Human and canine visceral leishmaniasis in an emerging focus in Araçuaí, Minas Gerais: spatial distribution and socio-environmental factors.

Renata Luiz Ursine,Harriman Aley Morais,João Victor Leite Dias,Herton Helder Rocha Pires

doi:10.1590/0074-02760160133

Renata Luiz Ursine, Harriman Aley Morais + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1590/0074-02760160133

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Abstract

This study aimed to analyse the spatial distribution of human (2007-2013) and canine (2013) visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in the city of Araçuaí, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and identify the socio-environmental factors related to their occurrence. The spatial distribution of human and canine cases was analysed by kernel density estimation (KDE) and the K function. The KDE values were analysed for correlation between human and canine LV and for normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI). Socio-environmental aspects of household structures and surroundings were evaluated. The spatial distribution of human and canine VL cases exhibited a significant aggregated pattern in distances greater than 350 and 75 m, respectively. The higher occurrence of human and canine infection occurred in the central area of the city. A positive correlation between the densities of human and canine cases was observed, as well as a negative correlation between NDVI and densities of human and canine cases. Socio-environmental analysis revealed that the large amount of animals, organic material from trees and deficiencies in environmental sanitation are possibly contributing to the continuation of the transmission cycle of Leishmania infantum in Araçuaí. These results can contribute to the planning by competent agencies to reduce the incidence of infection in the city.

Highlights

This study aimed to analyse the spatial distribution of human (2007-2013) and canine (2013) visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in the city of Araçuaí, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and identify the socio-environmental factors related to their occurrence
This study aimed to analyse the spatial distribution of human and canine VL and the socio-environmental factors related to the areas of human infection occurrence within the city
Human and canine VL data - Notification data related to cases of human infection by Leishmania infantum (= Leishmania chagasi) in Araçuaí were collected from records of the Information System on Notifiable Diseases in May, 2014, regarding the period from 20072013

Summary

Introduction

This study aimed to analyse the spatial distribution of human (2007-2013) and canine (2013) visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in the city of Araçuaí, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and identify the socio-environmental factors related to their occurrence. In Brazil, VL has caused severe public health problems, due to its difficulty to control, high lethality and wide distribution, as it occurs within the five regions of the country (do Prado et al 2011) In recent years, this endemic has shown a clear expansion and urbanisation related to environmental, social and demographic factors, in addition to the adaptation of Lutzomyia longipalpis to the urban environment and the presence of domestic reservoirs (de Almeida et al 2011, Cardim et al 2013, Marcondes & Rossi 2013, Ortiz & Anversa 2015, Mendes et al 2016). This study aimed to analyse the spatial distribution of human and canine VL and the socio-environmental factors related to the areas of human infection occurrence within the city

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