Leptospira interrogans infection of southern tamanduas (Tamandua tetradactyla, Linnaeus, 1758) in Brazil.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of global importance caused by an obligate aerobic spirochaete that infects a wide variety of domestic and wild animals. Natural hosts are asymptomatic or show moderate signs of the disease. Accidental hosts develop a severe, often lethal, form of the disease. All young southern tamanduas died suddenly at the zoo in the city of João Pessoa, Brazil. The animals were found dead without any noticeable clinical signs. Necropsy revealed extensive haemorrhage in the subcutaneous tissues, kidneys, lungs in addition to the presence of red fluid in the thoracic, abdominal and pericardial cavities. Histopathology of kidneys exhibited acute interstitial nephritis and tubular necrosis. Immunohistochemical staining revealed typical leptospiral wavy forms and aggregates in the lumen of several kidney tubules and lungs. Pathological and molecular investigations confirmed Leptospira interrogans infection. The adult tamanduas did not present with clinical alterations. To our knowledge, this investigation is the first study to report that leptospirosis should be considered as a possible cause of death in tamanduas. This article warns of the risks of anthropization with respect to Leptospira transmission to tamanduas, other animals and humans.

Detection of anti-Toxoplasma gondiiantibodies in carthorses in the metropolitan region of Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil

Toxoplasma gondii, the agent for toxoplasmosis, has worldwide distribution. Horses normally play a secondary role in its life cycle, but movement around urban areas, feeding on grass and the increasing use of carthorses for gathering recyclable material in some urban areas of Brazil may increase their exposure to T. gondii infection. The aim of the present study was to investigate the frequency of anti-T. gondii antibodies in carthorses in the metropolitan region of Curitiba, PR. IgG antibodies against T. gondii were detected using the indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT) (titers 64). Seventeen (17.0%) of the 100 horses sampled were seropositive. There were no statistical differences in relation to sex (p = 0.28) or age (p = 0.15). Our findings suggest that carthorses are exposed to T. gondii infections and that no associations with age or sex exist.

Toxoplasma gondii, agente da toxoplasmose, tem distribuição mundial. Geralmente cavalos desempenham papel secundário no ciclo de vida do T. gondii. Entretanto, a circulação em meio urbano, a alimentação com gramíneas e o aumento no uso de cavalos carroceiros para recolhimento de material reciclável em algumas áreas urbanas do Brasil podem aumentar a exposição desses cavalos ao T. gondii. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a frequência de anticorpos anti-T. gondii em cavalos carroceiros da região metropolitana de Curitiba, PR. Os anticorpos da classe IgG contra T. gondii foram detectados pela reação de imunofluorescência indireta (RIFI) (títulos 64). Dezessete (17%) dos 100 cavalos avaliados foram positivos e não houve diferença entre sexos (p = 0,28) ou idade (p = 0,15). Esses achados sugerem que cavalos carroceiros estão expostos a infecções por T. gondii, não existindo associação com a idade ou o sexo dos animais.

Spatial distribution of seropositive dogs to Leptospira spp. and evaluation of Leptospirosis risk factors using a decision tree / Spatial distribution of seropositive dogs to Leptospira spp. and evaluation of Leptospirosis risk factors using a decision tree

Background: Leptospirosis is an important zoonotic disease associated with poor areas of urban settings of developing countries and early diagnosis and prompt treatment may prevent disease. Although rodents are reportedly considered the main reservoirs of leptospirosis, dogs may develop the disease, may become asymptomatic carriers and may be used as sentinels for disease epidemiology. The use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) combined with spatial analysis techniques allows the mapping of the disease and the identifi cation and assessment of health risk factors. Besides the use of GIS and spatial analysis, the technique of data mining, decision tree, can provide a great potential to fi nd a pattern in the behavior of the variables that determine the occurrence of leptospirosis. The objective of the present study was to apply Geographical Information Systems and data prospection (decision tree) to evaluate the risk factors for canine leptospirosis in an area of Curitiba, PR.Materials, Methods & Results: The present study was performed on the Vila Pantanal, a urban poor community in the city of Curitiba. A total of 287 dog blood samples were randomly obtained house-by-house in a two-day sampling on January 2010. In addition, a questionnaire was applied to owners at the time of sampling. Geographical coordinates related to each household of tested dog were obtained us

Background: Leptospirosis is an important zoonotic disease associated with poor areas of urban settings of developing countries and early diagnosis and prompt treatment may prevent disease. Although rodents are reportedly considered the main reservoirs of leptospirosis, dogs may develop the disease, may become asymptomatic carriers and may be used as sentinels for disease epidemiology. The use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) combined with spatial analysis techniques allows the mapping of the disease and the identifi cation and assessment of health risk factors. Besides the use of GIS and spatial analysis, the technique of data mining, decision tree, can provide a great potential to fi nd a pattern in the behavior of the variables that determine the occurrence of leptospirosis. The objective of the present study was to apply Geographical Information Systems and data prospection (decision tree) to evaluate the risk factors for canine leptospirosis in an area of Curitiba, PR.Materials, Methods & Results: The present study was performed on the Vila Pantanal, a urban poor community in the city of Curitiba. A total of 287 dog blood samples were randomly obtained house-by-house in a two-day sampling on January 2010. In addition, a questionnaire was applied to owners at the time of sampling. Geographical coordinates related to each household of tested dog were obtained us

Surveillance of canine visceral leishmaniasis in a disease-free area

Leishmaniasis is an important re-emergent parasitosis worldwide, particularly in tropical countries. There are no reports of autochthonous disease in the State of Paraná, southern Brazil. No surveillance has been carried out in the most populated areas such as the city of Curitiba and its surroundings. The purpose of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence of visceral leishmaniasis in dogs at the Center for Zoonosis Control of São José dos Pinhais, Paraná, before euthanasia. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) were used to detect antibody levels against Leishmania sp. in dog sera. Imprints of the popliteal lymph nodes that were also randomly collected from 50 dogs with suspected clinical signs of visceral leishmaniasis, and evaluated under light microscopy for the detection of amastigote forms, were negative. A total of 364 dog samples were tested. The results showed only one positive sample (0.0027%) by ELISA test but negative by IFAT, however, the dog had no clinical signs. Random surveillance of dog populations from several districts of a metropolitan area may be a means of preventing Leishmania spreading. Based on our results, the city of Curitiba and its metropolitan area were considered at low risk for visceral leishmaniasis.

A leishmaniose é uma importante parasitose re-emergente observada no mundo, particularmente em países tropicais. Não há ainda relatos de casos autóctones no estado do Paraná. Não há até o momento referência de vigilância no reservatório canino, tais como Curitiba e região metropolitana do estado. O objetivo do estudo foi determinar a soroprevalência da leishmaniose visceral em cães entregues ao Centro de Controle de Zoonoses de São José dos Pinhais, Paraná para eutanásia. A detecção sorológica da presença de anticorpos contra Leishmania sp. foi realizada por (ELISA) indireto e pela Reação de Imunofluorescência Indireta (RIFI). Além disso, impressão de linfonodo poplíteo coletadas ao acaso de 50 cães com sinais clínicos suspeitos para leishmaniose visceral e analisados sob microscopia óptica para detecção de formas amastigotas, foram negativas. Amostras de soro de 364 animais foram testadas, e os resultados mostraram somente uma amostra positiva (0,0027%), reagente ao ELISA e negativa à RIFI, entretanto, o cão não apresentava sinais clínicos. A vigilância ao acaso em uma população de vários locais de uma área metropolitana pode ser uma forma de prevenção da disseminação da doença. Com base nos resultados observados, Curitiba e região metropolitana foram consideradas de baixo risco para a leishmaniose visceral.

FATORES DE RISCO PARA LEPTOSPIROSE, LEISHMANIOSE, NEOSPOROSE E TOXOPLASMOSE EM CÃES DOMICILIADOS E PERIDOMÍCILIADOS EM BOTUCATU-SP

A grande suscetibilidade do homem e alguns animais domésticos, particularmente o cão, à toxoplasmose, leishmaniose e leptospirose, garantem que estas infecções sejam consideradas importantes zoonoses em regiões tropicais, onde os cães atuam como hospedeiros intermediários, reservatórios e como animais sentinela. Avaliou-se a freqüência de anticorpos para estes agentes na população canina de dois bairros carentes do Município de Botucatu, SP, e analisou-se os fatores de risco e grau de conhecimento dos proprietários, agentes de saúde e profissionais dos postos de saúde local, avaliando-se os fatores de risco aos quais os seres humanos estão expostos e o nível de conhecimento com relação a estas doenças. A partir da aplicação de questionários, foram analisadas amostras de soro dos cães domiciliados ou peridomiciliados, procedentes da região pela reação de imunofluorescência indireta (RIFI) para detecção de anticorpos IgG anti- Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum e Leishmania spp. Com relação à leptospirose foi utilizada a técnica de soroaglutinação microscópica (SAM), para a pesquisa de anticorpos anti- Leptospira spp. Palavras-chave: Neospora caninum, Toxoplasma gondii, Leptospira spp., Leishamania spp., sorologia, fatores de risco.   RISK FACTORS TO LEPTOSPIROSIS, LEISHMANIASIS, NEOSPOROSIS AND TOXOPLASMOSIS IN DOMICILIATED AND PERIDOMICILIATED DOGS IN BOTUCATU-SP ABSTRACT

Fatores de risco para leptospirose, leishmaniose, neosporose e toxoplasmose em cães domiciliados e peridomíciliados em botucatu-sp

A grande suscetibilidade do homem e alguns animais domésticos, particularmente o cão, à toxoplasmose, leishmaniose e leptospirose, garantem que estas infecções sejam consideradas importantes zoonoses em regiões tropicais, onde os cães atuam como hospedeiros intermediários, reservatórios e como animais sentinela. Avaliou-se a freqüência de anticorpos para estes agentes na população canina de dois bairros carentes do Município de Botucatu, SP, e analisou-se os fatores de risco e grau de conhecimento dos proprietários, agentes de saúde e profissionais dos postos de saúde local, avaliando-se os fatores de risco aos quais os seres humanos estão expostos e o nível de conhecimento com relação a estas doenças. A partir da aplicação de questionários, foram analisadas amostras de soro dos cães domiciliados ou peridomiciliados, procedentes da região pela reação de imunofluorescência indireta (RIFI) para detecção de anticorpos IgG anti- Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum e Leishmania spp. Com relação à leptospirose foi utilizada a técnica de soroaglutinação microscópica (SAM), para a pesquisa de anticorpos anti- Leptospira spp. Palavras-chave: Neospora caninum, Toxoplasma gondii, Leptospira spp., Leishamania spp., sorologia, fatores de risco.   RISK FACTORS TO LEPTOSPIROSIS, LEISHMANIASIS, NEOSPOROSIS AND TOXOPLASMOSIS IN DOMICILIATED AND PERIDOMICILIATED DOGS IN BOTUCATU-SP ABSTRACT

Spatial distribution of seropositive dogs to Leptospira spp. and evaluation of Leptospirosis risk factors using a decision tree / Spatial distribution of seropositive dogs to Leptospira spp. and evaluation of Leptospirosis risk factors using a decision tree

Background: Leptospirosis is an important zoonotic disease associated with poor areas of urban settings of developing countries and early diagnosis and prompt treatment may prevent disease. Although rodents are reportedly considered the main reservoirs of leptospirosis, dogs may develop the disease, may become asymptomatic carriers and may be used as sentinels for disease epidemiology. The use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) combined with spatial analysis techniques allows the mapping of the disease and the identifi cation and assessment of health risk factors. Besides the use of GIS and spatial analysis, the technique of data mining, decision tree, can provide a great potential to fi nd a pattern in the behavior of the variables that determine the occurrence of leptospirosis. The objective of the present study was to apply Geographical Information Systems and data prospection (decision tree) to evaluate the risk factors for canine leptospirosis in an area of Curitiba, PR.Materials, Methods & Results: The present study was performed on the Vila Pantanal, a urban poor community in the city of Curitiba. A total of 287 dog blood samples were randomly obtained house-by-house in a two-day sampling on January 2010. In addition, a questionnaire was applied to owners at the time of sampling. Geographical coordinates related to each household of tested dog were obtained us

Background: Leptospirosis is an important zoonotic disease associated with poor areas of urban settings of developing countries and early diagnosis and prompt treatment may prevent disease. Although rodents are reportedly considered the main reservoirs of leptospirosis, dogs may develop the disease, may become asymptomatic carriers and may be used as sentinels for disease epidemiology. The use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) combined with spatial analysis techniques allows the mapping of the disease and the identifi cation and assessment of health risk factors. Besides the use of GIS and spatial analysis, the technique of data mining, decision tree, can provide a great potential to fi nd a pattern in the behavior of the variables that determine the occurrence of leptospirosis. The objective of the present study was to apply Geographical Information Systems and data prospection (decision tree) to evaluate the risk factors for canine leptospirosis in an area of Curitiba, PR.Materials, Methods & Results: The present study was performed on the Vila Pantanal, a urban poor community in the city of Curitiba. A total of 287 dog blood samples were randomly obtained house-by-house in a two-day sampling on January 2010. In addition, a questionnaire was applied to owners at the time of sampling. Geographical coordinates related to each household of tested dog were obtained us