High seroprevalence and associated factors for visceral leishmaniasis in dogs in a transmission area of Paraíba state, Northeastern Brazil.

Dogs have been implicated as main reservoirs for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in urban areas. Therefore, studies on this species provide important data for public health. Thus, the objective of the present study was to ascertain the seroprevalence of canine VL (CVL) and the associated factors in the Brejo Paraibano microregion, northeastern Brazil. A total of 409 dogs were sampled from the eight municipalities of the microregion: Alagoa Grande, Alagoa Nova, Areia, Bananeiras, Borborema, Matinhas, Pilões and Serraria. The diagnosis of CVL was made using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA S7®), through which the prevalence observed was 29.3%. By robust Poisson regression analysis two factors were associated with seroprevalence: illiterate/incomplete elementary owner's education level (prevalence ratio = 1.57; 95% CI = 1.05-2.34; p-value = 0.027) and tick infestation (prevalence ratio = 1.82; 95% CI = 1.27-2.61; p-value = 0.001). It is concluded that the seroprevalence of CVL in the Brejo Paraibano microregion is high. The factors associated with seroprevalence indicated the importance to develop socioeducational actions on the population, and the finding that tick infestation was associated with seroprevalence shows that there is a need for investigation regarding the role of ticks in the epidemiology of CVL.

Migração cranial de diferentes volumes de iobitridol, administrados pela via epidural lombossacra, em coelhos / Cranial spread of different volumes of iobitridol, administered by epidural lumbosacral route, in rabbits

Com o objetivo de avaliar a migração cranial de diferentes volumes de iobitridol, administrado por via epidural lombossacra, bem como as possíveis alterações decorrentes dessa administração, foram utilizados 12 coelhos, sem raça definida, com 1,0±0,5 anos de idade e pesando 2,4±0,4 kg. Os animais foram anestesiados com xilazina (5 mg/kg) e cetamina (20 mg/kg), por via intramuscular, 15 minutos antes da punção lombossacra. Foram compostos dois grupos: grupo 1 (G1), onde foi administrado iobitridol, no volume de 0,33 mL/kg; e grupo 2 (G2), 0,22 mL/kg. Avaliaram-se as frequências cardíaca (FC) e respiratória (f), a duração da onda P, do intervalo PR, do complexo QRS e do intervalo QT, a saturação de oxihemoglobina (SPO2) e a temperatura retal (TR), antes da epidurografia e a cada 10 minutos após, durante 60 minutos. Também foram analisadas a migração cranial do iobitridol e a ataxia produzida. A FC, f e TR reduziram e a duração do intervalo QT aumentou após a anestesia em ambos os grupos. As durações do intervalo PR e do complexo QRS aumentaram no G1. O limite cranial da migração do meio de contraste variou entre a 4а vértebra lombar e a 8а vértebra torácica no G1 e entre a 5а vértebra lombar e a 11а vértebra torácica no G2. A ataxia foi moderada em ambos os grupos. Conclui-se que a administração do iobitridol pela via epidural lombossacra, associada à anestesia dissociativa com xilazina-cetamina, e nos volumes utilizados e sob as condições de estudo, causa alterações toleráveis nos parâmetros avaliados em coelhos hígidos, e quando utilizado neste modelo animal não causa sinais de neurotoxicidade.

In order to evaluate the cranial spread of different volumes of iobitridol, by epidural lumbosacral route, 12 mongrel rabbits, 1.0±0.5 years old, weighing 2.4±0.4 kg were used. The animals were anesthetized with xylazine (5 mg/kg) and ketamine (20 mg/kg) intramuscularly, 15 minutes before of the lumbosacral puncture. Two groups were formed: iobitridol was administered at a volume of 0.33 mL/kg in the group 1 (G1) and at 0.22 mL/kg in the group 2 (G2). The heart (HR) and respiratory rates (f), duration of P-wave, PR interval, QRS complex and QT interval, oxyhemoglobin saturation (OS) and rectal temperature (RT) were evaluated, before epidurography and every 10 minutes after, for 60 minutes. The cranial spread of iobitridol and the ataxia produced were also analyzed. FC, f and RT reduced and duration of QT interval increased after anesthesia in both groups. The duration of PR interval and QRS complex increased in G1. The cranial limit of the migration of the contrast medium varied between the 4th lumbar vertebra and the 8th thoracic vertebra in G1 and between the 5th lumbar vertebra and the 11th thoracic vertebra in G2. Ataxia was moderate in both groups. It is concluded that the administration of iobitridol by the lumbosacral epidural route, associated with dissociative anesthesia with xylazine-ketamine, and in the volumes used and under the study conditions, causes tolerable changes in the parameters evaluated in healthy rabbits, and when used in this animal model there is no signs of neurotoxicity