Assessing Diversity, Plasmodium Infection and Blood Meal Sources in Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) from a Brazilian Zoological Park with Avian Malaria Transmission.

Avian malaria parasites are widespread parasites transmitted by Culicidae insects belonging to different genera. Even though several studies have been conducted recently, there is still a lack of information about potential vectors of Plasmodium parasites, especially in Neotropical regions. Former studies with free-living and captive animals in São Paulo Zoo showed the presence of several Plasmodium and Haemoproteus species. In 2015, a pilot study was conducted at the zoo to collect mosquitoes in order to find out (i) which species of Culicidae are present in the study area, (ii) what are their blood meal sources, and (iii) to which Plasmodium species might they be potential vectors. Mosquitoes were morphologically and molecularly identified. Blood meal source and haemosporidian DNA were identified using molecular protocols. A total of 25 Culicidae species were identified, and 6 of them were positive for Plasmodium/Haemoproteus DNA. Ten mosquito species had their source of blood meal identified, which were mainly birds, including some species that were positive for haemosporidian parasites in the former study mentioned. This study allowed us to expand the list of potential vectors of avian malaria parasites and to improve our knowledge of the evolutionary and ecological relationships between the highly diverse communities of birds, parasites, and vectors present at São Paulo Zoo.

Complexity of malaria transmission dynamics in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.

Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium vivax are protozoan parasites that can cause malaria in humans. They are genetically indistinguishable from, respectively, Plasmodium brasilianum and Plasmodium simium, i.e. parasites infecting New World non-human primates in South America. In the tropical rainforests of the Brazilian Atlantic coast, it has long been hypothesized that P. brasilianum and P. simium in platyrrhine primates originated from P. malariae and P. vivax in humans. A recent hypothesis proposed the inclusion of Plasmodium falciparum into the transmission dynamics between humans and non-human primates in the Brazilian Atlantic tropical rainforest. Herein, we assess the occurrence of human malaria in simians and sylvatic anophelines using field-collected samples in the Capivari-Monos Environmental Protection Area from 2015 to 2017. We first tested simian blood and anopheline samples. Two simian (Aloutta) blood samples (18%, n = 11) showed Plasmodium cytb DNA sequences, one for P. vivax and another for P. malariae. From a total of 9,416 anopheline females, we found 17 pools positive for Plasmodium species with a 18S qPCR assay. Only three showed P. cytb DNA sequence, one for P. vivax and the others for rodent malaria species (similar to Plasmodium chabaudi and Plasmodium berghei). Based on these results, we tested 25 rodent liver samples for the presence of Plasmodium and obtained P. falciparum cytb DNA sequence in a rodent (Oligoryzomys sp.) liver. The findings of this study indicate complex malaria transmission dynamics composed by parallel spillover-spillback of human malaria parasites, i.e. P. malariae, P. vivax, and P. falciparum, in the Brazilian Atlantic forest.

Wing Geometric Morphometrics as a Tool for the Identification of Culex Subgenus Mosquitoes of Culex (Diptera: Culicidae).

Culex is the largest subgenus within the genus Culex that includes important vectors of diseases. The correct identification of mosquitoes is critical for effective control strategies. Wing geometric morphometrics (WGM) has been used to identify mosquito species alongside traditional identification methods. Here, WGM was used for eleven Culex species from São Paulo, Brazil, and one from Esquel, Argentina. Adult mosquitoes were collected using CDC (Centers for Disease Control) traps, morphologically identified and analyzed by WGM. The canonical variate analysis (CVA) was performed and a Neighbor-joining (NJ) tree was constructed to illustrate the patterns of species segregation. A cross-validated reclassification test was also carried out. From 110 comparisons in the cross-validated reclassification test, 87 yielded values higher than 70%, with 13 comparisons yielding 100% reclassification scores. Culexquinquefasciatus yielded the highest reclassification scores among the analyzed species, corroborating with the results obtained by the CVA, in which Cx. quinquefasciatus was the most distinct species. The high values obtained at the cross-validated reclassification test and in the NJ analysis as well as the segregation observed at the CVA made it possible to distinguish among Culex species with high degrees of confidence, suggesting that WGM is a reliable tool to identify Culex species of the subgenus Culex.

Wing geometric morphometrics as a tool for the Identification of culex subgenus mosquitoes of culex (Diptera: Culicidae)

Culex is the largest subgenus within the genus Culex that includes important vectors of diseases. The correct identification of mosquitoes is critical for effective control strategies. Wing geometric morphometrics (WGM) has been used to identify mosquito species alongside traditional identification methods. Here, WGM was used for eleven Culex species from São Paulo, Brazil, and one from Esquel, Argentina. Adult mosquitoes were collected using CDC (Centers for Disease Control) traps, morphologically identified and analyzed by WGM. The canonical variate analysis (CVA) was performed and a Neighbor-joining (NJ) tree was constructed to illustrate the patterns of species segregation. A cross-validated reclassification test was also carried out. From 110 comparisons in the cross-validated reclassification test, 87 yielded values higher than 70%, with 13 comparisons yielding 100% reclassification scores. Culexquinquefasciatus yielded the highest reclassification scores among the analyzed species, corroborating with the results obtained by the CVA, in which Cx. quinquefasciatus was the most distinct species. The high values obtained at the cross-validated reclassification test and in the NJ analysis as well as the segregation observed at the CVA made it possible to distinguish among Culex species with high degrees of confidence, suggesting that WGM is a reliable tool to identify Culex species of the subgenus Culex.

Contexto situacional de mulheres portadoras de epilepsia / Situational context of women carriers of epilepsy / Contexto de la situación de mujeres que sufren epilepsia

Objetivo: desvelar a percepção de mulheres portadoras de epilepsia diante da convivência com a doença e investigar o conhecimento das portadoras sobre ela. Metodologia: estudo de caso de abordagem qualitativa, realizado durante os meses de abril e junho de 2005, por meio da técnica de grupo focal, entrevista semiestruturada e observação participante com quatro epilépticas atendidas na Estratégia Saúde da Família do bairro Sinhá Sabóia de Sobral/CE, aprovado Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa Envolvendo Seres Humanos da Universidade Estadual Vale do Acaraú em Sobral/CE, com Parecer n.250/2005. Resultados: as informações obtidas favoreceram o surgimento de quatro categorias: Mulheres conceituando epilepsia; Resposta diante do diagnóstico de epilepsia; Mudanças na família após o diagnóstico de epilepsia; A importância da família no tratamento da epilepsia, sob a óptica das mulheres. Conclusão: verificou-se que as mulheres apresentavam desconhecimento sobre a epilepsia, estavam envolvidas ora com sentimentos de tristeza, ora de conformação, expressaram, após o diagnóstico, sentimentos de preocupação e não aceitação da doença, afirmando a família ter papel fundamental no tratamento da doença. Percebeu-se, então, que se faz necessário romper definitivamente com o estigma social que acompanha os pacientes, que geralmente se escondem de si mesmos.(AU)

Objective: to reveal the perception of women with epilepsy facing the acquaintance with the disease and investigate the knowledge of the carriers on it. Methodology: case study with qualitative approach, carried out from April to June 2005, through the technique of focus group, semi-structured interview, and participant observation with four epileptic women assisted by the Family Health Strategy in Sinha Saboia de Sobral neighborhood, Ceara, Brazil, approved by the Committee of Ethics in Research Involving Human Subjects of Universidade Estadual Vale do Acarau in Sobral city, Ceará, Brazil, under the Recommendation 250/2005. Results: the information obtained favored the emergence of four categories: Women conceptualizing epilepsy; Response facing the diagnosis of epilepsy; Changes in the family after the diagnosis of epilepsy; The importance of family in the treatment of epilepsy, from the perspective of women. Conclusion: it was found that women lacked knowledge about epilepsy, sometimes they were involved with feelings of sadness, sometimes with resignation, and they expressed, after the diagnosis, feelings of concern and non-acceptance of the disease, stating that the family plays a key role in the treatment of this disease. It was felt, then, that there is a need to finally break free from the social stigma attached to the patients, who often hide from themselves.(AU)

Objetivo: poner de manifiesto la percepción de las mujeres con epilepsia delante de la convivencia con la enfermedady investigar el conocimiento de las portadoras sobre ella. Metodología: estudio de caso de abordaje cualitativa, realizado durante los meses de abril a junio de 2005, a través de la técnica de grupo focal, entrevista semi-estructurada y observación participante con cuatro epilépticas en la Estrategia de Salud de la Familia en el barrio de Sinhá Sabóia de Sobral, Ceará, Brasil, aprobado por el Comité de Ética en Investigación en Seres Humanos de la Universidade Estadual Vale do Acaraú en Sobral, Ceará, Brasil, con el Dictamen 250/2005. Resultados: las informaciones obtenidas favorecieron la aparición de cuatro categorías: Mujeres conceptualizando la epilepsia; Respuesta frente al diagnóstico de la epilepsia; Cambios en la familia después del diagnóstico de la epilepsia; La importancia de la familia en el tratamiento de la epilepsia, desde la perspectiva de las mujeres. Conclusión: se encontró que las mujeres presentaban desconocimiento sobre la epilepsia, estaban enredadas a veces con sentimientos de tristeza, a veces de resignacíon, expresaron, después del diagnóstico, los sentimientos de preocupación y no aceptación de la enfermedad, diciendo que la familia juega un papel clave en el tratamiento de la enfermedad. Se consideró, entonces, que es necesario romper finalmente con el estigma social asociado a los pacientes, que a menudo se esconden de si mismos.(AU)