Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Leishmania infection in red foxes and hunting dogs in Southern Italy
By Piantedosi, Diego et al.·Published in Acta parasitologica·2016·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Epidemiological survey on Leishmania infection in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and hunting dogs sharing the same rural area in Southern Italy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study in Southern Italy found that 17.9% of hunting dogs tested positive for Leishmania infection, a parasite that can cause serious health issues in dogs. Researchers also examined red foxes from the same area and discovered that 20.8% were infected, although none showed obvious signs of illness. This suggests that while both dogs and foxes can carry the parasite, hunting dogs are at a higher risk of infection. Pet owners should be aware of the potential for Leishmania in their dogs, especially in areas where it is common, and discuss preventive measures with their veterinarian.
People also search for: dog leishmaniasis symptoms · hunting dog parasite prevention · red fox infection risk to dogs
Abstract
Southern Italy, particularly Campania region, is an area where canine leishmaniasis (CanL) and zoonotic human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) are endemic. The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) has been hypothesized to play a role in occurrence of CanL in Italy but specific studies are poor. The aim of the present survey was to investigate the prevalence of Leishmania infection in dogs and foxes living in the same rural area (Picentini hills). 123 sera from autochthonous fox-hunting dogs were examined by immunofluorescent-antibody test (IFAT) using a cut-off of 1:160. The seroprevalence of dogs examined was 17.9%. Moreover, 48 foxes were examined after having been shooted by hunters or road accidents. Spleen, liver and lymph node samples were analyzed by specific Leishmania nested PCR (n-PCR). 10 foxes were found infected by L. infantum (20.8%) of which 4 animals in spleen, 2 in lymph nodes and 4 both in spleen and lymph nodes. The overall n-PCR positivity was 17.4% for spleen samples and 13.3% for lymph nodes; all liver samples resulted negative. In positive PCR foxes no signs clearly referable to leishmaniasis were recorded at necropsy. The results confirmed the presence of L. infantum infection in red foxes from Southern Italy, with a moderate level of exposure. Because large proportions of dogs with ascertained progressive leishmaniasis show a prolonged "subpatent condition" during which they are only positive to n-PCR before seroconversion, our results allow to assume that exposure risk in foxes is lower than hunting dogs living in the studied area.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27787204/