Phlebotomine fauna in the Ponta Porã city: epidemiological importance in border line between Brazil and Paraguay

ObjectiveTo identify the urban phlebotomine sandfly fauna in Ponta Porã, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil.MethodsThe captures were undertaken from April 2009 to March 2010 with CDC light traps in 14 ecotopes (intra and peridomicile) in different areas of the city, Shannon traps being used in areas with abundant vegetation.ResultsA total of 707 specimens were captured with CDC light traps (565 males and 142 females) and 155 specimens (112 males and 43 females) with Shannon traps, a total of 862 phlebotomines. The specimens captured belonged to eight species: Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva, 1912), Evandromyia cortelezzii (Brethes, 1923), Sciopemyia sordelli (Shannon & Del Ponte, 1927), Pintomyia pessoai (Coutinho & Barretto, 1940); Pintomyia monticola (Costa Lima, 1932); Brumptomyia brumpti (Larousse, 1920); Nyssomyia whitmani (Antunes & Coutinho, 1939) and Psathyromyia shannoni (Dyar, 1929). Lutzomyia longipalpis, the main vector of Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi, was the species most frequently captured (97.03%) and also the most abundant according to the standardized abundance index (SAI)=0.86.ConclusionsThe highest species richness was captured, with CDC light traps, inside the domiciles and the species diversity and evenness in the peridomicile, clearly indicating a preference for anthropic environments.     

Low dose of methyltestosterone in ovariectomised rats improves baroreflex sensitivity without geno‐ and cytotoxicity

This study evaluated the effects of the isolated use of a low dose of methyltestosterone (MT) on cardiovascular reflexes and hormonal levels and its geno‐ and cytotoxic safety in ovariectomized rats. Female Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n = 6), respectively: SHAM (received vehicle methylcellulose 0.5%), SHAM + MT (received MT 0.05 mg/kg), OVX (received vehicle), and OVX + MT (received MT). Twenty‐one days after ovariectomy, treatment was given orally daily for 28 days. The Bezold–Jarisch reflex (BJR) was analyzed by measuring the bradycardic and hypotensive responses elicited by phenylbiguanide (PBG) administration. The baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) was evaluated by phenylephrine and sodium nitroprussite. Myocyte hypertrophy was determined by morphometric analysis of H&E stained slides. Biochemical data were analyzed, as well as micronucleus assay. MT improved BRS and increased testosterone values, but did not change estradiol in the OVX group. MT did not promote changes in mean arterial pressure, heart rate, BJR, serum concentrations of troponin I, weight and histopathology of the heart. MT was able to restore the BRS in OVX rats. The geno‐ and cytotoxic safety of the MT was demonstrated by the absence of an increase in the micronucleus (PCEMN) or change in the ratio between normochromatic erythrocytes and polychromatic erythrocytes (NCE/PCE).