Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis is a chronic manifestation of cutaneous or visceral (one can speak of leishmaniasis, plural) caused by flagellate protozoa of the genus Leishmania, the family of T. cruzi. The kala azar (visceral leishmaniasis) and Bauru ulcer (ATL) are forms of the disease.
It is a common zoonosis and the dog homem.É transmitted to humans by mosquitoes sandflies, which comprise the genus Lutzomyia (called "mosquito straw" or birigui) and Phlebotomus.
In Brazil there are currently 6 species of Leishmania responsible for human disease, and more than 200 species of sandflies involved in its transmission. It is a disease that has accompanied man since ancient times and has presented in the past 20 years, an increasing number of cases and expanding its geographic occurrence, being found now in all Brazilian states under different epidemiological profiles. It is estimated that between 1985 and 2003, there were 523,975 indigenous cases, mostly in the Northeast and North regions of Brazil. In Portugal there is mostly visceral leishmaniasis cases and some (very rare) of cutaneous leishmaniasis. This rarity is relative, because in reality what happens is underreporting of cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis. One reason for this is the fact underreporting most cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis human being self-limiting, but may take several months to resolve.
The Leishmania are transmitted by female insects of the genus Phlebotomus (Old World) or Lutzomyia (New World).
In the early twentieth century doctor Para Gaspar Viana initiated studies on leishmaniasis, and he attributes the discovery of the first treatments for the disease. The disease can also affect the dog or fox, which are considered reservoirs of the disease, as indicated by the medical health officer Thomaz Corrêa Aragon in 1954.
Prevention, diagnosis and treatment
Diagnosis is by direct microscopic observation of the parasites in samples of serum, blood or biopsies of spleen after detection of the crops or its DNA or by immunological assays, such as the Montenegro reaction.
The human treatment is done by administration of compounds of antimony, pentamidine, amphotericin marbofloxacino or miltefosine. Owes much to the researcher Gaspar Vianna, assistant Carlos Chagas, when talking about treatment for leishmaniasis.
Prevention is achieved by nets or insect repellent, the construction of human dwellings distance greater than 500 meters from the wild woods and the eradication of Phlebotomus / Lutzomyia. An important and for many a controversial point in the control of leishmaniasis is the reduction of the reservoirs of the disease via euthanasia of domestic animals diagnosed as having the disease. The prefectures of locations with significant presence of this pathology usually keep patrol services and diagnosis of infected pets, determining which sector control of zoonoses associated periodically perform free blood tests on pets, and this collection and carry out euthanasia seropositive animals.
Although officers of the control of zoonoses usually meet regularly the activities that you are responsible, significant caveat is made as to the fact that these (almost?) Never forward, or even advise the residents of the residence associated with a positive animal -diagnosed also perform diagnostic tests associated. Apart from the reasons for this attitude, the exams are usually simple, quick and inexpensive. Show up at all accessible via public clinics or even in private, and should be made by all the inhabitants of the residence where there is a diagnosis of an animal disease. To the extent that we know - contradicting the statistics reported in the media of huge number of cases in animals and a few humans - both men and dogs, cats, and other mammals of the home environment - like rats - are equally susceptible to contamination.