Survey of Plasmodium in the golden-headed lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysomelas) living in urban Atlantic forest in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Communicating the presence of potential zoonotic pathogens such as Plasmodium spp. in wild animals is important for developing both animal and human health policies. METHODS: The translocation of an exotic and invasive population of Leontopithecus chrysomelas (golden-headed lion tamarins) required the screening of these animals for specific pathogens. This studies objective was to investigate Plasmodium spp. infection in the L. chrysomelas, both to know its prevalence in these animals in the local area and to minimize the risk of pathogens being translocated to the destination site. To investigate Plasmodium spp. infection, blood samples from 268 animals were assessed for the presence of Plasmodium spp. by genus-specific PCR and stained thick and thin blood smears were examined by light microscopy. Data of human malaria infection in the studied region was also assembled from SINAN (Diseases Information System Notification-Ministry of Health of Brazil). RESULTS: Results from the PCR and microscopy were all negative and suggested that no L. chrysomelas was infected with Plasmodium spp. Analysis of SINAN data showed that malaria transmission is present among the human population in the studied region. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to provide information on Plasmodium spp. infection in L. chrysomelas. Plasmodium spp. infection of this species is rare or absent though malaria parasites circulate in the region. In addition, there is minimal risk of translocating Plasmodium spp. infected animals to the destination site.

Endothelial Protein C Receptor Could Contribute to Experimental Malaria-Associated Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

The severity of Plasmodium falciparum malaria is associated with parasite cytoadherence, but there is limited knowledge about the effect of parasite cytoadherence in malaria-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Our objective was to evaluate the cytoadherence of infected red blood cells (iRBCs) in a murine model of ARDS and to appraise a potential function of endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) in ARDS pathogenesis. DBA/2 mice infected with P. berghei ANKA were classified as ARDS- or hyperparasitemia- (HP-) developing mice according to respiratory parameters and parasitemia. Lungs, blood, and bronchoalveolar lavage were collected for gene expression or protein analyses. Primary cultures of microvascular lung endothelial cells from DBA/2 mice were analyzed for iRBC interactions. Lungs from ARDS-developing mice showed evidence of iRBC accumulation along with an increase in EPCR and TNF concentrations. Furthermore, TNF increased iRBC adherence in vitro. Dexamethasone-treated infected mice showed low levels of TNF and EPCR mRNA expression and, finally, decreased vascular permeability, thus protecting mice from ARDS. In conclusion, we identified that increased iRBC cytoadherence in the lungs underlies malaria-associated ARDS in DBA/2-infected mice and that inflammation increased cytoadherence capacity, suggesting a participation of EPCR and a conceivable target for drug development.