Giardia survey in live-trapped small domestic and wild mammals in four regions in the southwest region of the state of São Paulo, Brazil.

For the first time, a survey on Giardia in live-trapped small domestic and wild mammals was performed in four regions of State of the São Paulo, Brazil, with special attention to the parasitism of Rattus rattus rattus by Giardia. This species was found infected in all studied sites: Botucatu (15.4%), Conchas (28.5%), Itaporanga (38.7%) and São Roque (100%). Two new hosts and their frequency of infection were described for Giardia in Nectomys squamipes, an aquatic rodent and in Bolomys lasiurus, a forest rodent (100% and 14.3%, respectively). Both G. muris and G. duodenalis groups were found in scrapings of intestinal mucosa of those rodents. Mixed infection was observed in some animals. It is important to emphasize the infection by G. duodenalis in the black rat as this species lives as a comensal with man and in N. squamipes as it may contaminate small streams used for domestic consumption. Therefore, further investigation will be necessary to elucidate the potencial of these rodents to act as reservoirs of Giardia for man.

[Outbreak of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in Itaporanga, São Paulo (Brazil)]. / Surto de leishmaniose tegumentar americana em Itaporanga, São Paulo (Brasil).

An outbreak of cutaneous leishmaniasis in a small rural settlement, located in the Southern of São Paulo State-Brazil was observed. This region has basic agricultural activities, and has no forests. Two hundred and thirty one persons were evaluated, and the following aspects were observed. 1) 67 individuals (29%) had skin lesions, confirmed by histopathologic study and the Montenegro skin test; 2) of these cases, 40 (59.7%) were males; 3) The youngest patients were 2 years (5 cases), and the oldest, 86 (1 case); 4) the following types of cutaneous lesions, were observed: a) 54 cases (80.6%) had ulcers, 13 (19.4%) had nodules, 4 (5.9%) had verrucose lesions, and 3 (4.4%) had typical scars. In all the cases, the parasite identified was Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis. The vector captured in the region was Lutzomyia intermedia, a strong anthropophilic sandfly very frequently observed in São Paulo. This study shows that apart from the well-known outbreak observed in the forest environments, leishmaniasis can be transmitted within or around dwellings.

[Accidental cutaneous leishmaniasis]. / Leishmaniose cutânea acidental.

The authors report the 3rd case of cutaneous leishmaniasis due to accidental contamination of a student of biological sciences during laboratory research. The inoculation occurred when amastigotes of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis from infected hamsters were injected in healthy animals. At this stage, the student had her glove bitten by a healthy hamster and the infection was probably conveyed by the direct contact of the inoculum with the skin.