Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Visceral leishmaniasis infection in dogs in rural southern Iran
By Najafi, Laleh et al.·Published in Veterinary medicine and science·2021·Department of Parasitology and Mycology·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Molecular and serological evaluation of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis in dogs in a rural area of Fars province, southern Iran, as a source of Leishmania infantum infection.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 60 dogs in rural southern Iran were tested for a serious infection called canine visceral leishmaniasis, which can be spread to humans. Blood tests showed that 28 of the dogs had antibodies against the parasite Leishmania infantum, indicating they had been exposed to the disease. Additionally, DNA testing confirmed that three of these dogs were actively infected. This study highlights that both sick and healthy-looking dogs can carry the infection, making them a potential source of disease in the area.
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Abstract
Canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) is endemic in the southern parts of Iran. The current study aimed at molecular and serological evaluation of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis in dogs in Fars province, southern Iran. Blood samples were collected from 60 dogs in the three villages in Fars Province. Serum samples were tested for antibodies against L. infantum by direct agglutination test (DAT). DNA was extracted from each dog's buffy coat and tested by PCR, targeting the Leishmania ITS-2 region. From a total of 60 studied dogs, 25 (41.7%) were female, and 35 (58.3%) were male. Dogs' age ranged from 1 to 7 years, with a mean age of 2.97 (±1.4) years. Anti-Leishmania antibodies were detected in sera samples of 28 (46.7%) dogs, (titre ≥ 1:320). Out of 28 seropositive cases, 13 (46.4%) were female, and 15 (53.6%) were male. Association between seropositivity and dogs' clinical signs was statistically significant (p < .05). Leishmania DNA was detected in the buffy coat of 3 of 60 studied dogs which were all seropositive by DAT. The PCR products were sequenced and molecular analysis showed that two of the isolates were Leishmania infantum, and one was L. tropica. The high proportion of seropositive dogs indicates the important role of these animals in the epidemiology of the disease in the region. Infected dogs with or without signs, especially those that are molecularly positive, can act as an active reservoir of the disease in the area.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33942557/