The epidemiology and surveillance of visceral leishmaniasis in the Campania region of Italy. The value of zymodeme typing

Gradoni, Luigi; Pizzuti, Renato; Martino, L. Di; Gramiccia, Marina; Pempinello, R.; Gaeta, Giovanni Battista; Ferrara, Maria; Scotti, Silvestro; Altieri, S.

doi:10.1017/s0950268800057009

Cited by 22 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 20 publications

(22 reference statements)

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“…These observations reveal the problems that can arise as a result of a deficiently passive surveillance systems in the control of leishmaniasis, similar to those reported by other investigators. 13,14 More than 16% of the total of the people examined were LST positive. The magnitude of this response is similar to that recorded by other investigators in the central and western endemic areas of ACL in Venezuela.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Epidemiologic characterization of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in an endemic region of eastern Venezuela.

Jorquera

Ledezma²,

Sousa³

et al. 1998

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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Abstract. The status of American cutaneous leishmaniasis was investigated from 1985 to 1991 to provide an epidemiologic characterization of the disease in Bergantin, a rural community in the northeastern part of Anzoátegui State, Venezuela. The study revealed the presence of the infection during the period analyzed, with an average incidence of 50.2 cases per 10,000 inhabitants and this number has increased 1.5 times during the last two years. Three villages where clinical cases had been recorded were selected for a comparison of their prevalence data. These villages comprise the human population in the high and low altitude limits of Bergantin. Immunologic assessment of the inhabitants used two different antigen preparations to examine responses to parasites associated with the cutaneous and visceral forms of the disease. The leishmanin skin test (LST) was used in a sample of 276 individuals (46.3% of the inhabitants) and resulted in an overall positivity of 16.7%. The percentage of LST positivity varied with age and sex, yet analysis of this response and the prevalence for each village reflected the specific characteristics of these localities. La Montaña, situated at 800 meters above sea level, had the highest prevalence (800 cases per 10,000 inhabitants) and the most positive LST response (21.2%) in comparison with the two other villages situated at a lower altitude (300 meters above sea level).Venezuela is one of the South American countries where American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) is increasing. However, the epidemiologic characteristics of the disease are mostly unknown. Estimates of the number of cases are frequently unreliable due to local difficulties in diagnosis and the frequency of subclinical infections. 1 In general, a better understanding of the epidemiology of ACL is important so that effective control measures may be applied.The geographic distribution of ACL in Venezuela covers 21 of its 23 territorial divisions. It has been shown that these ACL-affected regions present foci with different degrees of endemicity, but only the infections detected in the western and central regions have been systematically described. [1][2][3][4][5] Presently, little is known about the epidemiology of leishmaniasis in the eastern region of the country.The general purpose of the study was to determine the distribution, prevalence, and risk factors for the disease within the endemic areas of the Turimiquire Mountains in the northeastern states of Venezuela. MATERIALS AND METHODSStudy area. This study was carried out in the territory of Bergantin located in the southwestern area of the Turimiquire Mountains between latitudes 10Њ03Ј30Љ'' and 10Њ00Ј17ЉN and longitudes 64Њ20Ј18Љ and 64Њ23Ј20ЉW in the Anzoátegui State of Venezuela. Bergantin comprises 36 villages within a total area of 630 km 2 . Of these, approximately 61 km 2 , including the villages of La Montaña (800 meters above sea level), La Panela (300 meters above sea level), and El Poblado (300 meters above sea level) (Figure 1), were studied. These villag...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Epidemiologic characterization of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in an endemic region of eastern Venezuela.

Jorquera

Ledezma²,

Sousa³

et al. 1998

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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“…With the increase of vector activity in the Mediterranean countries [12,13,27], more clinical cases of sandfly fever may be seen in future.…”

Section: Immunoglobulinsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the early 1980s, TOS was isolated in Italy from Phlebotomus perniciosus [5]. Phlebotomus sandflies are active in some Mediterranean countries, as indicated by the presence of leishmaniasis which is also transmitted by these vectors [12,13]. Recent studies in endogenous populations and case reports of infection in tourists indicate that TOS is endemic in the Italian regions of Tuscany and Marche, and also in Algarve, Catalonia and Cyprus [14][15][16][17][18][19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Serosurvey and laboratory diagnosis of imported sandfly fever virus, serotype Toscana, infection in Germany

et al. 1995

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SUMMARYOf eight acute infections in German tourists caused by sandfly fever virus, serotype Toscana (TOS), and diagnosed clinically and serologically, seven were acquired during visits to Tuscany, Italy, and one to Coimbra, Portugal. An indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using infected cells, and a newly developed enzyme-immunoassay (EIA) using crude virus antigen prepared from infected Vero-E6 cells was used to detect anti-TOS IgM and IgG. In a seroepidemiological survey of 859 health care workers and medical students, anti-TOS IgG was detected in 1-0% by IFA, and in 0 7 % by EIA. In 2034 German patients hospitalized for various diseases, 1 6 % were positive for anti-TOS IgG by IFA, and 0-8 % by EIA. Anti-TOS IgG was detected in 43 samples of commercial immunoglobulins at titres of 10-1000 by EIA. Although the seroprevalence of antibodies to TOS is low in Germany, TOS infection should be considered in patients returning from endemic areas who complain of fever, and headaches, and have symptoms of meningitis.

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“…It was estimated that approximately 47% of the Sicilian population live in areas at risk for leishmania infection, these areas consisting mainly of rural areas, small villages, or peripheral districts of towns where the vector sandXy species are more abundant [14][15][16]. An epidemiologic survey conducted in Sicily between 1987 and 1995 revealed that the annual incidence of VL in the general population was 6 cases per 1,000,000 residents [17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Serological screening for Leishmania infantum in asymptomatic blood donors living in an endemic area (Sicily, Italy)

Colomba

Saporito

Polara

et al. 2005

Transfusion and Apheresis Science

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The epidemiology and surveillance of visceral leishmaniasis in the Campania region of Italy. The value of zymodeme typing

Cited by 22 publications

References 20 publications

Epidemiologic characterization of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in an endemic region of eastern Venezuela.

Epidemiologic characterization of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in an endemic region of eastern Venezuela.

Serosurvey and laboratory diagnosis of imported sandfly fever virus, serotype Toscana, infection in Germany

Serological screening for Leishmania infantum in asymptomatic blood donors living in an endemic area (Sicily, Italy)

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