Publications

survey of infectious and parasitic diseases in stray cats at the lisbon metropolitan area, portugal.	a survey of infectious and parasitic diseases of stray cats was carried out using biological samples collected from animals captured during a catch-neuter-release programme in four counties of the lisbon metropolitan area. the main objective was to investigate the potential threat of stray cats for animal and public health. samples of blood, stool, hair and auricular swabs were collected from 231 cats in 27 colonies. anti-toxoplasma gondii antibodies were detected in 47/194 samples (24.2%); anti ...	2010	20466573
feline leishmania infection in a canine leishmaniasis endemic region, portugal.	canine leishmaniasis (canl) caused by leishmania infantum is a serious zoonotic public health and veterinary problem in the mediterranean basin. leishmania infection in domestic cats (felis catus domesticus) has been reported in several countries where this zoonosis is endemic, such as portugal, spain, italy, france, greece, israel, palestine and brazil. the aim of this study was to contribute to the knowledge of the role played by cats in leishmania epidemiology, in an endemic focus of zoonotic ...	2010	20869810
entomological and ecological studies in a new potential zoonotic leishmaniasis focus in torres novas municipality, central region, portugal.	in portugal human and canine leishmaniasis are caused by leishmania infantum, and phlebotomus perniciosus and p. ariasi are the proven vectors. three main foci were identified in eighty's decade: trás-os-montes and alto douro region, lisbon region and algarve region, but according to onleish observatory data, canine leishmaniasis cases have been reported from several other regions, for which sand fly species and their infection rates are unknown. this study is the first phlebotomine survey in to ...	2012	23262215
genetic diversity evaluation on portuguese leishmania infantum strains by multilocus microsatellite typing.	leishmania infantum is the main etiological agent of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis in the mediterranean region, including portugal, but, given its low isoenzyme diversity in this country, the population structure is poorly known. a set of 14 polymorphic microsatellite markers was studied on 136 portuguese leishmania strains isolated from different hosts, geographic regions and different clinical forms. a total of 108 different genotypes were found, which is a degree of genetic diversity compar ...	2014	24815728
the recombinant protein rsp03b is a valid antigen for screening dog exposure to phlebotomus perniciosus across foci of canine leishmaniasis.	the frequency of sandfly-host contacts can be measured by host antibody levels against sandfly salivary proteins. recombinant salivary proteins are suggested to represent a valid replacement for salivary gland homogenate (sgh); however, it is necessary to prove that such antigens are recognized by antibodies against various populations of the same species. phlebotomus perniciosus (diptera: psychodidae) is the main vector of leishmania infantum (trypanosomatida: trypanosomatidae) in southwest eur ...	2017	27718267