Analysis of Amblyomma sculptum haplotypes in an area endemic for Brazilian spotted fever.

Amblyomma sculptum (Ixodida: Ixodidae) Berlese, 1888, a member of the Amblyomma cajennense complex, is the major vector of Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) in southeastern Brazil. In this study, the genetic diversity of A. sculptum populations in the state of Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brazil, was investigated because genetic variability in tick populations may be related to vector competence. Samples of A. sculptum from 19 municipalities in 7 regions of RJ were subjected to DNA extraction, amplification and sequencing of D-loop, cytochrome oxidase II and 12S rDNA mitochondrial genes. These sequences were used to map the genetic diversity of this tick. Amblyomma sculptum populations are genetically diverse in RJ, especially in the South Centre and Highland regions. Few unique haplotypes were observed in all populations, and the majority of genetic variation found was among ticks within each population. Phylogenetic reconstruction reinforced the assumption that all the haplotypes identified in RJ belong to A. sculptum. However, some RJ haplotypes are closer to A. sculptum from Argentina than to A. sculptum from elsewhere in Brazil. In RJ, A. sculptum has high genetic diversity, although little genetic differentiation. Observations also indicated a high level of gene flow among the studied populations and no evidence of population structure according to region in RJ.

Morphology of the oxyurid nematodes Trypanoxyuris (T.) cacajao n. sp. and T. (T.) ucayalii n. sp. from the red uakari monkey Cacajao calvus ucayalii in the Peruvian Amazon.

Cacajao calvus ucayalii (Thomas, 1928) (Primates: Pitheciidae), a subspecies endemic to the Peruvian Amazon, occurs in patchy and sometimes isolated populations in north-eastern Peru and is in a vulnerable situation, mainly due to habitat loss and hunting. This rareness and remote distribution means that, until now, parasitical studies have been limited. Based on optical and scanning electron microscopy of specimens of both sexes, we report two new species of Trypanoxyuris pinworms occurring in the large intestine of the Peruvian red uakari, namely Trypanoxyuris (Trypanoxyuris) cacajao and Trypanoxyuris (Trypanoxyuris) ucayalii. Both species showed a distinct morphology of the lips and cephalic structure. Sexual dimorphism in the lateral alae was observed in both male and the female worms, with ventral ornamentation being shown in the oesophageal teeth. The finding of these new pinworm species highlights the possibility of discovering other species.

Avaliação farmacognostica e da rotulagem das drogas vegetais boldo-do-chile (Peumus boldus Molina) e camomila (Matricaria recutita L. ) comercializadas em Fortaleza, CE / Pharmacognostic evaluation and analysis of labels of the medicinal plants Boldo-do-Chile (Peumus boldus Molina) and Chamomile (Matricaria recutita L. ), commercialized in Fortaleza, Ceará State, Brazil

RESUMO Boldo-do-chile (Peumus boldus) e camomila (Matricaria recutita) são plantas empregadas na fitoterapia principalmente para o tratamento de desordens hepáticas e intestinais, atuando também como anti-inflamatório e antiespasmódico, respectivamente. Por isso, o presente trabalho objetivou avaliar a qualidade farmacognostica dessas drogas vegetais comercializadas em Fortaleza (CE), além das informações de suas rotulagens. Quarenta e duas amostras de boldo, e quarenta e cinco amostras de camomila, procedentes de farmácias, de lojas de produtos naturais e de bancas de raizeiros, foram analisadas quanto à autenticidade, à pureza e às informações contidas na rotulagem desses produtos conforme legislação vigente. Na verificação de impurezas, 35,7% das amostras de boldo e 57,7% das amostras de camomila excederam o teor máximo de matéria estranha; no teor de cinzas totais, 33,3% das amostras de boldo foram reprovadas; rotulagens das amostras de boldo (100%) e de camomila (96,6%) apresentaram erros ou ausência de informações. Os resultados das análises confirmam, portanto, a necessidade urgente de melhor fiscalização e intervenção na produção e venda dessas e de outras drogas vegetais para adequação às normas vigentes.

ABSTRACT Boldo (Peumus boldus) and chamomile (Matricaria recutita) plants are mainly used in herbal medicine to treat hepatic and gastrointestinal diseases, having also anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties. This study aimed to evaluate the pharmacognostic quality of these herbal drugs sold in Fortaleza (CE), besides analyzing the information on their labeling. Forty-two samples of boldo, and forty-five samples of chamomile, brought from pharmacies, health food stores and newsstands were analyzed regarding their authenticity, purity, and the information contained in the labeling of the industrial products, to assure that it was in accordance with the current legislation. When verifying the impurities, 35.7% of the boldo samples and 57.7% of the chamomile ones exceeded the maximum level of strange organic matter allowed. Concerning the total ash content, 33.3% of boldo samples were rejected. The labels on the packages of boldo (100%) and chamomile (96,6%) contain errors or lack of information. The test results confirm the need for better surveillance and intervention in the production and sale of these and other drugs plants in order to meet the current standards.

Diversidade de ixodida em roedores e marsupiais capturados no Parque Estadual da Pedra Branca, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil / Diversity of ixodida in small rodents and marsupials in the Pedra Branca state park, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Durante 24 meses foram capturados, inspecionados e liberados no mesmo espaço do Parque Estadual da Pedra Branca, Rio de Janeiro, 96 marsupiais e 64 roedores. Neles foram recolhidos manualmente 105 carrapatos, de 10 espécies em duas famílias. A espécie de carrapato dominante entre os roedores foi Amblyomma longirostre e entre os marsupiais foi Ixodes loricatus. Houve correlação direta significativa entre a temperatura e a intensidade de parasitismo por carrapatos...

During 24 months 96 marsupials and 64 rodents were captured, inspected and set free in the same space of the Pedra Branca State Park, Rio de Janeiro. From them, 105 ticks from 10 species in two families were manually collected. The dominant tick species on the rodents was Amblyomma longirostre and on the marsupials was Ixodes loricatus. There was a significant correlation of the temperature in relation to intensity of parasitism for ticks, demonstrating that the higher the temperature, greater is the number of ticks...

Carrapatos em aves selvagens no Zoológico de Sorocaba - São Paulo, Brasil / Ticks em wild fowls at Sorocaba - São Paulo State, Brazil

Eight wild fowls kept in captivity at a Brazilian Zoo were examined from july 1994 to October 2000. One hundred twenty-three Ixodidae specimens were collected and sent to the Ixodides Laboratory at the Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. They were examined by stereomicroscopy and were identified as Amblyomma longirostre (53), A. pacae (50), A. cajennense (14), and A. parvum (6).

Número de cerdas internas do órgão de Haller em larvas de Amblyoma cajennense (Fabricius, 1787) (Acari: Ixodidae) nos municípios de Silva Jardim e Itaguaí, RJ / Internal setae number of the larvae Haller’s organ of Amblyoma cajennense (Fabricius, 1787) (Acari: Ixodidae) from Silva Jardim and Itaguaí, RJ

Larvae of Amblyomma cajennense (Fabricius, 1787), were obtained under laboratory conditions. The larvae were killed in hot water, preserved in 70° ethanol and prepared in definitive whole mounts. Two hundred larvae were examined under brightjield microscopy with an immersion objective in order to analyze the variation of the number of internal setae of the right and left side of the Haller's organ chamber with the purpose of utilize them as chaetotaxy parameter for specific diagnosis.

Aspectos morfológicos e quetotáxicos de larvas de Argas (Persicargas) miniatus (Acari: Argasidae) no Brasil / Morphology and chaetotaxy aspects of larvae of Argas (Persicargas) miniatus (Acari: Argasidae) in Brazil

Eggs were obtained from female Argas (Persicargas) miniatus parasitizing chickens after natural ovoposition. The larvae from eggs were sacrificed, prepared for and mounted onto slides. Morphological and chaetotaxic studies enabled the following observation: idiosome and gnathosome shape; presence or absence of scutum, eyes and anal setae; number of palpi segments; number of files of teeth on the hypostoma; number of denticles on the apical crow; number of cheliceral digits; number of teeth in each hypostoma file; disposition and shape of opistosoma and podosoma setae in ventral and dorsal view. Based on these morphological features analyzed, it is concluded that the larvae of A. (P.) miniatus present variations in morphology and chaetotaxy that are useful to separate the larvae of the subgenus Persicargas.

Evaluation of the acarofauna of the domiciliary ecosystem in Juiz de Fora, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

From August 1999 to January 2000, samples of house dust were collected from 160 domiciles in the city of Juiz de Fora, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. In 36 of these domiciles kitchen samples were obtained. Prevalence rate was 77.5%, varying according to the geographical sector. There were found 2,278 specimens of mites, with 1,530 (67.2%) in the adult stage and 748 (32.8%) in immature forms. The main species found were Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, D. farinae, Euroglyphus maynei, Blomia tropicalis and Tyrophagus putrescentiae. In a minor incidence we found Lepidoglyphus destructor, Suidasia pontificiae, Chortoglyphus arcuatus, Cheyletus malaccensis, C. fortis, Ker bakeri, Cheletonella vespertilionis, C. caucasica and others. C. vespertilionis and C. caucasica were identified for the first time in the domiciliary ecosystem and in Brazil. The abundance rate and the infestation intensity were analyzed. There was a varied correlation between climatic conditions and positive domiciles and number of mites. The difference between the number of positive domiciles in the urban area and in the expanding urban area was significant and so was the difference between samples from the domiciles compared to those from the kitchens.

Small rodents fleas from the bubonic plague focus located in the Serra dos Orgãos Mountain Range, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Eleven species of fleas were collected from 601 small rodents, from November 1995 to October 1997, in areas of natural focus of bubonic plague, including the municipalities of Nova Friburgo, Sumidouro and Teresópolis, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Among 924 fleas collected, Polygenis (Polygenis) rimatus (Rhopalopsyllidae) was the predominant species regarding the frequency, representing 41.3% (N:382), followed by P. (Neopolygenis) pradoi, representing 20% (N:185) and Craneopsylla minerva minerva (Stephanocircidae), representing 18.9% (N:175). The host Akodon cursor harbored 47.9% of these fleas. Other six host species were infested by 52.1% of the remaining fleas. Fleas were found on hosts and in places within the focus not previously reported by the literature.

Seasonal analysis of the number of aeropiles in Anocentor nitens (Neumann, 1897) (Acari: Ixodidae) from the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Variation between aeropile numbers of the right and left peritrematic plate in male and female Anocentor nitens (Neumann, 1897) is reported from a site in Brazil. From January to December 1998, 146 males and 247 females of A. nitens were recovered from Equus caballus L. in Silva Jardim District, State of Rio de Janeiro. Asymmetry of numbers of aeropiles between right and left plates occurred in 83.6% of the males and 82.2% of the females. Differences in the number of aeropiles between the sexes were not significant. Quantitative variation of aeropiles was correlated to the period of recovery, with significant asymmetry detected in August-September and November-December, mainly in males. Results suggest an adaptation, especially in the male ticks, that expresses itself as greater variation in the number of aeropiles in some periods of the year.

Cebus apella (Primata: Cebidae) as a new host for Fonsecalges johnjadini (Acari: Psoroptidae, Cebalginae) with a description of anatomopathological aspects.

Mites collected from the auditory canal of Cebus apella (capuchin monkey), family Cebidae, were identified as Fonsecalges johnjadini (Psoroptidae, Cebalginae). It is the first record of this parasite from this monkey. This paper emphasizes the importance of clinical and anatomopathological examinations for parasitic diagnosis in wild animals.

Ocorrência de fascioliasis humana no município de Volta Redonda, RJ, Brasil / Occurrence of human fascioliasis in Volta Redonda, RJ, Brazil

Através do resultado de exames coprológicos realizados em pacientes atendidos em postos de saúde e hospitais do município de Volta Redonda, assinala-se a primeira ocorrência da fascioliasis humana no Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Dinâmica de Lymnaea columella (Say, 1817), hospedeiro intermediário de Fasciola hepatica (Linnaeus, 1758) em municípios do Estado de Säo Paulo, Brasil / Population dynamic of Lymnaea columella (Say, 1817), intermediate host of Fasciola hepatica (Linnaeus, 1758) in municipalities of the Säo Paulo State, Brazil

A dinâmica populacional de Lymnaea columella na pastagem foi estudada por um período de seis anos em fazendas de exploraçäo leiteira positivas para Fasciola hepatica. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida nos municípios de Piquete e Redençäo da Serra, Estado de Säo Paulo. Os resultados obtidos foram diferentes em cada fazenda, revelando que a dinâmica da populaçäo de moluscos está estreitamente relacionada a fatores ecológicos e climáticos. No município de Piquete, o aumento da variaçäo da densidade populacional flutua em relaçäo inversa à temperatura e à pluviosidade, encontrando maior número de moluscos no período seco do ano (maio-outubro). No município de Redençäo da Serra, a grande quantidade de matéria orgânica observada no biótopo foi responsávei pela captura do maior número de moluscos no período de altas temperaturas e chuvas janeiro-março)

Epidemiological aspects of the Brazilian spotted fever: seasonal activity of ticks collected in an endemic area in São Paulo, Brazil

Carrapatos de vegetação e de animais foram coletados mensalmente durante o período de um ano (1993-1994) em uma área endêmica de febre maculosa brasileira no município de Pedreira, São Paulo. Seis espécies de carrapatos foram identificadas Amblyomma cajennense, Amblyomma cooperi, Amblyomma triste, Anocentor nitens, Rhipicephalus sanguineus e Boophilus microplus. Somente a primeira espécie foi suficientemente abundante para permitir um estudo quantitativo com atividade sazonal, embora a distribuição e fonte de captura de outras espécies fossem observadas e aqui relatadas. Estas informações são correlacionadas com a epidemiologia da rickettsiose transmitida por carrapato.

Ticks were collected from vegetation and animals at monthly intervals during one year (1993-1994) in an endemic area of Brazilian spotted fever in the Country of Pedreira, State of São Paulo. Six species of ticks were identified Amblyomma cajennense, Amblyomma cooperi, Amblyomma triste, Anocentor nitens, Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Boophilus microplus. Only the first species was sufficiently numerous to permit a quantitative study with seasonal activity, although the distribution and source of capture of other species were observed and are reported. This information is correlated with the epidemiology of tick-borne rickettsiosis.

Epidemiological aspects of the Brazilian spotted fever: seasonal activity of ticks collected in an endemic area in São Paulo, Brazil.

Ticks were collected from vegetation and animals at monthly intervals during one year (1993-1994) in an endemic area of Brazilian spotted fever in the Country of Pedreira, State of São Paulo. Six species of ticks were identified Amblyomma cajennense, Amblyomma cooperi, Amblyomma triste, Anocentor nitens, Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Boophilus microplus. Only the first species was sufficiently numerous to permit a quantitative study with seasonal activity, although the distribution and source of capture of other species were observed and are reported. This information is correlated with the epidemiology of tick-borne rickettsiosis.

Reavaliaçäo dos caracteres da placa peritremática para diagnose de Anocentor nitens (Neumann, 1897), na Regiäo Sudeste / Evaluation of the characteristics of peritremal plate for Anocentor nitens (Neumann, 1897) diagnosis in the Southern Region of Brazil

Duzentos e quatro fêmeas e cento e vinte machos de Anocentor nitens (Neumann, 1897), oriundos de eqüídeos manejados em 12 municípios da Regiäo Sudeste do Brasil, foram analisados morfologicamente quanto aos caracteres da placa peritremática, parâmetro taxonômico utilizados na diagnose desta espécie. As variaçöes ocorridas no número de aerópilos da placa peritremática de machos e fêmeas de A. nitens apresentaram curvas de distribuiçäo normal para a regiäo e sugerem a formaçäo de "cline" a partir do Estado de Minas Gerais em direçäo aos Estados do Rio de Janeiro e de Säo Paulo

The effect of different proportions of males and females over the Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann 1819) (Diptera, calliphoridae) biotic potential and longevity under laboratory conditions.

Chrysomya albiceps specimens were derived from colonies kept under laboratory conditions. The oviposition period, total number of eggs-mass and the weight of the eggs-mass (average/female) presented significant differences between colonies regarding the sexual ratio of 1 male/1 female (situation 1), when compared to the other ratios (1 male/3 female, situation II), (1 male/5 female, situation III), (3 male/1 female, situation IV) and (5 male/1 female, situation V). It was ascertained that the increase in the proportion of females, resulted in higher weight and greater number of ovipositions and lengthening of the period of oviposition, leads to a decrease in their lifespan.

Vaccination against schistosomiasis and fascioliasis with the new recombinant antigen Sm14: potential basis of a multi-valent anti-helminth vaccine?

Molecular cloning of components of protective antigenic preparations have suggested that related parasite fatty acid binding proteins could form the basis of the well documented protective, immune cross reactivity between the parasitic trematode worms Fasciola hepatica and Schistosoma mansoni. We have now confirmed the cross protective potential of parasite fatty acid binding proteins and suggest that it may be possible to produce a single vaccine that would be effective against at least two parasites, F. hepatica and S. mansoni of veterinary and human importance respectively.

Caracterizacao da dose letal minima por irradiacao gama para Pnicillium citrinum / Characterization of minimum lethal dosis of gama irradiation to Penicillium citrinum

O uso das radiacoes ionizantes na destruicao de microrganismos responsaveis pela deterioracao de alimentos ou causadores de infeccoes ou toxinfeccoes alimentares, constituiu-se aplicacao da energia nuclear, para fins verdadeiramente pacificos. Penicillium citrinum e um fungo produtor de micotoxinas, responsaveis por intoxicacoes em humanos e animais que se utilizam de alimentos contaminados. Ha escassez de informacoes sobre a resistencia de P. citrinum a irradiacao gama; assim esta pesquisa objetivou determinar a dose letal por irradiacao gama para esse microrganismo....