Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Leishmania and Toxoplasma infections in Shanghai household dogs
By Jiang, Wei et al.·Published in Annals of agricultural and environmental medicine : AAEM·2016·Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, China·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Seroepidemiological study of canine Leishmania infantum and Toxoplasma gondii infections in Shanghai, China, and analysis of risk factors.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study in Shanghai found that about 6% of household dogs tested positive for Leishmania infantum, a parasite that can cause serious health issues, while around 9% were positive for Toxoplasma gondii, another parasite that can affect both pets and humans. The research showed that older dogs were more likely to be infected, with infection rates increasing significantly in dogs over six years old. Interestingly, male dogs and crossbred dogs had higher exposure rates, but these factors weren't definitive for infection. This study highlights the importance of monitoring and preventing these infections in dogs to protect both their health and that of their owners.
People also search for: dog parasite infection symptoms · Leishmania treatment for dogs · Toxoplasma gondii in pets
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of Leishmania infantum and Toxoplasma gondii among household dogs in Shanghai (the most important industrial and commercial city in China), and to assess the possible risk factors associated with the infection. During 2014-2015, a total of 408 sera were collected from healthy household dogs and tested for L. infantum and T. gondii infection using commercial ELISA kits. The endemic characteristics according to gender, age group and breed were revealed by statistical descriptions and inference. The positive rates of L. infantum infection (24/408, 5.9%) were lower than those of T. gondii infection (37/408, 9.1%), and co-infection with both parasites was detected in seven dogs (7/408, 1.7%). Seropositivity for either parasite was more likely associated with age: the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection ranged from 1.3% (dogs≤1 year) - 18.7% (dogs>6 years), whereas that of L. infantum ranged from 1.3% (dogs≤1 year) - 9.9 % (dogs>6 years). Interestingly, the rates of exposure to both L. infantum and T. gondii were higher in males than in females. Relatively higher exposure rates for L. infantum and T. gondii were also observed in crossbred dogs compared with purebred dogs. However, neither gender nor breed is likely a determining factor for infection with these two parasites (P > 0.05). Identification of the risk factors that underlie these differences may help in the prevention of L. infantum and T. gondii infection in household dogs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of L. infantum and T. gondii infection in household dogs in Shanghai, which shows that these two important parasites are still prevalent in this region. Therefore, it is necessary to take integrated strategies for prevention and control of infection in animals, which could help to reduce human infection in the region.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27660861/