Veronica de Lourdes Sierpe Jeraldo

Série temporal da leishmaniose visceral em Aracaju, estado de Sergipe, Brasil (1999 a 2008): aspectos humanos e caninos

INTRODUCAO: Considerada doenca negligenciada pela OMS, a Leishmaniose visceral (LV) tem se expandido e urbanizado, sendo sua transmissao e expansao associadas a diversos fatores. OBJETIVO: Avaliar aspectos epidemiologicos da LV no municipio de Aracaju/SE, por meio de estudo retrospectivo da serie historica de LV humana e canina no periodo de 1999-2008. METODOS: Foram utilizados dados secundarios do SINAN para os casos humanos, e o resultado dos inqueritos caninos e atendimentos da demanda passiva do Centro de Controle de Zoonoses (CCZ). RESULTADOS: Foram notificados 192 casos autoctones de LV humana, sendo 63,5% do genero masculino. Criancas entre 1 e 4 anos foram mais acometidas (29,2%), seguidas de adultos entre 20-29 anos (15,6%) e de criancas entre 5-9 anos (15,1%). A letalidade geral foi de 8,9%, sendo mais acentuada em pessoas entre 60 a 69 anos (60%); 32,3% dos casos autoctones realizaram sorologia para HIV, com positividade de 6,9%. A confirmacao laboratorial foi realizada principalmente mediante a imunofluorescencia indireta isolada (71,1%). Dos 58.161 caes que realizaram sorologia a positividade foi de 5,4%, sendo 87,0% dos inqueritos realizados anualmente pelo CCZ, com uma positividade de 4,4%. Dos 7.501 caes trazidos ao CCZ por diversas queixas, o exame sorologico foi reagente em 12,0%. CONCLUSAO: Os dados denotam o carater endemico da LV no municipio, mostrando a necessidade de acoes que permitam a diminuicao do risco para a populacao, principalmente aquela onde a incidencia e a letalidade sao maiores, como melhorias no diagnostico da LV, assim como na co-infeccao com HIV e no monitoramento da populacao canina, entre outros.

HPV detection using primers MY09/MY11 and GP5+/GP6+ in patients with cytologic and/or colposcopic changes

Introduction: Cervical cancer is one of the most common diseases among women, and cause considerable morbidity and mortality. Considering that cervical cancer is an important neoplasia in northeastern Brazil, and the prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is directly associated with it, this work had aimed to correlate the cytological and/or colposcopic findings with HPV infection status, and verify the performance of MY09/MY11 and GP5+/6+ primers for HPV detection. Material and method: Patients in this study were from Penedo-AL, a city with high level of poverty (poverty rate of 60.62%). Out of 70 patients with cytological and/or colposcopic changes, 32 agreed to participate in the study. Results: Regarding cytology, 21 (30%) patients presented atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US); 20 (29%), atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance (AGUS); 12 (17%), low-grade intraepithelial lesion (LSIL); five (7%), high-grade intraepithelial lesion (HSIL); and 12 (17%), positive colposcopy. From these, 27 (84%) presented the band gene encoding for human s-globin. From the 27 patients, eight (30%) were positive for HPV. The results showed that the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of HPV was detected in 15% and 30% by using MY-PCR and GP +-PCR, respectively. Conclusion: This study suggests that more than one type of oligonucleotide primer should be used in clinical samples to increase sensitivity for the detection of HPV.

Sandfly fauna in an area endemic for visceral leishmaniasis in Aracaju, State of Sergipe, Northeast Brazil

INTRODUCTION In recent years, visceral leishmaniasis, a major public health problem, has been spreading from the rural to urban areas in many areas of Brazil, including Aracaju, the capital of the State of Sergipe. However, there are no studies of the sandfly fauna in this municipality or its variation over the year. METHODS Phlebotomine sandflies were collected from a rural area of Aracaju from September 2007 to July 2009. Modified CDC ultra-violet (UV) light traps were used to evaluate sandfly monthly distribution and their presence in the domestic and peridomestic environments. RESULTS The most abundant species was Lutzomyia longipalpis (90.4%) followed by Evandromyia lenti (9.6%). A chicken shed trap site had the highest proportion of L. longipalpis (51.1%) and large numbers of L. longipalpis were also collected in the houses closest to the chicken shed. There was a positive correlation between monthly rainfall and L. longipalpis abundance. CONCLUSIONS Lutzomyia longipalpis is the most abundant species and is probably the main vector of the visceral leishmaniasis agent in the rural area of Aracaju. An increase in L. longipalpis frequency was observed during the rainy season. The peridomicile-intradomicile observations corroborate the importance of chicken sheds for the presence of L. longipalpis in the peridomestic environment. The great numbers of L. longipalpis inside the houses confirm the endophilic behaviour of this species and the possibility of visceral transmission in the intradomicile.

Triatomines in dwellings and outbuildings in an endemic area of Chagas disease in northeastern Brazil

INTRODUCTION The present study identified the triatomines collected in intra and peri-domestic environments, observed the occurrence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in triatomines and correlated this information with housing conditions and the fauna associated with the rural areas of the City of Itabaianinha, located in the State of Sergipe, Brazil. METHODS Quarterly visits were conducted between March 2009 and March 2010, and the homes to be visited for the active search of insects were determined by random selection. In each housing unit, the insects were collected by a manual search with a metal clip and flashlight to inspect openings and cavities, with a collection time of one hour/home/individual. The Pirisa® dislodge chemical was used to force the insects to leave their ecotopes. Analysis of the intestinal contents of triatomines was performed in the laboratory to establish the presence of Trypanosomatidae. RESULTS Of the 103 dwellings surveyed, 17.5% were infested with Panstrongylus megistus. The village of Mutuca exhibited the highest infestation rate (38.1%). All the villages with relevant infestation rates were situated in the northern area of the city. The highest percentage of vector infection was found in the village of Água Boa (56.5%). The rural dwellings were found to be primarily brick or wooden house with or without roughcast or plastered walls, and the outbuilding most frequently associated with triatomines was the chicken run. CONCLUSIONS These results emphasise the need for broader vector control and surveillance and for educational campaigns in the context of the Chagas Disease Control Program.

Sesquiterpenes evaluation on Schistosoma mansoni : Survival, excretory system and membrane integrity

The main challenge in schistosomiasis control has been the emergence of drug-resistant parasites. Since the 1970s, praziquantel (PZQ) is the single drug for treatment. This fact highlights the importance to research news chemotherapeutic agents. In the last years, S. mansoni excretory system and tegument have been major targets for drug development. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of sesquiterpenes, alpha-humulene and trans-caryophyllene on S. mansoni survival, excretory system and membrane integrity, after in vitro exposure. The in vitro studies, showed that sesquiterpenes reduced egg production and motor activity of worms at sublethal concentrations, and caused death in a concentration-dependent manner (100 and 200μg/mL). Tegumental analysis by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), showed tegument damage. Additionally, it was possible to observe lesions, evidenced by intense marking trough Hoechst probe, in the tegument and suckers of worms exposed to 200μg/mL. In this study, we also showed that resorufin is only capable of identifying the interaction of sesquiterpenes in males excretory system, Pgp expression and inferring that females are more tolerant to treatments. Thus, the present study results contribute to an understanding of alpha-humulene and trans-caryophyllene effect over these targets, contributing for the development of schistosomicidal drugs.

Triatomine Fauna and Recent Epidemiological Dynamics of Chagas Disease in an Endemic Area of Northeast Brazil

Updated information of the dispersion dynamics of Chagas disease (CD) and a systemic analysis of these data will aid the early identification of areas that are vulnerable to transmission and enable efficient intervention. This work synthesized spatiotemporal information regarding triatomine fauna and analyzed this information in combination with the results from serological tests to elucidate the epidemiological panorama of CD in the state of Sergipe, Brazil. This is a retrospective analytical study that utilized information from the database of the National Chagas Disease Control Program. Between 2010 and 2016, 838 triatomines of eight species, namely, Panstrongylus geniculatus, which was first recorded in the state of Sergipe, Panstrongylus lutzi, P. megistus, Triatoma brasiliensis, T. pseudomaculata, T. tibiamaculata, T. melanocephala, and Rhodnius neglectus, were collected. Optical microscopy revealed that 13.2% of triatomines examined were infected by Trypanosoma cruzi-like flagellates. The distribution of triatomines exhibits an expanding south-central to northern dispersion, with a preference for semiarid and agreste areas and occasional observations in humid coastal areas due to anthropogenic actions reflected in the environment. Of the human cases analyzed from 2012 to 2016, 8.3% (191/2316) presented positive serology for Trypanosoma cruzi, and this proportion showed a gradual increase in the southern center of the state and new notifications in coastal regions. There is a need for intensification and continuity of the measures adopted by the Chagas Disease Control Program in Sergipe, identifying new priority areas for intervention and preferential ecotopes of the vectors, considering the occurrence of positive triatomines intradomicilliary and a source of new triatomines in the peridomiciles.

Reflex of urban space changes and climate conditions in Biomphalaria glabrata population dynamics on potential schistosomiasis foci in northeastern Brazil

To understand better the space-disease process of urban schistosomiasis mansoni in northeastern Brazil, this study assessed four sites considered to be potential foci. Molluscs were collected monthly between January to December 2010, were assessed for species and infection, quantified, and measured; rainfall data were obtained; and water samples were analysed for faecal coliform. The specimens collected were identified as Biomphalaria glabrata . At all sites, we observed high levels of faecal coliforms. The sanitation projects within the Coqueiral and Japaozinho neighbourhoods positively influenced population of B. glabrata . A similar phenomenon occurred in the Soledade neighbourhood, where a portion of the study site was excavated for building construction. The population of molluscs and positivity increased during the rainy season whereas mmolluscs size was differently influenced by rainfall. Rainfall combined with anthropogenic activity influenced foci dynamics during the study period, indicating that schistosomiasis is well-established in the Aracaju urban environment, primarily due to the ability of Biomphalaria to adapt to manmade changes associated with precarious sanitation.

Avaliação de sustentabilidade como instrumento do princípio da responsabilidade numa ecoética das novas sociedades sustentáveis

Este trabalho teve como objetivo discutir teoricamente as relacoes entre avaliacao de sustentabilidade e o principio da responsabilidade da Ecoetica necessaria para a construcao de sociedades sustentaveis. Para tal utilizou-se uma revisao de literatura sobre os preceitos defendidos por Jonas e Levinas. O artigo discutiu as dimensoes da sustentabilidade e os impactos do desenvolvimento tecnologico sobre os recursos naturais. Neste contexto percebe-se que uma sociedade so podera ser considerada sustentavel se atender aos propositos e intencoes de seu povo, garantindo livre e conscientemente, um equilibrio em todas suas dimensoes. Concluiu-se que a avaliacao de sustentabilidade pode ser considerada um dos instrumentos do principio da responsabilidade da ecoetica necessaria para a construcao de sociedades sustentaveis.