New records of the black fly fauna (Diptera: Simuliidae) in two rivers of the western Amazonia, Brazil

New records of Mansonella ozzardi: a parasite that is spreading from the state of Amazonas to previously uninfected areas of the state of Acre in the Purus River region

“…The surveyed localities were chosen based on previous field studies revealing the presence of Simulium species such as S. amazonicum and Simulium oyapockense in this region, which are potential vectors of filarial parasites (Nascimento et al 2009) and could serve as risk factors for simuliid-transmitted diseases in the population. M. ozzardi infections are well known along the Purus River and its tributaries (Medeiros et al 2008, 2009, 2011), but no epidemiological studies aimed at determining the presence and dispersion of this species through strategic points on the border of AM and AC have been performed previously.…”

“…The results of the present survey demonstrated varying rates of human infection at the studied sites. The thin films obtained from all volunteers from Mapinguari, which is situated along the Antimary River, were negative, suggesting that transmission was likely not occurring at this point along the river, although breeding sites of simuliids had been detected (Nascimento et al 2009). In Porto Acre, a city bordering the Acre River, low but detectable rates of M. ozzardi infection were observed.…”