Mapping of the environmental contamination of Toxoplasma gondii by georeferencing isolates from chickens in an endemic area in Southeast Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil.

The environmental contamination of Toxoplasma gondii in an endemic area in Brazil was mapped by georeferencing isolates from chickens in farms in the Southeast of the state of Rio de Janeiro. Tissue samples obtained from 153 adult chickens were analyzed by the mouse bioassay for T. gondii infection. These animals were reared free-range on 51 farms in the municipalities of Rio Bonito and Maricá. The ArcGIS kernel density estimator based on the frequency of T. gondii-positive chickens was used to map the environmental contamination with this parasite. A questionnaire was applied to obtain data on the presence and management of cats and the type of water consumed. Of the farms studied, 64.7% were found to be located in areas of low to medium presence of T. gondii, 27.5% in areas with a high or very high contamination level and 7.8% in non-contaminated areas. Additionally, 70.6% kept cats, 66.7% were near water sources and 45.0% were in or near dense vegetation. Humans used untreated water for drinking on 41.2% of the farms, while all animals were given untreated water. The intensity of environmental T. gondii contamination was significantly higher on farms situated at a distance >500 m from water sources (P=0.007) and near (≤500 m) dense vegetation (P=0.003). Taken together, the results indicate a high probability of T. gondii infection of humans and animals living on the farms studied. The kernel density estimator obtained based on the frequency of chickens testing positive for T. gondii in the mouse bioassay was useful to map environmental contamination with this parasite.

Natural infection of Didelphis aurita (Mammalia: Marsupialia) with Leishmania infantum in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: The opossum Didelphis have been considered as natural hosts of Leishmania parasites in the New World, suggesting an important role in the epidemiology of Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL). Among six extant species that belong to the genus Didelphis, only two (D. marsupialis and D. albiventris), have been mentioned as natural hosts of Leishmania infantum in Brazil and Colombia. In the present paper, it is reported for the first time, the observation of intracellular parasites (amastigotes) in tissues of Didelphis aurita naturally infected with Leishmania infantum in Brazil. We also discuss some aspects associated to the relationship between L. infantum and the geographical distribution of some species of the genus Didelphis. METHODS: The opossums studied were caught by wire traps (Tomahawk) in Barra de Guaratiba, a peri-urban area in Rio de Janeiro. The opossums were killed with an overdose of Thiopental sodium.At necropsy, macroscopic alterations were examined and samples from liver, spleen, lymph nodes, ear, abdominal skin, scent glands and bone marrow were collected for parasitological and molecular diagnoses. RESULTS: Forty-eight opossums were captured in an AVL endemic region, 30 being caught in a mangrove area and eighteen animals in a forest area near to some residential-yards. Among the thirty opossums trapped in the mangrove area, all of them were negative by both imprint and sera samples assayed on Dipstick Tests, that is a test based on a combination of protein-A colloidal gold conjugate and rk39 Leishmania antigen to detect anti-Leishmania antibody in serum or plasma. At the macroscopic examination one out of eighteen opossums, caught close to the forest, presented alterations compatible with spleen hypertrophy and three were positive by Dipstick Tests (16.6%) and presented amastigotes in the spleen and in one of them, the parasites were also observed in a submandibular lymph node. Leishmania infantum infections were confirmed through dot blot hybridization using a L. infantum-specific biotinylated probe. CONCLUSIONS: In the present paper we present the first report of amastigotes in the tissues of Didelphis aurita (Mammalia: Marsupialia) naturally infected with Leishmania infantum. We also attempt to claim the particular role of some opossum species as hosts of Leishmania infantum, contributing at least in part on the description of potential sylvatic reservoirs.

Ecological study and risk mapping of leishmaniasis in an endemic area of Brazil based on a geographical information systems approach.

Visceral leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease highly influenced by eco-epidemiological factors. Geographical information systems (GIS) have proved to be a suitable approach for the analysis of environmental components that affect the spatial distribution of diseases. Exploiting this methodology, a model was developed for the mapping of the distribution and incidence of canine leishmaniasis in an endemic area of Brazil. Local variations were observed with respect to infection incidence and distribution of serological titers, i.e. high titers were noted close to areas with preserved vegetation, while low titers were more frequent in areas where people kept chickens. Based on these results, we conclude that the environment plays an important role in generating relatively protected areas within larger endemic regions, but that it can also contribute to the creation of hotspots with clusters of comparatively high serological titers indicating a high level of transmission compared with neighbouring areas.

Canine leishmaniasis in Brazil: serological follow-up of a dog population in an endemic area of american visceral leishmaniasis.

We performed a serological, clinical, and parasitological follow-up of a dog population in an endemic area of American Visceral Leishmaniasis estimated by indirect immunofluorescent assay (IFA) and western blot (WB). After twelve months, the results obtained from IFA demonstrated that 50% were seropositive and two serological profiles were observed: the first one ranging from 1/40 to 1/80 and the second >/=1/160. By WB, it was observed that the same percentage and sera from positive dogs presented the recognition of the peptides of 29 and 32 kDa up to 8 months before IFA serum conversion. Among the positive dogs, all the sera from symptomatic ones with tissue parasitism recognized the peptide of 68.5 kDa. Our results suggest the need of modifications in the control measures regarding the elimination of the dogs. They also corroborate the high sensitivity and specificity of western blot in the diagnosis of canine leishmaniasis, suggesting the possibility of its association with IFA.

The first record of American visceral leishmaniasis in domestic cats from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

This paper is the first to report visceral leishmaniasis in domestic cats (Felis catus domesticus) from an endemic area in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. A relatively high seroprevalence of 25% was observed although none of them have presented any symptom. Our results support the observation of previous authors, suggesting that cats may be considered as alternative domestic hosts of visceral leishmaniasis and should be included in serological investigations performed in endemic areas.

[Leishmaniasis in domestic dogs: epidemiological aspects]. / Leishmaniose em cães domésticos: aspectos epidemiológicos.

In Barra de Guaratiba, an endemic area for American visceral leishmaniasis (AVL) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, control campaigns were unable to reduce canine infection rates. This difficulty prompted an in-depth study of dogs as a reservoir for Leishmania chagasi in the peri-urban environment through clinical and serological follow-up using the immunofluorescence and Western blot techniques. Recognition of 29 kDa and 32 kDa peptides by sera from dogs with proven L. chagasi infection was observed. Furthermore, only sera from symptomatic dogs recognized the 68.5 kDa antigen, so the latter should be considered a parameter for culling dogs from endemic areas. The WB technique proved to be more sensitive than IFA, since the 29 and 32 kDa peptide fractions were even recognized by sera from AVL seronegative dogs up to 8 months before IFA seroconversion. Proximity to wooded areas was an important risk factor for L. chagasi infection in dogs, possibly due to the presence of wild reservoirs.

Leishmaniose em cães domésticos: aspectos epidemiológicos / Leishmaniasis in domestic dogs: epidemiological aspects

Em Barra de Guaratiba, área endêmica de leishmaniose visceral americana (LVA) no Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, as campanhas de controle não têm sido capazes de reduzir a infecção canina. Este fato nos levou a aprofundar o estudo do cão como reservatório da Leishmania chagasi em ambiente periurbano, através de acompanhamento clínico e sorológico usando as técnicas de IFA e WB. O reconhecimento dos peptideos de 29 e 32kDa por soro de cães comprovadamente infectados por L. chagasi foi observado. Além disso, somente soros de cães sintomáticos reconheceram o antígeno de 68,5kDa, podendo esse peptídeo ser recomendado como parâmetro para eliminação dos cães em área endêmica. A técnica de WB provou ser mais sensível que IFA, desde que as frações peptídicas de 29 e 32kDa foram reconhecidas por soro de cães soronegativos para LVA, até 8 meses antes da soroconversão pelo IFA. A proximidade da mata foi fator relevante para aumentar o risco de infecção por L. chagasi nos cães, possivelmente devido à presença de reservatórios silvestres.

Histopathological study of experimental and natural infections by Trypanosoma cruzi in Didelphis marsupialis

Didelphis marsupialis, the most important sylvatic reservoir of Trypanosoma cruzi, can also maintain in their anal scent glands the multiplicative forms only described in the intestinal tract of triatomine bugs. A study of 21 experimentally and 10 naturally infected opossums with T. cruzi was undertaken in order to establish the histopathological pattern under different conditions. Our results showed that the inflammation was predominantly lymphomacrophagic and more severe in the naturally infected animals but never as intense as those described in Chagas' disease or in other animal models. The parasitism in both groups was always mild with very scarce amastigote nests in the tissues. In the experimentally infected animals, the inflammation was directly related to the presence of amastigotes nests. Four 24 days-old animals, still in embryonic stage, showed multiple amastigotes nests and moderate inflammatory reactions, but even so they survived longer and presented less lesions than experimentally infected adult mice. Parasites were found in smooth, cardiac and/or predominantly striated muscles, as well as in nerve cells. Differing from the experimentally infected opossums parasitism in the naturally infected animals predominated in the heart, esophagus and stomach. Parasitism of the scent glands did not affect the histopathological pattern observed in extraglandular tissues.