Resumo

AGRELA, Irma F  e  SANCHEZ, Erlinda. Prevalence of infection by Leishmania spp. in a peri-urban area of Altagracia de Orituco, Guárico state, Venezuela. Bol Mal Salud Amb [online]. 2009, vol.49, n.1, pp.107-116. ISSN 1690-4648.

Leishmania infantum is the etiological agent of the visceral leishmaniasis (VL). However, in the Old World as well in the New World (CentralAmerica), this protozoan has also been involved in cases of atypical cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL). Clinical, molecular and entomological evidences have demonstrated that a similar situation is happening in a peri-urban area of Altagracia de Orituco (Guárico state, Venezuela). With the purpose of contributing to the understanding of such an epidemiological scenario, a cross-sectional study was carryed out using the leishmanin skin test (LST) and screening for the seroprevalence to crude antigens of Leishmania spp. and rK39 by means of the ELISA test in cases of ACL reported in the period 1997-2000 (n=8), among their co-inhabitants (n=15) and in a randomly selected sample of 233 people. The dermoprevalence was 31.6% (67/212); 28.8% (67/233) were positive to the ELISA test using promastigotes of L. infantum (= L. chagasi) and 13.3% (31/233) had antibodies anti-L. braziliensis. In addition, the test of ELISA using the antigen rK39 was positive in one out of the eight cases studied and in two out of their co-inhabitants; as well as in 13.7% (32/233) of the inhabitants of the community. The results obtained in this epidemiological study indicate the circulation of species of the sub-genus Leishmania as well as of the subgenus Viannia. The presence of antibodies anti-Leishmania in general was associated to the age and the time of residence in the zone.

Palavras-chave : atypical cutaneous leishmaniasis; ELISA; rK39; leishmanin; Venezuela.