Application of the Eco-Epidemiological Method in the Study of Leishmaniasis Transmission Foci

Abstract

The study of transmission foci involves the clinical characterization of disease within a focus using active surveillance of human cases, characterization of the population group that is most frequently infected or at highest risk of becoming infected, diagnosis and treatment of infected people and identiication of the conceptions, atitudes, beliefs and practices related to the disease. An entomological survey is necessary to determine the geographical distribution of species and incrimination of vector species, the ecological characteristics of the zone (macro-focus), times of the year and day of highest biting activity and places in homes in which the most frequent contact between the people and the vectors occurs. A survey of peri-domestic and wild mammals in the area is advisable to try to identify potential reservoir hosts. Using this information, it is feasible to design speciic and accurate prevention and efective, rational and economic control measures and deine the times of the year and locations in which these measures must be applied.In this chapter, a description of the application of the eco-epidemiological method to the study of leishmaniasis transmission foci is provided. A special emphasis is placed on the methodology, multidisciplinary work and analysis of indings.

Ecological niche modelling for predicting the risk of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Neotropical moist forest biome

“…American cutaneous leishmaniasis is widespread in the Amazonian Basin and throughout the Neotropical rainforest biome, a region with high biodiversity, and caused by several Leishmaniinae species [30–35]. Within Amazonia, the different Leishmania species have a more focal distribution due to their transmission cycles associated with specific ranges of the host reservoirs and vectors [2]. Further, transmission cycles are mainly sylvatic, although urbanisation processes have been reported in some South American countries such as Colombia [34,36].…”

“…However, for leishmaniasis Vélez et al . (2017) [2] pointed out that the limit of these infection foci was complex to define due to (1) the high diversity of phlebotomine species and the numerous host species involved in the disease life cycle, (2) the diversity of Leishmania species, (3) the complexity of confirming phlebotomine species as vectors and wild mammalians as hosts and (4) the challenge of diagnosing human cases with clinical forms of leishmaniasis. Further, the large geographic extent of the disease and disease agent cycles that may operate in space induce many complex ecological interactions [36] and add uncertainty on the place of infections, which is problematic when models are based on the geolocation of human cases.…”

In vitro antileishmanial activity of Mexican medicinal plants

“…Moreover, parasite resistance to these agents has emerged in countries such as India, where leishmaniases constitute a major public health problem ( Tiuman et al, 2011 ). At present, there are several factors that promote expansion of leishmaniases such as wars ( Alasaad, 2013 ; Doganay and Demiraslan, 2016 ), Leishmania habitat evolution ( Okwor and Uzonna, 2016 ; Vélez et al, 2017 ), increase in world travel ( Mansueto et al, 2014 ), and HIV co-infection ( Okwor and Uzonna, 2016 ). These facts emphasize the importance of research to find alternative sources of bioactive molecules that could help in the treatment of this disease…”