Mansonelosis en el area sur-oriental de la Orinoquia venezolana

Physical exam and skin biopsy were performed and peripheral blood samples drawn from 10% of the inhabitants of 26 jungle villages of the State of Bolívar, Venezuela. One hundred and fifty three Indians and an inhabitant of mixed blood from 13 different communities were found to be infected with mansonelliasis representing a global index of 36.40% in the endemic area. The parasitosis was found to be concentrated in three areas. The largest, located in the southwest of the country and forming part of an extent infected area embarking neighboring parts of Venezuela and Brazil, contains villages with a parasite index of 80.76% and 94.44%. A second focus is located in the southeast, its carriers, as those of the first, are infected with Mansonella ozzardi. In a third, central eastern focus infections with Mansonella pertans were found. The patients infected with M. ozzardi were apparently asintomatic and their physical exam was normal, even though individual parasite densities up to 30,000 microfilariae/ml blood and 22,000/gr skin were found.En 26 asentamientos selváticos del Estado Bolívar, Venezuela, fueron muestreados el 10% o más de sus residentes mediante examen físico, biopsias de piel y toma de sangre periférica. En 13 de las comunidades se detectaron 153 indígenas y un mestizo infectados con Mansonelosis, representando un índice global de 36,40% para el área endémica. La parasitosis se concentró en tres focos: El mayor situado en la región Suroccidental y formando parte de una extensa superficie infectada, que abarca territorios vecinos de Venezuela y Brasil; con aldeas de índices parasitarios colectivos de 80,76% y 94,44%. Un segundo foco está situado en la región Suroriental y los portadores, al igual que en el anterior, están infectados con Mansonela ozzardi. El tercer foco Centro-oriental presentó infecciones por M. pertans. No fue posible concretar un cuadro nosológico en los infectados por M.ozzardi, a pesar de haberse detectado densidades parasitarias individuales de 30.000 microfilarias por ml de sangre y de 22.000 por gr de piel