SUMMARYVisceral leishmaniasis is caused by protozoan parasites of the Leishmania donovani complex. During active disease in humans, high levels of IFN-g and TNF-a detected in blood serum, and high expression of IFN-g mRNA in samples of the lymphoid organs suggest that the immune system is highly activated. However, studies using peripheral blood mononuclear cells have found immunosuppression specific to Leishmania antigens; this poor immune response probably results from Leishmania antigen-engaged lymphocytes being trapped in the lymphoid organs. To allow the parasites to multiply, deactivating cytokines IL-10 and TGF-b may be acting on macrophages as well as anti-Leishmania antibodies that opsonize amastigotes and induce IL-10 production in macrophages. These high activation and deactivation processes are likely to occur mainly in the spleen and liver and can be confirmed through the examination of organ samples. However, an analysis of sequential data from studies of visceral leishmaniasis in hamsters suggests that factors outside of the immune system are responsible for the early inactivation of inducible nitric oxide synthase, which occurs before the expression of deactivating cytokines. In active visceral leishmaniasis, the immune system actively participates in non-lymphoid organ lesioning. While current views only consider immunocomplex deposition, macrophages, T cells, cytokines, and immunoglobulins by diverse mechanism also play important roles in the pathogenesis. KEYWORDS:Visceral leishmaniasis; Human; Immunosuppression; Immunoactivation; Cytokines; Immunopathogenesis.Visceral leishmaniasis is caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania that are transmitted to mammalian hosts, including humans, by phlebotomine sandflies. The disease is present in 66 countries in tropical and subtropical regions, and 90% of cases occur in India, Sudan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Brazil. It is estimated that there are 500,000 new cases a year worldwide 68 , and 3,000 new cases occur each year in Brazil 48 . Until recently, the disease was thought to be caused by three species of the Leishmania donovani complex: Leishmania (Leishmania) donovani, L. (L.) infantum, and Leishmania (L.) chagasi (a species present in Brazil). There is now debate, however, over whether L. (L). infantum and Leishmania (L.) chagasi are the same 44 or different 60 species. In this review, the names of the three species will be used as in the original publications. Leishmania (Leishmania) donovani is present in East Africa, India, and parts of the Middle East, while L. (L.) infantum in Europe, North Africa, and South and Central America. Human infections can be asymptomatic or can manifest as oligosymptomatic and progressive diseases; progressive cases can involve hepatosplenomegaly, fever, pancytopenia, hypergammaglobulinemia, and serious weight loss 4 . During active visceral leishmaniasis, the parasite multiplies within the cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system in the spleen, liver, and bone marrow, and the disease is fatal if untreated.Studies...

Pathogenesis of the megacolon is based on a continuous process of ganglion cell damage with participation of T lymphocytes expressing cluster of differentiation 8 and natural killer cell membrane antigens. B lymphocytes do not take part in the chronic inflammatory reaction.

A leptospirose é uma doença sistêmica causada por bactéria Leptospira spp. que afeta seres humanos, animais domésticos e selvagens. O presente trabalho investigou a presença de anticorpos anti-Leptospira spp. na população canina da cidade de Teresina-Piauí, e os respectivos sorovares predominantes. Amostras de sangue de 425 cães foram coletadas no Centro de Controle de Zoonoses de Teresina, no período de julho de 2010 a janeiro de 2012, e submetidas à prova de Soroaglutinação Microscópica (SAM). Este estudo encontrou uma taxa de infecção média com 17,41% (IC 95%; 13,8 – 21,0) e 11 sorovares reagentes, sendo os prevalentes Canicola (18,9%), Autumnalis (16,2%), Icterohaemorrhagiae (12,1%) e Butembo (12,1%). As questões levantadas neste estudo indicam a ocorrência de infecção por Leptospira spp em cães da cidade de Teresina-Piauí, Brasil.

SUMMARYThis study investigated the sero-conversion period in which dogs from endemic areas test positive for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) as well as the early post-infection period in which renal alterations are observed. Dogs that were initially negative for Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis (CVL) were clinically evaluated every three months by serological, parasitological and biochemical tests until seroconversion was confirmed, and six months later a subsequent evaluation was performed. Samples of kidney tissues were processed and stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E), Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) and Masson's trichrome stain and lesions were classified based on the WHO criteria. Of the 40 dogs that initially tested negative for VL, 25 (62.5%) exhibited positive serological tests during the study period. Of these 25 dogs, 15 (60%) tested positive within three months, five (20%) tested positive within six months and five (20%) tested positive within nine months. The dogs exhibited antibody titers between 1:40 and 1:80 and 72% of the dogs exhibited clinical symptoms. The Leishmania antigen was present in the kidneys of recently infected dogs. We found higher levels of total protein and globulin as well as lower levels of albumin in the infected dogs when compared to the control dogs. Additionally, infected dogs presented levels of urea and creatinine that were higher than those of the uninfected dogs. Glomerulonephritis was detected in some of the dogs examined in this study. These data suggest that in Teresina, the sero-conversion for VL occurs quickly and showed that the infected dogs presented abnormal serum proteins, as well as structural and functional alterations in the kidneys during the early post-infection period.

ResumoObjetivou-se com este estudo pesquisar infecção natural de equídeos por Leishmania sp em área endêmica de leishmaniose tegumentar americana de Teresina, Piauí, Brasil. As leishmanioses são causadas por protozoário hemoflagelado, intracelular integrante do gênero Leishmania. Clinicamente observa-se uma variedade de sinais desde lesões cutâneas até formas viscerotrópicas que são mais graves e potencialmente fatais. Constituem grande problema de saúde pública mundial. O cão é considerado o principal reservatório doméstico de leishmaniose visceral americana (LVA). No peridomicílio de moradias rurais, os equídeos, embora com menor relevância que os canídeos, podem se transformar em importante hospedeiro para este parasito. Coletou-se sangue periférico de 42 equídeos para pesquisa de DNA de leishmânia spp através da técnica de "nested" reação em cadeia de polimerase (PCR) com oligonucleotídeos flanqueando a região ribossomal internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS'1). A confirmação da espécie foi realizada pela digestão do produto amplificado com enzima de restrição Hae III. Os animais não apresentavam sinal clínico sugestivo de nenhuma patologia, entretanto 21 (50%) foram PCR positivos para leishmaniose (14 equinos, quatro asininos e três muares). A digestão do produto da "nested" PCR permitiu identificar sequências de DNA de Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum, caracterizando a infecção como leishmaniose visceral americana (LVA). A presença de equídeos infectados com Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum sugere sua participação no ciclo de transmissão da leishmaniose visceral em Teresina, Piauí, Brasil. Palavras-chave: endemia, Leishmaniose visceral, PCR. AbstractThis study aims to research natural Leishmania sp equine infection in an endemic American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis area of Teresina City, Piauí State, Brazil. Leishmania are caused by intracellular hemoflagellate protozoa of the gender Leishmania. Clinically we can observe a variety of signals since cutaneous injuries until viscerotropic types which are more severe and potentially fatal. They constitute a great worldwide public health problem. The dog is considered the main domestic reservoir of American Visceral Leishmaniasis (AVL). In the peridomicile of rural abodes, the equines, although with less relevance than canines, may become an important host for this parasite. Peripheral blood was collected from 42 equines for DNA research of leishmania spp through the technique of "nested" PCR with oligonucleotides flanking the region ITS'1. The confirmation of the species was performed by the digestion of the amplified product with restriction enzyme Hae III. The animals did not present any suggestive clinical pathology signal, however, 21 (50%) were PCR positive for Leishmaniasis (14 equines, four donkeys and three mules). The digestion of the product from "nested" PCR permitted to identify DNA sequences of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum, characterizing the infection as American Visceral Leishmaniasis (AVL). The presence of infected equines with Leishmania (Leish...

RESUMO. Teresina é uma cidade emoldurada por dois rios que a abraça. Por meio disso, a capital do Piauí foi crescendo aceleradamente e desordenadamente, resultando em uma disseminação do lixo no solo e na água. Para o conhecimento do estado de poluição bacteriológica do rio Poti, Estado do Piauí (Brasil) foram coletadas amostras de água em três pontos distintos. Em seguida, foi determinada a quantidade de bactérias totais/ml; índice de coliformes/100ml, em caldo lactosado, verde brilhante-bile e E.C. (Escherichia coli) e em ágar seletivos, como BEM (Eosin methylene blue) e S.S. (Shigella Samonella). Os resultados mostraram que os índices bacterianos de poluição do rio se tornaram um problema de saúde pública, sendo inevitável rever atividades que possuem implicações que acabam diretamente ou indiretamente degradando os recursos hídricos. Além disso, existe uma importância e urgência em se implantar um eficiente sistema de saneamento básico para toda a população de Teresina, a fim de que todos tenham acesso à água tratada para consumo, diminuindo assim, o risco de enfermidades veiculadas por este recurso. Mais estudos, incluindo os de ordem socioeconômica, devem ser realizados para monitorar a qualidade microbiológica do rio Poti, bem como a forma de utilização destas águas pela população local. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo analisar os aspectos microbiológicos da água do Rio Poti na área de pesca de Teresina, avaliando os possíveis riscos aos trabalhadores e consumidores que desfrutam de atividades aquáticas. Palavras chave: Análise bacteriológica, poluição hídrica Microbiological analysis of Poti River water in the urban area of the Teresina -Piauí cityABSTRACT. Teresina is a framed city of two rivers that embrace it. Thereby, the capital of Piauí has been growing rapidly and erratically, resulting in a spread of waste in soil and water. In order to understand the state of bacteriological contamination of the Poty River, located in the State of Piauí, Brazil, some water samples were collected in 03 separate points of the city. The next step was to determine the amount of total bacteria/ml (pt); coliform rate/100 ml (0.176pt), in lactic broth, Brilliant Green Bile and Escherichia coli in selective agars, such as Eosin methylene blue (E.M.B) and Shigella samonella (S.S). The results displayed that the bacterial pollution levels of the river have become a matter of public health, and therefore, it is inevitable to review some actions that carry implications which directly and indirectly are degrading the hydric resources. Furthermore, there is an importance and urgency in putting in place an efficient basic sanitation system for the whole population of Teresina, in order to all of them have access to treated water to consumption, and so reducing the risk of diseases that are bound to this resource. Further studies, including the socioeconomic kind, must be conducted in order to monitor the microbiological quality of the Poty River, as well as the way of use of

The visceral establishment of Leishmania infantum in dogs may result in kidney and bladder tissue injury, with L. infantum ending up in urine. This study therefore aimed at investigating the presence of Leishmania sp. in urinary sediments, and correlating the results with those from renal and bladder serum biochemistry and histopathology. Thirty dogs with negative Nested-Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for E. canis were used in the experiment, and were divided into three groups: control group (10 dogs), neither leishmaniasis nor clinical changes; group I (15 dogs), leishmaniasis but no Leishmania sp. in urine; and group II (5 dogs), leishmaniasis, as well as Leishmania sp. in urine. All animals were submitted to clinical, serological, and parasitological diagnosis for leishmaniasis, biochemical exams, and kidney and bladder histopathology. The parasite was also detected in the bladder imprint of one group II dog. Group II dogs presented with very low albumin concentrations, low albumin/globulin ratios, and kidney and bladder lesions. In the kidneys, hydropic degeneration, thickened Bowman's capsule, and thickening of the tubular capsule were detected in all dogs with positive urinary sediment. However, no significant difference in these renal changes was observed between groups. The intensity and distribution of bladder inflammatory infiltrates were significantly (p-value < 0.05, Kruskal-Wallis’ and Dunn’s tests) higher in group II dogs, compared with those of the other groups. The presence of Leishmania sp. in the urine of infected dogs appeared to be related to low serum albumin concentrations and more severe bladder lesions.

Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonosis whose transmission is interlinked by multiple factors in the man-animal-ecosystem interface. This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors for the occurrence of anti-Leptospira antibodies in dogs in the capital Teresina (PI), and to determine their spatial distribution. Five hundred fifty-eight dog blood samples were submitted to the Microscopic Serum Agglutination (MSA) test. We applied semi-structured questionnaires to dog owners and obtained the area of residence for projection in geographical maps. Serum prevalence was 13.8%, in which the most common serovar was icterohaemorrhagiae, with 49.2%. Dogs with street access, failure to collect food bowl and low income of owners were risk factors. There was a higher number of seropositive dogs in the rainy season, with 87.1%, which is a probable risk factor for the occurrence of cases. The distribution of seropositive dogs was widely spread in the city, with predominance of cases in anthropized areas. These risk factors favor the occurrence of anti-Leptospira antibodies in dogs that are agent maintenance sources in the city and reinforce the need for epidemiological and environmental surveillance to prevent leptospirosis.