Ecoepidemiology of American visceral leishmaniasis in the "Zona da Mata", North of Pernambuco State

SUMMARY OF THESIS^*

Ecoepidemiology of American visceral leishmaniasis in the "Zona da Mata", North of Pernambuco State

CARVALHO, MARIA Rosimery - Eco-epidemiologia da leishmaniose visceral americana na Zona da Mata Norte de Pernambuco. Recife, 2005. (Dissertação de Mestrado - Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães/FIOCRUZ).

The aim of this study was to characterize the ecoepidemiology of American visceral leishmaniasis in the country of São Vicente Férrer, to identify and incriminate the reservoir hosts involved in the maintenance of the disease, to identify circulating Leishmania species, and to identify the phlebotomine sandfly fauna. From December 2002 to November 2003, collections of phlebotomine sandflies were carried out in an Atlantic rain forest with Castro aspirator, Shannon trap and CDC light traps. In the same way, Tomahawk traps were used to capture the wild animals. An epidemiological survey on the canine population was undertaken with the aid of a questionnaire. Bone marrow and blood samples were collected and analyzed by IFI and PCR. Using the IFI, prevalences of 33.3% and 4% were obtained in the Mundo Novo and Mirim localities, respectively. Only two cases were positive with the PCR technique. Other epidemiological study was performed in the populations of both localities. Out of 451 patients, 68 (37.6%) from Mundo Novo were positive, and 47 from Mirim as well. Isolates of Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi were identified by specific monoclonal antibodies. A total of 23,156 specimens of phlebotomine sandflies were collected. Lutzomyia (Psychodopygus) complexa was the most abundant species, followed by Lutzomyia migonei. The known VL vector Lutzomyia longipalpis was not found. One specimen of Didelphis albiventris and one of Nectomys squamipes were positive for Leishmania with the PCR technique, which represents a new finding in the literature.

Maria Rosimery de Carvalho

Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães/FIOCRUZ

Av. Moraes Rego s/n

50670-420 Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil

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This thesis is available at the Library of the Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  20 July 2006
• Date of issue
  June 2006