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Insect Vectors/parasitology , Mansonelliasis/blood , Mansonelliasis/transmission , Onchocerca volvulus/genetics , Prevalence , Recombinant Proteins , Rural Population/statistics & numerical data , Symptom Assessment , Simuliidae/parasitologyABSTRACT
Este estudo teve o objetivo de estimar as prevalências de Mansonella ozzardi e calcular taxa de infecção parasitária nos simulídeos. O trabalho foi realizado em comunidades ribeirinhas do rio Purus, Boca do Acre, Amazonas, Brasil. As prevalências foram obtidas por meio do método de gota espessa de sangue obtido por porção digital. Os simulídeos coletados foram dissecados para estimar a taxa de infecção parasitária. A prevalência de M. ozzardi foi de 27,3 por cento (282/77). Foram observadas maiores prevalências nos homens (31,97 por cento) que nas mulheres (22,22 por cento), nos agricultores (48 por cento) e nos indivíduos entre: 38-47 (60 por cento), 48-57 (66,66 por cento) e 58-67 (75 por cento). A microfilaremia foi maior nos indivíduos entre 58-67 anos (média = 58,41mf/40µL), sexo masculino (41,44mf/40µL) e nos agricultores (49,94mf/40µL). Somente o simulídeo Cerqueirellum amazonicum foi encontrado infectado com taxa de infecção parasitária de 0,98 por cento.
The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Mansonella ozzardi and calculate the parasitic infection rate in simuliid blackflies. The research was conducted in communities on the Purus River, Boca do Acre municipality, Amazonas State, Brazil. Prevalence was measured using the thick smear method. Captured blackflies were dissected to verify the parasitic infection rate. M. ozzardi prevalence was 27.30 percent (77/282). The study showed higher prevalence in men (31.97 percent) than women (22.22 percent), farmers (48.99 percent), and individuals in the 38-47 (60.00 percent), 48-57 (66.66 percent), and 58-67-year age brackets (75.00 percent). Microfilaremia was higher in individuals 58 to 67 years of age (average= 58.41mf/40µl), men (41.44mf/40µl), and farmers (49.94mf/40µl). Only the simuliid Cerqueirellum amazonicum was found infected with a parasitic infection rate of 0.98 percent.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Animals , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Insect Vectors/parasitology , Mansonella/physiology , Mansonelliasis/epidemiology , Microfilariae/physiology , Simuliidae/parasitology , Age Factors , Blood/parasitology , Brazil/epidemiology , Chi-Square Distribution , Mansonelliasis/blood , Mansonelliasis/transmission , Microfilariae/isolation & purification , Occupations/statistics & numerical data , Prevalence , Residence Characteristics , Rivers , Sex Distribution , Sex Factors , Young AdultABSTRACT
Despues de una revision de las publicaciones argentinas sobre MANSONELLA OZZARDI se informan los resultados preliminares de una encuesta en busca de microfilarias de este parasito. Se examinaron 336 varones entre 18 y 24 anos de edad incorporados al Servicio Militar de la Provincia de Salta, Republica Argentina (casi 0.6% del total de los varones en ese grupo etario en la provincia). Se examino un mililitro de sangre concentrada segun el metodo de Knott. Aunque la tercera parte de ellos provenia de la zona oriental de la provincia donde se habian descrito areas endemicas, no se observo infeccion en ningun individuo. Los resultados negativos quizas se deben al pequeno numero de personas examinadas provenientes de regiones de endemicidad o a que se interrumpio la transmision de M.OZZARDI. Se continuara la busqueda de la "microfilaria tucumana" en zonas especificas de Salta, Jujuy y Tucuman y en hogares de ancianos en la ciudad de Salta