Fatores de riscos associados à leishmaniose visceral canina na área de cinturão verde de Ilha Solteira, SP

A Leishmaniose Visceral Canina (LVC) é uma zoonose parasitária causada pelo protozoário Leishmania infantum transmitido principalmente pela picada do vetor flebotomíneo da espécie Lutzomyia longipalpis. O presente estudo objetivou avaliar a prevalência da LVC em cães, a distribuição de flebotomíneos e os fatores de riscos associados à doença, em uma área rural periurbana denominada por Cinturão Verde, localizada do município de Ilha Solteira, SP. Dessa forma, amostras de 250 cães, incluindo aspirados de linfonodos, de sangue e de suabe conjuntival foram coletadas para a realização dos exames parasitológico direto (PA), sorológico (ELISA e RIFI) e PCR (suabe conjuntival). A positividade dos cães para LVC foi de 31,6% (79/250) à RIFI, 28,8% (72/250) ao teste ELISA, 25,2% (63/250) ao PA e 20,4% (49/240) à PCR. A concordância entre os métodos, quando analisada pelo índice Kappa (p ? 0,05), foi considerada excelente entre ELISA x RIFI (94,5%), moderada entre ELISA x PA (81,7%) e entre RIFI x PA (78,3%), mas foi baixíssima entre PCR e os demais testes analisados. Os flebotomíneos da espécie Lu. longipalpis foram capturados com auxilio de armadilhas luminosas do tipo CDC (“Center for Disease Control and Prevention”), colocadas mensalmente no peridomicílio das propriedades rurais do Cinturão Verde, no período de setembro/2012 a agosto/2013, com três coletas em três dias consecutivos por mês. O numero de flebotomíneos capturados totalizou 65 machos e 25 fêmeas em 12 meses. O maior número de flebotomíneos capturados foi nos meses de dezembro/2012, fevereiro/2013, maio/2013 e julho/2013. Os fatores de riscos associados à LVC foram determinados estatisticamente pela análise univariada, os quais foram estatisticamente significativos (p ? 0,05) para os cães de porte grande, mostrando serem estes os mais susceptíveis à LVC, além da presença de galinhas nas propriedades ...Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis (CVL) is a parasitic zoonosis caused by Leishmania infantum, which is transmitted by the bite of Phebotominae insect of the Lutzomyia longipalpis species (sandfly). This study aimed to survey the prevalence of CVL in dogs, the distribution of sand flies and the risk factors associated with the disease in a rural area called “Cinturão Verde”, located in the municipality of Ilha Solteira, SP. Thus, samples of lymph node aspirates and blood were collected from 250 dogs for ELISA and indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and direct parasitological (PA) exams. In addition, conjunctival swab samples were also collected for Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). 79/250 (31.6%) dogs were positive by IFAT; 72/250 (28.8%) by ELISA; 63/250 (25.2%) by PA and 49/240 (20.4%) by PCR. The concordance of methods when statistically analysed two by two by the Kappa índexes (p ? 0.05) were considered of excellent agreement between ELISA and IFAT (94.5%), moderate between ELISA and PA (81.7%) and between IFAT and PA (78.3%), but when PCR was compared with the other tests, the agrrement indexes were very low. Lu. longipalpis were captured with the help of CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) light traps, placed three consecutive times per month in the rural peridomiciliary properties of the “Cinturão Verde”, from September/2012 to August/2013 in 100 % of the properties visited. The parasite density ranged from 01 to 12 per month including males and females, totaling 64 males and 25 females over 12 months. The largest number of insects captured was in December 2012, February/2013, May/2013 and July/2013. The univaried statistical analysis of risk factors associated with CVL revealed that the big size-dogs, the presence of chickens in the properties as well as the lack of knowledge by the rural population about the CVL disease were considered indicators to predict infection ..

Occurrence of Lutzomyia longipalpis (Phlebotominae) and canine visceral leishmaniasis in a rural area of Ilha Solteira, SP, Brazil

This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of Lutzomyia longipalpis and also the canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) in a rural area of Ilha Solteira, state of Sao Paulo. Blood samples were collected from 32 dogs from different rural properties (small farms) and were analyzed by ELISA and the indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) in order to diagnose CVL. From these serological tests, 31.25% of the dogs were positive for CVL and these were distributed in 66.7% (8/12) of the rural properties, which were positive for L. longipalpis. CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) light traps were installed in 12 properties (one per property) and insects were caught on three consecutive days per month for one year. L. longipalpis was present on 100% of the rural properties visited, at least once during the twelve-month interval, totaling 64 males and 25 females. The insects were more numerous after the peak of the rain, but the association between prevalence of peridomestic vectors and the climatic data (precipitation, relative air humidity and temperature) and the occurrences of CVL among dogs on each rural property were not statistical significant (p &lt; 0.05). However, the occurrence of CVL cases in dogs and the presence of L. longipalpis indicate that more attention is necessairy for the control of this disease in the rural area studied.O objetivo desse trabalho foi o estudo da prevalência de Lutzomyia longipalpis e da leishmaniose visceral canina (LVC) em uma área rural do município de Ilha Solteira do estado de São Paulo. Amostras de sangue foram coletadas de 32 cães provenientes de pequenas propriedades rurais e analisadas por meio dos métodos sorológicos ELISA (imunoensaio enzimático indireto) e RIFI (reação de imunofluorescência indireta) para o diagnóstico da LVC. Pelos exames sorológicos, dos 32 cães avaliados, 31,25% foram diagnosticados positivos para LVC, os quais estavam diostribuídos em 66,67% (8/12) das propriedades positivas para Lutzomyia longipalpis. Armadilhas luminosas do tipo CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) foram instaladas em 12 propriedades, sendo uma por propriedade, e as coletas dos insetos foram realizadas três dias consecutivos a cada mês, durante um ano. O inseto L. longipalpis foi encontrado em 100% das propriedades visitadas, pelo menos uma vez no ano, totalizando 65 machos e 25 fêmeas. A maior quantidade de insetos foi observada principalmente após a ocorrência dos maiores picos de precipitação pluvial, mas a associação entre a prevalência dos vetores peridomiciliares e os dados climáticos (precipitação, umidade relativa do ar e temperatura) assim como a ocorrência da CVL em cães em cada propriedade não foi estatisticamente significante (p<0.05). No entanto, alerta-se que pela presença dos casos de LVC nos cães amostrados e também de L. longipalpis, maior atenção deve ser dada durante as investigações epidemiológicas para o controle dessa doença nessa área rural estudada.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Correlation study and histopathological description of intestinal alterations in dogs infected with Leishmania infantum

Abstract The aim of this work was a correlation study and histopathological description of alterations associated with the presence of Leishmania infantumamastigote in the intestinal wall of dogs infected with canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL). Three groups were used: G1 (n = 8), comprising naturally infected dogs with CVL with amastigotes of L. infantum in the small and large intestines; G2 (n = 9), infected dogs with CVL, without intestinal amastigotes; and G3 (n = 3), uninfected dogs. Histochemistry and immunohistochemistry methods were used for histopathology and amastigotes identification. 47.1% (8/17) of dogs from G1 group had amastigotes in the mucosa, submucosa and muscle layers of the small and large intestines and it was observed a prominent inflammatory reaction characterized by chronic infiltration of mononuclear cells: macrophages, lymphocytes and plasma cells. Comparison between the groups showed only a significant difference in relation to mucosal microscopic structural alterations in dogs from G1 in relation to G2 and G3. Parasite burden showed significant correlations with the microscopic alterations and clinical status of dogs in G1. By the conclusion, the inflammatory reactions caused by the parasites in the intestines might have contributed towards alterations in digestive processes, worsening the dogs’ clinical status of CVL

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field