PCR em tempo real para caracterização de fontes alimentares de flebotomíneos (Diptera: Psychodidae)

Os flebotomíneos são insetos hematófagos de grande importância médica e veterinária atuando como vetores de parasitas como Leishmania. O estudo do padrão alimentar desses vetores pode ajudar a compreender a sua interação com potenciais reservatórios de Leishmania. Neste estudo, desenvolvemos ensaios de PCR em tempo real para identificação de sangue em flebotomíneos. Seis pares de primers foram desenhados com base no gene citocromo b de sequencias disponíveis no GenBank dos seguintes hospedeiros potenciais: cão, gato, cavalo, galinha, rato e humano. Primeiramente, os ensaios de PCR em tempo real utilizando SYBR Green foram conduzidos usando uma curva padrão com oito concentrações diferentes (i.e., 10 ng, 1 ng, 100 pg, 10 pg, 1 pg, 100 fg, 10 fg e 1 fg por 2 µl) de amostras do DNA extraído do sangue com EDTA a partir de cada espécie de animal. Em seguida, o DNA foi extraído de 100 fêmeas de flebotomíneos ingurgitadas de campo pertencentes a três espécies (i.e., Lutzomyia longipalpis, L. migonei e L. lenti) foram testadas pelos protocolos aqui padronizados. Fêmeas de flebotomíneos foram experimentalmente alimentadas em um rato (Rattus rattus) e utilizadas para avaliar a detecção do ensaio. Os protocolos funcionaram de forma eficiente com limites de detecção de 10 pg a 100 fg. Fêmeas de flebotomíneos ingurgitadas coletadas no campo estavam alimentadas de humanos (73 por cento), galinhas (23 por cento), cães (22 por cento), cavalos (15 por cento), ratos (11 por cento) e gatos (2 por cento). Curiosamente, 76,1 por cento das fêmeas de L. longipalpis foram positivas para o sangue humano. No total, 48 por cento das fêmeas testadas estavam alimentadas em uma única fonte, 31 por cento em duas e 12 por cento em três. A análise do curso de tempo mostrou que a técnica de PCR em tempo real visando o DNA de roedor foi capaz de detectar pequenas quantidades de DNA do hospedeiro até 5 dias após o repasto sanguíneo. Esses protocolos representam ferramentas promissoras para a identificação da fonte alimentar de flebotomíneos de campo

Resposta imune à saliva de flebotomíneos (diptera: psychodidae) em indivíduos residentes em áreas urbana e periurbana no nordeste do brasil

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) has a wide geographical distribution in tropical and subtropical areas of the planet, which is a protozoan parasite of the genus Leishmania. This pathogen is transmitted to the host through the sandflies bite, with its saliva, the immune response that leads to both. In the state of Rio Grande do Norte, 85% of the sand flies captured is Lutzomyia longipalpis, but the second most abundant, Lutzomyia evandroi, it deserves emphasis because its wide distribution and eclectic behavior. The exposure of people living in endemic areas for the insect vector VL greatly increases the chances of infection. This study aimed to evaluate aspects of the epidemiological profile of VL in endemic areas of human and nonendemic in the metropolitan area of Natal, as well as verify the abundance and seasonal fluctuations of sandflies species in two counties endemic for VL. Were collected in the municipalities of Nísia Floresta, Parnamirim, São Gonçalo do Amarante and Macaíba, of which groups of females were separated for further dissection of the salivary glands and identification of species. The blood samples used were from individuals of two Natal s districts where it has never been reported cases of VL and neighborhoods of Parnamirim applicants who present cases of VL. In the municipality of Nísia Floresta, the most abundant species was L. evandroi with 38.39%, followed by L. longipalpis with 36.22%, L. walkeri 19.67% L. lenti 3.81%, L. wellcomei 1.39% and L. whitmani 0.52%. Already in Parnamirim the proportions were L. walkeri with 73.15%, L. evandroi with 10.55%, L. wellcomei 7.63%, L. longipalpis 6.37%, L. whitmani 1.46%, L. sordellii 0.52%, L. intermedia 0.21 and L. shanonni 0.1%. In both municipalities was observed higher abundance of species distributed in the initial months of the year, as February and March. The study showed that no difference in exposure to the vector of VL among individuals from endemic and non endemic area for this disease. But there are differences in exposure between individuals of L. longipalpis and L. evandroi, confirming the great powers of the first vector. It was also characterized as predominant phenotype in the population of endemic areas who had negative serologic responses to antigens of Leishmania and result in negative Montenegro skin test (DTH), indicating that much of the population hasn t been bitten by infected insects

Flebotomíneos (Diptera: Psychodidae) em um sistema agroflorestal da Região Metropolitana de Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

Sandflies stand out as important vectors of leishmaniasis. The females need to ingest blood meals, enabling them to transmit protozoa of the genus Leishmania, which may give rise to visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL), in addition to transmitting other parasites. Leishmaniasis are important infirmities, distributed worldwide, whose infection results from the interaction of reservoir animals, the vector insect, parasitic protozoa and the healthy host. In the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN), Brazil, these insects are important transmitters of VL, which usually presents in the most serious form. It occurs mainly in metropolitan areas, with the dog as its main reservoir and Lutzomyia longipalpis as the vector. ATL is most present in the highland areas of the state. In addition to hematophagia, engaged in by the females, both sexes need to ingest carbohydrates, which are essential to the sand flies energy requirements and may interfere in the development of Leishmania. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence and abundance of sand flies in different environments on the farm belonging to the Empresa de Pesquisas Agropecuárias do RN (Institute of Agricultural Research of RN), in the municipality of Parnamirim, in order to relate this occurrence with climatological and biological references and eating habits. Three consecutive monthly collections were carried out with CDC traps in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest, in a residence, on a goat breeding farm and on cashew, dwarf and giant coconut, mango, banana, eucalyptus, acacia and bean plantations. A total of 1241 sandflies from eight species (Lutzomyia evandroi, Lutzomyia longipalpis, Lutzomyia shannoni, Lutzomyia sordellii Lutzomyia walkeri, Lutzomyia wellcomei, Lutzomyia whitmani, and Lutzomyia intermedia) were collected, most in the forest environment. L. longipalpis, the main VL transmitter, was confirmed as a species adapted to anthropic environments, whereas others such as L. wellcomei, the vector of ATL, occurred predominantly in forests. Carbohydrate characterization of the sand flies and plants of the region demonstrated that a number of exotic plants such as hay and eucalyptus may play some role in the adaptation of these species to modified environments. Breeding in laboratory showed a mean biological cycle of 53.5 days from egg to adulthood for L. shannoni and the possibility of diapause behavior in L. wellcomei. This study serves as a source of information that may contribute to the epidemiological vigilance of tegumentary and visceral leishmaniasis in the state, given that it analyzes the bioecology of transmitting species, as well as their potential to adapt to new environments

Flebotomíneos (Diptera, Psychodidae) de área de cerrado no Município de Corumbataí, Centro-leste do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil.

Distribution and ecology knowledge of sandfly species is essential for epidemiology vigilance and risk determination for transmission of leishmaniasis. Sandfly trapping was carried out in a cerrado strictu sensu vegetation fragment in a rural area of Corumbataí Municipality, São Paulo State, Brazil, during July to November 2004. Two CDC light traps were used from 18h to 8h, once a month, resulting in 112 total hours of capture. During this period, 60 sandfly specimens of ten different species were sampled. The most abundant species and the one found in all captures was Pintomyia monticola totalizing 15 (25.0%) specimens, the second more abundant one was P. pessoai with 14 (23.3%) and the third one was Brumptomyia guimaraesi with 12 (20.0%) individuals collected. Other captured species were Psathyromyia aragaoi, B. avellari, B. brumpti, B. cunhai, P. bianchigalatiae, Evandromyia termitophila and Nyssomyia whitmani which corresponded to 19 (31.2%) specimens captured. Pintomyia pessoai and N. whitmani presence indicates transmission risk of American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in the area.

Necessidade de vigilância epidemiológica para Leishmania infantum (syn. Leishmania chagasi) e Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis em flebotomíneos e gatos errantes no Bosque Municipal de Marília-SP

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FMVZ

Caracterização de espécies de Leishmania isoladas de Flebotomíneos sp. de três ecótopos da Serra dos Carajás, Pará, Brasil

A leishmaniose tegumentar americana (LTA) é uma doença infecciosa, sendo uma zoonose de alta freqüência, endêmica na região Amazônica, transmitidas por flebotomíneos dos gêneros Psychodopygus e Lutzomyia. A Serra dos Carajás, situada no Sudeste do Pará, é amplamente explorada por empresas extrativistas e como resultado, concerniu-se que a LTA transformar-se-ia em um dos principais perigos de saúde para os trabalhadores, devido à prática de desmatamento e a construção de estradas de acesso e escoamento do minério. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a infecção natural por Leishmania em flebotomíneos da região da Serra dos Carajás através da técnica PCR. As capturas de flebotomíneos foram realizadas em três diferentes ecótopos, Parque Zoobotânico de Quarentena, APA do Gelado e Tapirapé-Aquirí, com auxílio de armadilhas de luz tipo CDC e Shannon, durante o período noturno a partir do crepúsculo vespertino. Os flebotomíneos capturados foram identificados de acordo com Young & Duncan, 1994 e congelados em N2. Foram congelados 5.947 flebotomíneos, com 3.495 fêmeas, dentre estas, 550 espécimes foram testadas. Foi realizada as extrações de DNA das amostras utilizando-se SDS e KOAc e precipitação com etanol 96%. Foi realizada a PCR, amplificando-se a região do gene do mini-exon com os iniciadores S1629 (5’GGGAATTCAATAWAGTACAGAAACTG3’) e S1630 (5’GGGAAGCTTCTGTACTWTATTGGTA 3’). O DNA de Leishmania foi detectado em 36 (6,5%) flebotomíneos, sendo 34 do subgênero Viannia detectados em 30 Psychodopygus wellcomei/complexus, três Lutzomyia whitmani e um Lutzomyia shawi. Duas infecções por Leishmania amazonensis foram detectados em Psychodopygus wellcomei/complexus. Tapirapé – Aquirí, APA do Gelado e Parque Zoobotânico de Quarentena apresentaram altas taxas de infecção natural em flebotomíneos 6,54 %, 5,96 % e 7,92%, respectivamente. Psychodopygus wellcomei/complexus ainda apresenta destacado papel de vetor de Leishmania causadoras de LTA na região em questão. Estudos sobre o poder vetorial das espécies Lu. whitmani e Lu. shawi infectados naturalmente por Leishmania na Serra dos Carajás devem ser intensificados, verificando se essas espécies podem estar atuando no ciclo de transmissão da LTA na Serra dos Carajás. Estudos que melhor esclareçam a variação da prevalência de diferentes espécies de flebotomíneos e o conhecimento das taxas de infecção também devem ser intensificadas na região da Serra dos Carajás.

Fotomicrografia digital para estudos taxonômicos de Flebotomíneos do subgênero Psychodopygus do estado do Pará - Brasil

Os flebotomíneos compreendem um grupo de insetos de grande interesse médicoveterininário, sobretudo com sua associação vetorial com as leishmanioses. A identificação correta destas espécies no campo é prática imprescindível na pesquisa entomológica e controle de vetores de Leishmania, sobretudo no estado do Pará, onde a fauna de flebotomíneos é bastante diversificada em relação ao montante brasileiro. No entanto, esta prática tem sido realizada por técnicos treinados com base na “chave” atualizada em 2003, apoiada por desenhos manuais de vários pesquisadores, que muitas vezes são de difícil entendimento. Assim, este estudo objevitou apresentar a relevância do uso da fotomicrografia digital como instrumento de apoio para a identificação e registro de flebotomíneos do subgênero Psychodopygus. Utilizou-se como abordagem metodológica a captura de imagens de lâminas da coleção do Insetário de Flebotomíneos do Laboratório de Leishmanioses do Instituto Evandro Chagas, das diversas áreas de estudos epidemiológicos de leishmanioses do estado do Pará, no período de 1970 até a atualidade, por meio dos sistemas de: Axiostar, Canon via Phototube e câmera convencional sobreposta à ocular do microscópio. A partir das imagens capturadas, construiu-se uma base de dados organizada de acordo com a hierarquia taxonômica de Phlebotominae que posteriormente foram comparadas com as ilustrações tradicionais de chaves de identificação. Do total de 2105 lâminas, foram obtidas 222 imagens de flebotomíneos. Um banco de dados contendo 344 imagens referentes às 17 espécies de Psychodopygus foi preparado no decorrer do estudo. Conclui-se que as imagens das estruturas desenhadas por diferentes pesquisadores ao longo dos anos apresentavam diferenças, traduzindo a subjetividade da interpretação para a mesma espécie dentro do subgênero Psychodopygus; assim a fotomicrografia digital demonstra ser um recurso de grande utilidade e importância, devido apresentar vantagens, como: melhor qualidade de imagens, durabilidade, fidedignidade com o real observado e praticidade tecnológica, proporcionando maior segurança e ou confiabilidade ao profissional durante a investigação epidemiológica.

Utilização de armadilha de emersão para captura de flebotomíneos em área com transmissão e sem transmissão de LVA e LTA, na região centro-oeste do estado de São Paulo, Brasil

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FMVZ

Estabelecimento de colônia de Lutzomyia neivai (Diptera:Psychodidae) e construção de túnel de vento para avaliação de substâncias atrativas para flebotomíneos

Os flebotomíneos (Diptera, Psychodidae) são insetos transmissores de leishmanioses e arboviroses. O estabelecimento de colônias em laboratório para o estudo comportamental da espécie Lutzomyia neivai, transmissor da leishmaniose tegumentar, requer manutenção e cuidados especiais. Os insetos hematófagos são atraídos por substâncias voláteis liberadas pelos hospedeiros e o estudo dessas substâncias é denominado “ecologia química”. A capacidade atrativa das substâncias pode ser medida em laboratório por meio de aparatos como túneis de vento. Entretanto, muitas variáveis interferem na eficácia de um túnel de vento, como por exemplo: tamanho do túnel, forma de liberação e captura dos insetos, velocidade e forma da pluma de odor e altura da fonte de liberação de odor (meio ou base do túnel). Este estudo tem como finalidade o estabelecimento de uma colônia de Lutzomyia neivai e a construção de um túnel de vento, desenvolvido e modificado a partir de literatura de referência, para avaliação de substâncias atrativas. Os espécimes foram coletados na região de Araraquara, nos municípios de Rincão e Santa Eudóxia. Após a coleta, os insetos capturados foram levados para a Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas – Campus Araraquara onde a colônia foi mantida e os experimentos realizados

Estabelecimento de colônia de Lutzomyia (L.) longipalpis (Diptera:Psychodidae) e testes de túnel de vento para avaliação de substâncias atrativas para Flebotomíneos

Flebotomíneos (Diptera, Psychodidae) são incriminados na transmissão das leishmanioses. A criação destes insetos em laboratório é considerada complexa, porém é importante para que testes na área de comportamento e ecologia química sejam realizados. Um dos ramos da chamada ecologia química, avalia compostos voláteis, os quais podem ser liberados por hospedeiros ou sintetizados em laboratório, com poder atrativo para insetos hematófagos. Vem sendo bastante estudada para o grupo dos culicídeos, mas para flebotomíneos estes estudos ainda são escassos. Neste estudo foi feito o estabelecimento da colônia da espécie Lutzomyia (L.) longipalpis, coletados em Ipecaetá - BA, importante vetor da leishmaniose visceral nas Américas, e realizado testes de atratividade utilizando alcoóis (1-octen-3-ol, 1-octanol, 1-heptanol e 1- nonanol), em túnel de vento no laboratório de Parasitologia da Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas - UNESP, campus de Araraquara. Os testes foram feitos com fêmeas e machos, da colônia previamente estabelecida. Os resultados mostraram que as fêmeas apresentaram melhor resposta para os compostos nonanol e octenol e os machos para os compostos octenol, nonanol e heptanol.

Variabilidade genética de Leishmania spp. circulantes entre seres humanos e cães e infecção de flebotomíneos em áreas endêmicas para as leishmanioses no Rio Grande do Norte

Leishmania infantum is the main etiologic agent of visceral leishmaniasis in the New World. The pattern of distribution of leishmaniasis has changed substantially and has presented an emerging profile within the periphery of the Large Urban Centers. Leishmania infection can compromise skin, mucosa and viscera. Only 10% of the individuals infected develop the disease and 90% of human infection is asymptomatic. The main factors involved in the development of the disease are the host immune response, the vector’s species and the parasite’s genetic content. The sequencing of Leishmania isolated seeks to increase the understanding of the symptoms of individuals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic diversity of circulating Leishmania strains among humans, and symptomatic and asymptomatic, and dogs from endemic areas of Rio Grande do Norte State and analyze sandflies from endemic areas for cutaneous and visceral disease. The genetic variability was evaluated by the use of markers hsp70 , ITS1 and a whole genome sequencing was also carried out. The amplified hsp70 and ITS1 of samples were analyzed and assembled using a Phred / Phrap package. The dendograms were constructed using the same methodology, but adding 500 bootstraps, followed by inferences on the relationships between Leishmania variants. The sequences of the 20 Brazilian isolates were mapped to the reference genome L. infantum JPCM5, using the Bowtie2 program and the identification of 36 contigs. The information of the valid SNPs were used in the PCA. SNPs were visualized by Geneious 7.1 and IGV. The genome annotations were transferred to their respective chromosomes and displayed on Geneious. The matching sequences of all chromosomes were aligned using Mauve. The phylogenetic trees were calculated according to maximum likelihood and JTT models. Sandflies were analyzed by PCR for the identification of Leishmania infection, a blood meal source and GAPDH sand fly. As a result, hsp70 and ITS1 were not capable of identifying genetic variability among human isolates from symptomatic and asymptomatic, and dogs. The complete sequencing of the 20 Brazilian isolates revealed a strong similarity between the circulating Leishmania strains in Rio Grande do Norte. The isolates collected in the city of Natal from humans and canines remained grouped in all analyzes, suggesting that there is genotypic and geographic proximity among the isolates. The isolated samples in the 1990s had a higher genotypic diversity when compared to freshly isolated samples. All isolates presented 36 chromosomes with variable ploidy among them, no correlation was found between the number of amastina genes copies, gp63, A2 and SSG with such clinic forms. In general, we did not find correlation between symptomatic and asymptomatic clinical forms and the gene content of the Brazilian isolates of Leishmania. 34,28% of the sandflies collected in the upper west region were L. longipalpis and the main sources of blood meal were humans, dogs and chickens.

Variabilidade genética de Leishmania spp. circulantes entre seres humanos e cães e infecção de flebotomíneos em áreas endêmicas para as leishmanioses no Rio Grande do Norte

Leishmania infantum is the main etiologic agent of visceral leishmaniasis in the New World. The pattern of distribution of leishmaniasis has changed substantially and has presented an emerging profile within the periphery of the Large Urban Centers. Leishmania infection can compromise skin, mucosa and viscera. Only 10% of the individuals infected develop the disease and 90% of human infection is asymptomatic. The main factors involved in the development of the disease are the host immune response, the vector’s species and the parasite’s genetic content. The sequencing of Leishmania isolated seeks to increase the understanding of the symptoms of individuals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic diversity of circulating Leishmania strains among humans, and symptomatic and asymptomatic, and dogs from endemic areas of Rio Grande do Norte State and analyze sandflies from endemic areas for cutaneous and visceral disease. The genetic variability was evaluated by the use of markers hsp70 , ITS1 and a whole genome sequencing was also carried out. The amplified hsp70 and ITS1 of samples were analyzed and assembled using a Phred / Phrap package. The dendograms were constructed using the same methodology, but adding 500 bootstraps, followed by inferences on the relationships between Leishmania variants. The sequences of the 20 Brazilian isolates were mapped to the reference genome L. infantum JPCM5, using the Bowtie2 program and the identification of 36 contigs. The information of the valid SNPs were used in the PCA. SNPs were visualized by Geneious 7.1 and IGV. The genome annotations were transferred to their respective chromosomes and displayed on Geneious. The matching sequences of all chromosomes were aligned using Mauve. The phylogenetic trees were calculated according to maximum likelihood and JTT models. Sandflies were analyzed by PCR for the identification of Leishmania infection, a blood meal source and GAPDH sand fly. As a result, hsp70 and ITS1 were not capable of identifying genetic variability among human isolates from symptomatic and asymptomatic, and dogs. The complete sequencing of the 20 Brazilian isolates revealed a strong similarity between the circulating Leishmania strains in Rio Grande do Norte. The isolates collected in the city of Natal from humans and canines remained grouped in all analyzes, suggesting that there is genotypic and geographic proximity among the isolates. The isolated samples in the 1990s had a higher genotypic diversity when compared to freshly isolated samples. All isolates presented 36 chromosomes with variable ploidy among them, no correlation was found between the number of amastina genes copies, gp63, A2 and SSG with such clinic forms. In general, we did not find correlation between symptomatic and asymptomatic clinical forms and the gene content of the Brazilian isolates of Leishmania. 34,28% of the sandflies collected in the upper west region were L. longipalpis and the main sources of blood meal were humans, dogs and chickens.

Resposta imune à saliva de flebotomíneos (diptera: psychodidae) em indivíduos residentes em áreas urbana e periurbana no nordeste do brasil

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) has a wide geographical distribution in tropical and subtropical areas of the planet, which is a protozoan parasite of the genus Leishmania. This pathogen is transmitted to the host through the sandflies bite, with its saliva, the immune response that leads to both. In the state of Rio Grande do Norte, 85% of the sand flies captured is Lutzomyia longipalpis, but the second most abundant, Lutzomyia evandroi, it deserves emphasis because its wide distribution and eclectic behavior. The exposure of people living in endemic areas for the insect vector VL greatly increases the chances of infection. This study aimed to evaluate aspects of the epidemiological profile of VL in endemic areas of human and nonendemic in the metropolitan area of Natal, as well as verify the abundance and seasonal fluctuations of sandflies species in two counties endemic for VL. Were collected in the municipalities of Nísia Floresta, Parnamirim, São Gonçalo do Amarante and Macaíba, of which groups of females were separated for further dissection of the salivary glands and identification of species. The blood samples used were from individuals of two Natal s districts where it has never been reported cases of VL and neighborhoods of Parnamirim applicants who present cases of VL. In the municipality of Nísia Floresta, the most abundant species was L. evandroi with 38.39%, followed by L. longipalpis with 36.22%, L. walkeri 19.67% L. lenti 3.81%, L. wellcomei 1.39% and L. whitmani 0.52%. Already in Parnamirim the proportions were L. walkeri with 73.15%, L. evandroi with 10.55%, L. wellcomei 7.63%, L. longipalpis 6.37%, L. whitmani 1.46%, L. sordellii 0.52%, L. intermedia 0.21 and L. shanonni 0.1%. In both municipalities was observed higher abundance of species distributed in the initial months of the year, as February and March. The study showed that no difference in exposure to the vector of VL among individuals from endemic and non endemic area for this disease. But there are differences in exposure between individuals of L. longipalpis and L. evandroi, confirming the great powers of the first vector. It was also characterized as predominant phenotype in the population of endemic areas who had negative serologic responses to antigens of Leishmania and result in negative Montenegro skin test (DTH), indicating that much of the population hasn t been bitten by infected insects

Flebotomíneos (Diptera: Psychodidae) em um sistema agroflorestal da Região Metropolitana de Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

Sandflies stand out as important vectors of leishmaniasis. The females need to ingest blood meals, enabling them to transmit protozoa of the genus Leishmania, which may give rise to visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL), in addition to transmitting other parasites. Leishmaniasis are important infirmities, distributed worldwide, whose infection results from the interaction of reservoir animals, the vector insect, parasitic protozoa and the healthy host. In the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN), Brazil, these insects are important transmitters of VL, which usually presents in the most serious form. It occurs mainly in metropolitan areas, with the dog as its main reservoir and Lutzomyia longipalpis as the vector. ATL is most present in the highland areas of the state. In addition to hematophagia, engaged in by the females, both sexes need to ingest carbohydrates, which are essential to the sand flies energy requirements and may interfere in the development of Leishmania. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence and abundance of sand flies in different environments on the farm belonging to the Empresa de Pesquisas Agropecuárias do RN (Institute of Agricultural Research of RN), in the municipality of Parnamirim, in order to relate this occurrence with climatological and biological references and eating habits. Three consecutive monthly collections were carried out with CDC traps in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest, in a residence, on a goat breeding farm and on cashew, dwarf and giant coconut, mango, banana, eucalyptus, acacia and bean plantations. A total of 1241 sandflies from eight species (Lutzomyia evandroi, Lutzomyia longipalpis, Lutzomyia shannoni, Lutzomyia sordellii Lutzomyia walkeri, Lutzomyia wellcomei, Lutzomyia whitmani, and Lutzomyia intermedia) were collected, most in the forest environment. L. longipalpis, the main VL transmitter, was confirmed as a species adapted to anthropic environments, whereas others such as L. wellcomei, the vector of ATL, occurred predominantly in forests. Carbohydrate characterization of the sand flies and plants of the region demonstrated that a number of exotic plants such as hay and eucalyptus may play some role in the adaptation of these species to modified environments. Breeding in laboratory showed a mean biological cycle of 53.5 days from egg to adulthood for L. shannoni and the possibility of diapause behavior in L. wellcomei. This study serves as a source of information that may contribute to the epidemiological vigilance of tegumentary and visceral leishmaniasis in the state, given that it analyzes the bioecology of transmitting species, as well as their potential to adapt to new environments

O espaço geográfico e o processo saúde-doença na atualidade: as leishmanioses no estado do Rio de Janeiro

As leishmanioses são doenças consideradas antropozoonoses, ou seja, doenças primárias de animais que podem ser transmitidas ao homem. São causadas por microorganismos do gênero Leishmania e transmitidas através da picada de flebotomíneos, que são insetos alados da ordem Diptera (mesmo grupo das moscas, mosquitos e borrachudos). Apresentam-se sob duas formas clínicas: Leishmaniose Visceral ou Calazar (LV) e Leishmaniose Tegumentar Americana (LTA). As leishmanioses apresentam distribuição geográfica vasta pelo Velho e Novo Mundo, sendo estimado dessa maneira que aproximadamente 350 milhões de pessoas estejam sob iminente risco de contrair algum tipo de leishmaniose. No Brasil, as leishmanioses são encontradas em todas as unidades federadas, e o estado do Rio de Janeiro vem apresentando franca expansão dessas doenças em áreas urbanas, devido principalmente ao desmatamento ocasionado pela expansão não planejada da malha urbana. Nesse contexto, faz-se necessário desenvolver estudos sobre o espaço e o processo saúde-doença, relação estabelecida pela Geografia da Saúde, a fim de que se compreenda a correlação entre o homem e o ambiente vivido.