Canine leishmaniosis in Portugal 2009-2023: study of cases and test

Abstract

Leishmaniosis is a vector-borne disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus <i>Leishmania</i>, which are zoonotic and have an important impact on animal and public health globally. Between 2009 and 2023, blood samples from domestic dogs with clinical suspicion of leishmaniosis were received from 286 veterinary medical centres throughout mainland Portugal. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was utilised to detect antibodies against <i>Leishmania infantum</i> antigens. Additionally, a complete blood count and tests for total proteins, urea, creatinine and alanine aminotransferase, as well as protein electrophoresis, were also performed. No significant relationship between sex and breed was observed. The age distribution was bimodal, with the highest prevalence of disease occurring at 2–5 years of age and a secondary peak occurring at 6 years or over (<i>p</i> < 0.001). No statistical correlation was observed between creatinine and urea across the ELISA serological groups. In contrast, both the gamma globulin levels (r = 0.45; <i>p</i> < 0.001) and the albumin/globulin ratio (r = −0.36; <i>p</i> < 0.001) exhibited moderate correlations with the ELISA. These findings support recent seroprevalence studies in dogs, with some geographical areas in Northern Portugal exhibiting the highest values, which may be the result of geographical shifts in parasite circulation due to climate change.