Detection of anti-Leishmania spp. antibodies in poultry from central region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Domestic birds such as Gallus gallus, Meleagris gallopavo, Anser anser and Numida meleagris are widely distributed throughout the world and maintain contact with humans and other animal species considered reservoirs of both Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) and American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis (ATL), including dogs and cats; wild canids, marsupials; and synanthropic animals such as rodents and chiroptera. Therefore, this study aimed to detect the presence of anti-Leishmania spp. antibodies in birds from a rural area of the municipality of Santa Maria, southern Brazil. From May to December 2022, 262 blood samples were collected from 244 chickens, 8 turkeys, 7 guinea fowl and 3 geese, distributed in 27 rural properties in 6 districts. All the sites visited presented positive birds for the presence of Leishmania spp. Thus, it is inferred that, contact with this protozoan can induce the production of antibodies, suggesting that these animals can be used as sentinels for the circulation of this agent. In addition, the blood of these animals is a preferred food source for insects of the subfamily Phlebotominae, which can be used them as bioindicators of the presence of these phlebotomes.

First identification of Lutzomyia longipalpis in an area of visceral leishmaniasis transmission in central Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil.

Sand flies are hematophagous dipterans and are considered vectors of the parasites belonging to the genus Leishmania, which can infect mammals, including humans, and subsequently cause leishmaniasis. Rio Grande do Sul State (RS), southern Brazil, was considered free of this disease for the last few decades. However, several autochthonous cases of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) have been recorded in different municipalities in recent years. Since 2017, cases of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) have been reported in the municipality of Santa Maria, located in the central region of RS. In 2021, two cases of human VL were confirmed in the city, resulting in one death. To capture the possible vectors involved in the disease transmission cycle, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) modified light traps were installed in the peridomestic residential areas. These points were situated in two city districts where cases of CVL had been reported from January 2021 to January 2022. In the 41 sample collections of sand flies, 9 specimens of Lutzomyia longipalpis were identified, confirming the municipality as an area of VL transmission, according to Brazilian sanitary standards. The spread of Leishmania spp. has been occurring efficiently, resulting in a negative impact on the One Health. This study reports the first detection of L. longipalpis in the central region of RS.