Socioenvironmental aspects of the Purus Region - Brazilian Amazon: Why relate them to the occurrence of American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis?

This study aims to analyze factors related to the occurrence of American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis in the Purus Region, based on the reporting of cases between 2001 and 2013, correlating them with livelihoods and subsistence farming in the region, and analyzing them in regards to sex, age, clinical form, occupation, diagnostic methods and seasonality. The analysis parameter which was used included all cases of American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis in each sub-region by municipality. The Purus Region, between the states of Amazonas and Acre, consists of three sub-regions: Upper, Middle, and Lower Purus. We observed that socio-environmental impacts influenced the livelihoods of the human population and that the interaction with extractive activities, especially latex and Brazil nut collecting, where the labor regime implies a long stay in the jungle, leads to socio-environmental conditions that are favorable to the contraction of American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis. During the referred period, there were 13,971 cases of American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis distributed among the sub-regions: High (12611 cases = 90.27%), Middle (1225 cases = 8.77%) and Lower (135 cases = 0.96%). Among the 22 municipalities that were studied, Rio Branco stands out with 31.6% of cases, followed by Xapuri with 12.6% and Sena Madureira with 12.5%. In the results, we highlight the high percentage (20.8%) of mucous forms; the age group from 11 to 50 (70.2%), however, 20.2% were in the age group of 1 month to 10 years of age; cases in males were 69.8%, and, in the reports examined, 43.7%. cited their occupation as extractivism. A statistically significant negative association was demonstrated between cutaneous leishmaniasis and rainfall between Purus municipalities. However, in regards to the association of cutaneous leishmaniasis for both, temperature and Municipal Human Development Index-MHDI, no significant associations were found in Purus. We concluded that American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis occurring in the Purus Region is related to two distinct aspects: the development of enterprises that extend the agricultural frontier, and a change in lifestyle, namely the extraction of wood as an occupation, which has, as a consequence, an environmental impact and creates difficulties in accessing treatment.

Occurrence of Spaethiella coccinea Boheman (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Hispinae) on Theobroma grandiflorum [Willdenow ex Sprengel] Schumman, (sterculiaceae), in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil

A preliminary study on the ocurrence of Spathiella coccinea Boh. (Coleoptera) on Theobroma grandiflorum (cupuassu), native Amazonian fruit plant, are reported. S. coccinea is known to feed on leaves of many species of palm, and has been found in Elaeis guineensis (Palmaceae) leaves. From September 1994 to February 1996 observations were made on the behavior and seasonal aspects of S. coccinea and larvae, pupae and adults found on the leaves of cupuassu were hand collected. The highest number of insects was found in the rainy season February 1995.

A ocorrência de Spathiella coccinea Boh. em plantas de Theobroma grandiflorum Schum. (cupuaçuzeiro), fruteira nativa da região Amazônica é aqui registrada. S. coccinea é conhecida como um Coleoptera que se alimenta de folhas de palmeiras de diversas espécies tendo sido encontrado na região de Tefé, alimentando-se de folhas de dendezeiros Elaeis guineensis. Durante dezoito meses foram feitas observações sobre o comportamento sazonal desses besouros, coletando-se manualmente larvas, pupas e adultos sobre e sob as folhas de cupuaçuzeiros. Encontrou-se o maior número desses indivíduos nos meses correspondentes ao período mais chuvoso.