[Leish-l] Leishmaniasis - Argentina: epidemic potential
mail.ub.edu
mportus at ub.edu
Wed Apr 1 05:12:46 BRT 2009
Dear All,
The discussion about mosquitoes and sand flies is an old discussion in Spain. In my opinion it is a question of translation and the transfer and adoption of names from one language to another with a different exact meaning.
In Spanish there are three common names for the three suborder of diptera: "moscas" for ciclorrapha, "tábanos" for brachicera and "mosquitos" for nematocera (J. Gil Collado. Insectos y ácaros de los animals domésticos, Salvat Ed. 1961), with the inaccuracy that such a generalization entails. Actually, "mosquito" in Spanish is a diminutive of "mosca" referring the fragile aspect and small size of most nematocera. The word "mosquito" is defined in the Diccionario de la Lengua Española, Real Academia Española, 21 Ed., 1992, as "Cualquiera de los insectos dípteros del suborden de los nematóceros" (Either Insecta, Diptera, suborder Nematocera).
In order to solve this contradiction ("mosquito" for Nematocera and mosquitoe for Culicidae), Spanish entomologists often refers Nematocera as "mosquitos" sensu latu, and Culicidae as "mosquitos" sensu stricto. As it occurs in most fields of knowledge and daily life, English words or their literal translation (Espanglish) have been adopted in Entomology and names as "mosca de los arenales" are nowadays used in Spain instead of "flebotomos", "beatillas", why not "mosquitos"?, and other popular common names used to call sand flies, as "rendilles" in Catalonia.
Montse Portús
----- Original Message -----
From: Beverley, Steve
To: Carlos Costa ; Chang, Kwang-Poo
Cc: fred opperdoes ; Leish-l at lineu.icb.usp.br
Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 9:51 PM
Subject: Re: [Leish-l] Leishmaniasis - Argentina: epidemic potential
It comes from entomological nomenclature, not sure what the language was originally.
As a true fly of the order Diptera, it is two words: sand fly.
In contrast, other insects with the word 'fly' in them are a single word.
eg butterfly dragonsly, mayfly, sawfly
Steve Beverley
At 02:46 PM 3/24/2009, Carlos Costa wrote:
To: all
By the way, what is the right English writing: sand fly or sandfly? Is it a matter of England vs. US?
Carlos H.
2009/3/21 Chang, Kwang-Poo < KwangPoo.Chang at rosalindfranklin.edu>
To: Prof. Laila Nimri and all
The issue appears to be a language translation problem. I was told that all blood sucking flies are referred to as "mosquito" in Spanish.
KP
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From: leish-l-bounces at lineu.icb.usp.br [ mailto:leish-l-bounces at lineu.icb.usp.br] On Behalf Of Laila Nimri
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 1:53 AM
To: fred opperdoes; Leish-l at lineu.icb.usp.br
Subject: Re: [Leish-l] Leishmaniasis - Argentina: epidemic potential
Just to correct a very important information about the vector of Visceral leishmaniasis, it is definitely not a mosquito, it is a sand fly of the genus Lutzomyia as mentioned correctly below or a Phlebotomus. The environmental or climatic changes that affect mosquitoes might have affected the sand flies and lead to the emergence of the disease.
Prof. Laila Nimri
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From: leish-l-bounces at lineu.icb.usp.br [ leish-l-bounces at lineu.icb.usp.br] On Behalf Of fred opperdoes [ fred.opperdoes at uclouvain.be]
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 8:21 AM
To: Leish-l at lineu.icb.usp.br
Subject: [Leish-l] Leishmaniasis - Argentina: epidemic potential
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:23:15 -0500 (EST)
From: ProMED-mail < promed at promed.isid.harvard.edu>
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Leishmaniasis - Argentina: epidemic potential
LEISHMANIASIS - ARGENTINA: EPIDEMIC POTENTIAL
***********************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org >
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Tue 24 Feb 2009
Source: Datachaco.com [trans. Mod JGM, edited]
< http://datachaco.com/noticia.php?numero=17399>
The occurrence of cases of yellow fever made people pay attention to
mosquito-borne diseases, and dengue fever, which is currently
attacking with unusual strength in Paraguay, set another alarm in
Chaco, Corrientes, and Misiones provinces, which share borders with
Paraguay and Bolivia.
However, a new emerging disease has become the main epidemic threat
in Argentina: Visceral leishmaniasis. This little known disease is
being analyzed now as a cause for a sanitary red alert in Argentina.
Visceral leishmaniasis is also caused by a mosquito-borne parasite.
There is no vaccine for this disease, and therapy is instituted only
once a case is clearly defined. Its mortality rate is around 8 per
cent, and it has a particular feature: Dogs may act as reservoirs for
the parasite.
A summary of the life cycle of the parasite indicates that
_Lutzomyia_ insects infect dogs. These animals develop the disease
and transmit the parasite to another insect vector, which now is
capable of transmitting visceral leishmaniasis to humans. There is no
human-to-human transmission.
Since the very 1st case was reported in 2006, 36 persons have been
affected, and there are 4 deceased patients. The possibility of a
rapid increase in the number of cases is a reason for concern.
Last week 2 cases of visceral leishmaniasis were reported in Posadas.
One is an 18-year-old woman, and the other is a 21-year-old man, who
separately developed the symptoms of the disease. Some personnel from
the army are currently collaborating with municipal authorities in
Posadas for cleaning wastelands, which are considered breeding places
for insect vectors.
This health problem has become quite dangerous and important in the
main cities in Misiones province, and specialists warn that the
disease may reach other provinces in the short term.
"We are observing that the vector is spreading fast, and 2 corridors
have been established, one directing towards Resistencia and the
other one towards Corrientes. Also, the northern area of Entre Rios,
as well as Santa Fe, and Cordoba are vulnerable places. The mosquito
vector for visceral leishmaniasis has become an urban-living insect,
so there is a substantial risk for its presence in big urban
centers," explained Dr. Daniel Salomon, from the National Center for
Epidemics in Argentina's Ministry of Health.
"It is quite difficult to implement preventive measures, because
people are so in love with their pets," commented Dr. Salomon. There
are very few options for controlling the spread of the disease apart
from sacrificing sick animals.
In 2004, the 1st dog infected with the causative agent of visceral
leishmaniasis was detected. When 40 cases were reported in Misiones
province, the Ministry of Health issued a red alert. Nonetheless, the
current situation is much worse. In Posadas, it was determined that
7000 dogs actually have the parasite. Additionally, there are 300
infected dogs in Corrientes, and it is worth mentioning that in its
capital city, there are thousands of homeless dogs considered to be
infected with the parasite.
The analysis of the experience from Brazil and Paraguay indicates
that there is a probability of having one person infected for every
60 infected dogs. There is a high risk for an epidemic.
Sanitary authorities recommend that pets must not be carried to the
areas considered to be at risk. It is also advisable not to transport
dogs from the affected regions to other areas in the country. The
idea is to cut the transmission cycle of the parasite. Those persons
who may visit the northern part of Argentina must be immunized
against yellow fever as an ordinary preventive measure, and they must
leave their pets at home as an additional preventive measure.
"Visceral leishmaniasis was present in the northern part of South
America until migrating workers started moving it towards the south.
In early 2000, there were some important outbreaks in Campo Grande do
Sul and in Asuncion, where the average number of persons infected is
around 70 per year. In Brazil there are around 4000 cases and 200
deaths per year," pointed out Dr. Salomon, who had been doing some
field work during the past few weeks in the Litoral provinces.
He also added: "There is a trend for an increase in visceral
leishmaniasis, so the disease may spread, and it is expected to have
more cases."
Climate changes and deforesting seem to be the main explanations for
the migration of mosquito-borne diseases. However, trying to justify
the occurrence of emergent diseases only because of reasons inherent
to nature itself may exonerate provincial and municipal authorities
for not complying with their obligations with respect to the
implementation of disease control programs and cleaning empty lots.
Consequently, now there are many public accusations between Misiones,
Corrientes, and Chaco health officers. These persons, now that there
are cases of visceral leishmaniasis, immediately try to explain that
transmission may have taken place outside their respective
jurisdictions. The clear point is that the mosquito vector appears
because of lack of public hygiene.
- --
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail <promed at promedmail.org >
[Leishmaniasis has been slowly spreading in northern Argentina over
the past decades (Salomon O et al. First visceral leishmaniasis focus
in Argentina. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2008;103:109-11
< http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18368242?ordinalpos=9&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum >).
The ecology of the vector has been changing, and increasing
urbanization has been suggested as one of the explanations (Salomon
OD et al. Phlebotominae (Diptera: Psycodidae) fauna in the Chaco
region and Cutaneous Leishmaniasis transmission patterns in
Argentina. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2008;103:578-84
< http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18949328?ordinalpos=3&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum >).
- Mod.EP]
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--
Dr. Carlos Henrique Nery Costa.
Coordenador Executivo - Rede Nordeste de Biotecnologia
Diretor Geral - Instituto de Doenças Tropicais Natan Portella
Universidade Federal do Piauí
Rua Artur de Vasconcelos 151-Sul
64.001-450 Teresina-PI
Brasil
Telefones: IDTNP:+55 86 3221-3413;
Celular: +55 86 9985-6132; Fax: +55 86 3222-3248
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