Elisa Alcántara-Henríquez

Integrated One Health studies are essential for assessing the risks of leishmaniasis transmission. In Honduras, the most prevalent clinical presentation of leishmaniasis is the non-ulcerated cutaneous form caused by Leishmania infantum; however, research on its transmission dynamics remains limited. This study aimed to characterize the eco-epidemiology of leishmaniasis and identify potential zoonotic risk factors in the municipality of Ojos de Agua, Department of Comayagua, central Honduras, using a One Health approach. We collected sand flies using CDC light traps placed in intra- and peridomestic settings of households with a history of leishmaniasis. Concurrently, we evaluated domestic dogs and collected blood samples for serological and molecular testing. We also conducted active surveillance among community residents to identify human infections. We collected a total of 644 phlebotomine sand flies, including 186 females. We identified eight sandfly species, with Lutzomyia (Lutzomyia) longipalpis as the predominant species, followed by Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) evansi. Among the 64 engorged females screened, the overall PCR positivity rate for Leishmania spp. was 14.1% (9/64). Blood meal analysis of PCR-positive sand flies identified humans and pigs as blood and meal sources. Additionally, 18.6% (8/43) of domestic dogs were seropositive for Leishmania spp., and 23.3% (10/43) tested positive by PCR. DNA sequencing identified the infecting species as Leishmania infantum. We detected no active human cases during the study period. These findings highlight the value of a One Health approach for improving transmission risk monitoring in newly emerging areas with a history of ulcerative cutaneous leishmaniasis in Honduras.

Leishmaniasis is a tropical and subtropical disease caused by protozoans of the genus Leishmania, primarily transmitted to humans through the bite of sandflies. This neglected disease poses a serious global health challenge due to its spectrum of clinical manifestations, which can lead to potentially fatal outcomes. In Honduras, four clinical forms of leishmaniasis are present: ulcerative cutaneous leishmaniasis (UCL), mucosal leishmaniasis (ML), non-ulcerated cutaneous leishmaniasis (NUCL), and visceral leishmaniasis (VL). This study aims to identify spatial patterns of these four clinical forms of the disease in Honduras, utilizing epidemiological data from 2009 to 2016. Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis was employed for spatial assessment. Moran’s I was used to evaluate the data and reveal patterns, while Hot Spot Analysis identified statistically significant spatial clusters of high and low values. For UCL and NUCL, all Global Moran’s I p-values were below 0.001 throughout the study period. For VL, p-values were under 0.001 in 2010, 2013, and 2016. For ML, p-values were below 0.05 in 2009, 2011, 2014, and 2015. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate geographical segregation among the different clinical forms of leishmaniasis.

Bovine cysticercosis (BCC) is a parasitic zoonotic disease of veterinary and sanitary importance affecting cattle production in Costa Rica. The causal agent is the larval form of Taenia saginata, which requires cattle to complete its life cycle. This study aims to determine the distribution of BCC cases in the country’s export slaughterhouses and to characterize T. saginata in suspicious samples molecularly. A cross-sectional study was conducted, analyzing reports of CCB retentions recorded by the National Animal Health Service (SENASA) between 2015 and 2019 in four export slaughterhouses in the country. The number and distribution of cases in the cantons of Costa Rica were identified from this data. Additionally, cysts suspected of BCC were collected for detection using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results showed that of the 852 cases reported, the majority came from Alajuela (33.5%), San José (21.1%), and Guanacaste (10.8%). The cantons of Alajuela (n=118) and San Carlos (n=90) in the province of Alajuela had the highest number of cases. Between June and August, 24 cysts were collected, with the majority originating from the province of Alajuela, specifically 58.3% found in the masseter muscles. PCR analysis identified T. saginata in 11 samples (45.8%), and sequencing revealed two distinct genotypes. One genotype exhibited 100% nucleotide similarity with isolates from South Korea, Brazil, Ecuador, and Belgium, while the other genotype showed similarity with an isolate from China. These findings highlight the prevalence and distribution of bovine cysticercosis in Costa Rica, as well as the importance of implementing effective control and prevention measures.