Eco-epidemiological aspects and risk factors associated with human Chagas disease in rural areas of the state of Piauí, Brazil.

Background: Piauí is located in Northeastern Brazil, an endemic area for Chagas disease, with the Brazilian semiarid representing the second region in number of people infected by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. The state of Piauí is one of the most socially vulnerable territories with direct impact on the access to diagnosis and treatment of Chagas disease for the population living in rural communities. Triatoma brasiliensis is the vector species of greatest epidemiological importance in Northeastern Brazil.

Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum DNA detection in Nyssomyia neivai in Vale do Ribeira, Paraná, Brazil.

Background: The incidence of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) has increased in the Southern region of Brazil in recent years, especially in the State of Paraná. New species have been suggested with potential to act as vector in VL endemic areas.

Objectives: Identify the Leishmania species in sand fly specimens collected from 2016 to 2018 in the municipality of Itaperuçu, Vale do Ribeira, Paraná, Brazil.

Association between the potential distribution of Lutzomyia longipalpis and Nyssomyia whitmani and leishmaniasis incidence in Piauí State, Brazil.

Background: Leishmaniases are vector borne diseases caused by Leishmania spp. parasites transmitted by female sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) whose geographic distribution is influenced by environmental factors. Among the main tools for studying the distribution of vector species, modeling techniques are used to analyze the influence of climatic and environmental factors on the distribution of these insects and their association with human cases of the disease.

DNA barcoding of sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae) from the western Brazilian Amazon.

The subfamily Phlebotominae comprises important insects for public health. The use of complementary tools such as molecular taxonomy is necessary for interspecific delimitation and/or discovery of cryptic species. Here, we evaluated the DNA barcoding tool to identify different species in the southwestern Brazilian Amazon.

An overview of the sandfly fauna (Diptera: Psychodidae) followed by the detection of Leishmania DNA and blood meal identification in the state of Acre, Amazonian Brazil.

Background: In Acre state, Brazil, the dissemination of cutaneous leishmaniasis has increased in recent years, with limited knowledge of the potential Leishmania spp. vectors involved.

Objectives: Here, data concerning the sandfly fauna of Brasiléia municipality, Leishmania DNA-detection rates and the identification of blood meal sources of insects captured in 2013-2015 are presented.

Molecular diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis in an endemic area of Acre State in the Amazonian Region of Brazil.

Introduction: This study proposes to identify the Leishmania species found in the skin lesions of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) patients from Brasiléia municipality (Acre).

Methods: Skin biopsy imprints or biopsy fragments were assayed via kDNA-PCR/RFLP and FRET-real-time PCR.

Results: Of individuals with suspected CL, 18 were positive for Leishmania kDNA.

Lutzomyia (Pintomyia) fischeri (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae), a probable vector of American cutaneous leishmaniasis: detection of natural infection by Leishmania (Viannia) DNA in specimens from the municipality of Porto Alegre (RS), Brazil, using multiplex PCR assay.

In order to determine natural Leishmania (Viannia) infection in Lutzomyia (Pintomyia) fischeri, a multiplex PCR methodology coupled to non-isotopic hybridization was adopted for the analysis of sand fly samples collected by CDC light traps in an endemic area of American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (ACL) in the periurban region of the municipality of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. We analyzed by PCR methodology 560 specimens of Lutzomyia (Pintomyia) fischeri (520 females and 40 males). The wild sand flies were grouped into 56 pools (52 females and 4 males) of 10 each, and positive results were detected in 2 of the 52 female pools, representing a minimum infection rate of 0.