Análise do conteúdo de uma tecnologia para raciocínio diagnóstico de enfermagem / Análisis de contenido de una tecnología para el razonamiento diagnóstico en enfermería / Content analysis of a technology to the nursing diagnostic reasoning

RESUMO Objetivo: submeter à análise do conteúdo uma estratégia metacognitiva de avaliação indireta no pré-encontro com o cliente. Método: estudo metodológico. Utilizou-se o índice de concordância e confiabilidade entre juízes para os critérios de pertinência, adequação, clareza, concisão e precisão de uma tecnologia para raciocínio diagnóstico de enfermagem por iniciantes por meio de formulário eletrônico. Fizeram parte da amostra 13 juízes. Os dados foram analisados por estatística descritiva. Resultados: houve alta concordância e confiabilidade interavaliadores para 85 itens relacionados à etapa de coleta de dados e descrição da estratégia. Apenas cinco itens não alcançaram os critérios de validação e devem ser reformulados. Conclusão: a avaliação indireta no préencontro é pertinente ao processo de raciocínio diagnóstico, sendo possível desenvolver habilidades e competências diagnósticas no iniciante por meio de estratégias, propostas em uma tecnologia inovadora sob a forma de diagrama. .

RESUMEN Objetivo: analizar el contenido de una estrategia metacognitiva de la evaluación indirecta en la reunión previa con el cliente. Método: investigación metodológica; se utilizó el índice de concordancia y confiabilidad interevaluadores a los criterios de pertinencia, claridad adecuación, concisión y precisión de una tecnología para el razonamiento diagnóstico de enfermería para los principiantes a través de medios electrónicos. La muestra estuvo conformada por 13 jueces. Los datos fueron analizados utilizando estadística descriptiva. Resultados: alta confiabilidad interevaluadores de 85 artículos relacionados con la etapa de recolección de datos y la descripción de la estrategia. Sólo 05 artículos no alcanzaron los criterios de validación y deben ser modificados. Conclusión: se concluye que la evaluación indirecta en la reunión previa es relevante para el proceso de razonamiento de diagnóstico, es posible desarrollar habilidades y destrezas de diagnóstico a los principiantes a través de estrategias, propuestas sobre la tecnología innovadora en la forma de un diagrama. .

ABSTRACT Objective: to undergo a content analysis of a metacognitive strategy of indirect assessment in the pre-encounter with the client. Method: methodological study. Agreement and inter-rater reliability index for the criteria: relevance, adequacy, clarity, conciseness and accuracy of a technology to the nursing diagnosis reasoning for novices through an electronic form. The sample consisted of 13 raters. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: high agreement and inter-rater reliability for 85 items related to data collection stage and the strategy description. Only fi ve items did not reach the validation criteria and must be rewritten. Conclusion: indirect assessment of the pre-encounter is relevant to the diagnostic reasoning process, being possible to develop competencies and diagnostic skills in the novice through strategies, proposals on innovative technology in the form of a diagram. .

Aspectos ecológicos de mosquitos (Diptera: Culicidae) em fragmentoflorestal urbano e suas implicações vetoriais no município de Taubaté,Estado de São Paulo, Brasil / Ecological Aspects of Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in urban forest fragment and its vector implications in the municipality of Taubaté, State of São Paulo, Brazil

Introdução:Fragmentos de mata inseridos no cenário urbano podem reunircondições favoráveis à reprodução de espécies de culicideos de importânciaepidemiológica, constituindo aspecto ecológico extraordinário na discussãode processos adaptativos e suas implicações para a saúde pública.Objetivo:Identificar a composição de espécies de mosquitos adultos, frequência,diversidade, dominância e constância. Pretendeu-se ainda verificar aassociação dos mosquitos com temperatura e pluviosidade e discutir suaimportância em saúde pública. Verificar o dimorfismo sexual e descrever avariação morfológica temporal alar de fêmeas da espécie de importânciaepidemiológica mais frequente. Métodos: Foram realizadas duascoletas/mês, em parque ecológico inserido em ambiente urbano domunicípio de Taubaté-SP, entre agosto de 2008 e agosto de 2009,utilizando-se as técnicas de aspiração, CDC e puçá. Foram empregados osíndices de diversidade, dominância e constância. Analisou-se a associaçãoentre temperatura e pluviosidade e abundância de mosquitos, além dasvariações morfológicas da espécie mais frequente com base na morfometriageométrica alar. Resultados: Foram coletados 2.733 exemplares adultos,sendo 1.412 fêmeas e 1.321 machos, distribuídos em seis gêneros e 23espécies. As mais frequentes e abundantes foram: Aedes scapularis(n=1063), Culex bidens (n=728), Culex nigripalpus (n=408), Ae. albopictus(n=130), Psorophora ferox (n=97) e Culex chidesteri (n=82),perfazendoaproximadamente 90% do total de espécimes coletados. Nove espéciesclassificaram-se como constantes, 5 acessórias e as demais acidentais. Os...

Introduction: Fragments of forest embedded in the urban scenario cancreate favorable conditions to the reproduction of culicidae species ofepidemiological importance, constituting an extraordinary ecological aspect inthe discussion of adaptable processes and its implications to the publichealth. Objective: Identify the composition of specimens of adultmosquitoes, analyzing its frequency, diversity, dominance, constancy, anddiscuss those ones of importance in public health. Verify association of theabundance of mosquitoes with abiotic factors, sexual dimorphism and thewing temporal morphological variation of females of the most frequentspecies of epidemiological importance. Methods: Two samples a monthwere collected, in an ecological park inserted in urban environment in themunicipality of Taubaté-SP, from August, 2008 to August 2009, usingtechniques of aspiration, CDC e insect net to capture. Indexes of diversity,dominance and constancy were used. The association of mosquitoabundance with temperature and rainfall was analyzed, besides themorphological variations of the most frequent species with basis in the winggeometric morphometrics. Results: 2.733 adult individuals were collected,being 1.412 females and 1.321 males, distributed in six genders and 23specimens. The most frequent and abundant were: Aedes scapularis(n=1063), Culex bidens (n=728), Cx. nigripalpus (n=408), Ae. albopictus(n=130), Psorophora ferox (n=97) e Cx. chidesteri (n=82), totalizingapproximately 90% of the total of specimens collected. Nine species wereclassified as constant, 5 as accessory and the other ones as accidental. The...

Isolation of mosquitocidal bacteria (Bacillus thuringiensis, B.sphaericus and B.cereus) from excreta of arid birds.

Mosquitocidal bacteria are environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical insecticides for controlling mosquitoes and therefore, there have been tremendous world-wide efforts to identify novel mosquitocidal bacteria from natural environment. In the present study, excreta from arid-birds were analyzed for identifying mosquitocidal bacteria. The selection of sample for bacterial screening is significant, because, arid-birds are the unique living species and gathering the foods from variety of sources from environment. Out of 1000 samples examined, twelve bacterial strains were identified as mosquitocidal and the 16S rRNA gene sequence alignment depicted that these isolates belonged to Bacillus species (Bacillus thuringiensis, B.sphaericus and B.cereus). Toxicity assay against mosquito vectors have shown that these isolates are potential. The B. sphaericus VCRC-B547 (NCBI: JN377789) has shown a higher toxicity against Cx. quinquefasciatus, An. stephensi, and Aed. aegypti. Result from SDS-PAGE has shown that there was considerable difference in the protein profiles among the new bacterial isolates. Phylogenetic tree with branch length 0.05 revealed three distinct groups with homology among the closely related Bacillus strains. This study therefore throws considerable interest on the diversity of microbial organisms from arid birds and its application in mosquito control.

Canine heartworm disease in Porto Velho: first record, distribution map and occurrence of positive mosquitoes / Dirofilariose canina em Porto Velho: primeiro registro, mapa de distribuicao e ocorrencia de mosquitos positivos

The aim of this study was to make the first report on canine heartworm disease in the state of Rondônia and confirm its transmission in this state. Blood samples were randomly collected from 727 dogs in the city of Porto Velho. The samples were analyzed to search for microfilariae and circulating antigens, using three different techniques: optical microscopy on thick blood smears stained with Giemsa; immunochromatography; and PCR. Mosquitoes were collected inside and outside the homes of all the cases of positive dogs and were tested using PCR to search for DNA of Dirofilaria immitis. Ninety-three blood samples out of 727 (12.8%) were positive according to the immunoassay technique and none according to the thick smear method. Among the 93 positive dogs, 89 (95.7%) were born in Porto Velho. No difference in the frequency of infection was observed between dogs raised indoors and in the yard. PCR on the mosquitoes resulted in only one positive pool. This result shows that the transmission of canine heartworm disease is occurring in the city of Porto Velho and that there is moderate prevalence among the dogs. The techniques of immunochromatography and PCR were more effective for detecting canine heartworm than thick blood smears. The confirmation of canine heartworm disease transmission in Porto Velho places this disease in the ranking for differential diagnosis of pulmonary nodules in humans in Rondônia.

O objetivo deste estudo foi de registrar pela primeira vez a dirofilariose canina no estado de Rondônia e confirmar sua transmissão neste estado. Amostras de sangue de 727 cães foram colhidas aleatoriamente na cidade de Porto Velho. As amostras foram analisadas em busca de microfilárias e antígenos circulantes usando três técnicas diferentes: microscopia ótica de gota espessa corada com Giemsa e imunocromatografia de fluxo lateral e PCR. Mosquitos foram colhidos no domicilio e peridomicílio de todos os casos de cães positivos, estes mosquitos foram testados pela PCR na detecção de DNA de Dirofilaria immitis. Noventa e três das 727 amostras de sangue foram positivas na técnica de imunoensaio (12,8%). Nenhuma amostra foi positiva na gota espessa. Entre os 93 cães positivos, 89 (95,7%) foram nascidos em Porto Velho. Nenhuma diferença na frequencia de infecção foi observada entre cães criados dentro da casa ou no quintal. O PCR dos mosquitos resultou em apenas um pool positivo. Este resultado mostra que a transmissão de dirofilariose canina está ocorrendo na cidade de Porto Velho e a frequência que ocorre nos cães é considerada moderada. As técnicas de imunocromatografia e PCR são mais eficazes na detecção de dirofilariose comparadas a gota espessa. A confirmação de transmissão de dirofilariose canina em Porto Velho, coloca esta doença no ranking de diagnóstico diferencial de nódulos pulmonares em seres humanos em Rondônia.

Survey of Bancroftian filariasis infection in humans and Culex mosquitoes in the western Brazilian Amazon region: implications for transmission and control

Introduction The aim of this work was to identify possible lymphatic filariasis foci in the western Brazilian Amazonian that could be established from the reports of Rachou in the 1950s. The study was conducted in three cities of the western Brazilian Amazon region - Porto Velho and Guajará-Mirim (State of Rondônia) and Humaitá (State of Amazonas). Methods For human infection evaluation thick blood smear stained with Giemsa was used to analyze samples collected from 10pm to 1am. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to examine mosquito vectors for the presence of Wuchereria bancrofti DNA. Humans were randomly sampled from night schools students and from inhabitants in neighborhoods lacking sanitation. Mosquitoes were collected from residences only. Results A total 2,709 night students enrolled in the Program for Education of Young Adults (EJA), and 935 people registered in the residences near the schools were examined, being 641 from Porto Velho, 214 from Guajará-Mirim and 80 from Humaitá. No individual examined was positive for the presence of microfilariae in the blood stream. A total of 7,860 female Culex quinquefasciatus specimens examined were negative by PCR. Conclusions This survey including human and mosquito examinations indicates that the western Amazon region of Brazil is not a focus of Bancroftian filariasis infection or transmission. Therefore, there is no need to be included in the Brazilian lymphatic filariasis control program. .

Rapid Detection and Identification of Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, B. pahangi, and Dirofilaria immitis in Mosquito Vectors and Blood Samples by High Resolution Melting Real-Time PCR

A simple, rapid, and high-throughput method for detection and identification of Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, Brugia pahangi, and Dirofilaria immitis in mosquito vectors and blood samples was developed using a real-time PCR combined with high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis. Amplicons of the 4 filarial species were generated from 5S rRNA and spliced leader sequences by the real-time PCR and their melting temperatures were determined by the HRM method. Melting of amplicons from W. bancrofti, B. malayi, D. immitis, and B. pahangi peaked at 81.5+/-0.2degrees C, 79.0+/-0.3degrees C, 76.8+/-0.1degrees C, and 79.9+/-0.1degrees C, respectively. This assay is relatively cheap since it does not require synthesis of hybridization probes. Its sensitivity and specificity were 100%. It is a rapid and technically simple approach, and an important tool for population surveys as well as molecular xenomonitoring of parasites in vectors.

Seroepidemiología del paludismo en un grupo de migrantes en tránsito (Chiapas, 2008)

OBJETIVO: Conocer la prevalencia del paludismo y los factores asociados con la infección de migrantes en la frontera sur de México, durante 2008. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: En 706 migrantes, se investigó la infección activa mediante prueba rápida y PCR o pasada, mediante serología y se aplicó un cuestionario para investigar las condiciones asociadas con la infección. RESULTADOS: 85.6% provenía de Centroamérica. Ninguno presentó infección activa; 4.2% fue seropositivo y la mayoría provenía de los países con mayor incidencia de paludismo en la región. La seropositividad se asoció con el número de episodios previos de paludismo (RM=1.44; IC95% 1.04-2.00), años de permanencia en su comunidad de origen (RM=1.03; IC95% 1.00 -1.07) y conocimiento y automedicación con antipalúdicos (RM=3.38; IC95% 1.48-7.67). CONCLUSIONES: La exposición previa de migrantes al paludismo y las dificultades para su detección indican la necesidad de nuevas estrategias para la vigilancia epidemiológica para estas poblaciones.

OBJECTIVE: To know the prevalence of malaria and the factors associated with the infection in migrants in the southern border of Mexico, during 2008. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 706 migrants, active malaria infection was investigated using a rapid diagnostic test and PCR and past infection using serology. A questionnaire was applied to investigate the conditions associated to infection. RESULTS: 85.6% originated from Central America, none presented an active infection, although 4.2% were seropositive, most of these came from the countries with the highest malaria incidence in the region. Seropositivity was associated with the number of previous malaria episodes (OR=1.44; IC95% 1.04-2.00), years living in their community of origin (OR=1.03; IC95% 1.00-1.07), and knowledge and self-medication with anti-malaria drugs (OR=3.38; IC95% 1.48-7.67). CONCLUSIONS:. The previous exposure of migrants and the difficulties for their detection indicate the need of new strategies for the epidemiological surveillance for these populations.

Use and Effects of Malaria Control Measures in Pregnancy in Lagos, Nigeria

In Nigeria, malaria causes up to 11% of maternal mortality. Our main aim was to find out the most common mosquito control measures employed by the pregnant women in Lagos and their effects on malaria infection. The study was carried out over a period of 6 months during which trained interviewers administered questionnaires to 400 pregnant women. The prevalence of malaria was 8.4%. There was no significant association between the prevalence of malaria and age, level of education, or occupation of the participants. Pregnant women in the age range 26-30 had the mean parasite density (409.9+/-196.80). Insecticide spray (32.8%), mosquito coil (27.5%), and insecticide-treated nets (ITN) (15.5%) were the major mosquito control measures employed by the participants while the prevalence of infection among them were 2.3%, 6.2%, and 3.2%, respectively (P<0.05). Only 18.3% of the women had taken more than one dose of intermittent preventive treatment (IPT), while another 11.8% had taken a single dose. The infection rate among them was 4.1% and 6.4%, respectively. Malaria prevalence was highest among those who had not received any dose of IPT (10%). This study showed that the use of ITN and IPT among the pregnant women were still unacceptably low. It also showed that the use of insecticide spray which was the most common malaria control measure adopted by the participants was effective despite the fact that it is not a National Malaria Control Policy. We recommend that a sustained integrated mosquito management and public education should be strengthened in Nigeria.

Efecto de la calidad del agua de criaderos de mosquitos (Diptera: Culicidae) sobre la patogenicidad e infectividad de las zoosporas del hongo Leptolegnia chapmanii (Straminipila: Peronosporomycetes)

Effect of water quality in mosquito breeding sites on the pathogenicity and infectivity of zoospores from the fungus Leptolegnia chapmanii (Straminipila: Peronosporomycetes). The fungus Leptolegnia chapmanii is highly pathogenic to mosquito larvae in Argentina. We studied if physical and chemical characteristics of the water from mosquito breeding sites affect pathogenicity, and the infectivity of zoospores of L. chapmanii. Water samples were taken from pools filled by rains, urban ditches with domestic waste water, pools filled by overflow from Río de la Plata, and flower vases from the Cemetery of La Plata city. Sub-samples of water were analyzed for physical and chemical characteristics, while other sub-samples were used for laboratory bioassays. Containers with 150 ml of water samples, 25 Aedes aegypti larvae, and 2.8 x 105 zoospores of L. chapmanii, were incubated under controlled environment, and larval mortality was recorded after 48 h. There were highly significant differences among mortalities in water from cemetery vases (70.2%), rain pools water (99.5%), and pools with water from Rio de la Plata (95%). There were no significant differences among larval mortalities in water from ditches, rain pools and Río de la Plata pools. Leptolegnia chapmanii was successful as a biological control agent in all kinds of tested water qualities, producing high larval mortality. Rev. Biol. Trop. 57 (1-2): 371-380. Epub 2009 June 30.

Leptolegnia chapmanii es un potente patógeno de larvas de mosquitos. El objetivo del trabajo fue determinar si las características físico-químicas del agua de criaderos de culícidos de importancia sanitaria a nivel mundial afectan la patogenicidad e infectividad de las zoosporas de L. chapmanii. Se tomaron muestras de cuatro tipos de agua en Argentina: de lluvia, de zanja, del Río de La Plata, y de floreros del cementerio local. A una parte del agua se le realizaron estudios físicos-químicos, y otra parte fue utilizada en ensayos. Se colocó 150 ml de cada muestra en recipientes plásticos, con 25 larvas sanas de Aedes aegypti y 2.8 x 105 zoosporas de L. chapmanii. Fueron incubadas a 25 ºC y 12-12 (L-O). La mortalidad larval fue registrada a las 48 horas. Se utilizaron tres recipientes y un control por tratamiento, con tres repeticiones realizadas en distintos días. Se observaron diferencias altamente significativas entre la mortalidad larval en aguas de floreros del cementerio (70.2%), aguas de lluvias (99.53%), y del río de La Plata (95%). No hubo diferencias significativas entre la mortalidad larval en agua de zanja, lluvia y río. Leptolegnia chapmanii resultó exitoso en los cuatro tipos de aguas evaluados, produciendo elevados niveles de mortalidad larval.

Efficacy of Match[registered sign] and Baycidal [registered sign] as insect growth regulators [IGRs] against adults of Culex pipiens L. mosquitoes

To evaluate the biological effects of two IGRs, Match [registered sign] and Baycidal [registered sign], on Culex pipiens mosquitoes, adults were fed on sugar solution mixed with 0.05, 0.25 and 0.5 ppm of each compound. Some delayed effects of these treatments were also determined. The results indicated that the use of the tested IGRs caused a reduction in the blood-feeding activity of mosquito females compared with the contrls. The reduction were 30.4, 39.1 and 47.8% when using Match and 36.9, 45.6 and 54.3% when using Baycidal [registered sign], respectively at corresponding concentrations. The reduction in biting activity of mosquito females may lead to a decrease in the number of fully engorged females and accordingly affect their reproductive capacity. The use of Match [registered sign] and Baycidal [registered sign] at tested concentrations caused a marked prolongation in the time needed for blood meal to be digested by C pipiens females. The prolongation percentages were 40.5, 69.0 and 71.4% when using Match [registered sign] and 61.9, 69.0 and 73.8% when using Baycidal [registered sign], respectively. Also, treatments caused a reduction in the reproductive capacity. The maximum decreasing in egg production was 34.5% at 0.5 ppm of Match [registered sign]. The result showed that the treatment by Baycidal [registered sign] at 0.05, 0.25 and 0.5 ppm led to a remarkable reduction in the egg production by 45.3, 49.3 and 55.9%, respectively, in addition, the hatchability was reduced in the treated females. A subsequent study was carried out to investigate the delayed effect of Match [registered sign] and Baycidal [registered sign] as IGRs on the newly emerged larvae. The result showed that the larval development was inhibited by 32.5, 58.0 and 89.8% when using Match [registered sign] at 0.05, 0.25 and 0.5 ppm, respectively. on the other hand the larval development was completely inhibited after the treatment of adults fed on 0.5 ppm Baycidal [registered sign]. The larvae developed till the 2nd instar but completely failed in molting to the 3rd instar. Subsequent study was conducted on the effect of Match [registered sign] and Baycidal [registered sign] on the longevity of the emerged mosquito adults, but not significant differences in the mean of adult longevity between treatments and control

Epidemiological and ecological aspects related to malaria in the area of influence of the lake at Porto Primavera dam, in western São Paulo State, Brazil / Aspectos epidemiológicos e ecológicos relacionados à malária na área de influência do lago da Represa de Porto Primavera, região oeste do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

A study was carried out in the area of influence of the Porto Primavera Hydroelectric Power Station, in western São Paulo State, to investigate ecological and epidemiological aspects of malaria in the area and monitor the profile of the anopheline populations following the environmental changes brought about by the construction of the lake. Mosquitoes captured were analyzed by standardized indicator species analysis (ISA) before and during different flooding phases (253 m and 257 m elevations). The local human population was studied by means of parasitological (thin/thick blood smears), molecular (PCR) and serological tests. Serological tests consisted of Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) with synthetic peptides of the circumsporozoite protein (CSP) from classic Plasmodium vivax, P. vivax variants (VK247 and "vivax-like"), P. malariae and P. falciparum and Indirect Immunofluorescence Assay (IFA) with asexual forms of P. vivax, P. malariae and P. falciparum. The results of the entomological survey indicated that, although the Anopheles darlingi population increased after the flooding, the population density remained very low. No malaria, parasite infection or DNA was detected in the inhabitants of the study area. However, there was a low frequency of antibodies against asexual forms and a significant prevalence of antibodies against P. vivax, P. vivax variants, P. falciparum and P. malariae; the presence of these antibodies may result from recent or less recent contact with human or simian Plasmodium (a parallel study in the same area revealed the existence of a sylvatic cycle) ...

Foi realizada pesquisa na área de influência do lago da Usina Hidrelétrica de Porto Primavera, região oeste do Estado de São Paulo, para estudar aspectos ecológicos e epidemiológicos da malária na localidade e acompanhar o perfil das populações de anofelinos frente às mudanças decorrentes do impacto ambiental pela formação do lago. Mosquitos capturados foram analisados pelo Índice de Abundância de Espécies Padronizado (IAEP), antes e durante o enchimento do reservatório (cotas 253 e 257 m). A população humana local foi estudada por meio de teste parasitológico (gota espessa e esfregaço sangüíneo), testes moleculares (PCR) e testes sorológicos. A sorologia consistiu na reação de ELISA com peptídeos sintéticos correspondentes à porção repetitiva da proteína circumsporozoíta (CSP) de Plasmodium vivax clássico, e suas variantes VK247 e "vivax-like", P. malariae e P. falciparum; e reação de Imunofluorescência Indireta (RIFI) com formas assexuadas de P. vivax, P. malariae e P. falciparum. Os resultados do estudo entomológico indicaram que, embora a população de Anopheles darlingi tenha aumentando após o enchimento, permaneceu em baixa densidade. Não foi detectada malária nem a presença de parasitos ou de DNA parasitário nos habitantes estudados. No entanto, foi observada baixa freqüência de anticorpos contra formas assexuadas e significativa prevalência de anticorpos contra esporozoítos de P. vivax e suas variantes, P. falciparum e P. malariae, que poderiam decorrer de contatos prévios, recentes ou não, com plasmódios humanos ou símios (o ciclo silvestre foi evidenciado em estudo paralelo realizado na mesma área)...

review of manipulations in plasmodium - mosquito interactions

A key requirement for transmission of malaria parasite is an infected blood meal that initiates parasites transmission cycle. The malaria parasite and its mosquito require differing biting rates of mosquito to ensure parasite transmission success and mosquito reproductive success. The trade-off existing between mosquito biting rate and survival further constrains the attempts by both partners to minimize their successes. This review discusses the attempts by malaria parasites to enhance the transmission and the defense system of its vector to resist infection. This article is a review of several articles obtained from the Internet, www.pubmed.com, medline and several authors via e-mail

Biotin/avidin sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for Culicidae mosquito blood meal identification

The knowledge of mosquitoes Culicidae host feeding patterns is basic to understand the roles of different species and to indicate their importance in the epidemiology of arthropod-borne diseases. A laboratory assay was developed aiming at standardizing the biotin-avidin sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, which was unprecedented for mosquito blood meal identification. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) activity was evaluated by the detection of titers on each sample of the 28 blood-fed Culex quinquefasciatus. In light of the high sensitivity that the technique permits, by means of small quantities of specific antibodies commercially provided and phosphatase substrate which reinforces additional dilutions, human and rat blood meals were readily identified in all laboratory-raised Culex quinquefasciatus tested. The assay was effective to detect human blood meal dilutions up to 1:4,096, which enables the technique to be applied in field studies. Additionally, the present results indicate a significant difference between the detection patterns recorded from human blood meal which corroborate the results of host feeding patterns.

Efeito de triflumuron- um inibidor da síntese de quitina - sobre o desenvolvimento e a reprodução de culicídeos vetores de doenças / Effect of triflumuron- an inhibitor of the synthesis of quitina - on the development and the reproduction of culicidae disease vectors

Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus e Culex quinquefasciatus são 3 espécies de mosquito difundidas principalmente nas regiões tropicais e subtropicais do globo. No Brasil, estão relacionadas com a transmissão de doenças como a dengue e a filariose linfática e há grande preocupação com sua potencial participação na transmissão de outras arboviroses, como o vírus do oeste do Nilo e o da febre amarela. Atualmente, a principal forma de combate a vetores de doenças é realizada através do uso de inseticidas químicos, cujo sítio de ação é o sistema nervoso central do inseto. Como conseqüência do uso maciço destes produtos, a freqüência de indivíduos resistentes em populações de várias espécies de insetos vetores tem aumentado. Os reguladores do desenvolvimento de insetos aparecem como uma nova alternativa de controle de mosquitos vetores. Neste grupo, encontram-se os inibidores da síntese de quitina (CSI), substâncias que prejudicam o processo de muda, acarretando deficiências principalmente na cutícula dos insetos. No presente trabalho, verificou-se que o CSI triflumuron foi eficaz contra estas 3 espécies de culicídeos vetores, em concentrações na ordem de (miu)g/L. Além disso, foi investigado o efeito da aplicação, em larvas, de dose parcialmente letal de triflumuron sobre vários aspectos da biologia de Ae. aegypti. De modo geral, a longevidade, aceitação do repasto sangüíneo, volume de sangue ingerido, reprodução e postura são afetados negativamente nos adultos sobreviventes ao tratamento na fase imatura. Triflumuron foi eficaz contra diversas populações de campo de Ae. aegypti, com diferentes níveis de susceptibilidade ao organofosforado temephos e ao piretróide deltametrina: não houve emergência de adultos viáveis quando as larvas foram expostas à IE99 de triflumuron para a cepa-referência Rockefeller. Embora não tenha sido detectada resistência cruzada entre aqueles inseticidas químicos e o CSI, a mortalidade de populações resistentes ao temephos, mas não à deltam...

A preliminary study on in vitro transmission of Dirofilaria immitis infective stage larvae by Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae).

This study was performed to study an in vitro transmission of infective stage larvae from the mosquito proboscis. There were five experiments with 949 mosquitoes. Liverpool strain of Aedes aegypti (L.) were used in this study. They were allowed to feed on D. immitis infected dogs with different microfilarial levels which were 1,650, 1,950, 9,000, 9,250, and 11,550 microfilariae per one ml of blood. Mosquitoes were forced to feed on solution (5% sucrose in 5% dog serum) in capillary tubes for 20 minutes at 7-34 days post-blood feeding. Solutions in capillary tubes then were examined and mosquitoes were dissected and examined for D. immitis larvae under a light microscope. Second stage larvae could be found in the abdomen and malpighian tubules of mosquitoes and third stage larvae can be found in the abdomen, malpighian tubules, thorax, and proboscis of mosquitoes with different levels of infection. No larvae were detected in the solution in capillary tubes of all experiments.

Filariose linfática em Belém, Estado do Pará, Norte do Brasil e a perspectiva de eliminação / Lymphatic filariasis in Belém, Pará State, North of Brazil and the perspective of elimination

Com o objetivo de caracterizar a situação epidemiológica da filariose linfática em Belém-PA foram analisados dados dos inquéritos hemoscópicos de 1951 a 2003. As informações do período de 1951 a 1994 foram coletadas de relatórios disponibilizados pela Fundação Nacional de Saúde. Os dados de 1995 a 2003 foram obtidos através de inquéritos realizados em 62 bairros, dos oito distritos administrativos da cidade. Observou-se uma queda apreciável ao longo dos anos nos índices de microfilarêmicos. As percentagens de parasitados nas décadas de 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980 e 1990, foram respectivamente: 8,2 por cento, 2,6 por cento, 0,7 por cento, 0,16 por cento e 0,02 por cento. Em 2001, foi diagnosticado um único microfilarêmico, interrompendo uma série de dois anos sem registro de exames positivos na cidade. Em 2002 e 2003, inquéritos hemoscópicos e entomológicos foram realizados, simultaneamente, não sendo detectados indivíduos microfilarêmicos ou mosquitos infectados. Para manter essa tendência, medidas de vigilância devem ser observadas, a fim de detectar e tratar precocemente pacientes, para evitar o risco de ressurgimento dos focos, aparentemente já controlados.

Inquérito entomológico e infectividade durante epidemia de malária no município de Anajás, Estado do Pará / Entomological survey and infectivity during malaria outbreak in the Anajás municipality, Pará State

Inquérito entomológico transversal foi conduzido na área urbana no Município de Anajás/PA, para verificar o risco de transmissão malárica. Embora a densidade de Anopheles tenha sido baixa, a taxa de infectividade de 6 por cento e o encontro de espécimes positivos em todos os bairros indicam alto risco de contrair a doença.

Susceptibility of Mansonia uniformis to Brugia malayi microfilariae from infected domestic cat.

Microfilariae of Brugia malayi is transmitted to man and other susceptible hosts via mosquito. The transmission of B. malayi from cat to man by Ma. uniformis bite has never been reported. The Ma. uniformis mosquito is the normal vector for Wuchereria bancrofti but has never been reported as a vector for B. malayi, or a susceptible host for the growth and development of the microfilariae of B. malayi. The purpose of this study was to examine the development of B. malayi in Mansonia uniformis after feeding on the blood of an infected cat in the laboratory. The B. malayi infected cat was identified using PCR with the primers Bm-1/Bm-2 on DNA (at 10 ng/50 microl) extracted from the WBC of the cat. W. bancrofti was employed as a negative control. The sensitivity of the B. malayi DNA detection by PCR was 0.0001 ng. Adult Ma. uniformis mosquitos at the ages of 5, 10, and 15 days, 100 mosquitos in each group, were fed on the infected cat blood. Recovery of third stage microfilariae was found to be the highest in the 5-day old mosquito group (48%), followed by the 10- and 15-day old mosquito groups (32% and 18%, respectively). The mean number of B. malayi microfilariae found in thorax, head, and abdomen of the mosquitos were composed. The 5-day old (40.3%) and 10-day old (41.9%) mosquitos were significantly more susceptible to microfilariae than the 15-day old mosquitos (17.8%) (p-values using the Scheffe method: 0.027 and 0.039, respectively). There was no significant difference in the mean number of microfilariae in the thorax (p = 0.482) by age, but the mean numbers of microfilariae in the heads, and abdomens were significantly different by age between the 5- and10-, and the 15-day old mosquitos (p < 0.001 and p = 0.004, respectively).

Analysis of salivary gland proteins of the mosquito Armigeres subalbatus.

Quantitative studies of total salivary gland protein of Armigeres subalbatus mosquito revealed that the total salivary gland protein increased dramatically during the five days after emergence as adults. The amount of salivary gland protein of female and male mosquitos at day five after adult emergence were on the average 11.55 and 1.32 microg/pair gland respectively. SDS-PAGE studies showed that salivary gland protein profiles of Armigeres subalbatus demonstrated 9 major polypeptide bands of 68, 65, 60, 55, 40, 30, 28, 21, and 15 kDa. The 21 and 65 kDa bands were found only in the distal lateral region of the mosquito salivary gland and were depleted after the female mosquito took a blood meal.

Treatment of microfilaraemics with DEC and its effect on vector infection and infectivity in tribal and non-tribal areas of Bankura district, West Bengal, India.

Single course DEC treatment (6 mg/kg body weight/day for 12 days) was administered to 66 tribal and 442 non-tribal microfilaria (mf) carriers detected through a Filariasis survey in Bankura district, West Bengal, India. All the mf carriers remained amicrofilaraemic on 22nd, 180th and 365th post-treatment day. As a result of DEC treatment to the mf carriers, vector (Culex quinquefasciatus) infection rate in tribal study areas reduced from 2.06% to 1.07%. Infectivity rate was "nil" both before and after treatment. In non-tribal study areas, vector infection rate reduced from 4.33% to 2.22% and infectivity rate from 0.51% to 0.29%.