Dissertação
Avaliação do potencial de transmissibilidade de leishmaniose visceral em primatas-não-humanos de cativeiro da região metropolitana de Belo Horizonte – MG
Fecha
2019-01-30Autor
Ayisa Rodrigues de Oliveira
Institución
Resumen
Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease of worldwide relevance. In Brazil, visceral leishmaniasis is
endemic and caused by Leishmania infantum (synonym Leishmania chagasi) with Lutzomyia
longipalpis being the most important invertebrate vector. Non-human primates can be infected
with L. infantum, however, little is known about the role of these species as reservoirs. Fifty two
non-human primates kept in captivity in Belo Horizonte, an endemic area for visceral
leishmaniasis, were subjected to xenodignosis. Anti-Leishmania serologic tests were performed
on all animals included in the study. Sand flies fed on all animals were tested by qPCR to identify
and quantify L. infantum promastigotes. Eight of the 52 non-human primates were positive by
xenodiagnosis, including three Pan troglodytes, three Leontopithecus rosalia, one Sapajus apella,
and one Miopithecus talapoin, and seven of them were also positive at serology. Estimated
numbers of 5.67 to 1,181.93 promastigotes/μg of DNA were observed. Positive animals had
higher levels of IgG anti-Lu. longipalpis saliva when compared to negative animals, prior to
xenodiagnosis. Captive non-human primates are capable of infecting Lu. longipalpis with L.
infantum, been a potential reservoir and possible playing a role in the maintenance of this agent
in the environment in endemic areas. Our findings also demonstrate the relevance of non-human
primates as sentinels to zoonotic diseases. This study has implications for public health strategies
and under a conservation medicine perspective.