Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Leishmania infection in dogs in Pernambuco Brazil study
By Evaristo, Anna Maria da Cruz Ferreira et al.·Published in Revista brasileira de parasitologia veterinaria = Brazilian journal of veterinary parasitology : Orgao Oficial do Colegio Brasileiro de Parasitologia Veterinaria·2020·Laborató·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Canine leishmaniasis in the semi-arid region of Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil: epidemiology, factors associated with seropositivity and spatial analysis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
In a study from northeastern Brazil, researchers found that 42.8% of dogs tested positive for leishmaniasis, a disease caused by a parasite spread by sand flies. Many of the infected dogs showed symptoms like swollen lymph nodes, skin lesions, and eye problems. The highest rates of infection were in urban areas, particularly in the municipality of Cabrobó, where nearly 56% of dogs tested positive. This highlights the importance of controlling sand fly populations to protect both dogs and humans from this disease.
People also search for: dog leishmaniasis symptoms · swollen lymph nodes in dogs · skin lesions in dogs · treatment for dog leishmaniasis · preventing leishmaniasis in dogs
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence, factors associated with seropositivity to Leishmania infection in dogs and spatial analysis in six municipalities in the semiarid region of Pernambuco, Brazil. Blood samples were collected from 462 dogs, 77 in each municipality, and used for serological analysis [dual path platform (DPP®) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)]. Clinical signs of dogs were evaluated and associated factors for Leishmania infection were analyzed using robust Poisson regression model. A seroprevalence of 42.8% (198/462, IC: 95% = 38.6%-47.6%) was detected in dogs that tested positive in both tests, ranging from 29.8% to 55.8%, with higher prevalence in the municipality of Cabrobó (55.8%; P = 0.006). About 67% (132/198) of the seropositive dogs showed one or more clinical signs suggestive of canine leishmaniasis (CanL), such as lymphadenomegaly, skin lesions and conjunctivitis, which were associated with seropositivity. High seroprevalence levels were identified in urban and rural areas in all the municipalities, and the buffer for sand flies around cases covered almost these entire areas. Spatial analysis revealed a significant cluster, showing a relative risk of 1.88 in the urban area of Cabrobó. The higher density of seropositive dogs in urban areas indicates the need effective control measures against CanL to prevent the emergence of canine and human diseases.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32490894/