Factors associated with adherence to the principles of responsible companion animal guardianship in a municipality in southeastern Brazil.

Responsible companion animal guardianship (RCAG) covers aspects that are relevant to both animal and human health. Understanding the factors associated with adherence to RCAG principles can guide accountability, animal welfare and disease control. The present observational study describes the level of adherence to RCAG by guardians living in a medium-sized Brazilian municipality and identifies the factors associated with inadequate guardianship.

Diagnostic Methods for Helicobacter pylori.

Helicobacter pylori infection is a significant global health concern. It cannot be diagnosed based solely on the patient's medical history and symptoms, and laboratory and imaging tests are often required to confirm the diagnosis. Both noninvasive and invasive methods are available for diagnosing H.

Diagnosis of Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis by Flow Cytometry Serology using the rMELEISH Multiepitope Antigen Coupled in a Functional Bead.

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a zoonotic disease, with dogs being the main reservoir of the .

Objective: To develop a new flow cytometry test to diagnosis canine VL (CVL) diagnosis.

Methods: The current study addresses a new flow cytometry test using beads coupled to the multiepitope antigen rMELEISH.

First report of putative Leishmania RNA virus 2 (LRV2) in Leishmania infantum strains from canine and human visceral leishmaniasis cases in the southeast of Brazil.

Background: Leishmania RNA virus 1 (LRV1) is commonly found in South American Leishmania parasites belonging to the subgenus Viannia, whereas Leishmania RNA virus 2 (LRV2) was previously thought to be restricted to the Old-World pathogens of the subgenus Leishmania.

Objectives: In this study, we investigated the presence of LRV2 in strains of Leishmania (L.) infantum, the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis (VL), originating from different hosts, clinical forms, and geographical regions.

The Influence of Community Feeders and Commercial Food Outlets on the Spatial Distribution of Free-Roaming Dogs-A Photographic Capture and Recapture Study.

Understanding the distribution of dogs in the environment is relevant for establishing human and animal health actions. In the present study, we analyzed the influence of community feeders and commercial food outlets on the spatial distribution of free-roaming dogs in an urban area of a municipality in Southeast Brazil. The dogs were identified via photographic capture and recapture performed over five sampling efforts.

rMELEISH: A Novel Recombinant Multiepitope-Based Protein Applied to the Serodiagnosis of Both Canine and Human Visceral Leishmaniasis.

Background: visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a critical public health problem in over ninety countries. The control measures adopted in Brazil have been insufficient when it comes to preventing the spread of this overlooked disease. In this context, a precise diagnosis of VL in dogs and humans could help to reduce the number of cases of this disease.

Development of quantitative PCR and digital PCR for the quantification of Leishmania infantum in dogs.

Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease with worldwide distribution. In the Americas, the causative agent of the visceral form is the protozoa Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum. Transmission to the host or vertebrate reservoir occurs through the bite of infected arthropod females like Lutzomyia longipalpis.

Worldwide and Brazilian scientific publications on Leishmaniasis in the first 19 years of 21st century: a bibliometric study.

Introduction: Leishmaniasis is a set of tropical diseases widely distributed throughout the world. Publications concerning different aspects of leishmaniasis have shown an increasing trend in recent years, especially in Brazil, where this disease has been under continuous expansion. The present study analyzes the data and assess trends in publications on leishmaniasis in Brazil and worldwide.

Responsible companion animal guardianship is associated with canine visceral leishmaniasis: an analytical cross-sectional survey in an urban area of southeastern Brazil.

Background: Responsible companion animal guardianship (RCAG) comprises a set of concepts involving activities, behavior and care that guardians must provide to ensure the welfare of their animals. When such principles are disregarded, the risk of animals developing zoonotic diseases, such as canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL), increases. This disease is a public health problem in many urban settings in Brazil because dogs are the main reservoirs of Leishmania and are involved in the transmission of the parasites to humans.

Accuracy of diagnostic tests for American tegumentary leishmaniasis: a systematic literature review with meta-analyses.

Objectives: To analyse the accuracy of American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) diagnostic methods and evaluate the quality of the existing publications by means of a systematic review.

Methods: Diagnostic tests evaluated in at least two studies with common reference standards were included in the sensitivity and/or specificity meta-analyses. Quality and susceptibility to bias were analysed using the QUADAS-2 and STARD tools.

Effects of Gender, Sterilization, and Environment on the Spatial Distribution of Free-Roaming Dogs: An Intervention Study in an Urban Setting.

Information concerning the factors affecting the circulation and distribution of free-roaming dogs is crucial in developing control actions and limiting the spread of zoonoses. The present study analyzes the influence of gender, sterilization, and environment on the spatial distribution of free-roaming dogs in urban settings. Animals were captured/recaptured in seven consecutive morning sampling efforts conducted at 2-monthly intervals in control and intervention areas in a medium-size town in southeastern Brazil.

Antileishmanial activity evaluation of thiazolidine-2,4-dione against Leishmania infantum and Leishmania braziliensis.

Leishmaniasis is responsible for approximately 65,000 annual deaths. Despite the mortality data, drugs available for the treatment of patients are insufficient and have moderate therapeutic efficacy in addition to serious adverse effects, which makes the development of new drugs urgent. To achieve this goal, the integration of kinetic and DSF assays against parasitic validated targets, along with phenotypic assays, can help the identification and optimization of bioactive compounds.

Toxicity and Anti-promastigote Activity of Benzoxazinoid Analogs Against and .

Here, we aim to evaluate the antileishmanial activity of compounds with a benzoxazinoid (BX) skeleton, previously synthesized by our group, against and promastigotes. Anti-promastigote activity, as well as cytotoxicity, were determined using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric assays. The selectivity index (SI) for each compound was calculated using a ratio of the cytotoxicity of compounds and the geometric mean (GM) of antileishmanial concentrations to each species tested.

Space-time analysis of the incidence of human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and prevalence of canine VL in a municipality of southeastern Brazil: Identification of priority areas for surveillance and control.

Human and canine visceral leishmaniasis (HVL and CVL, respectively) represent serious public health issues in Brazil. The surveillance and control measures currently employed have had limited effect in impeding the territorial expansion of the disease and in reducing the number of cases. We have investigated the space-time distribution of HVL incidence rates and CVL prevalence in the coverage areas of the 148 primary healthcare units in Belo Horizonte (MG, Brazil) during a 6-year period in order to identify those that should be prioritized for disease control actions.

IgG avidity index and complete blood count as biomarkers of clinical disease in naturally infected dogs with Leishmania infantum.

Canine visceral leishmaniosis (CVL), a parasitic disease caused by Leishmania infantum, may evolve to a chronic condition and lead to death. Evaluation of infected dogs is important to establish the clinical and laboratory parameters involved in the evolution of the disease. The objectives of the present study were to discriminate a canine population (n = 52) into sub-clinical and clinically affected dogs based on signs and scores, to evaluate the hematological, biochemical, histopathological and parasitological parameters of the two dog groups, and to analyze the results by multivariate regression analysis with the aim of establishing biomarkers of CVL clinical disease.

Molecular characterization of Leishmania infantum isolates in municipalities of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Background: Little is known about the genetic diversity of Leishmania infantum isolates in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Methods: Molecular characterization of hsp70, mpi and ITS1 was carried out for 29 isolates of L. infantum from the bone marrow of naturally infected dogs from the cities of Divinópolis, Pará de Minas and Brumadinho, located in the central-west, central and central regions of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, respectively.

Abundance, survival, recruitment and effectiveness of sterilization of free-roaming dogs: A capture and recapture study in Brazil.

The existence of free-roaming dogs raises important issues in animal welfare and in public health. A proper understanding of these animals' ecology is useful as a necessary input to plan strategies to control these populations. The present study addresses the population dynamics and the effectiveness of the sterilization of unrestricted dogs using capture and recapture procedures suitable for open animal populations.

Reliability of techniques used in the diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis by the national control program in Brazil: A survey in an area of recent transmission.

One of the key components of the Brazilian Program for the Control of Visceral Leishmaniasis (PCLV) is the euthanasia of Leishmania-infected canine reservoirs, the detection of which depends on a screening procedure involving a Dual Path Platform (DPP) immunoassay and a confirmatory enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The aims of the present study were to evaluate the reliability of these techniques in a region of recent transmission of canine VL, to follow up the seroconversion 3-4 months after the initial diagnosis of DPP reactive but ELISA indeterminate or non-reactive dogs, and to identify the species of Leishmania in circulation in the area. Each animal was submitted to DPP under field conditions, performed by municipal health workers using peripheral blood (DPP-field), to DPP under laboratory conditions using serum (DPP-lab) and to ELISA using serum.

Spatial distribution of tuberculosis from 2002 to 2012 in a midsize city in Brazil.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health problem in many developing countries. Exploratory spatial analysis is a powerful instrument in spatial health research by virtue of its capacity to map disease distribution and associated risk factors at the population level. The aim of the present study was to describe the epidemiologic characteristics and spatial distribution of new cases of TB reported during the period 2002-2012 in Divinopolis, a midsized city located in the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil.

Canine visceral leishmaniasis in an urban setting of Southeastern Brazil: an ecological study involving spatial analysis.

Background: The physical characteristics of the environment influence the composition, distribution and behavior of the vectors and mammalian hosts involved in the transmission of visceral leishmaniasis (VL), thereby affecting the epidemiology of the disease. In Brazil, urbanization of human VL is a recent phenomenon and represents an issue of particular concern to local health authorities. The present study aimed to establish the degree of spatial dependency between canine and human VL in the municipality of Divinópolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and to identify priority risk areas in which stricter control measures should be implemented.

Evaluation of parasitological examination, kDNA polymerase chain reaction and rK39-based immunochromatography for the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in seropositive dogs from the screening-culling program in Brazil.

Introduction: Dogs play a primary role in the zoonotic cycle of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Therefore, the accurate diagnosis of infected dogs, primarily asymptomatic dogs, is crucial to the efficiency of VL control programs.

Methods: We investigated the agreement of four diagnostic tests for canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL): parasite detection, either after myeloculture or by direct microscopic examination of tissue imprints; kinetoplast-deoxyribonucleic acid-polymerase chain reaction (kDNA-PCR); and an immunochromatographic test (ICT).

Leishmania infection in a population of dogs: an epidemiological investigation relating to visceral leishmaniasis control.

Identification of factors associated with Leishmania infection in dogs is essential for targeting visceral leishmaniasis control actions. Thus, the present study analyzed some of these factors in a population of dogs in a Brazilian municipality, along with the limitations of control strategies implemented there. The association between the exposure variables and occurrences of infection was analyzed through logistic regression models.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the factors associated with Leishmania infantum infection in dogs in Brazil.

The risk factors associated with canine visceral leishmaniosis (CVL) in Brazil are unclear and controversial. The objectives of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to identify the best evidence available in this field and to determine the gaps in existing knowledge. Literature searches were carried out using four databases, the reference lists within articles, and references provided by experts in the field.

Study of sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis areas in the central-western state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

The transmission of Leishmania involves several species of sand flies that are closely associated with various parasites and reservoirs, with differing transmission cycles in Brazil. A study on the phlebotomine species composition has been conducted in the municipality of Divinópolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil, an endemic area for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), which has intense occurrence of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) cases. In order to study the sand flies populations and their seasonality, CDC light traps (HP model) were distributed in 15 houses which presented at least one case of CL or VL and in five urban parks (green areas).

Relationship of Leishmania-specific IgG levels and IgG avidity with parasite density and clinical signs in canine leishmaniasis.

The clinical status and tissue parasite burden of the skin and spleen of 40 dogs naturally infected with Leishmania chagasi (syn. Leishmania infantum), together with 5 uninfected control dogs, were assessed. On the basis of the clinical evaluation, infected dogs were classified as asymptomatic (AD) or symptomatic (SD).