RESUMO
Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease endemic in five continents. It is a severe disease that may lead to death, and its early detection is important to avoid severe damage to affected individuals. Molecular methods to detect Leishmania are considered alternatives to overcome the limitations presented by conventional methods. The aim of this study was to develop multiplex PCR systems able to detect small amounts of target DNA of Leishmania infantum and Leishmania braziliensis, and the gene coding for glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PD) in mammals, enabling quality evaluation of the sample simultaneously with detection of the specific target. The systems created for G3PD recognition were combined with detection systems for L. infantum and L. braziliensis to compose multiplex PCR systems for visceral (mVL) and cutaneous (mACL) leishmaniasis diagnosis. The multiplex PCR systems developed were assessed in blood samples from five different species of mammal reservoirs involved in the disease cycle in Brazil, and 96 and 52 human samples from patients with suspected visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL), respectively. Three G3PD detection systems were created (G3PD1, G3PD2 and G3PD3) with different product sizes, G3PD2 was chosen for the formation of multiplex PCR systems. The two multiplex PCR systems (mVL and mACL) were reproducible in all species evaluated. Results of test samples (sensitivity, specificity and efficiency) suggest its use in routine diagnosis, research activities in medicine and veterinary medicine. Additionally, the systems designed to detect the G3PD gene are capable of combining with other targets used for molecular diagnosis of infectious diseases. Concerning leishmaniasis, the multiplex PCR systems can be used in epidemiological studies for the detection of new and classic reservoirs, which may contribute to the reliability of results and development of actions to control the disease.(AU)
Assuntos
Animais , Controle de Qualidade , Leishmaniose/diagnóstico , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Multiplex/métodos , Gliceraldeído-3-Fosfato Desidrogenases/administração & dosagem , Mamíferos/parasitologiaRESUMO
Lutzomyia naftalekatzi, a new phlebotomine sand fly belonging to the L. aragaoi species group, is described from specimens collected in Zona da Mata region of Pernambuco, Brazil.
Assuntos
Psychodidae/anatomia & histologia , Animais , Brasil , Feminino , Masculino , Psychodidae/classificaçãoRESUMO
A morphometric survey examined adult specimens of Lutzomyia whitmani (Antunes & Coutinho) captured at 5 municipalities in southeastern and northeastern Brazil to compare the populations. The localities were Ilhéus (Bahia), Martinho Campos (Minas Gerais), Corte de Pedra (Bahia), Baturité (Ceará), and Amaraji (Pernambuco): all are known foci of American cutaneous leishmaniasis. Fifteen males and 15 females from each population were analyzed morphometrically for 42 and 37 characters, respectively. Statistical data alone were insufficient to discriminate among the 5 populations. Further analysis generated phenograms that indicated there were 2 spatial clusters: the 1st was composed of specimens from Ilhéus (Bahia) and Baturité (Ceará) and the 2nd of specimens from Martinho Campos (Minas Gerais), Corte de Pedra (Bahia), and Amaraji (Pernambuco). Although insufficient to define the taxonomic status of the populations studied, the results delineated the existence of biogeographical structuring within L. whitmani. Complementary studies on the susceptibility to Leishmania braziliensis infection in the 5 populations are in progress to clarify the relationship between the 2 biogeographical clusters and American cutaneous leishmaniasis transmission in those Brazilian regions.
Assuntos
Filogenia , Psychodidae/anatomia & histologia , Psychodidae/genética , Animais , Brasil , Feminino , Variação Genética , Geografia , Masculino , Psychodidae/classificaçãoRESUMO
Health service records for north-east Brazil suggest a consistent rise in numbers of cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis over the past decade. In a study site in Pernambuco, prospective, cross-sectional and retrospective epidemiological surveys of infection (a positive Montenegro skin test response) and/or clinical symptoms confirmed a high current force of infection (0.092/year), and an approximately 10-fold increase in transmission during the last 10 years. Cross-sectional analysis indicated that the incidence rate among children (aged < or = 15 years) was lower than that among adult immigrants exposed for similar time periods, but there was no apparent difference in transmission rate according to gender. Coupled with the known behaviour of the local sandfly vector, Lutzomyia whitmani, this suggests that most people are infected outside their houses, rather than either indoors or while visiting remnant rainforest. The estimated proportion of infections which lead to cutaneous lesions (0.81-0.87) is relatively high for L. braziliensis areas. However, an unusually low proportion of clinical infections (0.0042) apparently leads to metastasis.
Assuntos
Leishmaniose Cutânea/epidemiologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Distribuição por Idade , Idoso , Brasil/epidemiologia , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Estudos Transversais , Feminino , Humanos , Incidência , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , Leishmaniose Cutânea/transmissão , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Prevalência , Estudos Prospectivos , Características de Residência , Estudos Retrospectivos , Sensibilidade e Especificidade , Distribuição por Sexo , Testes Cutâneos/normas , Saúde da População UrbanaRESUMO
An outbreak of American cutaneous leishmaniasis has been occurred in military training unit localized in 'Zona da Mata' of Pernambuco State, Brazil, where were registered 26 human cases. An epidemiological survey was carried out by entomological investigation and Montenegro skin test (MST). Lutzomyia choti presents predominance (89.9%) in sandflies identified. Out of 545 men who realized training activities were 24.12% positive to MST.
Assuntos
Leishmaniose Cutânea/epidemiologia , Adulto , Animais , Brasil/epidemiologia , Surtos de Doenças , Humanos , Insetos Vetores , Masculino , Militares , Psychodidae/parasitologia , Testes CutâneosRESUMO
An outbreak of American cutaneous leishmaniasis has been occurred in military training unit localized in 'Zona da Mata' of Pernambuco State, Brazil, where were registered 26 human cases. An epidemiological survey was carried out by entomological investigation and Montenegro skin test (MST). Lutzomyia choti presents predominance (89.9%) in sandflies identified. Out of 545 men who realized training activities were 24.12% positive to MST.
Um surto de leishmaniose tegumentar americana ocorreu em 1996 em unidade de treinamento militar situada na Zona da Mata de Pernambuco, com o registro de 26 casos humanos. Um inquérito epidemiológico foi realizado através da realização de levantamento entomológico e da aplicação do Teste de Montenegro. Lutzomyia choti apresentou predominância de 89,9% dos flebótomos identificados. De 545 homens que participaram de treinamentos no período, 24,1% (incluindo os casos clínicos) foram positivo para o Teste de Montenegro.
Assuntos
Adulto , Animais , Humanos , Masculino , Leishmaniose Cutânea/epidemiologia , Brasil/epidemiologia , Surtos de Doenças , Insetos Vetores , Militares , Psychodidae/parasitologia , Testes CutâneosRESUMO
American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) has been increasing in Pernambuco, thus becoming an important problem for Public Health. The incindence is predominant in the region called 'Zona da Mata', in the east of this state. This region corresponds geographically to the primitive area of the Atlantic forest. In order to characterize the eco-epidemiology expression of ACL in this region, two localities situated in the municipalities of Amaraji e Cortes have been selected by the criterion of higher incindence of human cases. Five stocks of patients were characterized and identified on the basis of enzyme profiles as a new variant of Leishmania (V.) braziliensis. A survey of wild and domestic animals was carried out by means of a parasitological and serological diagnosis. Through the analysis of the spleen and liver imprints, were detected amastigotes compatible with Leishmania in five Nectomys s. squamipes, five Bolomys 1. pixuna, two Rattus r. alexandrinus and one Rattus r. frugivorus. For two years we carried out monthly sandflies captures using CDC light traps as well as manual captures. Lutzomyia whitmani was predominant, which accounted for 97.4% of the total. These data indicate a strong evidence on the vector and the potential reservoirs of L. braziliensis in this region.
Assuntos
Leishmania/fisiologia , Leishmaniose Cutânea/epidemiologia , Psychodidae/parasitologia , Animais , Animais Domésticos/parasitologia , Animais Selvagens/parasitologia , Brasil/epidemiologia , Ecologia , Humanos , RatosRESUMO
Trehalose dimycolate (TDM) isolated from Nocardia asteroides induced in mice a severely wasted condition known as cachexia. Intraperitoneal injection of mice with five 10 micrograms doses of TDM in mineral oil at intervals of 2 d killed 90% of the animals within 26 d. Death followed a precipitous weight loss and an inflammatory process in the peritoneal cavity. When mice were injected intraperitoneally with a single 10 micrograms dose of TDM, 48 h later, they had begun to lose weight and exhibited extreme hypertriglyceridaemia and hypoglycaemia. Tumour necrosis factor (or cachectin) was detected in the plasma from animals injected with TDM. This cytokine released by mononuclear phagocytes may be involved in the induction of cachexia by TDM.
Assuntos
Caquexia/induzido quimicamente , Fatores Corda/farmacologia , Glicolipídeos/farmacologia , Nocardia asteroides/metabolismo , Animais , Peso Corporal , Células Cultivadas , Masculino , Camundongos , Triglicerídeos/sangue , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfaRESUMO
In the present study the participation was evaluated of isolated fractions of Nocardia brasiliensis in the genesis of the inflammatory response observed in actinomycotic mycetoma. Subcutaneous injection in mice of a suspension containing a polysaccharide fraction F1 obtained by treating cell walls with sodium hydroxide induced an inflammatory response at the inoculation site which was characterized by a large influx of polymorphonuclear (PMN) and mononuclear (MN) leucocytes between the 2nd and 4th days. On the 8th day, a typical granulomatous reaction was observed involving large numbers of epithelioid cells. Intravenous injection of the lipid extract adsorbed to charcoal particles into mice induced an inflammatory reaction around the particles embolized in the pulmonary microcirculation which was similar to that described above. The kinetics of the inflammatory cell migration was studied by total and differential counts of leukocytes that migrated to the peritoneal cavity of rats inoculated intraperitoneally with the F1 and lipid fractions. Both fractions initially induced intense PMN migration, which was later reduced, with a simultaneous increase in mononuclear cells. The present results demonstrate that a polysaccharide fraction (F1) and the lipid fraction reproduce the fundamental lesion of actinomycotic mycetoma.