RESUMO
The occurrence of human and canine Mediterranean visceral leishmaniasis (MVL) in Northwestern Greece was investigated during an 8-year survey (1994-2001). A total of 1200 blood sera samples, collected from asymptomatic human population, and 1200 blood sera samples from asymptomatic dogs were screened for Leishmania infantum antibodies using the indirect immunofluorescence test (IFA). Also during the survey 111 human subjects and 350 canines were referred as clinically suspect cases for MVL. Significant differences (p = 0.001) were found between the prevalence of MVL in symptomatic and asymptomatic human populations (12.6 and 0.5%, respectively), but a more modest difference was observed between symptomatic and asymptomatic canines (45.4 and 24.4%, respectively). From the results, it appears that Greece has a high background of canine leishmaniasis, which is likely to be a risk factor for the emergence of human MVL.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Antiprotozoários/sangue , Doenças do Cão/epidemiologia , Leishmania infantum/imunologia , Leishmaniose Visceral/epidemiologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Animais , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Doenças do Cão/parasitologia , Cães , Feminino , Técnica Indireta de Fluorescência para Anticorpo , Grécia/epidemiologia , Humanos , Incidência , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , Leishmaniose Visceral/parasitologia , Leishmaniose Visceral/fisiopatologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Estudos SoroepidemiológicosRESUMO
The prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis antigen in patients visiting the University Hospital of Ioannina, North-western Greece during 1991-1993 is surveyed. Six hundred and twenty two (622) samples (scrapings from the cervix, uretra and conjunctiva) were examined for the detenction of C. trachomatis antigen using the direct immunofluorescence technique (DIF). From the 662 samples examined by DIF, 579 were found negative (93%) and 43 positive (7%).
