Assessment of crAssphage as a biological variable for SARS-CoV-2 data normalization in wastewater surveillance.

AIMS: This study aimed to assess the use of cross-assembled phage (crAssphage) as an endogenous control employing a multivariate normalization analysis and its application as a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) data normalizer. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 188 twelve-hour composite raw sewage samples were obtained from eight wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) during a 1-year monitoring period. Employing the N1 and N2 target regions, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 94% (177) and 90% (170) of the samples, respectively, with a global median of 5 log10 genomic copies per liter (GC l-1). CrAssphage was detected in 100% of the samples, ranging from 8.29 to 10.43 log10 GC l-1, with a median of 9.46 ± 0.40 log10 GC l-1, presenting both spatial and temporal variabilities. CONCLUSIONS: Although SARS-CoV-2 data normalization employing crAssphage revealed a correlation with clinical cases occurring during the study period, crAssphage normalization by the flow per capita per day of each WWTP increased this correlation, corroborating the importance of normalizing wastewater surveillance data in disease trend monitoring.

Ancient Parasite Analysis and Zoonotic Potential of Spirometra sp. in Two Related Sites from Pernambuco, Brazil.

Pathoecology studies the environmental and cultural factors that contribute to the maintenance of infections or diseases in populations. Concerning parasites, it requires the evaluation of these factors based on the presence and life cycle of these organisms. For this reason, it is possible to apply this concept in the context of ancient populations in order to understand the parasite-host dynamic or even the health consequences faced by the members of the populations. This study aimed to apply the pathoecology concept in Pedra do Tubarão and Cemitério do Caboclo archaeological sites. Six coprolite samples were analyzed and 1 was positive for Spirometra sp. eggs. Spirometra is a cestode that has copepods as the first intermediate host; amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals as the second intermediate hosts; and felines and canines as definitive hosts. Humans can be infected by ingesting the first or second intermediate hosts and can develop sparganosis, which can cause health consequences depending on the location of the spargana. The presence of this parasite, of a water fount near the site, where the first intermediate host can live, and the findings of the bones of some of the second intermediate hosts in these sites, suggesting dietary purposes, indicate that this infection was probably present in this population.

The Paleoparasitology in Brazil and Findings in Human Remains from South America: A Review.

The review article presents some of the history of how paleoparasitology started in Brazil, making highlight the great responsible Dr. Luiz Fernando Ferreira and Dr. Adauto Araújo, the trajectory of paleoparasitology in Brazil since 1978 and its performance in science to the present day. In sequence, it is made a presentation of parasitological findings on human remains found in archaeological sites in South America, highlighting Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Peru, where major discoveries have occurred. Many of the parasites found in archaeological material and mentioned in this review went out of Africa with the peopling of Europe and from there they dispersed around the world, where climatic conditions allow the transmission. However, humans have acquired other parasites of animals, since humans invaded new habitats or creating new habits adopting new technologies, thus expanding its range of influence on the environment. Thus, this review article is finalized with information that explain the importance of these findings in the interaction between parasites, human host, and ambient.

THE PROCESS OF Leishmania INFECTION - DISEASE AND NEW PERSPECTIVES OF PALEOPARASITOLOGY.

Species of the genus Leishmania (Kinetoplastida, Trypanosomatidae) are causative agents of leishmaniasis, a complex disease with variable clinical spectrum and epidemiological diversity, constituting, in some countries, a serious public health problem. The origin and evolution of leishmaniasis has been under discussion regarding some clinical and parasitological aspects. After the introduction of paleoparasitology, molecular methods and immunodiagnostic techniques have been applied allowing the recovery of parasite remains, as well as the diagnosis of past infections in humans and other hosts. The dating of archaeological samples has allowed the parasitological analysis in time and space. This manuscript presents the state of the art of leishmaniasis and prospects related to paleoparasitology studies and their contribution to the evolutionary and phylogenetic clarification of parasites belonging to the genus Leishmania, and the leishmaniasis caused by them.

Diagnóstico paleoparasitológico de protozoários do gêneroLeishmania Ross, 1903 (Kinetoplastida, Trypanosomatidae)em material arqueológico da América do Sul / Parasitological diagnosis paleo protozoa of the genus Leishmania Ross, 1903 (Kinetoplastida, Trypanosomatidae) in archaeological material from South America

Espécies do gênero Leishmania (Kinetoplastida, Trypanosomatidae) são agentescausadores de leishmanioses, que representam um complexo de doenças com variado espectroclínico e diversidade epidemiológica que, em alguns países, constituem-se em grave problema de saúde pública. A origem e evolução das leishmanioses têm estado em debate em seus aspectos clínicos e parasitológicos. Com a introdução da paleoparasitologia baseada na aplicação de diferentes técnicas, tornou-se possível a recuperação de vestígios do parasito,assim como o diagnóstico de infecções em humanos e em outros hospedeiros no passado. Os objetivos desta pesquisa foram diagnosticar parasitos do gênero Leishmania spp., em materiais arqueológicos da América do Sul por meio de técnicas moleculares e imunológicas. Estes são os primeiros registros de recuperação de DNA de Leishmania sp. em material arqueológico do Brasil, assim como também o primeiro registro deL. tarentolae em material antigo. Dois pares de primers que amplificam outras regiões de L. tarentolae foram desenhados para o estudo no intuito de averiguar se outros trechos de DNA desta espécie também teriam se preservado no material, tendo os mesmos não amplificado.Duas explicações são possíveis: devido a natureza fragmentada do DNA antigo o mesmo não se conservou de maneira homogenia no material, ou pode se tratar de um infectron, o que também é um dado relevante pois é uma assinatura da relação estabelecida entre parasito e hospedeiro...

Species of the genus Leishmania (Kinetoplastida, Trypanosomatidae) are causativeagents of leishmaniasis, which represents a complex disease with varied clinical spectrum and epidemiological diversity that, in some countries, constitute a serious public health problem. The origin and evolution of leishmaniasis has been under discussion in clinical and parasitological aspects. By the introduction of paleoparasitology based on the application of different techniques, as well as the diagnosis of infections in humans and other hosts in the past. Theaims of this research were: diagnosis by molecular PCR technique parasites of the genus Leishmaniain archaeological materials of South America, with the comparison of the sequences obtained from the GenBank for both recent and archaeological material, diagnosis through serological techniques: rapid test DPP and Western Blot, anti-Leishmania antibodies in the samples submitted to PCR, with subsequent comparison of these serological techniques with the previous lyused molecular technique and thus contribute to the knowledge of paleoparasitology of leishmaniasis, giving contributing to studies on the origin and evolution of Leishmania genus...

Survey of sandfly vectors of leishmaniasis in Marambaia Island, municipality of Mangaratiba, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: The influx and efflux of military personnel in the possible endemic areas of leishmaniasis provided the impetus for research on the sandflies on Marambaia Island. METHODS: Sandflies were collected with light traps installed in the 3 ecotypes of 3 areas chosen for their particular landscape aspects. RESULTS: In 2009, were collected 32,006 specimens of sandflies belonging to 13 species. The species that showed highest density were Nyssomyia intermedia and Migoneimyia migonei. CONCLUSIONS: N. intermedia and M. migonei are the principal vectors of American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) in Brazil; thus, extension studies related to the eco-epidemiology of these species of Marambaia Island are essential.

Survey of sandfly vectors of leishmaniasis in Marambaia Island, municipality of Mangaratiba, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Introduction The influx and efflux of military personnel in the possible endemic areas of leishmaniasis provided the impetus for research on the sandflies on Marambaia Island. Methods Sandflies were collected with light traps installed in the 3 ecotypes of 3 areas chosen for their particular landscape aspects. Results In 2009, were collected 32,006 specimens of sandflies belonging to 13 species. The species that showed highest density were Nyssomyia intermedia and Migoneimyia migonei. Conclusions N. intermedia and M. migonei are the principal vectors of American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) in Brazil; thus, extension studies related to the eco-epidemiology of these species of Marambaia Island are essential. .

Levantamento da fauna de flebotomíneos, vetores de leishmanioses, na Ilha de Marambaia, município de Mangaratiba, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil / Survey of sandflies, vectors of Leishmaniasis, in Marambaia Island, municipality of Mangaratiba, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil

Consideradas antropozoonoses, a leishmaniose tegumentar americana (LTA) é representada pelas formas dermotrópicas, enquanto a leishmaniose visceral americana é representada pela forma viscerotrópica. Essas antropozoonoses são transmitidas de hospedeiros reservatórios silvestres, sinantrópicos ou domésticos ao homem e a outros animais, pela picada de dípteros da família Psychodidae, subfamília Phlebotominae, conhecidos como flebotomíneos. Esta dissertação é resultado de um estudo na Ilha da Marambaia, Município de Mangaratiba, Estado do Rio de Janeiro; local que abriga uma comunidade descendente de quilombolas e onde há um deslocamento nacional e internacional de militares de possíveis áreas endêmicas de leishmanioses. O presente estudo consistiu em realizar o levantamento da fauna flebotomínica do Centro de Adestramento da Ilha da Marambaia (CADIM), avaliar a sazonalidade das espécies de importância epidemiológica na transmissão das leishmanioses e avaliar a distribuição destas espécies nos diferentes ecótopos. Foram coletadas 13 espécies de flebotomíneos: Nyssomyia intermedia, Migoneimyia migonei, Pintomyia fischeri, Lutzomyia longipalpis, Evandromyia edwardsi, Pintomyia bianchigalatiae, Brumptomyia brumpti, Evandromyia cortellezii, Expapillata firmatoi, Micropygomyia capixaba, Micropygomyia quinquefer, Micropygomyia schreiberi, e Psathyromyia pelloni; com um total de 32.006 espécimes capturados...

American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) and American visceral leishmaniasis (AVL), are considered antropozoonoses. It is transmitted from reservoir hosts wild, synanthropic or domestic to humans and other animals by biting insects of the family Psychodidae, subfamily Phlebotominae, known as sandflies. This dissertation is the result of a study in Marambaia Island, Municipality of Mangaratiba, States of Rio de Janeiro. This place community that houses a descendant of quilombolas and where there is a shift of national and international military of possible areas of endemic leishmaniasis. The present study was to survey the sand flies of the Training Center Marambaia Island (CADIM), to determine the seasonality of the species of epidemiological importance in the transmission of leishmaniasis and evaluate the distribution of these species in different ecotopes. 13 species of sandflies were collected: Nyssomyia intermedia, Migoneimyia migonei, Pintomyia fischeri, Lutzomyia longipalpis, Evandromyia edwardsi, Pintomyia bianchigalatiae, Brumptomyia brumpti, Evandromyia cortellezii, Expapillata firmatoi, Micropygomyia capixaba, Micropygomyia quinquefer, Micropygomyia schreiberi, e Psathyromyia pelloni; with a total of 32.006 specimens captured...