Wild and synanthropic hosts of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis in the endemic cutaneous leishmaniasis locality of Amaraji, Pernambuco State, Brazil

Abstract

Evidence of Leishmania infection was found in small mammals captured between 1996 and 2000 in the Amaraji region, Pernambuco State, Brazil. The kDNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using primers specific for subgenus L. (Viannia), was positive for 43/153 water rats (Nectomys squamipes), 13/81 black rats (Rattus rattus), 15/103 grass mice (Bolomys lasiurus), 1/14 marsh mice (Holochilus scieurus), 2/50 field mice (Akodon arviculoides), 2/12 woolly opossums (Marmosa sp.), and 5/37 common opossums (Didelphis albiventris). This same kDNA PCR was positive for 12/61 dog and 8/58 horse skin samples. In paired PCR tests of 203 small mammals, 18.7% were positive with the kDNA primers and 18.2% with rDNA primers. Amastigotes were seen in 26/460 and L. (V.) braziliensis was isolated from 5 grass mice and 1 black rat. We concluded that small mammals, particularly rodents, are infected with parasites of the subgenus L. (Viannia). The isolation of L. (V.) braziliensis zymodeme IOC/Z74 from 6 rodents and the fact that all the other described L. (Viannia) species that commonly infect humans have never been found in rodents or marsupials leads us to suggest that the positive PCRs indicate infections of L. (V.) braziliensis. The isolation of zymodeme IOC/Z74 from humans reinforces our hypothesis that small, ground-loving mammals, such as rodents are the primary reservoirs of L. (V.) braziliensis.

Serodiagnosis of visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis in human and canine populations living in Indigenous Reserves in the Brazilian Amazon Region

“…However, these results are of little relevance because dogs do not play an important role in the epidemiology of CL 24 .…”

Sandfly fauna in a military training area endemic for American tegumentary leishmaniasis in the Atlantic Rain Forest region of Pernambuco, Brazil

“…The cases occur predominantly in the "Zona da Mata", with more than 60.0% of the total reports 8 . Samples of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis were isolated from human patients and small wild and synanthropic mammals in a longitudinal study in the municipality (county) of Amaraji, in the southern Zona da Mata of the State, and L. whitmani is the predominant vector species 9,10,11 .…”

Design of primer pairs for species-specific diagnosis of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum chagasi using PCR

“…Since 1998, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been increasingly applied as an alternative method for diagnosing visceral leishmaniasis (TELLERIA et al, 1999;BRANDÃO-FILHO et al, 2003;CORTES et al 2004;ANDRADE et al, 2006;GOMES et al, 2007;SALAM et al, 2010). Additional use of restriction enzymes on the kDNA-PCR product has been adapted by some researchers in order to demonstrate different fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) in the genus Leishmania (VOLPINI et al 2004;ANDRADE et al, 2006).…”