Next-Generation Molecular Surveillance of TriTryp Diseases.

Elimination programs targeting TriTryp diseases (Leishmaniasis, Chagas' disease, human African trypanosomiasis) significantly reduced the number of cases. Continued surveillance is crucial to sustain this progress, but parasite molecular surveillance by genotyping is currently lacking. We explain here which epidemiological questions of public health and clinical relevance could be answered by means of molecular surveillance. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) for molecular surveillance will be an important added value, where we advocate that preference should be given to direct sequencing of the parasite's genome in host tissues instead of analysis of cultivated isolates. The main challenges here, and recent technological advances, are discussed. We conclude with a series of recommendations for implementing whole-genome sequencing for molecular surveillance.

Gene Function Discovery for Kinetoplastid Pathogens.

We propose to integrate the existing and new experimental data with computational tools to model interaction networks for the most prominent kinetoplastid pathogens. These interaction networks will vastly expand the functional annotation of the kinetoplastid genomes, which in turn are critical for identifying new routes of disease intervention.

Experimental evidence on prevention of infection by the ectoparasitic protozoans Ichthyobodo salmonis and Trichodina truttae in juvenile chum salmon using ultraviolet disinfection of rearing water.

In northern Japan, juvenile chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta (Walbaum) are released from hatcheries to enhance the fishery resource. Infections with ectoparasitic protozoans, particularly the flagellate Ichthyobodo salmonis and the ciliate Trichodina truttae, occasionally cause severe mortality among hatchery-reared juveniles. This study examined the susceptibility of the two parasites to wide-ranging UV irradiation (experiment 1) and then investigated whether UV disinfection of the rearing water using a commercial device was useful for preventing infections among juveniles in a small-scale rearing system over a 28-day period (experiment 2). In experiment 1, parasite mortality reached 100% with UV irradiation doses of ≥9.60 × 105  µW s/cm2 for I. salmonis and ≥8.40 × 105  µW s/cm2 for T. truttae. In experiment 2, disinfection of the rearing water at a UV irradiation dose of 2.2 × 106  µW s/cm2 succeeded in complete prevention of both parasites in the juvenile salmon. These results elucidate the minimum dose of UV irradiation for inactivation of I. salmonis and T. truttae, and demonstrate the usefulness of water disinfection using a commercial UV irradiation device to prevent infections by these parasites in hatchery-reared juvenile chum salmon.

Colaboração para o conhecimento do histórico da Leishmaniose Tegumentar Americana no Brasil: possíveis casos entre escravos na Vila de Vassouras - RJ, nos anos 1820 a 1880 / Contribution to the knowledge of the history of American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Brazil, possible cases in slaves at Vila de Vassouras, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between 1820 and 1880

No Brasil, a leishmaniose tegumentar americana (LTA) só foi confirmada em 1909 por Lindemberg, que encontrou seus parasitos em lesões cutâneas de indivíduos que trabalhavam nas matas do interior do estado de São Paulo e os assemelhou à Leishmania tropica, variação encontrada no Velho Mundo. Gaspar Vianna, por considerar o parasito diferente da L. tropica, batizou-o de L. braziliensis, ficando assim denominado o agente etiológico da LTA. Apesar de sua importância no cenário mundial, avolumam-se ainda dúvidas acerca de sua origem e dispersão. O presente trabalho objetiva demonstrar a possibilidade de existência da LTA na cidade de Vassouras-RJ no início do século XIX, período anterior ao considerado como o marco da chegada da doença ao sudeste brasileiro. O presente trabalho baseou-se na análise de inventários post-mortem alocados no Centro de Documentação Histórica desta cidade.

In Brazil, American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) was only confirmed in 1909 by Lindemberg, who found parasites in cutaneous lesions of people working in the countryside of São Paulo state that resembled Leishmania tropica, a variety that affects the Old World. Gaspar Vianna, considered it as a different parasite to L. tropica and christened it Leishmania braziliensis, thus determining the etiological agent of ACL. Despite its importance on the world, there are still questions about its origin and spread. This paper aims to demonstrate the possibility of the existence of ACL in the town of Vassouras RJ- in the early XIX century, a period prior to that considered as the arrival of the disease in southeastern Brazil. The work was performed by analysis of postmortem inventories held at the Historical Documentation Center in this city.

Global trends in the use of insecticides to control vector-borne diseases.

BACKGROUND: Data on insecticide use for vector control are essential for guiding pesticide management systems on judicious and appropriate use, resistance management, and reduction of risks to human health and the environment. OBJECTIVE: We studied the global use and trends of insecticide use for control of vector-borne diseases for the period 2000 through 2009. METHODS: A survey was distributed to countries with vector control programs to request national data on vector control insecticide use, excluding the use of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LNs). Data were received from 125 countries, representing 97% of the human populations of 143 targeted countries. RESULTS: The main disease targeted with insecticides was malaria, followed by dengue, leishmaniasis, and Chagas disease. The use of vector control insecticides was dominated by organochlorines [i.e., DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane)] in terms of quantity applied (71% of total) and by pyrethroids in terms of the surface or area covered (81% of total). Global use of DDT for vector control, most of which was in India alone, was fairly constant during 2000 through 2009. In Africa, pyrethroid use increased in countries that also achieved high coverage for LNs, and DDT increased sharply until 2008 but dropped in 2009. CONCLUSIONS: The global use of DDT has not changed substantially since the Stockholm Convention went into effect. The dominance of pyrethroid use has major implications because of the spread of insecticide resistance with the potential to reduce the efficacy of LNs. Managing insecticide resistance should be coordinated between disease-specific programs and sectors of public health and agriculture within the context of an integrated vector management approach.