[Leish-l] Leishmaniasis - Argentina: epidemic potential
Chang, Kwang-Poo
KwangPoo.Chang at rosalindfranklin.edu
Sat Mar 21 12:25:03 BRT 2009
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
________________________________
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
________________________________
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 <http://www.promedmail.org/> >
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org <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=EntrezSy
stem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubme
d_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=EntrezSy
stem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubme
d_RVDocSum>).
- Mod.EP]
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lineu.icb.usp.br/pipermail/leish-l/attachments/20090321/82c64c89/attachment-0001.htm
More information about the Leish-l
mailing list