Follow-up of zoonotic landscapes under deforestation and land-use changes in the Amazon

• Grant number: 21/06669-6
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants - Phase 2
• Start date: March 01, 2022
• End date: February 28, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Entomology and Malacology of Parasites and Vectors
• Principal Investigator: Gabriel Zorello Laporta
• Grantee: Gabriel Zorello Laporta
• Host Institution: Centro Universitário FMABC (FMABC). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Andréia Fernandes Brilhante ; Denis Valle ; Dionatas Ulises de Oliveira Meneguetti ; Fredy Galvis Ovallos ; Marcia Aparecida Speranca ; Melissa Suzanne Nolan ; Paula Ribeiro Prist
• Associated research grant: 14/09774-1 - Dynamics of malaria transmission under distinct landscape fragmentation thresholds, AP.BTA.JP
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/08509-4 - Identification of Plasmodium DNA sequences from anopheline samples in the rural settlement of Santa Luzia, Cruzeiro do Sul county, Acre state, Brazil, BP.MS; 23/08053-8 - Forest loss estimation by remote sensing analysis and drone multispectral imagery in zoonotic landscapes under deforestation in the Amazon, BP.DR

Abstract

Vector-borne diseases are causes of morbidity and mortality globally, with clustered transmission being an important challenge in elimination efforts. Co-endemicity and co-infections from Malaria, Chagas Disease, and Cutaneous Leishmaniasis are suspected mechanisms that likely contribute to the persistent hidden transmission burden from vector-borne diseases in the Brazilian Amazon. Our proposal integrates GIS modelling, remote sensing technologies with human parasite incidence/insect vector infectivity levels of Plasmodium spp., Trypanosoma spp., and Leishmania spp. human-vectoral transmission among landscape-sites with varying deforestation levels and timelines to better understand sustained transmission cycles. By working closely with key community stakeholders, capacity building will be a secondary benefit that will support future studies locally. Our overall hypothesis states that deforestation and land-use changes result in high vector-borne disease incidence risk and that human Malaria cases are co-occurring with common local and neglected chronic parasites (Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp.). We will employ a prospective, 5-yrs. follow-up study of fine-scale landscape sites (n=40) which are under environmental changes and that annually report symptomatic cases of Malaria, Chagas Disease, and Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in local children and adults in the Santa Luzia rural settlement, Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre state, Brazil. We will collect human and insect samples and test them for parasite infection and assess relationships between parasite infection and deforestation levels. By identifying the role that co-occurring infections play in Amazonian transmission cycles, we can tailor public health efforts accordingly. Our main goal is to develop a score guideline to efficiently identify actions and scenarios with decreased transmission of vector-borne diseases to human and animal populations. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

LAPORTA, GABRIEL ZORELLO; GRILLET, MARIA EUGENIA; RODOVALHO, SHEILA RODRIGUES; MASSAD, EDUARDO; MUREB SALLUM, MARIA ANICE. Reaching the malaria elimination goal in Brazil: a spatial analysis and time-series study. INFECTIOUS DISEASES OF POVERTY, v. 11, n. 1, p. 16-pg., 2022-04-05. (14/09774-1, 21/06669-6, 14/26229-7)

RANGEL, MARINA E. O.; DUARTE, ANA MARIA R. C.; OLIVEIRA, TATIANE M. P.; MUCCI, LUIS F.; LOSS, ANA CAROLINA; LOAIZA, JOSE R.; LAPORTA, GABRIEL Z.; SALLUM, MARIA ANICE M.. Zoonotic Malaria Risk in Serra Do Mar, Atlantic Forest, Brazil. MICROORGANISMS, v. 11, n. 10, p. 12-pg., 2023-10-01. (21/06669-6)