Validação da intradermoreação de Montenegro para diagnóstico de leishmaniose em felinos

Pós-graduação em Ciência Animal - FMVA

An atypical Toxoplasma gondii genotype in a rural Brazilian dog co-infected with Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis

Toxoplasmosis and leishmaniasis are two worldwide zoonoses caused by the protozoan parasites Toxoplasma gondii and Leishmania spp., respectively. This report describes the clinical and laboratorial findings of a co-infection with both parasites in a 4-year-old female dog suspected of ehrlichiosis that presented anemia, thrombocytopenia, hypoalbuminemia, hyperglobulinemia, tachyzoite-like structures to the lung imprints, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results positive for T. gondii (kidney, lung, and liver) and Leishmania spp. Co-infection with Toxoplasma gondii and Leishmania braziliensis was confirmed by sequencing; restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction (RFLP-PCR) confirmed an atypical T. gondii genotype circulating in dogs that has been reported to cause human congenital toxoplasmosis.

Attraction of the sand fly Nyssomyia neivai (Diptera: Psychodidae) to chemical compounds in a wind tunnel

Background: Similar to other hematophagous insects, male and female sand flies must feed on plants to obtain sugar and, subsequently, energy to complete their life cycles. A large number of compounds emitted by plants may act as volatile signals to these insects. Primary alcohols have been detected in some plants, but in small amounts. In a previous report, the attractiveness of saturated primary alcohols with 7 to 9 carbons was evaluated for Lutzomyia longipalpis, the vector of American visceral leishmaniasis, with positive results.Methods: In the present study, a wide range of primary alcohols, 3 to 10 carbons, were tested to investigate their attractiveness to another sand fly species, Nyssomyia neivai, a putative vector of American cutaneous leishmaniasis. The mixture of compounds that induced the best sand fly response was also evaluated.Results: Of the eight compounds evaluated, hexanol and octanol elicited the best attractive responses for sand fly females.Conclusion: Phytochemicals may be an interesting source of search for new sand fly attractants.

Coinfection by toxoplasma gondii and leishmania spp. in domestic cats (Felis catus) in State of Mato Grosso do Sul

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

First detection of Leishmania spp. DNA in Brazilian bats captured strictly in urban areas

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Serological evidence of Infection by Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum (Synonym: Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi) in free-ranging wild mammals in a nonendemic region of the state of São Paulo, Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Detecção de co-infecções por Leishmania (l.) chagasi, Trypanosoma evansi, Toxoplasma gondii e Neospora caninum em cães

Co-infections by Leishmania (L.) chagasi, Trypanosoma evansi, Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in dogs were investigated. Amastigotes forms of Leishmania spp. were detected by cytopathological analysis of lymph nodes in 46,42% (39/84) of dogs. In a male dog, adult, without defined breed, from rural area and positive for Leishmania, were observed flagellated forms of T. evansi in blood smear. By immunofluorescence antibody test, 5,95% (5/84) of dogs were considered reactive to T. gondii, with titer equal to or higher than 1:64, while 3,57% (3/84) were reactive to N. caninum, with titer ≥1:50. Among the animals with visceral leishmaniasis, one showed positive serological response to T. gondii and two for N. caninum. All dogs reactive to N. caninum were from rural area and the predominance of infection by T. gondii was in dogs from urban area. A young male dog from the rural area and seropositive for T. gondii showed Ehrlichia spp. morulae in the cytology and positive reaction for canine distemper virus. Thus, further studies are needed to assess the epidemiology of these infections in canine population, especially with respect to the reservoirs of Trypanosoma spp. in rural areas.

Programa de conscientização de idosos sobre posse responsável de animais de estimação em bairro periférico do município de Araçatuba, SP

Currently, responsible ownership of pets has been widely discussed. In the past, they were brought to our society and it is our duty nowadays to establish this relationship between man and animal. This study aimed at evaluating the level of knowledge of elderly dog owners about responsible ownership with emphasis on control of canine visceral leishmaniasis and at the same time make them aware of the precautions to be taken. An individual questionnaire on the subject was applied to 68 elderly people. They all belong to Nossa Senhora Aparecida Village, located on the suburb of Araçatuba-SP. Along with the interview, veterinary students advised them on the control of canine visceral leishmaniasis, the importance of sterilization in cats and dogs and the responsible ownership, with distribution of informative leaflets. Fecal samples from dogs were collected by the owners and they were sent to the Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases at Odontology Faculty at Araçatuba UNESP to be processed through the Willis-Mollay technique. Anthelmintic were acquired in the project and donated for the treatment of animals tested positive. 56.25% (63/112) out of the total number of dogs examined were females, aged between one and ten years. Only 32.14% (36/112) had access to the streets, 90.18% (101/112) were not castrated and 58% (65/112) were mixed breed (SRD). Among the owners, 88.24% (60/68) did not know what zoonosis is and 14.71% (10/68) were not aware what leishmaniasis is. Regarding the researched animals, 62.50% (70/112) had ectoparasites (fleas and ticks). It was also observed that 67.86% (76/112) of dogs had been dewormed, but in 59.82% (36/112) of cases, the intervals between these processes were irregular. For females, 85.71% (54/63) had no prevention heat and it was noted that 19.51% (8 / 41) had already given birth, had dystocia. With these data we can confirm the lack of information by these elderly and the need to establish community awareness and continued programs.

Leishmania sp. amastigotes identification in canine transmissible venereal tumor

Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease with Leishmania chagasi being the etiological agent of canine visceral leishmaniasis in South America. Canine venereal tumor is a transplantable round cell tumor of histiocytic origin which is mostly observed in sexually active male and female intact dogs. It has been shown that Leishmania amastigotes have higher tropism for the canine male genital tract tissues and venereal leishmaniasis transmission has been documented in dogs but, to date, a canine venereal tumor-dependent transmission route has not been fully demonstrated. In this report, a 10-year-old, mixed breed, intact female dog presented a vaginal venereal transmissible tumor but no other clinical abnormalities otherwise. Unexpectedly, tumor tissue imprint smears examination revealed Leishmania sp. amastigotes within infiltrating macrophages. In addition to the cytological direct identification, the protozoan was confirmed within the neoplastic tissue by means of immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction. This report illustrates an asymptomatic Leishmania sp. infection that may have started on or from the canine venereal tumor tissue, the latter option further supporting previous evidence of such an alternative vector-independent route of transmission for canine visceral leishmaniasis in areas where these diseases coexist.

CD95 (FAS) and CD178 (FASL) induce the apoptosis of CD4+ and CD8+ cells isolated from the peripheral blood and spleen of dogs naturally infected with Leishmania spp

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Type of light in sand fly captures (Diptera:Psychodidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Clinical and parasitological evaluation of dogs naturally infected by Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi submitted to treatment with meglumine antimoniate and allopurinol

Aiming to assess the efficacy of the treatment, to verify the occurrence of possible disease relapses and to search for the presence of parasites after the treatment, seven dogs naturally infected by Leishmania sp., were submitted to a treatment with meglumine antimoniate and allopurinol. For this, lymph node and bone marrow aspiration biopsies were carried out at seven moments. After the end of the six-month observation period all dogs were submitted to euthanasia. Then, spleen and liver “imprints” and in vitro cultures were carried out to search for amastigote forms of the parasite. All animals presented remission of the symptoms and during all the observation period no dog presented relapse of the disease, although amastigote forms of the parasite were observed in two of the animals at the end of the experiment. Thus, it was possible to conclude that the treatment promotes clinical healing but it does not eliminate the parasites completely.

Leishmania sp. infection in dogs from Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, SC, Brazil

The aim of the present study was to investigate the occurrence of Leishmania sp. infection in dogs (N = 491) living in the municipality of Florianópolis, Santa Catarina (SC), Brazil, which was considered a disease-free region for visceral leishmaniasis until 2011, when autochthonous cases of canine disease were notified. Seroprevalence in this population was assessed by ELISA (0.4%; 2/491) and IFAT (4.09%; 24/491). Only one dog exhibited seroreactivity in both serological methods, comprising a total of 25 (5.3%) seroreagent animals. Leishmania sp. DNA, obtained from a sample of whole blood of this animal, was amplified by both conventional and Real-Time PCR. Sequencing of the amplified DNA and, thereby, determination of the Leishmania species involved, was not possible. Our results suggest the necessity of a thorough epidemiological investigation in Florianópolis. (AU).

Participação de gambás e cães domiciliados como reservatórios de Leishmania infantum e Trypanosoma cruzi georreferenciados nos municípios da Regional de Saúde de Três Lagoas - MS

Pós-graduação em Doenças Tropicais - FMB

Expressão gênica de interferon-gama, fator de necrose tumoral alfa e interleucinas 2 e 5 no baço de gatos naturalmente infectados por Leishmania spp: Karina Yukie Hirata. -

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)