Molecular diagnosis of American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (ACL) in dogs from an endemic area in Pernambuco State, Brazil

A survey was carried out to detect American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) among dogs in an area where a human outbreak had occurred in the state of Pernambuco, in northeastern Brazil. Domiciled dogs living in the district of Três Ladeiras, Igarassu were used in the present study. The following procedures were performed: The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) (n = 126); the Immunofluorescence Antibody Test (IFAT) (n = 80); and a parasitological examination to detect amastigote forms of Leishmania sp. in skin lesions (n = 43). Associations between the infection in animals and the clinical and epidemiological factors were analyzed using Fisher's exact test or the Pearson’s chi-squared test. In total, 46.8% (59/126) of the samples tested were PCRpositive. Although a higher frequency of positivity was detected among males (46.3 %) and animals aged between 3 and 4 years (50.0 %), no significant associations were recorded for these variables (p> 0.05). Similarly, the clinical signs and aspects related to the environment in which the animal lives did not differ significantly, but differences were recorded for the variable locality. In the IFAT, only 6.2% (5/80) of the dogs were positive and no amastigote forms of Leishmania sp. were detected

Epidemiologycal profile of american cutaneous leishmaniasis in the district of Três Ladeiras, city of Igarassu, state of Pernambuco - Brazil

O Brasil é o principal responsável pelos casos notificados das leishmanioses na América Latina, encontrando-se maior incidência na região Nordeste. A Leishmaniose Tegumentar Americana apresenta características ecoepidemiológicas diversas, embora com alguma similaridade intra-regional e incide em todas as regiões do Estado de Pernambuco, com mais de 60% dos casos na região correspondente à Zona da Mata Atlântica. As instituições governamentais de saúde vêm se preocupando com a situação corrente no distrito de Três Ladeiras, município de Igarassu - PE onde tem se registrado um aumento considerável no número de pessoas acometidas com este agravo. Portanto, neste projeto, teve-se como objetivo analisar aspectos epidemiológicos da Leishmaniose Tegumentar Americana no distrito de Três Ladeiras - Município de Igarassu – PE, visando, posteriormente, a implantação de medidas de controle eficazes a esta endemia. Inicialmente foi realizado estudo cães domésticos pertencentes às pessoas acometidas por LTA, foi coletado material para exame parasitológico e amostras de sangue para teste de Imunofluorescência indireta (IFI). Foram analisados alguns parâmetros como: quantidade de pessoas diagnosticadas laboratorialmente com LTA através dos testes de Intradermorreação de Montenegro e pesquisa direta; número de casos ocorridos por mês; tipo de lesão encontrada nos pacientes; sexo; idade; resposta ao tratamento e identificação de casos caninos de LTA, por meio de inquérito sorológico. Dos 80 casos humanos suspeitos para LTA, 62 (77,5%) foram confirmados pelo critério laboratorial. A ocorrência de casos novos da doença foi confirmada em 17 dos 24 meses estudados. Todos os pacientes positivos apresentaram a forma cutânea da doença. Não houve diferença significativa em relação ao sexo dos pacientes; quanto à idade houve predominância naqueles com idade entre 20 e 39 (33,9%) anos e todos obtiveram cura após tratamento finalizado. Dos cães, 7,0% (3/43) foram positivos para LTA ao teste de IFI e, as 43,1% (18/43) amostras submetidas à pesquisa direta de formas amastigotas do parasito em escarificação de bordo de lesão foram negativas.Brazil is the main responsible for the reported cases of leishmaniasis in Latin America, finding shwing a higher incidence in the Northeast. American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (ACL) has several ecoepidemiological characteristics, although with some intra-regional similarity in all regions of Pernambuco State, with more than 60% of cases from Zona da Mata Atlantica. The municipal government health institution have been concerned with the current situation in the District of Três Ladeiras, Igarassu towon – Pernambuco state which has registered a several increase of infected people with ACL. Therefore, this project aimed to analyze epidemiological aspects of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in District of Três Ladeiras for later deployment of effective control measures for this disease. Initially epidemiologically diagnosed human cases were characterized in a retrospective study. From the domestic dogs belonging to people affected by ACL, it was collected material for parasitological examination and Indirect Immunofluorescence Technique (IFT). Some parameters such as number of ACL infected peple by the intradermoreaction Montenegro test number of cases reported per month, type of lesion found in patients, sex, age, response to treatment, and identification of canine ACL cases, through serological survey of dogs were analyzed. Of the 80 human cases diagnosed as suspicious for ACL, 62 (77.5%) were confirmed by laboratory test. The occurrence of new cases of the disease was confirmed in 17 of the 24 months studied. All positive cases presented the cutaneous form of the disease, 58% (36/62) were men, and 100% (62/62) achieved cure after treatment. It was found 7.0% (3/43) IFT positive canine blod samples. The parasitological exam of the lesion performed in 43.1% (18/43) of simples from dogs