Circulation of antibodies against yellow fever virus in a simian population in the area of Porto Primavera Hydroelectric Plant, São Paulo, Brazil

Yellow fever (YF) is an acute viral infectious disease transmitted by mosquitoes which occurs in two distinct epidemiological cycles: sylvatic and urban. In the sylvatic cycle, the virus is maintained by monkey's infection and transovarian transmission in vectors. Surveillance of non-human primates is required for the detection of viral circulation during epizootics, and for the identification of unaffected or transition areas. An ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) was standardized for estimation of the prevalence of IgG antibodies against yellow fever virus in monkey sera (Alouatta caraya) from the reservoir area of Porto Primavera Hydroelectric Plant, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. A total of 570 monkey sera samples were tested and none was reactive to antibodies against yellow fever virus. The results corroborate the epidemiology of yellow fever in the area. Even though it is considered a transition area, there were no reports to date of epizootics or yellow fever outbreaks in humans. Also, entomological investigations did not detect the presence of vectors of this arbovirus infection. ELISA proved to be fast, sensitive, an adequate assay, and an instrument for active search in the epidemiological surveillance of yellow fever allowing the implementation of prevention actions, even before the occurrence of epizootics.

On an acute case of Chagas disease in a region under vector control in the state of São Paulo, Brazil

No vector transmitted cases of Chagas disease had been notified in the state of São Paulo since the 1970s. However, in March, 2006, the death of a six-year-old boy from the municipality of Itaporanga was notified to the Center for Epidemiological Survey of the São Paulo State Health Secretariat: an autochthonous case of acute Chagas disease. The postmortem histopathological examination performed in the Hospital das Clínicas of the Botucatu School of Medicine confirmed the diagnosis. Reference to hospital records, consultation with the health professionals involved in the case and interviews with members of the patient's family supplied the basis for this study. We investigated parasite route of transmission, probable local reservoirs and vectors. No further human cases of acute Chagas disease were diagnosed. No locally captured vectors or reservoirs were found infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. Alternative transmission hypotheses - such as the possible ingestion of foods contaminated with vector excreta - are discussed, as well as the need to keep previously endemic regions and infested houses under close surveillance. Clinicians should give due attention to such signs as uni- or bilateral palpebral edema, cardiac failure, myocarditis, pericarditis, anasarca and atypical signs of nephrotic syndrome or nephritis and consider the diagnostic hypothesis of Chagas disease.

Dermatophytoses in domesticated animals

Dermatophytes are among the most frequent causes of ringworm infections in domesticated animals. They are known to serve as reservoirs of the zoophilic dermatophytes and these infections have important zoonotic implication. In Nigeria and probably West Africa, there are not many studies on the incidence of dermatophytosis in domesticated animals. In the current study, 538 domesticated animals with clinically suggestive lesions were investigated for dermatophytes. Identification of dermatophyte species was performed by macro- and micro morphological examination of colonies and by biochemical methods. In the cases of isolates that had atypical morphology and/or biochemical test results, the rDNA internal transcribed spacer region 2 (ITS 2) sequencing was performed. Out of this number, 214 (39.8%) were found to be colonized by a variety of ten species of dermatophytes. M. canis was the most frequently isolated species (37.4%), followed by T. mentagrophytes (22.9%) and T. verrucosum (15.9%). M. persicolor and T. gallinae were jointly the least species isolated with a frequency of 0.55% respectively. The recovery of dermatophyte isolates previously shown to be common etiological agents of dermatophytosis especially from children in the same region suggests that animal to human transmission may be common. Possible implications and recommendations are discussed.

Stochastic simulation of the morphology of fluvial sand channels reservoirs

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Geológica (Georrecursos)

Induction of phagocytic activity and nitric-oxide production in natural populations of Trypanosoma Cruzi I and II from the state of Paraná, Brazil

Twelve strains of Trypanosoma cruzi isolated from wild reservoirs, triatomines, and chronic chagasic patients in the state of Paraná, southern Brazil, and classified as T. cruzi I and II, were used to test the correlation between genetic and biological diversity. The Phagocytic Index (PI) and nitric-oxide (NO) production in vitro were used as biological parameters. The PI of the T. cruzi I and II strains did not differ significantly, nor did the PI of the T. cruzi strains isolated from humans, triatomines, or wild reservoirs. There was a statistical difference in the inhibition of NO production between T. cruzi I and II and between parasites isolated from humans and the strains isolated from triatomines and wild reservoirs, but there was no correlation between genetics and biology when the strains were analyzed independently of the lineages or hosts from which the strains were isolated. There were significant correlations for Randomly Amplified Polymorphic Deoxyribonucleic acid (RAPD) and biological parameters for T. cruzi I and II, and for humans or wild reservoirs when the lineages or hosts were considered individually.

Integration of sediment contamination with multi–biomarker responses in a novel bioindicator candidate (Sepia officinalis) for risk assessment in impacted estuaries

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia do Ambiente

USE OF THE POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF ASYMPTOMATIC Leishmania INFECTION IN A VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS-ENDEMIC AREA

The diagnosis of asymptomatic infection with Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi has become more important over recent years. Expansion of visceral leishmaniasis might be associated with other routes of transmission such as transfusion, congenital or even vector transmission, and subjects with asymptomatic infection are potential reservoirs. Moreover, the identification of infection may contribute to the management of patients with immunosuppressive conditions (HIV, transplants, use of immunomodulators) and to the assessment of the effectiveness of control measures. In this study, 149 subjects living in a visceral leishmaniasis endemic area were evaluated clinically and submitted to genus-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR), serological testing, and the Montenegro skin test. Forty-nine (32.9%) of the subjects had a positive PCR result and none of them developed the disease within a follow-up period of three years. No association was observed between the results of PCR, serological and skin tests. A positive PCR result in subjects from the endemic area did not indicate a risk of progression to visceral leishmaniasis and was not associated with a positive result in the serological tests.

SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF PHLEBOTOMINAE IN PUERTO IGUAZU-MISIONES, ARGENTINA-BRAZIL-PARAGUAY BORDER AREA

SUMMARY The first Argentinian autochthonous human case of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) was confirmed in Posadas (Misiones) in 2006. Since then, the disease has increased its incidence and geographical distribution. In the 2006-2012 period, 107 human cases were detected (11 deaths). The presence of Lutzomyia longipalpis was detected in peridomiciles in Puerto Iguazú urban area in 2010; some of these findings were associated with households where cases of canine VL had already been reported. The objective of this study was to ascertain the abundance and spatial distribution of Lu. longipalpis in Puerto Iguazú City, on the Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay border. Lu. longipalpis proved to be exclusively urban and was found in 31% of the households sampled (n = 53), 67% of which belonged to areas of low abundance, 20% to areas of moderate abundance and 13% to areas of high abundance. Nyssomyia whitmani was the only species found both in urban and peri-urban environments, and Migonemyia migonei was registered only on the outskirts of the city. Due to the fact that Puerto Iguazú is considered to be at moderate risk at the moment, it is necessary to intensify human and canine case controls, as well as take integrated prevention and control measures regarding the environment, vectors and reservoirs on the Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay border area.

FIRST CASE OF AUTOCHTHONOUS HUMAN VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS IN THE URBAN CENTER OF RIO DE JANEIRO: CASE REPORT

Visceral leishmaniasis is an anthropozoonosis that is caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania, especially Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum, and is transmitted to humans by the bite of sandflies of the genus Lutzomyia, such as Lutzomyia longipalpis. There are many reservoirs, including Canis familiaris. It is a chronic infectious disease with systemic involvement that is characterized by three phases: the initial period, the state period and the final period. The main symptoms are fever, malnutrition, hepatosplenomegaly, and pancytopenia. This article reports a case of a patient diagnosed with visceral leishmaniasis in the final period following autochthonous transmission in the urban area of Rio de Janeiro. The case reported here is considered by the Municipal Civil Defense and Health Surveillance of Rio de Janeiro to be the first instance of autochthonous visceral leishmaniasis in humans in the urban area of this city. The patient was discharged and is undergoing a follow-up at the outpatient clinic, demonstrating clinical improvement.

BAT-BORNE RABIES IN LATIN AMERICA

The situation of rabies in America is complex: rabies in dogs has decreased dramatically, but bats are increasingly recognized as natural reservoirs of other rabies variants. Here, bat species known to be rabies-positive with different antigenic variants, are summarized in relation to bat conservation status across Latin America. Rabies virus is widespread in Latin American bat species, 22.5%75 of bat species have been confirmed as rabies-positive. Most bat species found rabies positive are classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as “Least Concern”. According to diet type, insectivorous bats had the most species known as rabies reservoirs, while in proportion hematophagous bats were the most important. Research at coarse spatial scales must strive to understand rabies ecology; basic information on distribution and population dynamics of many Latin American and Caribbean bat species is needed; and detailed information on effects of landscape change in driving bat-borne rabies outbreaks remains unassessed. Finally, integrated approaches including public health, ecology, and conservation biology are needed to understand and prevent emergent diseases in bats.

Enterobacteriaceae ISOLATES FROM THE ORAL CAVITY OF WORKERS IN A BRAZILIAN ONCOLOGY HOSPITAL

The evaluation of workers as potential reservoirs and disseminators of pathogenic bacteria has been described as a strategy for the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of Enterobacteriaceae in the oral cavity of workers at an oncology hospital in the Midwest region of Brazil, as well as to characterize the phenotypic profile of the isolates. Saliva samples of 294 workers from the hospital’s healthcare and support teams were collected. Microbiological procedures were performed according to standard techniques. Among the participants, 55 (18.7%) were colonized by Enterobacteriaceae in the oral cavity. A total of 64 bacteria were isolated, including potentially pathogenic species. The most prevalent species was Enterobacter gergoviae (17.2%). The highest rates of resistance were observed for β-lactams, and 48.4% of the isolates were considered multiresistant. Regarding the enterobacteria isolated, the production of ESBL and KPC was negative. Nevertheless, among the 43 isolates of the CESP group, 51.2% were considered AmpC β-lactamase producers by induction, and 48.8% were hyper-producing mutants. The significant prevalence of carriers of Enterobacteriaceae and the phenotypic profile of the isolates represents a concern, especially due to the multiresistance and production of AmpC β-lactamases.

Epidemiologic studies of chagas' disease in the urban zone of Teresina. State of Piauí, northeastern Brazil

The triatomine species Rhodnius nasutus and Triatoma pseudomaculata were captured on palm trees Orbignya martiana "babaçu ", in the urban zone of Teresina. This kind of palm tree is largely distributed in Piauí State. The predominant species was R. nasutus; the young in stars predominated. The infestation index of palm trees and the infection index of triatomines by flagellates were 96.0 ana 29.1%, respectively. Marsupiais, bats and a rodent were captured in palm trees. The flagellates found in both triatomines ana marsupiais were morphologically and biologically indistinguishable from Trypanosoma cruzi. Forty seven percent (481/1,025) of triatomines were found concentrated in six palm trees where marsupiais circulated. Of the total of 1,025 triatomines 230 (22%) were infected by flagellates and 53.0% (123/230) of these infected triatomines were present in the same six palm trees. No evidence of triatomine domiciliation or human transmission was observed in the houses in the vicinity of palm trees. The results suggest that marsupiais play an important role in the life-cycle of T. cruzi in this region. The natural focus of Chagas' disease, demonstrated in the present study could represent a potential epidemiological threat.

Heavy metal contamination in seafood and consumer exposure in the Gulf Cooperation Council

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Tecnologia e Segurança Alimentar

Adaptation as a part of system resilience. insights from fish producers organizations in Portugal

Complex problems of globalized society challenge its adaptive capacity. However, it is precisely the nature of these human induced problems that provide enough evidence to show that adaptability may not be on a resilient path. This thesis explores the ambiguity of the idea of adaptation (and its practice) and illustrates the ways in which adaptability contributes to resilience of social ecological systems. The thesis combines a case study and grounded theory approach and develops an analytical framework to study adaptability in resource users’ organizations: from what it depends on and what the key challenges are for resource management and system resilience. It does so for the specific case of fish producers’ organizations (POs) in Portugal. The findings suggest that while ecological and market context, including the type of crisis, may influence the character of fishers’ adaptation within POs (i.e. anticipatory, maladaptive and reactively adaptive), it does not determine it. Instead, it makes agency even more crucial (i.e. leadership, trust and agent’s perceptions in terms of their impact on fishers’ motivation to learn from each other). In sum, it was found that internal adaptation can improve POs’ contribution to fishery management and resilience, but it is not a panacea and may, in some cases, increase system vulnerability to change. Continuous maladaptation of some Portuguese POs points at a basic institutional problem (fish market regime), which clearly reduces fisheries resilience as it promotes overfishing. However, structural change may not be sufficient to address other barriers to Portuguese fishers’ (PO members) adaptability, such as history (collective memory) and associated problematic self-perceptions. The agency (people involved in structures and practices) also needs to change. What and how institutional change and agency change build on one another (e.g. comparison of fisheries governance in Portugal and other EU countries) is a topic to be explored in further research.

American tripanosomiasis: a study on the prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma cruzi-like organisms in wild rodents in San Luis province, Argentina

INTRODUCTION: Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. Wild and perianthropic mammals maintain the infection/transmission cycle, both in their natural habitat and in the peridomestic area. The aim of this paper was to present the results from a study on wild rodents in the central and northern regions of San Luis province, Argentina, in order to evaluate the prevalence of this infection. METHODS: Sherman traps were set up in capture areas located between latitudes 32º and 33º S, and longitudes 65º and 66º W. The captured rodents were taxonomically identified and hemoflagellates were isolated. Morphological, biometric and molecular studies and in vitro cultures were performed. Infection of laboratory animals and histological examination of the cardiac muscle and inoculation area were also carried out. Parasites were detected in circulating blood in Calomys musculinus, Graomys griseoflavus, Phyllotis darwini and Akodon molinae. The parasites were identified using biological criteria. Molecular PCR studies were performed on some isolates, which confirmed the characterization of these hemoflagellates as Trypanosoma cruzi. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Forty-four percent of the 25 isolates were identified as Trypanosoma cruzi, and the remaining 56% as Trypanosoma cruzi-like. These findings provide evidence that wild rats infected with Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma cruzi-like organisms are important in areas of low endemicity.