Parasite load in the blood and skin of dogs naturally infected by Leishmania infantum is correlated with their capacity to infect sand fly vectors

AbstractThe sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis is primarily responsible for the transmission of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in the New World, and dogs are considered to be the main urban reservoir of this disease. In order to improve the efficacy of control measures, it is essential to assess the transmission capacity of Leishmania infantum to the sand fly vector by naturally infected dogs. The present study investigated the existence of correlations between canine clinical presentation and the intensity of parasite load in the blood, skin and spleen of naturally infected dogs. In addition, we also attempted to establish correlations between the intensity of parasite load in canine tissue and the parasite load detected in sandflies five days after feeding on naturally infected dogs. A total of 23 dogs were examined and classified according to clinical manifestation of canine VL. Blood samples, splenic aspirate and skin biopsies were collected and parasite DNA was quantified by qPCR. Canine capacity to infect Lu. longipalpis with parasites was evaluated by xenodiagnosis and parasite loads were measured five days after feeding. No significant differences were observed with respect to canine clinical manifestation and the parasite loads detected in the blood, skin and spleen samples obtained from naturally infected dogs. Regardless of clinical canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) presentation and the degree of parasite burden, almost half of the dogs successfully infected sandflies with parasites, albeit to a low number of sandflies with correspondingly low parasite loads. Parasite loads in both canine blood and skin were shown to be positively correlated with the canine infectiousness to the sand fly vector, and positive correlations were also observed with respect to these tissues and the sand fly infection rate, as well as the parasite load detected in sandflies following xenodiagnosis. In conclusion, this indicates that parasite loads in both blood and skin can function as potentially reliable markers of canine capacity to infect sand fly vector

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear un derstanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5–7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8–11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world’s most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepre sented in biodiversity databases.13–15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may elim inate pieces of the Amazon’s biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological com munities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple or ganism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region’s vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most ne glected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lostinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A922 Sequential measurement of 1 hour creatinine clearance (1-CRCL) in critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI)

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Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5,6,7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8,9,10,11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases.13,14,15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may eliminate pieces of the Amazon's biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological communities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple organism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region's vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most neglected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lost

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5,6,7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8,9,10,11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases.13,14,15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may eliminate pieces of the Amazon's biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological communities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple organism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region's vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most neglected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lost

Estudo da infecção natural de Lutzomyia longipalpis por Leishmania infantum e a flutuação mensal de flebotomíneos coletados no município de Camaçari, Estado da Bahia

Submitted by Ana Maria Fiscina Sampaio ([email protected]) on 2014-07-18T16:05:02Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Orlando Marcos Farias de Sousa, Estudo da infecção... 2013.pdf: 3775180 bytes, checksum: 1eb7cab3c5ef08df5a81ec9219afacbc (MD5) Orlando Marcos Farias de Sousa, Estudo da infecção... 2013.pdf: 3775180 bytes, checksum: 1eb7cab3c5ef08df5a81ec9219afacbc (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-18T16:05:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Orlando Marcos Farias de Sousa, Estudo da infecção... 2013.pdf: 3775180 bytes, checksum: 1eb7cab3c5ef08df5a81ec9219afacbc (MD5) Orlando Marcos Farias de Sousa, Estudo da infecção... 2013.pdf: 3775180 bytes, checksum: 1eb7cab3c5ef08df5a81ec9219afacbc (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, BrasilNo município de Camaçari, considerado área endêmica para leishmaniose visceral (LV), foi realizado estudo objetivando determinar a influência das variáveis climáticas sobre a flutuação mensal da população flebotomínica e a taxa de infecção natural desses flebotomíneos por Leishmania infantum. Para o levantamento entomológico foram realizadas capturas sistemáticas de flebotomíneos utilizando armadilhas tipo HP, tanto no peri como no intradomicílio. As residências foram selecionadas em bairros pertencentes a zona urbana orla e zona urbana sede, onde casos humanos de LV no foram registrados município. As capturas foram realizadas entre dezembro de 2011 e novembro de 2012. A relação entre pluviosidade, umidade relativa do ar e temperatura e a proporção de flebotomíneos foi calculada utilizando o coeficiente de Spearman. Para o estudo da infecção natural dos flebotomíneos foi utilizada a técnica de qPCR. Os pools avaliados foram compostos por flebotomíneos da mesma espécie, distribuídos pelas residências, ás quais foram investigadas no intra e peridomicilio. Além disso, os pools foram distribuídos de acordo com os 12 meses de coleta. Os resultados mostraram que a fauna flebotomínica é diversificada, sendo composta por quatro gêneros com ocorrência de cinco espécies. Espécimes de interesse epidemiológico foram encontrados com predominância para a espécie Lutzomyia (Lutzomyia) longipalpis (98,4%). Foi observada correlação positiva entre a densidade de flebotomíneos e a variável pluviosidade na zona urbana sede durante o período de coleta (r = 0,66, p <0,02). A correlação entre as variáveis bioclimáticas e a densidade dos flebotomíneos também foi avaliada em bairros que se destacaram individualmente pela densidade de flebotomíneos, sendo encontrado correlação positiva para a variável umidade relativa do ar (r = 0,58 p <0,04) e associação similar para a variável precipitação durante o período de coleta (r = 0,67 p <0,01). As análises moleculares mostraram infecção natural por Leishmania infantum em 10 pools de 78 de pools de Lutzomyia longipalpis analisados. Estes achados aliados à presença do vetor competente da LV, Lutzomyia longipalpis em elevada proporção, e os estudos das variáveis climáticas alertam para a necessidade de vigilância epidemiológica e constituem em ferramenta útil para o planejamento de medidas de controle contra LV no município de Camaçari.In Camaçari city, considered an endemic area for visceral leishmaniasis (VL), the study was conducted aiming to determine the climatic variables influence on the sandflies monthly fluctuation and the natural infection rates by Leishmania infantum in the sandflies. The entomological inventory was performed with sandflies systematic captures using HP traps, both in peridomiciliar well as in intradomiciliar. The residences were selected in districts belonging to the coastline urban zone and headquarters urban zone, where human cases of VL were recorded in the city. Captures were performed between December 2011 and November 2012. The correlation between the number of sandflies and the different climatic variables was calculated using Spearman's coefficient. The sandfly natural infection was evaluated by qPCR technique. Pools reviews were composed by sand flies of the same species, distributed among households, which were investigated in peridomiciliare and intradomiciliare. Additionally, pools were distributed according to the 12-month sampling. The results showed that the phlebotomine fauna is diverse, consisting of four genera and five species. Specimens of epidemiological interest were found predominantly for Lutzomyia (Lutzomyia) longipalpis (98.4%). In addition, a positive correlation between sandfly density and pluviosity at headquarters urban zone was observed during the collection period. (r = 0.66, p <0.02). The correlation between bioclimatic variables and density of sandflies was also evaluated in neighborhoods that stood out individually by the sandfly density. A positive correlation was observed for the variable relative humidity during the collection period (r = 0.58 p <0.04) and similar association for precipitation variable in the same period (r = 0.67 p <0.01). Molecular analysis showed natural infection by Leishmania infantum in 10 pools of 78 pools of Lutzomyia Longipalpis analyzed. In summary, these findings combined with the presence of VL competent vector, Lutzomyia Longipalpis in high density, and studies of climate variables warn of the need for epidemiological surveillance and constitute a useful tool for planning control measures against VL in Camaçari. Kei

Natural infection by Leishmania infantum in the Lutzomyia longipalpis population of an endemic coastal area to visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil is not associated with bioclimatic factors.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a zoonosis caused by the protozoan Leishmania infantum and in Brazil is transmitted mainly by the bite of Lutzomuyia longipalpis sand flies. Data about the presence, distribution, natural infection rate, seasonal and monthly dynamics of the vector population are important for optimizing the measures to control VL in endemic areas. This study aimed to identify sand fly fauna in an endemic area for VL to detect the prevalence of L. infantum infection in the Lu. longipalpis population and to elucidate the influence of bioclimatic factors on the monthly fluctuations of this vector. HP light traps were monthly set in the intradomicile and peridomicile of residences located in the central and beachfront areas of Camaçari, a VL endemic area. The sand fly collection was conducted in two periods: i) period 1-between December 2011 and November 2012 and ii) period 2-August 2014 and July 2015. Sand fly species were identified and detection of L. infantum infection by qPCR was performed in pools of female Lu. longipalpis. For the first time, the parasite load of positive pools was correlated with the number of Lu. longipalpis captured per month in both periods. Correlation analyses between the monthly fluctuation of the sand fly population and bioclimatic indices of the municipality in both collection periods were also performed. In both evaluated periods, more than 98% of the collected sand flies were Lu. longipalpis, confirming the predominance of this species in the region. It was captured mostly in the beachfront area in all months evaluated (99%). For the period 1, Leishmania DNA was detected in 81% of tested pools representing a minimal infection rate of 9.6%. In the period 2, 40% of the pools were positive with a minimal infection rate of 10.2%. Infected sand flies were only detected in the beachfront area in both periods. The parasite load was low and did not vary in the evaluated months despite the number of collected sand flies. No correlation was observed for climatic factors in both areas of Camaçari. These findings emphasize the high risk of Leishmania transmission in Camaçari regardless of the season and that other factors, aside from bioclimatic elements, are influencing the sand fly population monthly fluctuation

NEOTROPICAL ALIEN MAMMALS: a data set of occurrence and abundance of alien mammals in the Neotropics

Biological invasion is one of the main threats to native biodiversity. For a species to become invasive, it must be voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into a nonnative habitat. Mammals were among first taxa to be introduced worldwide for game, meat, and labor, yet the number of species introduced in the Neotropics remains unknown. In this data set, we make available occurrence and abundance data on mammal species that (1) transposed a geographical barrier and (2) were voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into the Neotropics. Our data set is composed of 73,738 historical and current georeferenced records on alien mammal species of which around 96% correspond to occurrence data on 77 species belonging to eight orders and 26 families. Data cover 26 continental countries in the Neotropics, ranging from Mexico and its frontier regions (southern Florida and coastal-central Florida in the southeast United States) to Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay, and the 13 countries of Caribbean islands. Our data set also includes neotropical species (e.g., Callithrix sp., Myocastor coypus, Nasua nasua) considered alien in particular areas of Neotropics. The most numerous species in terms of records are from Bos sp. (n = 37,782), Sus scrofa (n = 6,730), and Canis familiaris (n = 10,084); 17 species were represented by only one record (e.g., Syncerus caffer, Cervus timorensis, Cervus unicolor, Canis latrans). Primates have the highest number of species in the data set (n = 20 species), partly because of uncertainties regarding taxonomic identification of the genera Callithrix, which includes the species Callithrix aurita, Callithrix flaviceps, Callithrix geoffroyi, Callithrix jacchus, Callithrix kuhlii, Callithrix penicillata, and their hybrids. This unique data set will be a valuable source of information on invasion risk assessments, biodiversity redistribution and conservation-related research. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this data paper when using the data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us on how they are using the data