ABSTRACT
The species of the genus Leishmania are protozoa that are widely distributed from Asia to the Americas, affecting humans and wild and domestic animals. Little is known about infection by Leishmania in bats in the state of Maranhão, Brazil. The objective of this study was to investigate the presence of Leishmania in bats in Maranhão. Blood samples were collected from bat species for parasitological diagnosis. Samples of spleen and liver were collected for molecular analysis. All the blood cultures were negative. In two blood smears, organisms similar to amastigotes of Leishmania sp. were detected. Of the 116 samples, two spleen samples were positive and showed similarity to Leishmania infantum. Therefore, further studies are needed to elucidate whether bats take part in the epidemiological chain of leishmaniasis.
Subject(s)
Chiroptera , Leishmania infantum , Leishmaniasis, Visceral , Leishmaniasis , Humans , Animals , Leishmaniasis, Visceral/epidemiology , Leishmaniasis, Visceral/veterinary , Leishmaniasis, Visceral/parasitology , Brazil/epidemiology , Leishmaniasis/epidemiology , Leishmaniasis/veterinaryABSTRACT
Visceral leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease caused by Leishmania infantum for which dogs are the main reservoir. In South America, presence of this disease is expanding along with increasing dispersion of its principal vector, the sand-fly Lutzomyia longipalpis. Feline leishmaniasis is an emerging disease in domestic cats, but epidemiological studies in endemic areas of the Amazon region of Brazil are scarce and the role of cats as reservoirs of L. infantum has been debated. The aim of this study was to investigate L. infantum infection in cats living in the Amazon biome region, using serological and molecular methods. A total of 105 cats were subjected to clinical examination and blood samples were taken for immunofluorescent-antibody (IFAT) serological evaluation, to determine anti-Leishmania antibody titers. Conventional PCR and Sanger's sequencing targeting L. infantum chitinase and Leishmania species ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS-1) encoding genes were performed on conjunctival swabs from these cats. Seropositivity was detected in 32 animals (30.48%), thus confirming that contact between these cats and the parasite was occurring. PCR followed by amplicon sequencing showed that three samples (2.86%) were positive for a chitinase gene and six (5.71%) were positive for the ITS-1 gene. Parasite-positive diagnoses presented a statistically significant association with free access to the streets (pâ¯=â¯0.0111), cohabitation with dogs affected previously by VL (pâ¯=â¯0.0006) and absence of backyard cleaning and garbage collection (pâ¯=â¯0.00003). These results emphasize that cats should be included in epidemiological surveys of leishmaniasis, especially in endemic areas, if not as the reservoir host (unproven), at least as a "sentinel host" that is useful for revealing situations of endemic circulation of L. infantum. Moreover, in these areas, feline leishmaniasis needs to be considered in the differential diagnosis among domestic cats presenting alopecia, rarefied hair, lacerations and ulcerative dermatitis.
Subject(s)
Cat Diseases/diagnosis , Cat Diseases/epidemiology , Leishmania infantum , Leishmaniasis, Visceral/veterinary , Animals , Antibodies, Protozoan/blood , Brazil/epidemiology , Cat Diseases/parasitology , Cats , DNA, Ribosomal Spacer/genetics , Dogs , Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect/veterinary , Leishmaniasis, Visceral/diagnosis , Leishmaniasis, Visceral/epidemiology , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Prevalence , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
A preservação e cuidado com a água é de fundamental importância, já que esta é o insumo para nossa vida. A portaria nº 2914 de 12 de dezembro de 2011 do Ministério da Saúde define água potável, como aquela cujos parâmetros microbiológicos, físicos, químicos e radioativos atendam ao padrão de potabilidade, sendo deste modo, adequada para consumo humano. Este estudo teve como objetivo fazer uma avaliação da potabilidade das águas analisadas no Laboratório de Físico-química de Alimentos da Universidade Estadual do Maranhão (UEMA) realizadas no período de setembro de 2013 a outubro de 2014. Foram avaliados 302 resultados de análises físico-químicas da água, sendo 286 de águas de poços, 9 de açudes e 7 de rios, as quais foram analisadas quanto aos parâmetros: Cálcio, Magnésio, Dureza, Cloreto, Cloreto de Sódio (NaCl), Potencial Hidrogeniônico (pH) e Turbidez. Nos resultados, verificou-se que o parâmetro que mais se encontrou fora do padrão foi Turbidez. Através desse levantamento, concluiu-se que, por menor que seja a alteração dos parâmetros, a água em questão não servirá para o consumo humano, sendo assim considerada inapropriada de acordo com a legislação vigente.
Subject(s)
Humans , Water Supply , Drinking Water/analysis , Water Quality , Drinking Water/chemistry , Brazil , Water Turbidity/analysisABSTRACT
A preservação e cuidado com a água é de fundamental importância, já que esta é o insumo para nossa vida. A portaria n° 2914 de 12 de dezembro de 2011 do Ministério da Saúde define água potável, como aquela cujos parâmetros microbiológicos, físicos, químicos e radioativos atendam ao padrão de potabilidade, sendo deste modo, adequada para consumo humano. Este estudo teve como objetivo fazer uma avaliação da potabilidade das águas analisadas no Laboratório de Físico-química de Alimentos da Universidade Estadual do Maranhão (UEMA) realizadas no período de setembro de 2013 a outubro de 2014. Foram avaliados 302 resultados de análises físico-químicas da água, sendo 286 de águas de poços, 9 de açudes e 7 de rios, as quais foram analisadas quanto aos parâmetros: Cálcio, Magnésio, Dureza, Cloreto, Cloreto de Sódio (NaCI), Potencial Hidrogeniônico (pH) e Turbidez. Nos resultados, verificou-se que o parâmetro que mais se encontrou fora do padrão foi Turbidez. Através desse levantamento, concluiu-se que, por menor que seja a alteração dos parâmetros, a água em questão não servirá para o consumo humano, sendo assim considerada inapropriada de acordo com a legislação vigente.
The preservation and care of the water of fundamental importance, since this is the input for our lives. The decree No. 2914 of 12 December 2011 the Ministry of Health defines drinking water as one whose microbiological, physical, chemical and radioactive parameters meet the potability standards, and thus suitable for human consumption. This study aimed to evaluate the potability of water analyzed at the Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Food Maranhão State University (UEMA) in the period September 2013 to October 2014 were evaluated 302 results of physico-chemical analysis of water, and 286 water wells, 9 weirs and 7 rivers, and were analyzed for parameters: calcium, magnesium, hardness, chloride, sodium chloride (NaCl), hydrogen potential (pH) and Turbidity. In the results, it was found that the parameter is more than the pattern was found out Turbidity. Through this survey, it was concluded that no matter how small the change of the parameters, the water in question will not be used for human consumption and is therefore considered inappropriate according to Decree No. 2,914/11 of the Ministry of Health.
