Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis associated with domestic animals in Venezuela and Brazil

Abstract

After outbreaks of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Solano State, Venezuela, 5% of the population had parasitized ulcers while after similar outbreaks in Mesquita, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, 9% had the disease. In these foci children, including some under six years of age, were affected. There was no significant difference in the occurrence of the disease according to sex or type of employment. In Solano, 3% of dogs and 28% of donkeys had parasitized lesions, while in Mesquita these indices were 19.8% and 30.8% respectively. The parasite from man, dogs and equines was identified as Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis, by zymodeme and serodeme characterization. In these foci there is evidence suggesting that leishmaniasis is a zoonosis, possibly with equines and dogs as reservoirs, although both a wild enzootic cycle and the role of man as a source of infection can not be ruled out. Transmission is assumed to occur peridomestically by sandfly vectors such as Lutzomyia panamensis in Venezuela and Lutzomyia intermedia in Brazil. Information about the origin of these foci suggests that infected equines may be an important factor in the dissemination of the parasite in a peridomestic situation where these sandflies are abundant.

Ecology of the Leishmania Species in the Guianan Ecoregion Complex

“…[54][55][56] In the Venezuelan part of the GEC, L. (V.) braziliensis was found in rural foci with peri-urban or jungle transmission. 22,23,57 …”

“…panamensis, and some investigators have suggested that infected equines with ulcers imported from disease-endemic areas are an important factor in parasite dissemination in a peridomestic area where these sand flies are abundant. 57,168 Conversely, wild reservoir hosts of L. (V.) braziliensis are not well known and the primary reservoir of this parasite in the GEC has not been determined because of the vast area of South America. Several pathogenic complexes and their corresponding epidemiologic cycles may be present.…”

Tentativa de controle da leishmaniose tegumentar americana por meio do tratamento dos cães doentes

“…Nessas áreas, onde a doença acomete indistintamente adultos e crianças de ambos os sexos, também os cães estão freqüentemente parasitados (Falqueto, 1984;Coutinho et al, 1985;Aguilar et al, 1989). A população de flebotomíneos é sempre maior no ambiente peridomiciliar do que nas florestas remanescentes (Mattos, 1981;Gomes et al, 1982).…”

“…(V.) braziliensis, sugerindo a participação desse animal no ciclo de transmissão da moléstia (Aguilar et al, 1984(Aguilar et al, , 1989Pons & Londres, 1968). Apesar das evidências de que os animais domésticos possam servir de fonte de infecção para o homem, existem, até o momento, poucos estudos sobre o assunto.…”

Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis infection in two Colombian dogs: a note on infectivity for sand flies and response to treatment

“…The natural infection of dogs with Leishmania (Viannia) spp. in rural and periurban areas of South American countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Perú and Venezuela has been reported by several authors (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8). However in Colombia, where three species of Leishmania (Viannia) are endemic (9), no published information on canine cutaneous leishmaniasis is available.…”