ABSTRACT The genetic study of sandfly populations needs to be further explored given the importance of these insects for public health. Were sequenced the NDH4 mitochondrial gene from populations of Nyssomyia neivai from Doutor Camargo, Lobato, Japira, and Porto Rico, municipalities in the State of Paraná, Brazil, to understand the genetic structure and gene flow. Eighty specimens of Ny. Neivai were sequenced, 20 from each municipality, and 269 base pairs were obtained. A total of 27 haplotypes and 28 polymorphic sites were found, along with a haplotypic diversity of 0.80696 and a nucleotide diversity of 0.00567. Haplotype H5, with 33 specimens, was the most common among the four populations. Only haplotypes H5 and H7 were present in all four populations. The population from Doutor Camargo showed the highest genetic diversity, and only this population shared haplotypes with those from the other municipalities. The highest number of haplotypes was sheared with Lobato which also had the highest number of unique haplotypes. This probably occurred because of constant anthropic changes that happened in the environment during the first half of the twentieth century, mainly after 1998. There was no significant correlation between genetic and geographical distances regarding these populations. However, the highest genetic and geographical distances, and the lowest gene flow were observed between Japira and Porto Rico. Geographical distance is a possible barrier between these municipalities through the blocking of haplotype sharing.

Introduction The blood meal source of sandflies provides valuable information about the vector/host interaction and allows for an understanding of American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) transmission mechanisms. The aim of this study was to identify the blood meal sources of Lutzomyia (Nyssomyia) intermedia in an endemic area of leishmaniasis in Brazil's State of Paraná using a precipitin test. Methods Sandflies were collected in the rural locality of Epitácio Pessoa within the City of Adrianópolis, State of Paraná, in southern Brazil. A total of 864 female sandflies were captured, and 862 (99.8%) were identified as L. intermedia species. However, two unidentified specimens were considered to be part of the genus Lutzomyia. Results Among the females examined, 396 specimens presented reactions to a certain type of tested antiserum, and most (67.9%) reacted to the simple type. These sandflies fed mainly on the blood of birds, opossums, and rodents, but specimens that fed on the blood of humans, dogs, horses, cattle, and cats were also found. Among the cross-reactions found (32.1%), bird/rodent, bird/opossum, bird/dog, bird/human, and horse/dog cross-reactions were the most common. Conclusions These results demonstrate a tendency in the eclectic feeding behavior of L. intermedia and support its potential role as a vector for ACL in the study area.

A incidência e o diagnóstico das ataxias espinocerebelares (SCA) é algumas vezes difícil de avaliar devido a sobreposição dos diversos subtipos e por algumas serem devido a mutações das expansões do mesmo trinucleotídeo CAG. Para investigar a incidências das SCA no sul do Brasil, analisamos as repetições do trinucleotídeo (CAG)n nos loci das SCA1, SCA2, SCA3, SCA6 e SCA7, a fim de identificar os seus limites e freqüência. Examinamos o sangue de 154 doadores de sangue assintomáticos e 115 pacientes com ataxias progressivas. O produto do PCR do sangue foi submetido a eletroforese capilar. Nos doadores de sangue, as expansões encontradas nos cinco loci foram: SCA1, 19 a 36 (CAG)n; SCA2, 6 a 28 (CAG)n; SCA3, 12 a 34 (CAG)n; SCA6, 2 a 13 (CAG)n; and SCA7, 2 a 10 (CAG)n. Não foi detectado desequilíbrio na equação de Hardy-Weinberg. No grupo das ataxias encontramos repetições CAG acima das freqüências dos doadores de sangue na SCA3 (21,7%), seguido da SCA2 (5,22%), SCA7 (2,61%), SCA6 (0,8%) e não foi encontrado nenhum caso de SCA1. Os 80 casos restantes (69,56%) devem ter uma forma de ataxia diferente das aqui estudadas. Esses dados definem os alelos e suas freqüências, bem como demonstram a sua estabilidade na população não afetada. O diagnóstico molecular confirmou o diagnóstico clínico em 28/45 dos casos e permitiu classificar outros 7/70 que pertenciam ao grupo de ataxias clinicamente não classificadas.

The diagnosis and incidence of spinocerebelar ataxias (SCA) is sometimes difficult to analyze due the overlap of phenotypes subtypes and are disorders of mutations caused by CAG trinucleotide repeat expansion. To investigate the incidence of the SCA in Southern Brazil, we analyzed the trinucleotide repeats (CAG)n at the SCA1, SCA2, SCA3, SCA6 and SCA7 loci to identify allele size ranges and frequencies. We examined blood sample from 154 asymptomatic blood donors and 115 individuals with progressive ataxias. PCR products were submitted to capillary electrophoresis. In the blood donors, the ranges of the five loci were: SCA1, 19 to 36 (CAG)n; SCA2, 6 to 28 (CAG)n; SCA3, 12 to 34 (CAG)n; SCA6, 2 to 13 (CAG)n; and SCA7, 2 to 10 (CAG)n. No deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were detected. In the ataxia group, we found (CAG)n above the range of the asymptomatic blood donors in SCA3 (21.74%) followed by SCA2 (5.22%), SCA7 (2.61%), SCA6 (0.87%), and no cases of SCA1. The remaining 80 cases (69.56%) have different diagnoses from the type here studied. These data defined the alleles and their frequencies, as well as demonstrated their stability in the population not affected. The molecular diagnosis test confirmed the clinical diagnosis in 28/45 cases and classified another 7/70 from the clinical unclassified ataxias group.

Aedes aegypti populations from five districts in Rio de Janeiro were analyzed using five microsatellites and six isoenzyme markers, to assess the amount of variation and patterns of gene flow at local levels. Microsatellite loci were polymorphic enough to detect genetic differentiation of populations collected at small geographic scales (e.g. within a city). Ae. aegypti populations were highly differentiated as well in the city center as in the outskirt. Thus, dengue virus propagation by mosquitoes could be as efficient in the urban area as in the outskirt of Rio de Janeiro, the main entry point of dengue in Brazil.

The utilization of artificial receptacles to oviposition by mosquitoes in forest environment may indicate a sinantropic tendency or behaviour. Our data revealed that tires were as the most acceptable breeding for Culex (Culex) eduardoi Casal & Garcia 1968.The population density of this species was higher and summer seasons.

Specimens of Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1894) were caugth using human bait with electric aspirator and a modified CDC trap.