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Bimonthly diurnal and nocturnal captures were conducted in four different sampling sites of the Mato Grosso Pantanal region over 24 consecutive months between March 2009 and January 2011. The goal of performing these collections was to elucidate aspects of the biology and ecology of mosquitoes in this region since little to nothing is known about these aspects for many species. A total of 17,532 specimens were captured, comprising two subfamilies, nine genera, and 44 species. The main species of culicids found in the Mato Grosso Pantanal had strong ecological compatibility with well-preserved environments and with some of the specific habitats found in at least one of the four selected collection sampling sites. Anopheles darlingi, An. albitarsis, and An. triannulatus are well-suited to environments with large water bodies and greater anthropic activity. Culex nigripalpus and Cx. quinquefasciatus prefer environments with bush fragments and pronounced human action and movement. Culex declarator and Psorophora albigenu, the most eclectic, prefer wild areas and with some anthropic activity. Mansonia titillans is associated with environments offering a wide variety of natural breeding areas that enable its development, in particular natural swamp areas covered with macrophytes, which is one of the natural components of the Pantanal biome. The effect of the flooding season on the population density of anophelines is especially advantageous, with an explosion in the number of individuals in periods of widespread flooding. The region’s environmental dynamics are regulated by flooding cycles with alternating periods of flooding and drought, which are the main factors governing the ecology of the local fauna and flora. Flooding periods contribute to raising culicid species’ richness and diversity, while the droughts result in a more even distribution of specimens within species. The flooding season of the Pantanal occurs between November and May and coincides with the greatest abundance of culicid species. During this period, the human population of the region has greater contact with mosquito vectors carrying pathogens, including arboviruses, which previous studies have confirmed via seropositivity in the region’s equines and birds.

As abordagens ecossistêmicas surgem como enfoques alternativos que integram múltiplos aspectos para a compreensão e busca de soluções de problemas de saúde oriundos de precárias condições sociossanitárias. A vulnerabilidade para a leptospirose é marcada por áreas onde há propensão a ocorrer desastres naturais de alagamento associados a precárias condições sociossanitárias. O presente artigo traz a identificação de áreas de risco para leptospirose no município de Itaboraí considerando características ambientais e sociossanitárias relacionadas a produção da doença. A análise espacial foi realizada por meio de sobreposição dos temas de interesse: áreas de maior risco de inundação (28% do território), áreas críticas (0,9% do território e 9,3% da população do município) e casos notificados de leptospirose, através da análise visual. Dos 89 casos de leptospirose notificados, 71% foram localizados dentro das áreas de influência de inundação e 34% em localidades com precárias condições sociossanitárias. Os resultados alcançados com a integração das informações socioambientais do território e análise da distribuição espacial da leptospirose demonstra a ocorrência injusta, desproporcional e evitável de leptospirose naquelas localidades, ressaltando uma situação de iniquidade social em saúde na qual populações com menores condições econômicas são impelidas a ocupar porções do território ambientalmente degradadas e com menor disponibilidade de serviços. Essa se mostra uma promissora abordagem para a área da vigilância.

The study aimed to present the methodological proposal entitled "Prompt Response", modelled in the cities of Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais State) and Natal (Rio Grande do Norte State), Brazil. The proposal aims to identify and demarcate priority areas for timely targeting of surveillance activities, aiming to reduce the intensity and velocity in the spread of epidemics in endemic urban areas. The methodology uses three variables that represent the necessary causes for the production and reproduction of dengue: notified cases (virus), Aedes eggs (vector), and population (host). This was an ecological study that used data from three information planes aggregated in finer temporal and spatial scales of 3 to 4 weeks and 400 to 600-meter grids, respectively. The prompt response areas were defined by Scan statistical analysis with definition of simultaneous spatial clusters for the three planes via the SaTScan program. In Natal, the areas defined as prompt response occupied, on average, 15.2% of the city's territory and concentrated 67.77% of the dengue cases in the period following demarcation of the prompt response areas. In Belo Horizonte, the observed proportions were 64.16% of cases in 23.23% of the territory. These results were obtained in two cities with different socioenvironmental and geographic realities and distinct epidemiological profiles, indicating that the methodology can be applied to different urban realities, allowing control programs to concentrate on reduced portions of the territory and impacting a high percentage of cases in timely fashion.O objetivo deste trabalho foi apresentar a proposta metodológica denominada de “Pronta Resposta” modelada nas cidades de Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais) e Natal (Rio Grande do Norte), Brasil. A metodologia visa identificar e delimitar áreas prioritárias para o direcionamento das ações de vigilância em tempo oportuno, buscando a redução da intensidade e velocidade da dispersão de epidemias em áreas urbanas endêmicas. Para tanto, a metodologia utiliza três variáveis, que representam as causas necessárias para a produção e reprodução da dengue: casos notificados (vírus), ovos de Aedes (vetor) e população (hospedeiro). Trata-se de um estudo ecológico que utilizou os dados dos três planos de informações agregados em escalas temporais e espaciais mais finas, de três a quatro semanas e grades de 400 a 600 metros respectivamente. As áreas de pronta resposta foram definidas por meio de análise estatística de varredura Scan, com definição de clusters espaciais simultâneos para os três planos por meio do programa SaTScan. Os resultados observados foram: na cidade de Natal, as áreas definidas como pronta resposta ocuparam em média 15,2% do território do município e concentraram 67,77% dos casos de dengue do período posterior ao utilizado na delimitação das áreas de pronta resposta, e em Belo Horizonte, os números observados foram de 64,16% dos casos em 23,23% do território. Esses resultados foram obtidos em duas cidades com realidades socioambientais e geográficas diferentes e com perfis epidemiológicos também distintos, apontando que a metodologia pode ser aplicada em diferentes realidades urbanas, criando a possibilidade de os programas de controle atuarem em porções reduzidas do território e impactar num alto percentual de casos em tempo oportuno.El objetivo del trabajo fue presentar la propuesta metodológica, denominada de “Resposta Rápida”, modelada en las ciudades de Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais) y Natal (Rio Grande do Norte), Brasil. Esta última tiene como meta identificar y delimitar áreas prioritarias para la ejecución de acciones de vigilancia en el momento oportuno, buscando la reducción de la intensidad y velocidad de la dispersión de epidemias en áreas urbanas endémicas. Para tal fin, la metodología utiliza tres variables, que representan las causas necesarias para la producción y reproducción del dengue: casos notificados (virus), huevos de Aedes (vector) y población (huésped). Se trata de un estudio ecológico que utilizó los datos de los tres planos de información agregados en escalas temporales y espaciales más finas, de 3 a 4 semanas y tablas de 400 a 600 metros respectivamente. Las áreas de respuesta rápida se definieron a través del análisis estadístico de exploración Scan, con definición de clústeres espaciales simultáneos para los tres planos mediante el programa SaTScan. Los resultados observados fueron: en la ciudad de Natal, las áreas definidas como de respuesta rápida ocuparon de media un 15,2% del territorio del municipio y concentraron un 67,77% de los casos de dengue del período posterior al utilizado en la delimitación de las áreas de respuesta rápida y, en Belo Horizonte, los números observados fueron un 64,16% de los casos en un 23,23% del territorio. Estos resultados se obtuvieron en dos ciudades con realidades socioambientales y geográficas diferentes y con perfiles epidemiológicos también distintos, apuntando que la metodología se puede aplicar en diferentes realidades urbanas. Dando la posibilidad de que los programas de control actúen en secciones reducidas del territorio e impactar en un alto porcentaje de casos en el momento oportuno.

Background Haiti is one of the Caribbean countries where malaria still persists. Malaria occurs throughout the country at altitudes below 600 meters. More than 99% of the malaria cases are caused by Plasmodium falciparum and the main vector is Anopheles albimanus. This paper aims to describe the epidemiological profile of malaria in Haiti between 2009 and 2018. Methods We analyzed information on malaria cases reported by both the Health Ministry of Haiti (Ministère de la Santé Publique et de la Population-MSPP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) during the study period. Results Between 2009 and 2018, a total of 232,479 malaria cases were reported by the MSPP. There was an increase in the incidence of malaria in the country in 2010 followed by a decrease in 2011. Due to efforts made by Haiti over the past decade to reduce malaria by 2020, malaria incidence has declined from 60,130 cases in 2010 to 8,978 cases in 2018. We verified that the MSPP and the WHO data are conflicting in relation to the number of cases reported. However, the results from both data sets presented the same malaria trend in Haiti from 2009 to 2018. The results also show the endemicity of the disease throughout Haiti, both in rural and urban areas, especially along the coast. Conclusion This work emphasizes the need to promote official data collection and analyses and the application of epidemiological surveillance of malaria for a better knowledge about the real impact of malaria on the Haitian population aiming more appropriate interventions.

To present the urban arboviruses (dengue, zika and chikungunya) stratification methodology by the territorial receptivity Index, an instrument for the surveillance and control of these diseases, which considers the heterogeneity of an intra-municipal territory.Ecological study that uses as unit of analysis the areas covered by health centers in Belo Horizonte. For the development of a territorial receptivity index, indicators of socio-environmental determination of urban arboviruses were selected in order to integrate the analysis of main components. The resulting components were weighted by the analytic hierarchy process and combined via map algebra.The territorial receptivity index showed great heterogeneity of urban infrastructure conditions. The areas classified with high and very high receptivity correspond to approximately 33% of the occupied area and are mainly concentrated in the administrative planning regions of East, Northeast, North, West, and Barreiro, especially in areas surrounding the municipality. When the density of dengue cases and Aedes eggs, from 2016, were superimposed with the stratification by the index of territorial receptivity to urban arboviruses, areas of very high receptivity had a high density of cases and Aedes eggs - higher than that observed in other areas of the city, which corresponds to a very small percentage of the municipal territory (13.5%).The analyses indicate the need for the development of adequate surveillance and control actions for each context, overcoming the logic of homogeneous allocation throughout the territory.

OBJETIVO: Apresentar a metodologia de estratificação das arboviroses urbanas (dengue, zika e chikungunya) pelo índice de receptividade territorial, instrumento de vigilância e controle dessas doenças que considera a heterogeneidade territorial intramunicipal. MÉTODOS: Estudo ecológico que utiliza como unidade de análise as áreas de abrangência dos centros de saúde de Belo Horizonte (MG). Para a construção do índice de receptividade territorial foram selecionados indicadores de determinação socioambiental das arboviroses urbanas a fim de integrar à análise de componentes principais. As componentes resultantes foram ponderadas por análise de processos hierárquicos (AHP) e agregadas por meio de álgebra de mapas. RESULTADOS: O índice de receptividade territorial evidenciou grande heterogeneidade das condições de infraestrutura urbana. As áreas classificadas como alta e muito alta receptividade correspondem a aproximadamente 33% da área ocupada e se concentram sobretudo nas regiões de planejamento administrativo Leste, Nordeste, Norte, Oeste e Barreiro, principalmente em áreas limítrofes do município. Quando sobrepostas à densidade de casos de dengue e de ovos de Aedes em 2016, a estratificação pelo índice de receptividade territorial às arboviroses urbanas demonstra que áreas de muito alta receptividade apresentam uma densidade de casos, bem como de ovos de Aedes superior àquela observada nas demais áreas da cidade, o que corresponde a um percentual bastante reduzido do território municipal (13,5%). CONCLUSÕES: As análises indicam a necessidade do desenvolvimento de ações de vigilância e controle adequadas para cada contexto, superando, assim, a lógica de alocação homogênea em todo o território.

The golden hamster is a suitable model for studying cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) due to Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis. Immunopathological mechanismsare wellstablished inthe L. (L.) major-mouse model, in which IL-4 instructs a Th2 response towards progressive infection. In the present study, we evaluatedthe natural history of L. braziliensis infection from its first stagesup to lesion establishment, with the aim ofidentifyingimmunological parameters associated with the disease outcome and parasitismfate. To this end, hamsters infected with 104, 105,or 106 promastigoteswere monitored duringthe first hours (4h, 24h), early (15, 30 days) and late (50 days) post-infection (pi) phases. Cytokines, iNOS and arginasegene expression were quantified in the established lesions by RT-PCR. Compared to the 105 or 106 groups, 104animals presented lower lesions sizes, less tissue damage,and lower IgG levels. Basal gene expression in normal skin was high for TGF-β, and intermediary for TNF, IL-6, and IL-4.At 4hpi, no cytokine induction was observed in the 104 group, while an upregulation of IL-6, IL-10, and IL-4 was observed in the 106 group. At 15dpi, lesion appearance was accompanied byan increasedexpression of all assessed cytokines, markedly in the 105 and 106 groups. Upregulation of all investigated cytokines was observed in the late phase, although less expressive in the 104 group. IFN-γ was the depending variable influencing tissue damage, while IL-6 was associatedto parasite load. The network correlating gene expression and clinical and laboratorial parameters indicated inoculum-independent associations at 15 and 30dpi.A strong positive network correlation was observed in the 104 group, but not in the105 or 106 groups. In conclusion, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, and TGF-β are linkedto L. braziliensisprogression. However, a balanced cytokine network is the key for an immune response able to reduce the ongoing infection and reduce pathological damage.

The present study evaluated the diversity of Anopheles Meigen, 1818 belonging to the subgenus Nyssorhynchus Blanchard, 1902 in four areas of Cachoeiras de Macacu municipality, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The immature collections were carried out during a rainy period and a post-rainy season. During the two periods, 3,932 specimens of Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) were collected: 562 in the rainy period (14.29%) and 3,370 in the post-rainy period (85.70%). Among 3,932 specimens collected during both periods, 489 were identified, 50 (8.89%) in the rainy period and 439 (13.02%) in the post-rainy period. Nine Anopheles species were recorded: Anopheles albitarsis Lynch Arribalzaga, 1878 s.l. (76.86%), An. braziliensis (Chagas, 1907) (17%); An. evansae (Brethes, 1926) (8, 48%); An. triannulatus (Neiva & Pinto, 1922) s.l. (8.23%); An. oswaldoi (Peryassu, 1922) (6.43%); An. strodei Root, 1926 (5.40%); An. argyritarsis Robineau-Desvoidy, 1827 (1.54%); An. rangeli Gabaldon et al., 1940 (1.28%); and An. aquasalis Curry, 1932 (0.51%). Among them, An. albitarsis was dominant and abundant in 93.75% of the collection points. Our results show a diverse Anopheles fauna in the municipality of Cachoeiras de Macacu, with a strong association of occurrence between An. rangeli and An. oswaldoi; An. rangeli and An. evansae; An. evansae and An. oswaldoi; and An. albitarsis s.l. and An. braziliensis during the rainy period. However, there was a weak correlation in the post-rainy period, except between An. rangeli and An. oswaldoi and between An. triannulatus and An. aquasalis, which displayed a moderate linear correlation. Our results suggest that following a potential reintroduction of malaria Cachoeiras de Macacu, local transmission of Plasmodium Marchiafava & Celli, 1885 may be enhanced by the presence of nine Nyssorhynchus species (all potential malaria vectors).

Given the characteristics of the COVID-19 pandemic and the limited tools for orienting interventions in surveillance, control, and clinical care, the current article aims to identify areas with greater vulnerability to severe cases of the disease in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a city characterized by huge social and spatial heterogeneity. In order to identify these areas, the authors prepared an index of vulnerability to severe cases of COVID-19 based on the construction, weighting, and integration of three levels of information: mean number of residents per household and density of persons 60 years or older (both per census tract) and neighborhood tuberculosis incidence rate in the year 2018. The data on residents per household and density of persons 60 years or older were obtained from the 2010 Population Census, and data on tuberculosis incidence were taken from the Brazilian Information System for Notificable Diseases (SINAN). Weighting of the indicators comprising the index used analytic hierarchy process (AHP), and the levels of information were integrated via weighted linear combination with map algebra. Spatialization of the index of vulnerability to severe COVID-19 in the city of Rio de Janeiro reveals the existence of more vulnerable areas in different parts of the city's territory, reflecting its urban complexity. The areas with greatest vulnerability are located in the North and West Zones of the city and in poor neighborhoods nested within upper-income parts of the South and West Zones. Understanding these conditions of vulnerability can facilitate the development of strategies to monitor the evolution of COVID-19 and orient measures for prevention and health promotion.

Members of the genera Haemagogus and Sabethes are the most important biological vectors of the wild yellow fever virus (WYF) in the forested areas of the Americas. The ecologies of Haemagogus janthinomys, Hg. leucocelaenus, Sabethes chloropterus, and Sa. glaucodaemon were studied in a forest of the Chapada dos Guimarães National Park, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, to evaluate the influence of climatic factors (temperature and relative humidity [RH]) on their abundance. We also examined the association of climate with landscape structure on species distribution patterns throughout the seasons of the year. Multiple stepwise regressions showed that RH was most likely to influence the density of mosquito populations. A multidimensional scaling (MDS) was used to evaluate the effects of forest cover on the composition of mosquito populations at different radii (100-, 250-, and 1,000-m-radius buffer areas). The MDS provided 2 dimensions with values that indicated a higher similarity in the composition of culicid populations between sites 1 and 3, while site 2 was separate from the others in the ordination space. Site 2 had a much higher forest cover ratio at 100-m radius compared with sites 1 and 3. We found a possible relationship between the forest cover and the composition of the mosquito populations only in the 100-m radius. These results enabled us to infer that RH directly favored the activity of mosquito populations and that the forest cover located closest to the sampling site may influence the species composition. Since mosquito abundance was higher in the sites with lower local forest cover, forest fragmentation may be a key factor on the presence of WYF vector.

Diante da pandemia de COVID-19 e da escassez de ferramentas para orientar as ações de vigilância, controle e assistência de pessoas infectadas, o presente artigo tem por objetivo evidenciar áreas de maior vulnerabilidade aos casos graves da doença na cidade do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, caracterizada por grande heterogeneidade socioespacial. Para o estabelecimento dessas áreas foi elaborado um índice de vulnerabilidade aos casos graves de COVID-19 com base na construção, ponderação e integração de três planos de informação: a densidade intradomiciliar média, a densidade de pessoas com 60 anos ou mais (ambas por setor censitário) e a incidência de tuberculose por bairros no ano de 2018. Os dados referentes à densidade intradomiciliar e de pessoas com 60 anos ou mais provêm do Censo Demográfico de 2010 e os de incidência de tuberculose do Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação (SINAN). A ponderação dos indicadores que compuseram o índice foi realizada por meio da Análise Hierárquica de Processos (AHP), e os planos de informação foram integrados pela Combinação Linear Ponderada por álgebra de mapas. A espacialização do índice de vulnerabilidade aos casos graves na cidade do Rio de Janeiro evidencia a existência de áreas mais vulneráveis em diferentes porções do território, refletindo a sua complexidade urbana. Contudo, é possível observar que as áreas de maior vulnerabilidade estão nas regiões Norte e Oeste da cidade e em comunidades carentes encrustadas nas áreas nobres como as zonas Sul e Oeste. A compreensão dessas condições de vulnerabilidade pode auxiliar no desenvolvimento de estratégias de monitoramento da evolução da doença, bem como para o direcionamento das ações de prevenção e promoção da saúde.

Members of the genera

Mesmo após a devastação de grande parte das suas matas, o Estado do Rio de Janeiro ainda abriga uma grande riqueza de mamíferos terrestres. Contudo, informações sobre abundância e distribuição da mastofauna do Estado ainda são escassas. Este estudo tem como objetivo inventariar os mamíferos do Parque Estadual do Desengano, localizado na região norte do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, uma das regiões menos amostradas e mais alteradas do Estado. O inventário foi realizado utilizando armadilhas do tipo Sherman e Tomahawk, e armadilhas de queda para os pequenos mamíferos não-voadores, redes de neblina para os morcegos, armadilhas fotográficas, avistamentos e relatos de moradores e funcionários do Parque para os mamíferos de maior porte. Nós registramos 56 espécies de mamíferos, das quais 15 constam na lista da fauna ameaçada de extinção do Estado do Rio de Janeiro e 10 na lista da fauna brasileira ameaçada de extinção, incluindo Brachyteles arachnoides. As espécies mais abundantes foram o morcego Sturnira lilium e o roedor Akodon serrensis. Além disso, Thaptomys nigrita, roedor normalmente pouco capturado no Estado, foi relativamente abundante no Parque Estadual do Desengano. Nossos resultados indicam que o Parque abriga 33,7% das espécies de mamíferos com ocorrência conhecida para o Estado, destacando a importância da área para a conservação da fauna do Rio de Janeiro. Even after the devastation of large part of its forests, Rio de Janeiro State still harbors a rich terrestrial mammal fauna. However, information on the distribution and abundance of mammal species in the State is still scarce. This study aims to survey the mammals of the Desengano State Park, located on the northern part of Rio de Janeiro, one of the least studied and most altered regions of the State. The inventory was conducted using Sherman, Tomahawk, and pitfall traps for non-volant small mammals, mist nets for bats, camera traps, sightings and reports of residents and officials of the Park for large mammals. We recorded 56 species of mammals, of which 15 are on the list of threatened fauna of Rio de Janeiro State and 10 on the list of Brazilian threatened fauna, including Brachyteles arachnoides. The most abundant species were the bat Sturnira lilium and the rodent Akodon serrensis. Moreover, Thaptomys nigrita, a rodent not commonly captured in the State, was relatively abundant in the Desengano State Park. Results indicate that the park harbors 33.7% of the species of mammals known to occur in the State, highlighting the importance of the area for the conservation of Rio de Janeiro fauna.

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The Atlantic Forest in the state of Rio de Janeiro is extremely fragmented and reduced in its original extension. Although there are a great number of studies related to the biome, few lists are available for this region. The present study seeks to get information on the mammals of a remnant forest in Serra da Concórdia, an area from which no information is currently available. The rapid mammal's survey was accomplished by use of pitfalls, live traps, transects, mist nets, and camera traps. We recorded 37 terrestrial species that represent 22.3 % of Rio de Janeiro state mammal species. Among the recorded species, six are endemic of the Atlantic Forest, one is endemic of the state, and eight are in the state list of threatened or presumably threatened species. The area presents great mammal richness and an increasing effort will probably reveal the presence of additional species.

The Atlantic Forest is considered a hotspot due to its current state of vast degradation and high indexes of biodiversity. This biome has been degraded through the years by processes resulting from the Brazilian socioeconomic model of development. The seasonal semi-deciduous Atlantic Forest is a poorly studied phytophysiognomy specially degraded by human activities in the state of Rio de Janeiro. In the present study we report the results of a rapid mammalian inventory conducted in the municipality of Cambuci, in a fragment of seasonal semi-deciduous forest. We used live traps and pitfall traps to capture non-volant small mammals, and mist-nets of different lengths to collect bats. To sample medium and large-sized mammals we used camera traps. We recorded 27 mammal species in the region, of which 16 are volant mammals. We emphasize the distribution extension of Trinomys setosus in 150 km (that enabled its insertion in the species list of Rio de Janeiro) and the capture of Lonchophylla peracchii, a recently described species apparently restricted to Atlantic Forest. Both facts show the importance of the fragment for the region biodiversity.