[Leish-l] Leishmaniasis - Argentina: epidemic potential

Tue Mar 24 16:52:47 BRT 2009

The British investigators I know insist in using "sand fly" as the correct English.

You save one space by using "sandfly" at the expense of being correct.

KP 

________________________________

From: Carlos Costa [mailto:chncosta at gmail.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 2:46 PM
To: Chang, Kwang-Poo
Cc: Laila Nimri; fred opperdoes; Leish-l at lineu.icb.usp.br
Subject: Re: [Leish-l] Leishmaniasis - Argentina: epidemic potential

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

________________________________

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=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; 
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