Detection of Leishmania infantum and Leishmania amazonensis in Bats From Endemic and Non-endemic Areas of São Paulo State, Brazil.

Aims: Leishmaniasis is an endemic disease in several regions of Brazil, a tropical country that presents specific environmental conditions that contribute to the development of phlebotomine vectors. This study aimed to detect Leishmania species in naturally infected bats from 17 municipalities in the São Paulo state.

Methods And Results: Spleen and liver samples from 203 bats were analysed by real-time PCR and confirmed by conventional PCR followed by gene sequencing.

Chagas Disease: A Silent Threat for Dogs and Humans.

Chagas disease (CD) is a vector-borne Neglected Zoonotic Disease (NZD) caused by a flagellate protozoan, , that affects various mammalian species across America, including humans and domestic animals. However, due to an increase in population movements and new routes of transmission, infection is presently considered a worldwide health concern, no longer restricted to endemic countries. Dogs play a major role in the domestic cycle by acting very efficiently as reservoirs and allowing the perpetuation of parasite transmission in endemic areas.

Predicting the distribution of Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus in Europe: a comparison of climate niche modelling approaches.

Background: The ticks Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus are two of the most important vectors in Europe. Climate niche modelling has been used in many studies to attempt to explain their distribution and to predict changes under a range of climate change scenarios. The aim of this study was to assess the ability of different climate niche modelling approaches to explain the known distribution of I.

The potential role of scavenging flies as mechanical vectors of Lagovirus europaeus/GI.2.

The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) populations of the Iberian Peninsula have been severely affected by the emergence of the rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) Lagovirus europaeus/GI.2 (RHDV2/b). Bushflies and blowflies (Muscidae and Calliphoridae families, respectively) are important RHDV vectors in Oceania, but their epidemiological role is unknown in the native range of the European rabbit.

Insights on Host-Parasite Immunomodulation Mediated by Extracellular Vesicles of Cutaneous and .

Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease caused by different species of and transmitted through the bite of sand flies vector. Macrophages (MΦ), the target cells of parasites, are phagocytes that play a crucial role in the innate immune microbial defense and are antigen-presenting cells driving the activation of the acquired immune response. Exploring parasite-host communication may be key in restraining parasite dissemination in the host.

Size does matter: intraspecific geometric morphometric analysis of wings of the blowfly Chrysomya albiceps (Diptera: Calliphoridae).

Blowflies have forensic, sanitary and veterinary importance, as well as being pollinators, parasitoids and ecological bioindicators. There is still little work with real data and from experiments assessing the relationship between blowflies' morphologic features and environmental and demographic factors. The present work tests whether the variation, in the shape and size, of Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann, 1819) wings is influenced by the following factors: 1) time; 2) temperature; 3) sex and; 4) different types of carcasses (pig, dog/cat and whale).

Presence of one ecto- and two endoparasite species of the black stork (Ciconia nigra) in Portugal.

Background: The black stork (Ciconia nigra Linnaeus, 1758) is a recognized endangered species in Europe and most of the specimens from the Western Palearctic region breed in the Iberian Peninsula. Available works regarding parasites in black storks are scarce. This work reports the presence one ecto- and two endoparasite species from a black stork in Portugal.

Meglumine Antimoniate and Miltefosine Combined With Allopurinol Sustain Pro-inflammatory Immune Environments During Canine Leishmaniosis Treatment.

Canine leishmaniosis (CanL) caused by is a zoonotic disease of global concern. Antileishmanial drug therapies commonly used to treat sick dogs improve their clinical condition, although when discontinued relapses can occur. Thus, the current study aims to evaluate the effect of CanL treatments in peripheral blood, lymph node, and bone marrow cytokine profile associated with clinical recovery.

An Overview of Zoonotic Disease Outbreaks and its Forensic Management Over Time.

Most emerging or re-emerging infections are vector-borne or zoonotic and can be disseminated worldwide by infected humans or animals. They are a major public health problem and cause a great impact on economy. Zoonotic outbreaks began to be characterized in the 90s, after the creation of Europol and the FBI.

Steric Control of the Rate-Limiting Step of UDP-Galactopyranose Mutase.

Galactose is an abundant monosaccharide found exclusively in mammals as galactopyranose (Gal p), the six-membered ring form of this sugar. In contrast, galactose appears in many pathogenic microorganisms as the five-membered ring form, galactofuranose (Gal f). Gal f biosynthesis begins with the conversion of UDP-Gal p to UDP-Gal f catalyzed by the flavoenzyme UDP-galactopyranose mutase (UGM).

Canine neutrophils activate effector mechanisms in response to Leishmania infantum.

Canine leishmaniosis caused by L. infantum is a severe zoonotic disease. Although macrophages are the definitive host cells, neutrophils are the first cells to encounter the parasite soon after its inoculation in the dermis by the phlebotomine vector.

Geographical distribution of Culicoides (DIPTERA: CERATOPOGONIDAE) in mainland Portugal: Presence/absence modelling of vector and potential vector species.

Vector-borne diseases are not only accounted responsible for their burden on human health-care systems, but also known to cause economic constraints to livestock and animal production. Animals are affected directly by the transmitted pathogens and indirectly when animal movement is restricted. Distribution of such diseases depends on climatic and social factors, namely, environmental changes, globalization, trade and unplanned urbanization.

Occurrence of helminth parasites in the gastrointestinal tract of wild birds from Wildlife Rehabilitation and Investigation Centre of Ria Formosa in southern Portugal.

This study was carried out in southern Portugal to determine the prevalence of parasitic helminths infecting wild birds. Between September and December of 2013, adult parasites were collected from the gastrointestinal tract of 22 bird specimens (belonging to 12 species) that died in Wildlife Rehabilitation and Investigation Centre of the Ria Formosa. Identified gastrointestinal parasites include the nematodes (Contracaecum sp.

Chewing lice (Phthiraptera) from wild birds in southern Portugal.

This study was carried out to determine chewing louse species of wild birds in the Ria Formosa Natural Park, located in southern Portugal. In addition, the hypothesis that bird age, avian migration and social behaviour have an impact on the louse prevalence was tested. Between September and December of 2013, 122 birds (belonging to 10 orders, 19 families, 31 genera and 35 species) captured in scientific ringing sessions and admitted to the Wildlife Rehabilitation and Investigation Centre of Ria Formosa were examined for lice.

Characterisation of Isospora lusitanensis n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the Eurasian blackbird Turdus merula Linnaeus (Passeriformes: Turdidae) in mainland Portugal.

A new coccidian species (Protozoa: Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) is described from a specimen of the Eurasian blackbird Turdus merula Linnaeus held for rehabilitation and reintroduction into the wild in a centre for research and recovery of wild animals in Quinta de Marim, Olhão, Portugal. Isospora lusitanensis n. sp.

Contributions of unique active site residues of eukaryotic UDP-galactopyranose mutases to substrate recognition and active site dynamics.

UDP-galactopyranose mutase (UGM) catalyzes the interconversion between UDP-galactopyranose and UDP-galactofuranose. Absent in humans, galactofuranose is found in bacterial and fungal cell walls and is a cell surface virulence factor in protozoan parasites. For these reasons, UGMs are targets for drug discovery.

Isolation of antiplasmodial anthraquinones from Kniphofia ensifolia, and synthesis and structure-activity relationships of related compounds.

Bioassay-guided separation of the South African plant Kniphofia ensifolia for antiplasmodial activity led to the isolation of two new anthraquinones, named kniphofiones A and B (3 and 4), together with three known bioactive anthraquinone monomers (1, 2 and 5), and four known bisanthraquinones (6-9). The structures of the two new compounds were elucidated based on analyses of their 1D and 2D NMR spectra and mass spectrometric data. The dimeric compounds 6 and 7 displayed the strongest antiplasmodial activity among all the isolated compounds, with IC₅₀ values of 0.

Substrate-dependent dynamics of UDP-galactopyranose mutase: Implications for drug design.

Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease that represents one of the major health challenges of the Latin American countries. Successful efforts were made during the last few decades to control the transmission of this disease, but there is still no treatment for the 10 million adults in the chronic phase of the disease. In T.

Natural infection of synathropic rodent species Mus musculus and Rattus norvegicus by Leishmania infantum in Sesimbra and Sintra--Portugal.

Background: Canine leishmaniosis caused by Leishmania infantum is a parasitic zoonotic disease transmitted by phlebotomine sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae). Genus Phlebotomus is the biological vector in the Old World and Lutzomyia in the New World. The dog is the domestic reservoir host but other animals like the fox (Vulpes vulpes) and rodents are known to maintain the infection in both sylvatic and domestic cycles.

Canine leishmaniosis. Modulation of macrophage/lymphocyte interactions by L. infantum.

Canine leishmaniosis, caused by Leishmania infantum, is a systemic disease with variable clinical signs and a progressive evolution. This disease is characterized by impaired T cell-mediated immune response, which has been associated with disease chronicity and high mortality. Protective immunity against leishmaniosis is thought to be mediated by T cell and cytokine production.

Canine leishmaniasis. Immunophenotypic profile of leukocytes in different compartments of symptomatic, asymptomatic and treated dogs.

Canine visceral leishmaniasis (CanL) is an emerging disease, expanding in various parts of the world. The infection caused by Leishmania, an intracellular protozoan parasite, can show different clinical manifestations, from asymptomatic or subclinical to symptomatic dogs, in which a wide spectrum of clinical signs is evident. The fact that the parasite replicates in different organs raises the hypothesis that each organ may have a specific immune response.

Sinorhizobium meliloti 1021 loss-of-function deletion mutation in chvI and its phenotypic characteristics.

Bacterial two-component regulatory systems (TCS) are common components of complex regulatory networks and cascades. In Sinorhizobium meliloti, the TCS ExoS/ChvI controls exopolysaccharide succinoglycan production and flagellum biosynthesis. Although this system plays a crucial role in establishing the symbiosis between S.