Humans In Brazil Research Articles

Vipers in the state of Acre, western Brazilian Amazon: a review

Snakes of the family Viperidae are distributed in many different ecosystems, generally being the most abundant species in snake surveys and studies on snake assemblages in Brazil. These species are medically important as they can cause snakebites and are responsible for approximately 99% of envenomings in humans in Brazil. Considering the ecological importance of snakes in terrestrial ecosystems, mainly as important predators in food webs, and in public health due to the risks of snakebites, here we review the information available in the literature about vipers in the state of Acre, western Brazilian Amazon. Six species of vipers were already recorded for Acre, with Bothrops atrox being the most abundant, present in various types of habitats and being the main species involved in snakebites. Bothrops bilineatus is the most common snake found in a floodplain forest in the protected area Japiim Pentecoste, a factor probably associated with prey availability. The other four species of vipers (Bothrocophias hyoprora, Bothrops brazili, B. taeniatus and Lachesis muta) are less frequent and associated with unflooded forests. Although we found in the literature several studies involving vipers in Acre, there is a need for more studies on these snakes in the region, addressing their ecology, ethno-herpetological questions and snakebites, including research on their ecology and behavior in the field, genetic variation and differentiation among populations and species, and biochemical composition of venoms.

Incidence and characteristics of crocodilian incidents on humans in Brazil in the period 2000–2022

Brazil has the largest diversity of crocodilians in the world, with six species present in the country. Considered as opportunistic generalist predators, these animals occupy the top of the food chain in river ecosystems. Anthropic actions result in an impact both on habitats and on the behaviour of the crocodilians, in addition to facilitating the encounter between humans and crocodilian species. In this study, we evaluated the characteristics of alligator incidents on humans in Brazil during the years 2000–2022. We used online platforms for scientific articles and news, collecting information about the victims, the species involved, and the locality of occurrence. We found 86 records of incidents, of which 18 resulted in the victim's death. The Amazon biome encompass the highest number of incidents, and the black caiman Melanosuchus niger was the species involved most. Most incidents (n = 35) occurred with people who were fishing or on boats. Considering the size of the country's population, alligator incidents on humans in Brazil can be considered rare, but they should not be overlooked. The advancement of activities that degrade the environment, causing imbalances, can cause an increase in the likelihood of encounters and, consequently, incidents, which usually generates critical medical problems and negative consequences for the populations of these animals. Keywords: Alligator, attack, bite, Caiman, Melanosuchus

Detection of Rickettsia spp. in Animals and Ticks in Midwestern Brazil, Where Human Cases of Rickettsiosis Were Reported.

Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) is the most important tick-borne diseases affecting humans in Brazil. Cases of BSF have recently been reported in the Goiás state, midwestern Brazil. All cases have been confirmed by reference laboratories by seroconversion to Rickettsia rickettsii antigens. Because serological cross-reactions among different rickettsial species that belong to the spotted fever group (SFG) are common, the agent responsible for BSF cases in Goiás remains unknown. From March 2020 to April 2022, ticks and plasma were collected from dogs, horses and capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), and from the vegetation in an area where BSF cases have been reported and two areas under epidemiological surveillance in Goiás. Horses were infested by Amblyomma sculptum, Dermacentor nitens and Rhipicephalus microplus; dogs by Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.), Amblyomma ovale and A. sculptum, and capybaras by A. sculptum and Amblyomma dubitatum. Adults of A. sculptum, A. dubitatum, Amblyomma rotundatum and immature stages of A. sculptum and A. dubitatum, and Amblyomma spp. were collected from the vegetation. DNA of Rickettsia that did not belong to the SFG was detected in A. dubitatum, which was identified by DNA sequencing as Rickettsia bellii. Seroreactivity to SFG and Rickettsia bellii antigens was detected in 25.4% (42/165) of dogs, 22.7% (10/44) of horses and 41.2% (7/17) of capybaras, with higher titers for R. bellii in dogs and capybaras. The seropositivity of animals to SFG Rickettsia spp. antigens demonstrates the circulation of SFG rickettsiae in the region. Further research is needed to fully determine the agent responsible for rickettsiosis cases in this area.

High Genetic Similarity Among Salmonella Heidelberg Isolated from Poultry Farms, Wild Animals, Beef, Poultry and Pork Meat, and Humans in Brazil

Salmonellosis is an important gastrointestinal infection in humans and cause of foodborne outbreaks in the world. In this context, molecular characterization is essential to understand how the strains circulate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genotypic distribution of S. Heidelberg according to the source of isolation. The genetic relatedness of the S. Heidelberg isolates was determined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The most prevalent pulsotypes of cluster A were BRJF6X01.006 (27/95 = 28,42%) related between 1995 and 2011 in broilers, poultry meat and poultry farms, meat product and human, and BRJF6X01.001 (21/95 = 22,10%) related between 2011 and 2017 in wild animals, broilers, poultry meat, poultry farms, meat product, animal feed, and pork meat. The pulsotype BRJF6X01.001 shows a high distribution in the environmental and productive chain. The degree of similarity between pulsotypes BRJF6X01.006 and BRJF6X01.001 is 88%. To ensure the safety of human and animal health, holistic approaches, including surveillance of Salmonella throughout the environment and in the production chain, together with control measures, are critical. As transmission of Salmonella from food producing animals to wildlife and to the environment is considered potential public health problem, information on the survival and persistence of Salmonella in the environment and in potential reservoirs is of considerable importance.

Characterization of the virulence of three novel clade 2 Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile strains and a two-year screening in animals and humans in Brazil.

Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile infection (CDI) is an evolving global healthcare problem, and owing to the diverse and dynamic molecular epidemiology of C. difficile, new strains continue to emerge. In Brazil, only two cases of CDI due to the so called hypervirulent PCR ribotype (RT) 027 belonging to clade 2 have ever been reported, whereas incidence of CDI due to another “hypervirulent” RT078 (clade 5) has not yet been reported. In contrast, novel clade 2 strains have been identified in different hospitals. To better understand the epidemiology of CDIs in Brazil, this study aimed to genotypically and phenotypically characterize three novel Brazilian clade 2 strains (RT883, 884, and 885) isolated from patients with confirmed CDI. In addition, to better understand the circulating RTs, a two-year sampling was conducted in patients from the same hospital and in several domestic and wild animal species. The three strains examined showed lower production of A/B toxins than the control RT027, although two of these strains harbored a truncated tcdC gene. All strains showed swimming motility similar to that of RT027, while RT883 showed higher spore production than the reference strain. In the in vivo hamster model, the lethality of all strains was found to be similar to that of RT027. Both cgMLST and cgMLSA analyses revealed a high genetic similarity among the three-novel clade 2 isolates. In the two-year survey in animals and humans, RT883, 884, and 885 were not detected; however, three new RTs (RT988, RT989, and RT990) were isolated, two of which were genetically related to the three previously reported clade 2 strains. RT106 and RT126 were most frequently detected in humans (47.9%) and animals (57.9%), respectively. Furthermore, RT027 and RT078 were not detected in humans. The results of this study suggest that these novel clade 2 strains have virulence potential and that new strains from clade 2 continue to emerge in our setting, indicating the need for long-term local surveillance.

Ornithodoros cf. mimon infected with a spotted fever group Rickettsia in Brazil

Ornithodoros mimon is an argasid tick primarily associated with bats that also infest other animals including birds, opossums and humans. In this paper, we report the finding of an argasid species resembling O. mimon, which similarly may be found in human dwellings and parasitize humans in Brazil. We also provide molecular evidence that this argasid tick species may carry a rickettsial organism, whose pathogenicity remains unknown. A total of 16 ticks (two females, two males and 12 nymphs) were collected in the bedroom and in the attic of a human house, where cases of “insect” bites have been recurrent. These ticks were identified morphologically and genetically as Ornithodoros cf. mimon. Upon PCR testing, four of these ticks (one female and three nymphs) were positive for human blood and for a bacterium closely related to “Candidatus Rickettsia paranaensis”. In conclusion, we report for the first time in Brazil an argasid tick species morphologically and genetically related to O. mimon, which feeds on humans and carry a rickettsial organism belonging to the spotted fever group. Further studies are needed to formally assess the taxonomic status of this tick species and also to investigate the pathogenicity of its associated rickettsial organism.

Prevalence of tungiasis in humans in Brazil and in its federative units: a systematic review

Tungiasis is a neglected parasitic disease caused by penetration of female Tunga penetrans under the skin, causing important health outcomes in humans. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of tungiasis in Brazil and in its federative units. In November 2019, an investigation was carried out to find studies published from 1980 onwards in MEDLINE, LILACS, Cochrane, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science and Embase databases, and in the gray literature, using descriptors related to the prevalence of tungiasis caused by T. penetrans in Brazil. Of the 542 studies found, only 16 published between 2002 and 2010 met the eligibility criteria to be included in this systematic review. Of the 16 selected publications, 14 addressed the prevalence of tungiasis in communities in the Northeast region of the country, one in the South and one in the Southeast. The general prevalence of the parasitosis in the studies ranged from 1.6% to 54.8%, predominantly in the five to nine age group. Eight studies considered the prevalence by gender, ranging from 2.2% to 62.2% for females and 1.1% to 62.5% for males. This systematic review presents an unprecedented survey of the prevalence of tungiasis, a parasitic disease whose dissemination is facilitated by several factors, occuring mainly in low-income communities. Considering the regionalization of the findings, the scarcity of publications, as well as disease neglect, more studies are required. KEY WORDS: Tunga penetrans; occurrence; epidemiology; PRISMA; human.

Coxielose em ruminantes e a saúde pública no Brasil – revisão de literatura

In humans, C. burnetii infection is known as Q fever, in animals the term coxiellosis is considered more appropriate than animal Q fever. This is a worldwide distribution zoonosis caused by a gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterium of the order Legionellales, which has been classified as a potential bioterrorism agent. Cattle and small ruminants represent the most frequent sources of infection in humans, with inhalation of contaminated aerosols from infected animal products being the main form of transmission. The present study aims to perform a literature review on coxiellosis, evidence of C. burnetii circulating in animals and humans in Brazil and its close relationship to public health, due to its zoonotic nature, in addition to its economic importance for national livestock.

Persistência de longa duração de anticorpos anti-Rickettsia rickettsii em capivaras, com transferência passiva para a prole

The bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii is the etiological agent of Brazilian spotted fever (BSF), and its most important vector to humans in Brazil is the tick Amblyomma sculptum. Capybaras are the main hosts of A. sculptum in many BSF-endemic areas and are considered valuable sentinels for BSF surveillance. This study aimed to assess the persistence of anti-R. rickettsii antibodies for long periods in capybaras and their passive transfer to offspring. For this purpose, three adult capybaras previously exposed to multiple infections with R. rickettsii were followed up until 3.1 years after their last exposure. During the study, one female delivered five cubs, of which three survived. Blood samples were collected monthly from adults and infants, and serum samples were titrated by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) to determine endpoint titers of anti-R. rickettsii antibodies. All three adults remained seroreactive to R. rickettsii with high endpoint titers until the end of the study. All infants were seroreactive to R. rickettsii after birth and remained seroreactive for one to four months. This study showed that exposure of capybaras to R. rickettsii-infected A. sculptum ticks elicits a persistent antibody response. In addition, there was evidence of passive transfer of R. rickettsii-reactive antibodies to offspring.

Survey of Brazilian spotted fever in dogs and ticks in Itu, São Paulo state, Brazil

ABSTRACT Brazilian Spotted Fever (BSF) is a potentially lethal, tick-borne disease, caused by the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii. This study investigated the circulation of bacteria of the genus Rickettsia in dogs and ticks in the urban and rural areas of Itu, a BSF-endemic area in southeastern Brazil. During 2017–2018, blood serum samples were obtained from 289 domestic dogs. Through an indirect immunofluorescence assay with antigens of R. rickettsii, R. parkeri, and R. bellii, 21.8% (63/289) of the dogs reacted serologically to at least one Rickettsia species, with endpoint titres ranging from 64 to 2048. A total of 877 ticks were collected from the dogs, being 404 (2 Amblyomma sculptum, 5 A. aureolatum, 1 Amblyomma ovale and 396 R. sanguineus s.l.) tested for the presence of rickettsial DNA by molecular analyses, R. rickettsii was identified in 3 R. sanguineus s.l. from dogs. Our results provide serological and molecular evidence of R. rickettsii infection between dogs and ticks in a BSF-endemic area, where Amblyomma ticks have been previously implicated as vectors of the disease agent, R. rickettsii, to humans, however the role of R. sanguineus s.l. as a vector of R. rickettsii for humans in Brazil cannot be neglected.

The genome of the zoonotic malaria parasite Plasmodium simium reveals adaptations to host switching

BackgroundPlasmodium simium, a malaria parasite of non-human primates (NHP), was recently shown to cause zoonotic infections in humans in Brazil. We sequenced the P. simium genome to investigate its evolutionary history and to identify any genetic adaptions that may underlie the ability of this parasite to switch between host species.ResultsPhylogenetic analyses based on whole genome sequences of P. simium from humans and NHPs reveals that P. simium is monophyletic within the broader diversity of South American Plasmodium vivax, suggesting P. simium first infected NHPs as a result of a host switch of P. vivax from humans. The P. simium isolates show the closest relationship to Mexican P. vivax isolates. Analysis of erythrocyte invasion genes reveals differences between P. vivax and P. simium, including large deletions in the Duffy-binding protein 1 (DBP1) and reticulocyte-binding protein 2a genes of P. simium. Analysis of P. simium isolated from NHPs and humans revealed a deletion of 38 amino acids in DBP1 present in all human-derived isolates, whereas NHP isolates were multi-allelic.ConclusionsAnalysis of the P. simium genome confirmed a close phylogenetic relationship between P. simium and P. vivax, and suggests a very recent American origin for P. simium. The presence of the DBP1 deletion in all human-derived isolates tested suggests that this deletion, in combination with other genetic changes in P. simium, may facilitate the invasion of human red blood cells and may explain, at least in part, the basis of the recent zoonotic infections.

Bee stings in Brazil: Epidemiological aspects in humans

Bees are insects of the order Hymenoptera and are involved in human accidents. In Brazil, bees that cause accidents are crosses derived from Europeans with African bees and are known for their aggressive behavior. Despite being considered an important public health concern, epidemiological studies at the national level are scarce. The objective of this study was to verify the epidemiological profile of bee accidents in humans in Brazil, using data from 2009 to 2019 of the Brazilian Ministry of Health. It was found that bee accidents increased by 207.61% from the first to the last year of the present study. The incidence varied according to the geographical region; the southern region had more bee accidents, but the Northern region had more deaths caused by bee accidents. Besides, climatic conditions were associated with susceptibility to bee stings; the incidence was higher during spring and summer. Age was also associated with fatality rate, with the elderly being the group with the highest fatality rate. Our results demonstrate that accidents caused by bees involve factors related to patients, the environment, and the behavior of bees. It is important to know the epidemiological aspects to help prevent apidic accidents.

Congenital toxoplasmosis in humans: an update of worldwide rate of congenital infections.

The morbidity due to congenital toxoplasmosis in humans is very high. Most of these infected children are likely to develop symptoms of clinical toxoplasmosis. Sequelae in fetus resulting from Toxoplasma gondii infections in women who become infected with this parasite during pregnancy can be devastating and enormous efforts are directed in some countries to prevent these consequences. Here, an update on congenital toxoplasmosis in humans, especially the rate of congenital infections in humans worldwide, is provided. Although several countries have surveillance programmes, most information on the rate of congenital transmission is from France and Brazil. Because of compulsory national screening programme in France to detect and treat women with recently acquired T. gondii infection with anti-toxoplasma therapy, the rate of congenital transmission and the severity of disease in children are declining. Infections by this parasite are widely prevalent in Brazil. The severity of clinical toxoplasmosis in Brazilian children is very high and may be associated with the genetic characteristics of T. gondii isolates prevailing in animals and humans in Brazil. Virtually little or no information is available on this topic from China, India and other countries in Asia.

Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis in an Area of Sporadic Transmission in Brazil.

Canine visceral leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Leishmania infantum in Latin America. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) diagnosis in Brazil includes two serological tests according to the Ministry of Health (MH) protocol. Sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic tests, as well as clinical signs of VL, are usually reported in disease-endemic areas; however, it is known that local epidemiological factors can influence these results. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical features, sensitivity, and specificity of TR-DPP® and EIE-LVC in naturally infected dogs in a region of sporadic VL transmission to humans in Brazil. A total of 288 dogs were clinically evaluated and serological and parasitological (lymph node aspirates) samples were collected for VL diagnosis. TR-DPP and EIE-LVC showed poor sensitivity (0.62 and 0.44, respectively) to detect infected animals, compared with the direct parasitological examination, which is considered a gold standard method. Thus, the protocol of MH presented low sensitivity (0.42) to estimate prevalence and control measures in this region. TR-DPP presented a high negative predictive value (0.89), resulting in its indication as a confirmatory test in sporadic transmission areas. Classical clinical signs of VL were not frequently observed; therefore, clinical scoring systems might not be useful in this region. Veterinarians of nonendemic areas should be alert for asymptomatic dogs, especially those presenting lymph adenomegaly.

Biodiversity of Potential Vectors of Rickettsiae and Epidemiological Mosaic of Spotted Fever in the State of Paraná, Brazil.

Spotted Fever Rickettsioses (SFR) are diseases caused by bacteria of the genus Rickettsia, and are transmitted mainly by ticks. Its eco-epidemiological scenarios vary spatially, and may also vary over time due to environmental changes. It is the main disease transmitted by ticks to humans in Brazil, with the state of Paraná (PR) having the sixth highest number of notified incidences in the country. However, information is lacking regarding the SFR disease cycles at likely infection sites within PR. During case investigations or environmental surveillance in PR for SFR, 28,517 arthropods were collected, including species known or potentially involved in the SFR cycles, such as Amblyomma sculptum, Amblyomma aureolatum, Amblyomma ovale, Amblyomma dubitatum, Amblyomma parkeri, Ctenocephalides felis felis, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato. From these Rickettsia asembonensis, Rickettsia bellii, Rickettsia felis, Rickettsia parkeri strain Atlantic Rainforest and Candidatus Rickettsia paranaensis were detected. Ectoparasite abundance was found to be related with specific hosts and collection environments. Rickettsiae circulation was observed for 48 municipalities, encompassing 16 Health Regions (HR). As for socio-demographic and assistance indicators, circulation occurred largely in the most urbanized HR, with a higher per capita Gross Domestic Product, lower Family Health Strategy coverage, and with a higher ratio of beds in the Unified Health System per thousand inhabitants. For environmental variables, circulation occurred predominantly in HR with a climatic classified as “subtropical with hot summers” (Cfa), and with forest type phytogeographic formations. In terms of land use, circulation was commonest in areas with agriculture, pasture and fields and forest cover. Rickettsiae were circulating in almost all hydrographic basins of PR state. The results of this study provide the first descriptive recognition of SFR in PR, as well as outlining its eco-epidemiological dynamics. These proved to be quite heterogeneous, and analyzed scenarios showed characteristics strongly-associated with the outbreaks, with cases presenting clinical variation in space, so illustrating the complexity of scenarios in PR state. Due to the diversity of the circumstances surrounding SFR infections in PR, public health initiatives are necessary to foster a better understanding of the dynamics and factors effecting vulnerability to SFR in this Brazilian state.

Neighbor danger: Yellow fever virus epizootics in urban and urban-rural transition areas of Minas Gerais state, during 2017-2018 yellow fever outbreaks in Brazil

BackgroundFrom the end of 2016 until the beginning of 2019, Brazil faced a massive sylvatic yellow fever (YF) outbreak. The 2016–2019 YF epidemics affected densely populated areas, especially the Southeast region, causing thousands of deaths of humans and non-human primates (NHP).Methodology/Principal findingsWe conducted a molecular investigation of yellow fever virus (YFV) RNA in 781 NHP carcasses collected in the urban, urban-rural interface, and rural areas of Minas Gerais state, from January 2017 to December 2018. Samples were analyzed according to the period of sampling, NHP genera, sampling areas, and sampling areas/NHP genera to compare the proportions of YFV-positive carcasses and the estimated YFV genomic loads. YFV infection was confirmed in 38.1% of NHP carcasses (including specimens of the genera Alouatta, Callicebus, Callithrix, and Sapajus), from the urban, urban-rural interface, and rural areas. YFV RNA detection was positively associated with epidemic periods (especially from December to March) and the rural environment. Higher median viral genomic loads (one million times) were estimated in carcasses collected in rural areas compared to urban ones.Conclusions/SignificanceThe results showed the wide occurrence of YF in Minas Gerais in epidemic and non-epidemic periods. According to the sylvatic pattern of YF, a gradient of viral dissemination from rural towards urban areas was observed. A high YF positivity was observed for NHP carcasses collected in urban areas with a widespread occurrence in 67 municipalities of Minas Gerais, including large urban centers. Although there was no documented case of urban/Aedes YFV transmission to humans in Brazil during the 2016–2019 outbreaks, YFV-infected NHP in urban areas with high infestation by Aedes aegypti poses risks for YFV urban/Aedes transmission and urbanization.

An overview of gamasoidosis caused by Ornithonyssus bursa (Mesostigmata: Macronyssidae) in Brazil and new case records

ABSTRACT Ornithonyssus bursa is a haematophagous mite of veterinary and public health concern. The association between O. bursa and humans in Brazil has been known for several decades, but most of the information is limited and confusing. Herein, we present an overview of the cases of gamasoidosis in Brazil based on published and new records. Wild birds are common sources for human infestation, especially omnivorous and insectivorous birds that live in urban and rural environments. Species of the Columbidae are the most common birds associated with O. bursa in Brazil.

Insomnia During the COVID-19 Outbreak in Brazil

Introduction: The outbreak of COVID-19 among humans in Brazil and its spread around the world is strongly impacting mental health. Health problems such as anxiety, depression, insomnia and fear were the most related to. High levels of stress during the day can impair quality and time of sleep.
 Method: The purpose of this article was to update, through a bibliographic search, the effects of the pandemic on sleep disorders, with insomnia being the most related. A systematic search had been carried out in the main databases: Lilacs, Bireme and PubMed. The languages used in the search were Portuguese and English, from articles published this year. Using the following keywords: Sleep quality, COVID-19, Insomnia, Cognitive behavioral therapy.
 Discussion: The concern about financial and political uncertainties, feelings of impotence and fear of self-contamination and of family members are factors that corroborate with the worsening of the sleep quality of the population and health professionals’ working on the front lines of the fight against the pandemic, leading to increased cases of insomnia. Behavioral Cognitive Therapy, hypnotherapy and social interaction mediated by Web conferencing tools are the best ways to treat these symptoms at the moment. Even so, the brazilian literature on the subject is extremely scarce, making it an extremely relevant subject for future research.

Effectiveness of the mass use of deltamethrin-impregnated dog collars for preventing transmission of canine leishmaniasis by Lutzomyia spp.: A cluster randomized controlled trial

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a zoonosis that greatly impacts public health, especially in developing countries. The effectiveness of deltamethrin-impregnated dog collars for preventing transmission of canine leishmaniasis (CanL) by the sand fly Lutzomyia spp. in countries with high incidence of the disease, such as Brazil, remains unknown. A cluster randomized controlled trial was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of these collars in preventing infection of dogs with Leishmania infantum.Two areas were selected in a municipality endemic for VL in Brazil: an experimental area (EA) and a control area (CA). In both areas, blood samples were collected from dogs for detection of CanL. Seronegative dogs from the EA received collars impregnated with deltamethrin 4%. After six months, the dogs were retested for CanL and the incidence of the disease, the relative risk, and the effectiveness of collaring determined. In the baseline survey, 1020 dogs from the EA and 589 from the CA were examined. The prevalence calculated for EA was 4.41% (CI95% 3.27–5.91), and 7.13% (CI95% 5.25–9.59) for CA. In the second evaluation, 454 dogs from the EA and 292 from the CA were examined. The person-time incidence calculated for EA was 3.51% (CI95% 1.30–7.48), and for CA was 11.81% (CI95% 7.03–18.23). The difference between the calculated incidences was statistically significant (p = 0.009). The relative risk was 0.2972 (CI95% 0.1204-0.7339; p = 0.009), and the efficacy of the proposed measure was estimated in 70.27%.This report evaluated the effectiveness of the mass use of deltamethrin-impregnated dog collars in areas of transmission of VL by Lutzomyia spp. Collaring was able to protect dogs and may represent an effective strategy that could be implemented to control infection in both dogs and humans in Brazil and perhaps other countries where Lutzomyia spp. is the main vector of the disease.

Detection of Toxoplasma gondii infection in feral wild boars (Sus scrofa) through indirect hemagglutination and PCR

ABSTRACT: Wild boars (Sus scrofa) have become an important invasive species in all Brazilian regions. Increase in their population causes damage to rural properties, as they invade and destroy crops. To protect their crops and farm animals, producers hunt wild boars and often consume the product without any sanitary control, becoming exposed to various types of pathogens, including Toxoplasma gondii. Sanitary evaluations of these animals are scarce, especially in relation to the protozoan T. gondii. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of this pathogen in wild boars in Brazil. We analyzed 122 blood samples from wild boars (blood clots and serum), collected between 2014 and 2016 in five Brazilian states, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and indirect hemagglutination (IH) techniques. In total, 33 (27%) samples were positive by at least one test, 16 (13.1%) were positive by PCR, 19 (15.6%) were positive by IH, and only 2 (1.6%) were positive by both tests. The lack of sanitary management of feral animals increases the incidence of infections, and the consumption of raw or inadequately cooked meat may become a potential source of infection for humans in Brazil.