LEISHMANIASIS TEGUMENTARIA EN EL TERRITORIO AMAZONAS DE VENEZUELA

Resumen

Los hallazgos clínicos, inmunológicos y parasitarios que en la presente
oportunidad informamos, indican que la leishmaniasis tegumentaria americana es
endémica en la región amazónica de Venezuela, que ataca a un porcentaje alto de sus
pobladores y que en un futuro próximo debe ser motivo de atención sanitaria. La
vacunación, utilizando copio antígeno el parásito vivo, no virulento o bien la fracción
polisacárida y que ha sido ya probada en otros sitios endémicos. ha demostrado
desarrollar una aceptable protección inmunológica y constituye, por ahora. un buen
recurso defensivo. Creemos factible ensayar, y así lo recomendamos, la vacunación en
los grupos juve

niles, especialmente niños por debajo de quince años, en nuestras áreas
amazónicas más accesibles.
SUMMARY
The authors set forth the results of the epidemiological, clinical and
parasitological investigations they have been conducting on American Tegumentary
Leishrnaniasis, since 1951, within the Territory of Amazonas. Venezuela.
The Territory of Amazonas spreads over a spacious area, south of the country,
bounding with Brazil and Colombia. Its climatology corresponds to that of a rainy
forest or macrothermic, being the average (lay temperature 28° to 32" C. The rainy
season lasts 8 to 9 months and the rains are as a rule torrential; the atmospheric
humidity being during such time in excess of 90%. There is usually a great
environmental quietness, interrupted on occassions by strong winds of a short duration.
The dry season is by no means completely dry, frequently occurring somewhat heavy
rains. The flora is abundant and diverse, the fauna of vertebrates is numerous and that
of invertebrates, specially of artropods and hematophagous is notoriously
abundant and varied. The phlebotomus. natural transmitters of leishmaniasis are
found both in high as well as in low localities, being more abundant in the
woods bordering the rivers. streams and brooks. During the rainy season, they abandon
the breeding places for a much longer period than during the dry season and it is
possible to catch them out of such places during the early hours of the afternoon. At
times they invade the dwellings. Numerous rivers rise in the zone, among which the
Orinoco. Travelling over the major part of the area goes by river navigation...