Características clínico-epidemiológicas de leishmaniasis visceral canina en un área endémica de Paraguay / Clinical-epidemiological characteristics of visceral leishmaniasis in dogs from an endemic area in Paraguay

RESUMEN Objetivo Describir las características clínico-epidemiológicas asociadas a la transmisión de leishmaniosis visceral canina en un área endémica del departamento de Caaguazú, Paraguay. Materiales y Métodos El estudio fue descriptivo observacional, de corte transversal. Se evaluaron 324 caninos seleccionados de 110 viviendas. Se realizó el examen clínico; se obtuvo aspirado de ganglio para el examen directo y muestra de sangre para la posterior detección de anticuerpos anti-Leishmania revelados en tiras inmunocromatográfias. Resultados El 4,9% de la población canina dio positivo con antígeno recombinante rK39. Por la técnica de tinción con Giemsa, se obtuvo 4,3% de canes positivos, de los cuales 37,5% presentaron signos clínicos evidentes. Los signos más frecuentes encontrados en los perros infectados fueron adelgazamiento, onicogrifosis y alopecia (25%). La seroprevalencia fue mayor en perros entre 2 y 4 años de raza mestiza. Conclusiones Los signos clínicos presentes confirmaron la infección parasitaria y el hallazgo indica el rol de los caninos en la epidemiologia de la leishmaniosis en Caaguazú, así como el riesgo que representan para la transmisión. Los resultados obtenidos podrían ayudar a formular un sistema de monitoreo y contribuir con la vigilancia de la leishmaniosis canina en la zona.

ABSTRACT Objective To describe the clinical-epidemiological characteristics associated with the transmission of visceral leishmaniasis in dogs in an endemic area from Caaguazú department, Paraguay. Materials and Methods Cross-sectional study that included 324 dogs from 110 houses. Clinical examination was performed; ganglion aspirate was obtained for direct exa-mination and blood sample for further detection of anti-Leishmania antibodies by rk39 recombinant antigen immunochromatographic strips. Results 4.9% of the canine population resulted positive for rk39 recombinant antigen. By the Giemsa staining technique, 4.3% of positive dogs were obtained, of which 37.5% presented evident clinical signs. The most frequent signs found in infected dogs were thinning, onychogryphosis and alopecia (25%). Seroprevalence was higher in mixed breed dogs between 2 and 4 years old. Conclusion The clinical signs confirmed the parasitic infection, and the finding indicates the role of canines in the epidemiology of leishmaniasis in Caaguazú as well as the risk that they represent for transmission. These results may help to formulate a monitoring system and contribute to the surveillance of canine leishmaniasis in the zone.

La pérdida de la percepción al riesgo de zoonosis y la figura del perro comunitario / Loss of risk perception to zoonoses and the figure of community dog

Resumen Los perros son causantes de zoonosis y lesiones; en especial, si aceptamos como normales conductas peligrosas; perdiendo la percepción al riesgo a enfermar. El objetivo de este manuscrito fue demostrar, que la presencia de perros vagos y comunitarios, es un peligro para la salud y seguridad pública, a través de información epidemiológica que sustenta la medida de evitar su libre circulación. La agresividad de los perros regula sus relaciones sociales a través de sumisión o dominancia; características de difícil reconocimiento para la población humana. En Chile, 327.150 personas resultaron mordidas por perros, entre los años 2003-2012, con un costo de U$22,7 a U$177,9 millones; además de los U$3,13 millones por intervenir quirúrgicamente 767 sujetos humanos de hidatidosis durante el año 2012. Sin embargo, la zoonosis más temida es la rabia, dado el resultado mortal de ésta. No se debe tolerar la presencia de perros vagos y comunitarios en las calles, medida que debe tener un sustento técnico de salud y seguridad pública; debido a que la población ha perdido la capacidad de percibir el riesgo de contraer enfermedades zoonóticas, de altos costos para el sistema asistencial; sin considerar el desmedro económico al núcleo familiar y el daño psicológico a los afectados.

Dogs may cause zoonoses and damages; especially when we accept as normal some dangerous behavior, losing the perception of disease risk. The purpose of this review was to demonstrate that the presence of stray dogs as well as community dogs, are public health hazard. Through sustainable epidemiological information, we believe this measure could prevent it from spreading. Dog's aggressiveness regulates its social relationships through submission or dominance; those characteristics are difficult to be recognized by human population. In Chile, 327.150 people were bitten by dogs, between years 2003 and 2012 with a cost of USD$22.7 to USD$177,9 million in addition to the USD$3,13 million for the surgical intervention of 767 human subjects of Hydatidosis during 2012. However zoonosis more dangerous is Rabies with death results. As a conclusion we state that the presence of stray and community dogs in the streets cannot be tolerated. This measure must have a sustainable technical of Health and Public safety because population have lost its ability of recognize the risk of contracting zoonotic diseases, with high costs for the health care system, besides the economical decline and psychological damage to the affected individuals.

Conservation genetics of maned wolves in a highly impacted area of the Brazilian Cerrado biome.

Maned wolves are large canids currently considered vulnerable to extinction due to habitat loss. They are still commonly found within the urban mesh inside the Brazilian Federal District (Distrito Federal--DF), in nearby Protected Areas (PAs), and in surrounding farms. We evaluated the genetic diversity of maned wolves in three PAs of the DF, using both invasive and noninvasive techniques to obtain DNA that was later amplified for five microsatellite markers. We sampled 23 wolves: 10 with the noninvasive method, three captured in traps, six road-killed, and four rescued in urban areas. In Águas Emendadas Ecological Station (ESECAE) we also used samples from six specimens captured between 1997 and 1998 for a temporal comparison. For maned wolves, non-invasive techniques are affordable and easier to conduct in the field, while laboratory costs are much lower for invasive samples. Hence, a sampling strategy combining both techniques may provide an interesting approach for molecular ecology studies requiring comprehensive coverage of local individuals. On the basis of such integrated sampling scheme, our analyses indicated that none of the investigated populations currently present deviations from Hardy-Weinberg expectations or indication of inbreeding. Furthermore, in ESECAE there was no reduction in genetic diversity during the last 9 years. Overall, maned wolves did not present evidence of genetic structuring among the three sampled PAs. These results thus indicate that individual exchange among PAs is still occurring at sufficient rates to avoid differentiation, and/or that the recent fragmentation in the region has not yet produced measurable effects in the genetic diversity of maned wolves.