Ecological aspects of American cutaneous leishmaniasis. 9. Prevalence/incidence of the human infection in the municipality of Pedro de Toledo and Miracatu, São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

The epidemiologic study was conducted during the 1973-1984 period. The clinical prospective exam and Montenegro skin, immunofluorescent and passive hemagglutination tests have been carried out in three small localities between Pedro de Toledo e Miracatu municipalities, São Paulo, Brazil. The retrospective study of human-cases involved 108 and 65 cases registered in Pedro de Toledo e Miracatu, respectively. In the three communities studied, 273 people were examined clinically and serologically. Twenty two individuals had had signals of cutaneous leishmaniasis; 10.2 and 12.8% were seropositive to IF and HA. Leishmanin skin testing of a sample of 154 people residents in Pedra do Largo showed prevalence of Leishmania infection in 25.5%. This result involved individual of all ages and sex. However, 5.8% of them were from 0 to 9 years old. The data confirmed that active parasite transmission didn't occur every year, either. The human infection seems not to depend on man contact with a forest. The incidence relatively low suggests low endemic area for cutaneous leishmaniasis and an explosive behavior of the cases. The temporal distribution of disease was irregular and the epidemiological pattern seen was different from the other endemic area of South America.