Andreia Fernandes Brilhante

PHLEBOTOMINE FAUNA (DIPTERA: PSYCHODIDAE) IN AN AREA OF FISHING TOURISM IN CENTRAL-WESTERN BRAZIL

The aim of this study was to identify behavioral aspects of the sandfly fauna of a fishing tourism area in the municipality of Bonito (MS). Monthly captures were undertaken from December 2009 to November 2010, using automatic CDC type light traps, from 18h00 to 06h00, in a forested area, a savannah area, peridomiciles and animal shelters near peridomiciliary areas. Nyssomyia whitmani was the most frequent out of a total of 6,699 specimens collected, belonging to 16 species, followed by Psathyromyia bigeniculata and Lutzomyia longipalpis, found in all the environments investigated, though in their greatest numbers in the animal shelters. Ny. whitmani exhibited its highest frequencies during the dry months, coincident with the fishing season, when the risk of transmission of cutaneous leishmaniasis for tourists and inhabitants increases. Noteworthy was the finding of two species naturally infected by flagellates: Ny. whitmani and Pa. bigeniculata. The local population and visiting tourists should be warned of the threat posed by leishmaniasis and the health authorities alerted to the need for adopting environmental sanitary measures, especially regarding such animal shelters as they seem to provide favorable conditions to the proliferation, maintenance and breeding opportunities of phlebotomines.

Spatial and temporal distribution of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in Acre state, Brazil

BackgroundAcre has reported the highest incidence of American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) in Brazil in recent years. The present study seeks to identify high and low risk agglomerations of ACL in space and space-time during the period from 2007 to 2013 in Acre, and also to characterize the occurrence of the disease in time and according to sociodemographic variables.MethodsThis is an ecological study, the study population of which consisted of autochthonous ACL cases notified in the municipalities of Acre by an epidemiological surveillance system. Scan statistics of SaTScan™ software were used to identify spatial and space-time clusters. In addition, the cases were characterized by sex, age, home situation (in a rural or urban area), and temporal tendency.ResultsAcre reported an incidence rate of 12.4 cases per 10 000 inhabitant-years in the study period, with the rates varied greatly (standard deviation of 21.8) among their 22 municipalities. One agglomeration of high risk and three of low risk were detected in space and space-time. Four of the five micro-regions of Acre presented a stationary temporal tendency. The profile of transmission varied according to the micro-region. Generally speaking, the disease occurred more often among young people, those of male gender, and those living in rural areas.ConclusionsAcre has stood out within the Brazilian national context due to its high rates of ACL incidence in the central region of the Acre Valley. The high rates in the micro-region of Brasiléia are related to the disease’s intra/peridomiciliary occurrence, and it would seem that the municipality of Sena Madureira is approaching a transmission pattern similar to that of Brasiléia. In other micro-regions, the profile of the disease’s transmission is mainly related to the forest/sylvatic cycle of ACL.

A New Species of Sand Fly, Psathyromyia elizabethdorvalae sp. n. (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae), From Brazil

Abstract A new species of phlebotomine sand fly, Psathyromyia elizabethdorvalae sp. n. Brilhante, Sábio & Galati from Xapuri, Acre state, Brazil, is described, with illustrations of male and female adults.

Lymphatic filariasis: Surveillance action among immigrants from endemic areas, Acre State, Brazilian Amazon

Abstract Objective To investigate the positivity of Wuchereria bancrofti ( W. bancrofti ) in immigrants who entered the country through Rio Branco, reducing the risk of introduction of parasites into new areas and endemic areas of the past. Methods It was realized a descriptive study. The AD12-ICT card test was applied on all immigrants living temporarily in the Chacara Alliance shelter, located in the metropolitan area of Rio Branco-AC, Brazil. For the positive patients, 10 mL of venous blood was collected between 11:00 pm and 1:00 am. About 4 mL of venous blood was collected to detect the presence of microfilariae in circulation in the tube using ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid and 6 mL of venous blood was collected to obtain blood serum for the Og4C3-ELISA, antibody Bm-14 and DNA- W. bancrofti tests. Results The present study evaluated 415 individuals in September 2014 by circulating filarial antigen for W. bancrofti using the AD12-ICT card test. A total of 15/415 (3.61%) positive cases were found, all from Haiti. Night blood collection and serum were performed on 1/14 for confirmation the infection of W. bancrofti , which presented 34 microfilariae/mL, antigen, antibodies and PCR positives. Conclusions This surveillance action reveals, in a pioneering and unequivocal manner, that Brazil is an influx of immigrants carrying lymphatic filariasis and there is an urgent need to step up surveillance at the main entry point for immigrants. Active surveillance may prevent the reintroduction of lymphatic filariasis in areas under control, or prevent its introduction into other states of Brazil.

Sandflies in an urban area of transmission of visceral leishmaniasis in midwest Brazil

The phlebotomine fauna of Campo Grande city, capital of Mato Grosso do Sul state in Brazil, an endemic area for visceral leishmaniasis, has been thoroughly investigated, but all the insect collections were undertaken with automatic light traps. The present study sought to investigate the fauna in this city using Shannon and Disney traps, having human beings and hamsters, respectively, as bait. Both types of traps were installed in forest fragment and peridomiciliary areas in the period from 2007 to 2009. The phlebotomine females were analyzed by PCR for Leishmania identification. Lutzomyia longipalpis was the only species collected in the peridomiciles and rendered a total of 574 specimens with a 5.2:1 male:female ratio. A total of eight species were attracted to the two traps (one of each type) installed in the forest fragment, including: Bichromomyia flaviscutellata, Evandromyia bourrouli, Evandromyia lenti, Lutzomyia longipalpis, Nyssomyia whitmani, Pintomyia christenseni, Psathyromyia bigeniculata, and Sciopemyia sordellii. A total of 143 specimens were collected, Bi. flaviscutellata accounting for 81% and Lu. longipalpis for 1.4% of them. In one female of Lu. longipalpis collected in a Disney trap installed in a peridomicile, Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum DNA was found, thus strengthening the hypothesis that the transmission of leishmaniasis is in fact occurring in the anthropic environment.

On the Synonyms of Psathyromyia (Psathyromyia) shannoni (Dyar, 1929) and Pa. bigeniculata (Floch & Abonnenc, 1941) and the Resuscitation of Pa. pifanoi (Ortiz, 1972) With the Description of Its Female (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae).

Abstract Psathyromyia shannoni until recently presented several taxa: Phlebotomus limai, Ph. bigeniculatus, Ph. pifanoi, and Ph. microcephalus as its junior synonyms. In a previous study, the two former synonyms were resurrected and here a revision based on morphological characters of the taxonomic status of Ph. microcephalus and Ph. pifanoi is presented. Psathyromyia pifanoi stat. rev.; comb. n. is resurrected from the synonymy of Pa. shannoni and its female is described. Phlebotomus microcephalus is removed from the synonymy of Pa. shannoni and proposed as a new synonym of Pa. bigeniculata. Lutzomyia cuzquena syn. n., occurring in the Amazon region, is designated as a junior synonym of Pa. pifanoi. The geographical distributions of Pa. shannoni, Pa. bigeniculata, and Pa. pifanoi in the Americas are presented.

Ecology, feeding and natural infection by Leishmania spp. of phlebotomine sand flies in an area of high incidence of American tegumentary leishmaniasis in the municipality of Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil

BackgroundPhlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) are insects of medical importance due to their involvement in the zoonotic transmission of Leishmania spp. to vertebrates. The aim of this work was to study the ecology of the sand fly fauna of two types of environments, a rural environment (the Transacreana Road) and an urban park (Horto Florestal Park), both located in the municipality of Rio Branco in the state of Acre, Brazil. Additionally, this study intended to investigate Leishmania infection and blood meal sources of these sand flies using molecular techniques.MethodsThe sand fly fauna was studied in different environments (i.e. forest and peridomestic environments in a rural area, and an urban forest) using Shannon traps and HP light traps to collect sand fly specimens over 13 consecutive months (December 2014 to January 2016). For investigating natural infection by Leishmania and the source of sand fly blood meals, DNA samples were extracted from female sand flies and subjected to polymerase chain reaction targeting ITS1 and cytb genes. DNA sequencing was subsequently used to identify species of Leishmania and the source of blood meals.ResultsA total of 2515 individual sand flies of 43 species were collected and identified, Trichophoromyia auraensis (839; 33.35%), Trichophoromyia spp. (537; 21.35%) and Evandromyia saulensis (187; 7.43%) were more abundant in the rural area (S = 41 species) than in the urban forest. No significant differences were found in species richness between forest and peridomestic environments in the rural area (H = 0.04; P > 0.05), but a larger number of species was found in the forest. Leishmania DNA was sequenced in 13 samples, confirming the presence of L. (V.) braziliensis in Th. auraensis (n = 1), Ev. saulensis (n = 2), Ev. walkeri (n = 1), Ps. llanosmartinsi (n = 1), Pi. nevesi (n = 2), Ps. davisi (n = 1), Ps. ayrozai (n = 1), Pa. aragaoi (n = 1), Ny. antunesi (n = 1) and Ev. infraspinosa (n = 1). Only Ps. ayrozai possessed a sequence similar to that of L. (V.) guyanensis (99%). Through microscopic analysis, five specimens of Ev. saulensis were found to possess flagellate forms in the hindgut, with an infection rate of 2.4%. Samples from 33 fed females were submitted to cytb gene amplification, for which sequencing determined that all were similar to the sequence deposited on GenBank for Gallus gallus (domestic chicken).ConclusionsThe high abundance of Trichophoromyia auraensis and Ev. saulensis, and the detection of L. (V.) braziliensis DNA, suggests that both species may be vectors of American tegumentary leishmaniasis. Psychodopygus ayrozai was found to be infected by L. (V) braziliesnsis and L. (V.) guyanensis, and although collected in low abundance, it may be a potential vector in the region. The sand fly fauna was found to be rich and diverse with predominance of the genus Psychodopygus. Identification of food sources of fed females showed that 100% amplified a gene region compatible with the domestic chicken, which although considered refractory in the disease transmission cycle, may have an influence on the population dynamics of sand flies.

Entomological Survey of the Mosquitoes in an Area of Ecological TOurism in the Brazilian Amazon Basin

ABSTRACT Mosquitoes have a great epidemiological importance, since females of several species transmit etiological agents of human diseases, such as malaria and arboviruses. In Brazil, the state of Acre has been highlighted in recent years for its high incidence of diseases of relevance to public health, such as malaria, dengue, and leishmaniases, whose etiological agents are transmitted by insect vectors, including mosquitoes. Nevertheless, few studies have been carried out on the mosquito fauna in Acre State; this study aims to identify the culicid fauna of an ecological tourism area of the municipality of Xapuri, Acre State, Brazilian Amazon. Mosquito collections were carried out monthly at the Seringal Cachoeira settlement, between April 2014 and March 2015 using 6 automatic Centers for Disease Control and Prevention light traps, one in each ecotope. During the study period, 1,021 specimens belonging to the genera Aedeomyia, Aedes, Anopheles, Coquillettidia, Culex, Mansonia, Orthopodomyia, Psorophora, Trichoprosopon, and Uranotaenia were collected. The genus Culex was predominant, Culex (Culex) quinquefasciatus being the most frequent species, followed by Cx. (Melanoconion) gnomatos. The importance of these findings is discussed.

Disney Trap Attractiveness for the Cortelezzii Series (Diptera: Psychodidae, Phlebotominae) in a Fishing Tourism Area, Bonito Municipality, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil

Abstract Sand fly fauna is frequently sampled using automatic light or Shannon traps, yet few studies have been devoted to investigating the effectiveness of Disney traps baited with live animals as an attractant. This study sought to identify the phlebotomine fauna attracted to Disney traps having hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) as bait. A hamster-baited Disney trap was installed in a gallery forest located in Águas do Miranda District, Bonito Municipality, Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil, from November 2011 to October 2012. A total of 717 phlebotomines were collected, in which male (251) and female (463) specimens of the Cortelezzii series (Diptera: Psychodidae) predominated (99%). Males were attracted from January to July, whereas the females were predominantly attracted from January to May. No significant correlation was observed between the monthly climatic averages of temperature, rains and humidity, and the numbers of insects collected. Although these findings showed the attractiveness of both sexes of the species of the Cortelezzii series to golden hamsters, further studies are needed to investigate the blood meal preferences of these females to other rodents. As rodents have been reported as reservoirs of Leishmania spp. (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae), research using live-baited traps can reveal feeding preferences of sand flies and the importance of various rodent species in the zoonotic cycle.

Sciopemyia vattierae (Le Pont & Desjeux, 1992) (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae): new record from Acre state, Brazil

Sciopemyia vattierae (Le Pont & Desjeux, 1992) (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae) is reported for the first time from Brazil. Five male and 4 female specimens were collected using HP light traps set up in a rural area of the municipality of Rio Branco, state of Acre, Brazil, from December 2014 to January 2016. This species was previously known only in Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia. Our new record extends the known distribution of S. vattierae to the Amazonian region of Acre and represents a new national record for Brazil.