Ocorrência de piolhos Neopsittaconirmus spp. (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Philopteridae) em calopsita (Nymphicus hollandicus) no nordeste brasileiro

Piolhos mastigadores são normalmente encontrados em aves e mamíferos. Esses insetos são divididos em duas subordens de importância nas aves, a Amblycera e a Ischnocera, sendo que nesta última apenas a família Philopteridae abrange os piolhos específicos desses animais. Possuem as peças bucais adaptadas à mastigação da pele e penas, e quando parasitam aves como as calopsitas (Nymphicus hollandicus) podem provocar diversas alterações dermatológicas, sistêmicas e até mesmo comportamentais. O objetivo deste estudo foi relatar o encontro de espécimes de piolhos do gênero Neopsittaconirmus infestando uma calopsita domiciliada em Teresina, PI, proveniente de um criatório comercial. O animal era de mutação lutina, com 3 meses de idade, que apresentou apatia, penas eriçadas e prurido. Ao atendimento veterinário observou-se a presença de piolhos sobre as penas da ave, sendo as mesmas colhidas e levadas ao Laboratório de Parasitologia da Universidade Federal do Piauí, confirmando infestação por piolhos Neopsittaconirmus spp. O animal foi tratado com selamectina tópica em dose única e suplemento vitamínico, observando melhora do quadro clínico e ausência de piolhos quinze dias após a terapia. Até o presente conhecimento, este relato apresenta a primeira descrição de piolhos do gênero Neopsittaconirmus em calopsita no nordeste do Brasil. Conclui-se que piolhos desse gênero podem infestar e provocar lesões nessas aves, sendo recomendado o diagnóstico precoce e um tratamento adequado para eliminar estes ectoparasitos

Association between the potential distribution of Lutzomyia longipalpis and Nyssomyia whitmani and leishmaniasis incidence in Piauí State, Brazil.

BackgroundLeishmaniases are vector borne diseases caused by Leishmania spp. parasites transmitted by female sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) whose geographic distribution is influenced by environmental factors. Among the main tools for studying the distribution of vector species, modeling techniques are used to analyze the influence of climatic and environmental factors on the distribution of these insects and their association with human cases of the disease.Methodology/principal findingsHere, we used a multiscale ecological niche modeling approach to assess the environmental suitability of sandfly vectors of the etiological agents of Visceral (VL) and American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (ACL) in Piauí state, northeastern Brazil, and then evaluated their relationship with human disease incidence. For this, we obtained the geographic coordinates of the vector species Lutzomyia longipalpis and Nyssomyia whitmani through literature review, online databases and unpublished records. These data were used for the development of predictive models of the distribution of both sandflies species based on climatic and environmental variables. Finally, the environmental suitability for the presence of these vectors was compared with the incidence of both the diseases at the municipality level. The final models for each sandfly species showed good predictive powers with performance metric values of 0.889 for Lu. longipalpis and 0.776 for Ny. whitmani. The areas with greater environmental suitability for the presence of these species were concentrated in the central-north region of Piauí and coincide with the location of those municipalities presenting higher incidences of VL and ACL, situated in the central-north and extreme north of the state, respectively. The south and southeast regions of Piauí state have low incidence of these diseases and presented low environmental suitability for the presence of both vectors.Conclusions/significanceWe discuss how predictive modeling can guide entomological and epidemiological surveillances and recommend an increased supervision and control activities in Teresina (capital of the state of Piaui), Altos and Pedro II, in addition to other municipalities with similar social and environmental characteristics