A survey of ectoparasites infesting urban and rural dogs of Maranhão state, Brazil.

This study evaluated for the first time, ectoparasite infestations on dogs from urban and rural areas of the continental land of the state of Maranhão, northeastern Brazil. In total, 622 dogs were examined for ectoparasite infestations. Overall, 392 (63.0%) were infested with ectoparasites, 154 (51.3%) of 300 urban dogs and 238 (73.9%) of 322 rural dogs. Five species of ectoparasites were found, three ticks [Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille), Amblyomma ovale Koch, and Amblyomma cajennense (F.)], one flea [Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché)], and one louse [(Heterodoxus spininger (Enderlein)]. The frequency of infestation by R. sanguineus tended to be higher in urban than in rural areas, whereas infestations by Amblyomma ticks and C. felis fleas tended to be higher among rural dogs. Louse (H. spininger) infestations were similarly low among all areas. Mixed infestations by at least two species of ectoparasites on the same dog were significantly more frequent on rural than on urban dogs. The most frequent mixed infestation was by R. sanguineus and C. felis, found on 11.4% of the dogs. Further studies are warranted to evaluate canine vector-borne agents in Maranhão, especially because most of the ectoparasites here reported are vectors of major vector-borne diseases, including zoonoses of continental importance.

Animal reservoirs for visceral leishmaniasis in densely populated urban areas.

Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease of major public health and veterinary importance, affecting 88 countries with up to 2 million cases per year. This review emphasizes the animal reservoirs and spreading of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in urban areas, particularly in two Brazilian metropolitan areas, namely São Luis and Belo Horizonte, where the disease has become endemic in the past few years. Urbanization of visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil during the last decades has created favorable epidemiological conditions for maintenance of the disease, with dense human populations sharing a tropical environment with abundant populations of the mammalian reservoir and the invertebrate vector, facilitating transmission of the disease.

[Ectoparasites in goat and sheep folks from Alto Mearim and Grajaú Microregion, State of Maranhão]. / Ectoparasitos em rebanhos de caprinos e ovinos na microrregião do Alto Mearim e Grajaú, Estado do Maranhão.

Goat and sheep folks from Alto Mearim and Grajaú microregion, State of Maranhão, were examined by inspection and by feeling to collected ectoparasites. The specimens were kept in individual bottles for each host sampled with alcohol 70 degrees GL as preserver liquid. The identification was carried out at Universidade Estadual do Maranhão at the laboratory of parasitology. The ticks were examined in stereomicroscope and identified through Aragão and Fonseca (1961) dicotomic key; the lice were mounted in slides according to Pinto (1938) technique, examined in optic microscope and identified through Tuff (1977) and Furmam and Catts (1977) keys; the fly larvae were examined in stereomicroscope and identified by the morphology of the peritreme, and spiracular slits. In 380 animals sampled, 143 (37,64%) were infested with ectoparasites. The following parasites were identified: Bovicola caprae, Boophilus microplus, larvae of Cochliomya hominivorax (screw-worm) and larvae of Dermatobia hominis (bot fly). Parasitary association was observed only in goats in Grajaú and Sítio Novo (louse+tick; louse+bot fly; screw-worm+louse and ticks+louse+screw-worm). The statistic analyses demonstrated that the prevalence of ectoparasites was high in the rainy season (P<0.02).