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Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 77(6), 2007, pp. 1051-1053
Copyright © 2007 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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Human Asymptomatic Infection in Visceral Leishmaniasis: A Seroprevalence Study in an Urban Area of Low Endemicity. Preliminary Results

Sandra C. Barão, Vera L. de Fonseca Camargo-Neves, Mariângela R. Resende, AND Luiz J. da Silva*
Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil; Superintendência de Controle de Endemias, Grupo de Estudo em Leishmaniose, Secretaria de Estado de Saúde, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

Many aspects of the human asymptomatic visceral leishmaniasis (VL) remain not elucidated, and moreover, almost all the data come from highly endemic areas. The recent appearance of American VL (AVL) in the northeastern region of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, offered a good opportunity for further understanding. We present the preliminary results from a seroprevalence study on AVL in humans in Araçatuba, São Paulo. This was a cross-sectional survey on a random sample of the population (one-stage simple random sampling) in two areas, using rK39 dipstick tests. The sex ratios and age distributions in the two areas were comparable. Detectable antibodies were found in 23 subjects (20%) in area A1 and in 6 subjects (4.8%) in area A2. There was no significant difference in age distribution of seropositivity between the areas. We observed a difference in asymptomatic infection rates between the two areas, possibly associated with socioeconomic levels and transmission intensity.

Received July 5, 2006. Accepted for publication July 19, 2007.

Acknowledgments: The authors acknowledge the contributions made by its field agents in Araçatuba.

Financial support: This work was supported by the Endemic Disease Control Authority (Superintendência de Controle de Endemias, SUCEN).

Disclosure: Luis J. Silva is currently employed by Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics. This statement is made in the interest of full disclosure and not because the authors consider this a conflict of interest.

* Address correspondence to Luiz J. da Silva, Nanuque 115 apto. A4 112, São Paulo 05302-030, Brazil. E-mail: ljsilva{at}unicamp.br

Authors’ addresses: Sandra C. Barão, Mariângela R. Resende, and Luiz J. da Silva, Núcleo de Vigilância Epidemiológica, Hospital de Clínicas da Unicamp, Rua Vital Brasil, 251, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz 13083-888 Campinas, SP, Brazil; E-mails: scbarao{at}hotmail.com, mresende{at}hc.unicamp.br, and ljsilva{at}unicamp.br. Vera L. de Fonseca Camargo-Neves, Grupo de Estudo em Leishmaniose, Superintendência de Controle de Endemias, Secretaria de Estado de Saúde Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 351, 1° andar, 01246-000 São Paulo, SP, Brazil, E-mail: veracamargo{at}saude.sp.gov.br.






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