American cutaneous leishmaniasis in Pernambuco, Brazil: eco-epidemiological aspects in "Zona da Mata" region

Abstract

American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) has been increasing in Pernambuco, thus becoming an important problem for Public Health. The incindence is predominant in the region called 'Zona da Mata', in the east of this state. This region corresponds geographically to the primitive area of the Atlantic forest. In order to characterize the eco-epidemiology expression of ACL in this region, two localities situated in the municipalities of Amaraji e Cortes have been selected by the criterion of higher incindence of human cases. Five stocks of patients were characterized and identified on the basis of enzyme profiles as a new variant of Leishmania (V.) braziliensis. A survey of wild and domestic animals was carried out by means of a parasitological and serological diagnosis. Through the analysis of the spleen and liver imprints, were detected amastigotes compatible with Leishmania in five Nectomys s. squamipes, five Bolomys 1. pixuna, two Rattus r. alexandrinus and one Rattus r. frugivorus. For two years we carried out monthly sandflies captures using CDC light traps as well as manual captures. Lutzomyia whitmani was predominant, which accounted for 97.4% of the total. These data indicate a strong evidence on the vector and the potential reservoirs of L. braziliensis in this region.

Phlebotomine sandfly species from an American visceral leishmaniasis area in the Northern Rainforest region of Pernambuco State, Brazil

“…The Zona da Mata has the majority of cases of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in the State, with some 60% of the total 7 . The phlebotomine sandfly fauna observed in the municipality of São Vicente Férrer presents an important diversity of species as compared to Amaraji, southern Zona da Mata, where L. whitmani, the main vector of L. (V.) braziliensis in Brazil, is the most prevalent sandfly species 11,12,13 . American cutaneous leishmaniasis is the only form of leish- maniasis observed in this municipality, where we conducted a longitudinal study for some ten years 7,8,11 .…”

Density of Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Domestic and Wild Animal Shelters in an Area of Visceral Leishmaniasis in the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

“…The presence of large numbers of sand fly vectors, in peridomiciliary environments (Forattini 1953, 1960, 1976, Deane & Deane 1962, Sherlock & Guitton 1969, Gomes et al 1983, Brazil et al 1991, Brandão-Filho et al 1994, Azevedo et al 1996, Sherlock 1996 increases the risk of Leishmania transmission at these sites. The seasonal fluctuation of Lu.…”

Cutaneous leishmaniasis in northeastern Brazil: a critical appraisal of studies conducted in State of Pernambuco

“…A number of studies on ACL in Pernambuco State, northeastern Brazil, have been performed in the past decades and have contributed enormously to the knowledge of ACL ecoepidemiology at the state and country levels [2][3][4][5][6][7] . In particular, the importance of small terrestrial mammals in the transmission chain of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis 7 , the most widespread etiological agent of ACL in Brazil, has been demonstrated.…”