Parasitological and molecular diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis among indigenous peoples in the state of Roraima, Brazil.

Abstract

Introduction: We diagnose cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) among indigenous peoples of the state of Roraima, Brazil, and discuss some aspects of its epidemiology. Methods: Skin imprints, and lesion exudate samples collected on filter paper were examined using parasitological and molecular techniques, respectively. Results: Of 30 indigenous individuals, representing several ethnic groups, with suspected cases of CL, 27 (90%) tested positive for Leishmania spp. by PCR, and 21 (70%) by parasitological microscopy. Conclusions: Cutaneous leishmaniasis is indistinctly present among indigenous peoples from different regions of the state of Roraima. Individuals from seven of the ten existing ethnic groups in the state tested positive for CL, demonstrating the need for further investigation of the disease among these ethnic groups.

Occurrence of Leishmania infection in the immediate geographic region of Ji-Paraná, Rondônia State, Brazil

“…The highest proportion of infections occurred as single lesions, and the parts of the body most affected were the arms, legs, head, and feet, which corroborate the findings of other studies 12,13,14 . These parts of the body are the most affected because they remain exposed to vectors for many hours of the day when individuals work in forest environments (primarily in the occupations of logging and hunting) 7,11,12 .…”

“…This profile could be explained by the fact that people aged 30-50 years are the most economically active, and that rural residents generally live and work near forests or forest fragments, which greatly increases their exposure to sand fly bites. This pattern has been observed in Rondônia and other states in the Brazilian Amazon 9,10,11,12,13,14 .…”

“…We observed two cases of L. guyanensis in two municipalities; its prevalence in Rondônia is low relative to that in L. braziliensis 2,3 . Leishmania guyanensis is widely distributed in the Amazon Basin, and its distribution is certainly related to the presence and abundance of Nyssomyia umbratilis (Ward & Fraiha) populations 11,12,13 . In Amazonas, L. guyanensis is the primary agent of ACL, and N. umbratilis, its main vector, is present in high abundance 13 .…”

Leishmania spp. in indigenous populations: A mini-review

“…Despite a lack of updated information, an international newspaper report in 2021 mentioned that the Yanomami people constantly suffer from the advance of illegal mining across contiguous forest areas between Amazon state and Venezuela ( 29 ). Yanomami are the most numerous indigenous group in Roraima, with approximately 28,100 individuals, and accounted for 11/27 (40.7%) of infected persons in an overall 313 indigenous CL cases between 2013 and 2017 ( 30 ). Male indigenous people were considered more likely to test positive due to higher phlebotomine exposure during activities in forest areas, including gathering, cropping, fishing, and hunting ( 30 ).…”

Doenças, agravos e eventos de saúde pública de notificação: Resultado do tratamento entre crianças indígenas

“…No Brasil, a leishmaniose, por exemplo, foi diagnosticada em 313 indígenas de Roraima, num período de apenas cinco anos (Almeida et al, 2020) e a dengue acometeu, em 2015, 62 indígenas no Ceará (Sacramento et al, 2018). Em relação à doença meningocóccica B, é possível mensurar o seu quantitativo e importância na Austrália que apresentou 60% dos casos entre crianças indígenas (Archer et al, 2017).…”