objectives To analyse the accuracy of American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) diagnostic methods and evaluate the quality of the existing publications by means of a systematic review. methods Diagnostic tests evaluated in at least two studies with common reference standards were included in the sensitivity and/or specificity meta-analyses. Quality and susceptibility to bias were analysed using the QUADAS-2 and STARD tools. results The title and abstract of 3387 publications were evaluated after deduplication resulting from database searches. Thirty-eight studies were included in the review, and 26 of them had results inserted in meta-analyses. The diagnostic methods with the highest pooled sensitivity values were ELISA, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), indirect immunofluorescence reaction and Montenegro's intradermal reaction. Cytometry was assessed in only two studies and presented 100% sensitivity in both. Smear slide microscopy and histopathology showed low pooled values of sensitivity. For specificity, the highest pooled values were identified for PCR. High values were also identified for ELISA, except for studies in which the reference standard for defining negative participants included individuals with Chagas' disease or paracoccidioidomycosis, which also occurred for cytometry. IFR had lower specificities than ELISA. There was a predominance of case-control designs of phase 1 or 2 and only four studies were strongly recommended as evidence generators. Several reference standards were adopted, and different methods were assessed in a small number of studies. conclusion PCR showed the highest accuracy for the diagnosis of ATL, and its use should be encouraged in clinical practice. ELISA is recommended for the screening of suspected individuals, but the possibility of cross-reactions should be considered. New validation studies for the tests evaluated in few publications and studies of phase 3 with appropriate methods are needed.

Canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) is transmitted through vector, although venereal transmission has been suggested. This study aimed to compare the parasitic loads and inflammatory processes in genital tissues with ear skin from seropositive male dogs. Forty-five seropositive dogs were separated into groups containing symptomatic (n = 23) and asymptomatic (n = 22) animals. The control group (n = 2) healthy animals with seronegative and negative results in direct parasitological test. Samples of ear tip skin, prepuce, glans penis, testis, epididymis, and prostate were collected for evaluation of parasitic load and inflammatory infiltrate. Although ear tip skin was the most intensely parasitized, prepuce and epididymis revealed no difference in parasitism when compared with ear tip skin (P > 0.05). Parasitic loads in testis and prostate were lower than other tissues (P < 0.05). Parasitism in glans penis was high, similar to prepuce and epididymis, but lower than ear tip skin. High parasitism was more frequent in symptomatic dogs than asymptomatic animals. Severe inflammatory processes were more frequent within the symptomatic animals compared with asymptomatic and more predominant in prepuce and epididymis. Ear tip skin and genital tissues presented signs of chronic inflammation. There were weak and moderate positive correlations between parasitic loads and inflammatory processes. Our results demonstrate that, likewise with the ear tip skin, the genital of seropositive dogs can carry a large number of Leishmania infantum amastigotes and this process are more intense in symptomatic animals. These data have important implications for understanding the possibility of venereal transmission of CVL.

SUMMARYCestodes of the Bertiella genus are parasites of non-human primates found in Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. Species Bertiella studeri and Bertiella mucronata could, accidentally, infect human beings. The infection occurs from ingestion of mites from the Oribatida order containing cysticercoid larvae of the parasite. The objective of this report is to register the first case of human infection by Bertiella studeri in Brazil. Proglottids of the parasite, found in the stool sample of a two-and-a-half-year-old child, were fixed, stained and microscopically observed to evaluate its morphological characteristics. Eggs obtained from the proglottids were also studied. The gravid proglottids examined matched the description of the genus Bertiella. The eggs presented a round shape, with the average diameter of 43.7 µm, clearly showing the typical pyriform apparatus of B. studeri. The authors concluded that the child was infected with Bertiella studeri, based on Stunkard's (1940) description of the species. This is the fifth case of human Bertiellosis described in Brazil through morphometric analysis of the parasite, the third in Minas Gerais State and the first diagnosed case of Bertiella studeri in Brazil.

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Objetivou-se relatar o primeiro caso autóctone de leishmaniose visceral canina no município de Cláudio-MG, Brasil. Com base no exame clínico foram constatados sinais sugestivos da doença em um cão macho, sem raça definida de aproximadamente sete anos. O animal foi submetido à colheita de sangue para realização dos testes imunológicos de imunocromatografia rápida (DPP®) e ensaio imunoenzimático (ELISA), obtendo-se resultados positivos para leishmaniose canina em ambos os testes. Após autorização do tutor foi obtida amostra de medula óssea do animal e posteriormente realizou-se a eutanásia e o exame necroscópico obtendo-se fragmentos de baço, linfonodos e pele. Amostras de medula óssea e tecidos foram utilizadas para realização dos exames parasitológicos, os quais demonstraram a presença do agente etiológico na forma amastigota. O fragmento de baço obtido na necropsia foi utilizado para identificação da espécie de Leishmania por meio da reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR). Foi demostrado pela PCR-RFLP a presença de Leishmania infantum, confirmando a infecção do animal pela espécie responsável pelo desenvolvimento da forma visceral da doença. Conclui-se com este resultado que a implantação de estratégias de prevenção e controle epidemiológico da leishmaniose visceral canina no município é importante, a fim de evitar a propagação da doença entre a população canina, bem como a transmissão a população humana.