Maria Valdrinez Campana Lonardoni

Observações sobre o diagnóstico laboratorial e a epidemiologia da leishmaniose tegumentar no Estado do Paraná, sul do Brasil

Between 1986 and 1997 a total of 1418 patients were examined at the Clinical Analysis Teaching and Research Laboratory of Maringa State University (LEPAC/UEM) for cutaneous leishmaniasis by direct examination of stained smears made from the lesions, the Montenegro skin test and the indirect immunofluorescent antibody test. Nine hundred and fifty five patients (67.3%) were positive for at least one of the three tests and of these 804 (84.2%) were considered to have contracted the disease in Parana State; 665 (69.6%) were between 15 and 49 years old; 658 (68.9%) were males; 523 (54.8%) sought medical advice during the first three months of their infections and 74 (7.7%) had mucosal lesions. Of the 83 counties of Parana State, where the patients had most probably acquired their infections, 44.7% were from the counties of Sao Jorge do Ivai (10.2%), Doutor Camargo (9.8%), Terra Boa (7.3%), Maringa (7.3%), Jussara (6.0%) and Cianorte (4.5%). Seventy seven strains of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis were isolated and 63.6% of these strains belong to serodema 1.Between 1986 and 1997 a total of 1418 patients were examined at the Clinical Analysis Teaching and Research Laboratory of Maringá State University (LEPAC/UEM) for cutaneous leishmaniasis by direct examination of stained smears made from the lesions, the Montenegro skin test and the indirect immunofluorescent antibody test. Nine hundred and fifty five patients (67.3%) were positive for at least one of the three tests and of these 804 (84.2%) were considered to have contracted the disease in Paraná State; 665 (69.6%) were between 15 and 49 years old; 658 (68.9%) were males; 523 (54.8%) sought medical advice during the first three months of their infections and 74 (7.7%) had mucosal lesions. Of the 83 counties of Paraná State, where the patients had most probably acquired their infections, 44.7% were from the counties of São Jorge do Ivaí (10.2%), Doutor Camargo (9.8%), Terra Boa (7.3%), Maringá (7.3%), Jussara (6.0%) and Cianorte (4.5%). Seventy seven strains of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis were isolated and 63.6% of these strains belong to serodema 1.

Observações sobre o comportamento de flebotomíneos em ecótopos florestais e extraflorestais, em área endêmica de leishmaniose tegumentar americana, no norte do Estado do Paraná, sul do Brasil

Between November 1988 and April 1990, 75,637 phlebotomines were captured with the use of Falcao light traps on Palmital farm in the north of Parana State, Brazil. Fifteen species were represented. The percentage of 95.8% of the insects were captured within the domiciliary area and the remaining 4.2% in the forest environment. The percentage of 62 were captured in one single Falcao light trap installed in a henhouse, where Blancasmya migonei predominated. In all the other traps Psychodopygus whilmani was predominant. B. migonei, P. whitmani, Pintomyia pessoai, Pintomyia fischeri and Psychodopygus intermedius are highly significant vectors of American cutaneous leishmaniasis and represented 93.8% of all phlebotomines captured with 10 Falcao light traps. The monthly densities of these insects were obtained from one Falcao light trap installed in a henhouse and increased especially in the warmer and more humid months. In the forest environment the phlebotomines were captured principally in traps installed about 10 meters above the ground and P. whilmani, B. migonei, P. intermedius, Brumptomyia brumpti, Psychodopygus monticola and P. pessoai were the dominant species. The need for information about the epidemiology of American cutaneous leishmaniasis calls for further investigation with a view to clarifying the implications of the relationship between the phlebotomines and domestic animals in the Leishmania cycle of transmission in domiciliary areas.Between November 1988 and April 1990, 75,637 phlebotomines were captured with the use of Falcão light traps on Palmital farm in the north of Paraná State, Brazil. Fifteen species were represented. The percentage of 95.8% of the insects were captured within the domiciliary area and the remaining 4.2% in the forest environment. The percentage of 62 were captured in one single Falcão light trap installed in a henhouse, where Blancasmya migonei predominated. In all the other traps Psychodopygus whitmani was predominant. B. migonei, P. whitmani, Pintomyia pessoai, Pintomyia fischeri and Psychodopygus intermedius are highly significant vectors of American cutaneous leishmaniasis and represented 93.8% of all phlebotomines captured with 10 Falcão light traps. The monthly densities of these insects were obtained from one Falcão light trap installed in a henhouse and increased especially in the warmer and more humid months. In the forest environment the phlebotomines were captured principally in traps installed about 10 meters above the ground and P. whitmani, B. migonei, P. intermedius, Brumptomyia brumpti, Psychodopygus monticola and P. pessoai were the dominant species. The need for information about the epidemiology of American cutaneous leishmaniasis calls for further investigation with a view to clarifying the implications of the relationship between the phlebotomines and domestic animals in the Leishmania cycle of transmission in domiciliary areas.De novembro de 1988 a abril de 1990 capturaram-se 75.637 flebotomineos, com armadilhas luminosas de Falcao, na fazenda Palmital, Norte do Estado do Parana, Brasil, resultando quinze especies. Dos insetos capturados, 95,8% o foram nos ambientes domiciliar e peridomiciliar e os restantes 4,2%, no ambiente florestal. Da totalidade de flebotomineos, 82,0% foram capturados numa armadilha instalada dentro de um abrigo de galinhas. Dos flebotomineos capturados em todas as armadilhas, 93,8% eram representados pelas especies Lutzomyia migonei, Lutzomyia whitmani, Lutzomyia pessoai, Lutzomyia fischeri e Lutzomyia intermedia, todas de relevância na epidemiologia da leishmaniose tegumentar americana. L. migonei prevaleceu numa unica armadilha do peridomicilio e nas demais prevaleceu L. whitmani. As densidades mensais desses insetos, obtidas usando-se somente os resultados da armadilha instalada dentro do galinheiro, foram elevadas principalmente nos meses mais quentes e umidos. No ambiente florestal predominou a acrodendrofilia dos flebotomineos, pois 87,9% deles foram capturados nas armadilhas instaladas a aproximadamente 10 m do solo, havendo predominio de L. whitmani, L. fischeri, L. migonei, L. intermedia, Brumptomyia brumpti, L. monticola e L. pessoai. A carencia de informacoes sobre a epidemiologia da leishmaniose no Estado do Parana indica que sao necessarios estudos que venham esclarecer quais sao as implicacoes das relacoes flebotomineos/animais domesticos na cadeia de transmissao de Leishmania no domicilio e peridomicilio.

Aspectos epidemiológicos da leishmaniose tegumentar em área endêmica do Estado do Paraná, Brasil

Realizou-se em 1992 e 1993 um inquerito epidemiologico para leishmaniose tegumentar (LT) envolvendo 684 individuos de uma populacao de aproximadamente 1400 pessoas de seis localidades agricolas (Fazenda Palmital, Cerâmica Andira, Fazenda Jussara, Fazenda Lagoa, Destilaria Melhoramentos e Fazenda Murure) de uma area endemica nos Municipios de Jussara e Terra Boa, no Norte do Estado do Parana, Brasil. Do total de 684 individuos estudados, 19,9% tinham historia de LT. Ressalta-se que na Fazenda Jussara ocorreu o maior percentual de pessoas com historia de LT (51/126 ou 40,5%). Das 684 reacoes de imunofluorescencia indireta realizadas, 58 (8,5%) tiveram titulos significativos, e destas, 17 (29,3%) eram de pessoas sem historia de LT. A intradermorreacao de Montenegro foi realizada em 97 individuos com historia de LT, sendo positiva em 80 (82,5%) deles. No momento do inquerito, sete individuos apresentavam lesao caracteristica de LT, e em quatro deles a pesquisa de Leishmania sp. foi positiva. A cepa de Leishmania isolada de um destes individuos foi identificada como Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis.

Photodynamic therapy for American cutaneous leishmaniasis: The efficacy of methylene blue in hamsters experimentally infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) using Methylene Blue (MB) as the photosensitizing compound and a Light-Emitting Diode (LED) in American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL). Hamsters were experimentally infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis. After the development of the lesions in the footpad, the animals were treated with MB three times a week for 3 months. Ten minutes after each application of MB, the lesions were irradiated with LED for 1 h. The lesions were evaluated weekly by the measurement of the hamster footpad thickness. At the end of the treatment the parasitic load was quantified in the regional lymph node of the hamsters. The treatment promoted a decrease in the thickness of infected footpad (P=0.0001) and reduction in the parasitic load in the regional lymph node (P=0.0007) of the animals from group treated with MB+LED. PDT using MB+LED in ACL caused by L. amazonensis shows a strong photodynamic effect. This therapy is very promising, once it is an inexpensive system and the own patient can apply it in their wound and in their house without the need of technical assistance.

Flebotomíneos de municípios do norte do estado do Paraná, sul do Brasil

This work reports the results of sandfly collections in several places, during 2001 and 2002, in Bom Sucesso, Jardim Alegre, Kalore, Londrina and Sabaudia municipalities, North of the State. The sandflies catches were performed with Shannon and Falcao traps in domiciliary areas, domestic animal shelters, barns and in the forest. A total of 4,019 specimens of 8 species were captured. Nyssomyia whitmani predominates in all of the municipalities. The species Migonemyia migonei, Nyssomyia neivai and N. whitmani may be involved in the epidemiology of American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis in this state.

Anti-leishmanial activity of alkaloidal extract from Aspidosperma ramiflorum

Infections due to protozoa of the genus Leishmania are a major worldwide health problem, with high endemicity in developing countries. The drugs of choice for the treatment of leishmaniasis are the pentavalent antimonials (SbV), which present renal and cardiac toxicity. Besides, the precise chemical structure and mechanism of action of these drugs are unknown up to date. In order to find new drugs against leishmaniasis, we have been studying extracts of Brazilian trees. In the present study, we have evaluated the effectiveness of an alkaloid extract of Aspidosperma ramiflorum Muell. Arg. (Apocynaceae), against the extracellular forms promastigotes of L. (L.) amazonensis and L. (V.) braziliensis. The alkaloid extract of A. ramiflorum was much more effective against L. (L.) amazonensis (LD50 < 47 microg/ml) than L. (V.) braziliensis. Based on these in vitro results against L. (L.) amazonensis new studies should be made to find the compounds with anti-leishmanial activity.

Acaricidal activity of the essential oil from Tetradenia riparia (Lamiaceae) on the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari; Ixodidae).

Tetradenia riparia (Lamiaceae) is a well-known herbal medicine with a variety of useful properties, including its acaricidal effect. This experiment was carried out to study the bioacaricidal activity of T. riparia essential oil (EO) against engorged females of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari; Ixodidae). For this purpose, nine serial concentrations (12.50%, 6.25%, 3.75%, 1.80%, 0.90%, 0.45%, 0.22%, 0.11%, and 0.056% w/v) of T. riparia were used for the adult immersion test (AIT). For the larval packet test (LPT), we used 14 serial concentrations (100.00%, 50.00%, 25.00%, 12.50%, 6.25%, 3.65%, 1.82%, 0.91%, 0.45%, 0.228%, 0.114%, 0.057%, 0.028%, and 0.014% w/v). The results for AIT showed 100.00% and 2.05% mortality, 19.00 and 90.20% for the total number of eggs, egg-laying inhibition of 0.00% and 90.20%, hatchability inhibition of 0.00% and 70.23%, and product effectiveness of 100.00% and 2.89%, respectively. The AIT indicated that the LC(50) and LC(99.9), calculated using the Probit test, were for mortality (%) 0.534g/mL (0.436-0.632) and 1.552g/mL (1.183-1.92); for total number of eggs were 0.449g/mL (0.339-0.558) and 1.76g/mL (1.27-2.248); and for hatchability inhibition were 0.114g/mL (0.0-0.31) and 2.462g/mL (1.501-3.422), respectively. Larvae between 14 and 21days old were fasted and placed in each envelope. Bioassays were performed at 27°±1°C, RH⩾80%. Larval mortality was observed 24h after treatment and showed 10.60-100% mortality in the LPT bioassay. The LPT showed that the LC(50) and LC(99.9) were 1.222g/mL (0.655-1.788) and 11.382g/mL (7.84-14.91), respectively. A positive correlation between T. riparia EO concentration and tick control, was observed by the strong acaricidal effects against R. (B.) microplus, and the mortality rate of ticks was dose-dependent. Our results showed that T. riparia is a promising candidate as an acaricide against resistant strains of R. (B.) microplus.

Informações preliminares sobre flebotomíneos do norte do Paraná

The results from sandfly collections in 10 municipalities in Parana State, Brazil are reported. The captures were done using Falcao traps in homes, domestic animal shelters and forested areas, from 1999 to 2002. A total of 13,653 sandflies were collected from 10 species of the genera Brumptomyia, Expapillata, Evandromyia, Migonemyia, Pintomyia, Nyssomyia and Psathyromyia. The species Nyssomyia neivai was predominant in five municipalities. N. whitmani predominated in the other five, in greater numbers than for N. neivai in the first five municipalities. High frequencies of sand flies were found in forests, homes, pigpens and henhouses. Investigations on the participation of domestic animals and phlebotomine fauna in the epidemiology of tegumentary leishmaniasis should be routine in health surveillance, especially where this disease is endemic.

Ecologia de Lutzomyia (Nyssomyia) whitmani em área urbana do município de Maringá, Paraná

OBJETIVOS: Estudar a fauna, a frequencia horaria e a sazonalidade de flebotomineos em abrigos de animais silvestres, perimetro urbano.. METODOS: No Parque do Inga, perimetro urbano do municipio de Maringa, PR, foram coletados flebotomineos com armadilha de Shannon (AS) e com armadilhas de Falcao (AF). As coletas com AS foram feitas na margem do corrego Moscados, das 18h as 6h. As coletas com AF foram realizadas em abrigos de aves, mamiferos e repteis silvestres, das 20h as 24h. Com ambos os metodos as coletas foram feitas duas noites ao mes, de outubro de 1998 a setembro de 2000. RESULTADOS: Nas As coletaram-se 13.656 flebotomineos, com predominio de Lutzomyia whitmani (98,7%). Coletaram-se 4.040 flebotomineos, prevalecendo novamente L. whitmani (96,3%). Nas AS L. whitmani foi mais frequente entre 0h e 2h. Nas AS, esta especie foi mais frequente no mes de agosto (55,1%), e nas AF em marco (19,2%) e novembro (15,9%) de 1999, e em agosto (20,6%) de 2000. Coletaram-se mais flebotomineos nas AF instaladas nos abrigos de mamiferos (84,0%). CONCLUSOES: Foi nitido o predominio de L. whitmani no Parque do Inga; o pico maior de frequencia de L. whitmani em AS e no mes de agosto e nas AF, em marco e novembro; o pico de atividade de L. whitmani ocorre entre 0h e 2h.OBJETIVOS: Estudar a fauna, a frequencia horaria e a sazonalidade de flebotomineos em abrigos de animais silvestres, perimetro urbano.. METODOS: No Parque do Inga, perimetro urbano do municipio de Maringa, PR, foram coletados flebotomineos com armadilha de Shannon (AS) e com armadilhas de Falcao (AF). As coletas com AS foram feitas na margem do corrego Moscados, das 18h as 6h. As coletas com AF foram realizadas em abrigos de aves, mamiferos e repteis silvestres, das 20h as 24h. Com ambos os metodos as coletas foram feitas duas noites ao mes, de outubro de 1998 a setembro de 2000. RESULTADOS: Nas As coletaram-se 13.656 flebotomineos, com predominio de Lutzomyia whitmani (98,7%). Coletaram-se 4.040 flebotomineos, prevalecendo novamente L. whitmani (96,3%). Nas AS L. whitmani foi mais frequente entre 0h e 2h. Nas AS, esta especie foi mais frequente no mes de agosto (55,1%), e nas AF em marco (19,2%) e novembro (15,9%) de 1999, e em agosto (20,6%) de 2000. Coletaram-se mais flebotomineos nas AF instaladas nos abrigos de mamiferos (84,0%). CONCLUSOES: Foi nitido o predominio de L. whitmani no Parque do Inga; o pico maior de frequencia de L. whitmani em AS e no mes de agosto e nas AF, em marco e novembro; o pico de atividade de L. whitmani ocorre entre 0h e 2h.

Leishmaniose tegumentar americana canina em municípios do norte do Estado do Paraná, Brasil

American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) is an endemic disease in northern Parana State, where it affects humans and dogs. This study aimed to verify the occurrence of the canine disease in ACL endemic areas. From September 1999 to July 2002, dogs were investigated in 7 rural areas of 5 municipalities where autochthonous human cases of ACL had been reported. Parasitological and serological methods were used. Fourteen of 67 dogs studied (20.9%) had lesions suggestive of ACL, of which 3 (21.4%) were infected with Leishmania sp. Indirect immunofluorescence for Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis was positive in 37 (55.2%) of 67 dogs. The results showed that human and canine ACL occur simultaneously and indicate the need for additional studies to elucidate the role of dogs in the ACL transmission cycle in the area studied.