MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS IN URBAN RATS IN ENDEMIC AREA OF PARANÁ, BRAZIL
Autor(es): Eloiza Teles Caldart, BRUNO BERGAMO RUFFOLO, FERNANDA PINTO FERREIRA, Regina Mitsuka-Breganó, ITALMAR TEODORICO NAVARRO, JOÃO LUIS GARCIA, ROBERTA LEMOS FREIRE
MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS IN URBAN RATS IN ENDEMIC AREA OF PARANÁ, BRAZIL
» Área de pesquisa: DOENÇAS VETORIAIS
» Instituição: UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL DE LONDRINA
» Agência de fomento e patrocinadores: Fundação Araucária - 04/2006
Black rats (Rattus rattus), an exotic species introduced in the Americas during the colonization period, have been suspected to serve as a host of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis complex in Brazil. This study aimed to detect and identify circulating Leishmania species in rats caught in the urban area of Londrina, Paraná, Brasil and to determine epidemiological variables associated to infection. From may to december 2006, 124 Rattus rattus were captured at 37 places of storage and/or recycling of solid waste and junkyards from five regions of Londrina. Rodents were anesthetized for blood collection. DNA was extracted and a nested-PCR (LnPCR), targeted to a conserved central part of the SSU RNAr Leishmania genus gene, was performed in triplicate. The positive samples were sequenced to determine Leishmania species. A questionnaire with variables about environment, sanitation and rats characteritics was applied and analyzed with EpiInfo (3.5.4) statistics software. From 124 studied rats, 9 (7.25%) were positive for Leishmania genus and, until this moment, 3 samples were sequenced and they all belong to the species L. (V.) amazonensis. What is according to a case report of canine leishmaniasis caused by this species previously published by our research group in 2011. From the nine positive animals, five belong to the same region of the city (North), among them three were captured on the same address. Data analysis revealed no association of leishmaniasis in rats and variables researched. In 2007, Londrina has notified 20 autochthonous human cases of leishmaniasis, of this total 15 coming from urban area. These results indicate some importance of rats (Rattus rattus) in the epidemiological chain of American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis and reinforce the necessity to combat these rodents, with emphasis on sanitary education and environmental management.
