Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How global warming may change dog leishmaniasis in southern France
By Dereure, Jacques et al.·Published in Vector borne and zoonotic diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.)·2009·Université, France·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: The potential effects of global warming on changes in canine leishmaniasis in a focus outside the classical area of the disease in southern France.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study in southern France found that a group of dogs living in the foothills had a higher rate of canine leishmaniasis, a disease spread by sandflies, compared to those in the valley. In 1994, about 11.67% of dogs in the valley tested positive for the disease, but by 2007, that number dropped significantly to 2.72%, likely due to the use of protective collars. Meanwhile, the foothill dogs saw an increase in positive cases from 1.43% to 11.32%, possibly linked to rising temperatures. This suggests that climate change may be affecting the spread of this disease in new areas.
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Abstract
In 1994, an ecoepidemiologic study was carried out in the mid-Ariège valley (French Pyrenees) where autochthonous cases of canine leishmaniasis had been previously reported. Serologic samples were collected from 336 dogs in two groups of villages. The seroprevalences were 11.67% in the valley villages and only 1.43% in the foothill villages. Five lymph node biopsies were taken from serologically positive dogs, and resultant isolates were identified as Leishmania infantum zymodeme MON-1. Phlebotomine sandflies were collected in five locations by CDC light traps. Both of the known French vectors, Phlebotomus ariasi and P. perniciosus, were identified. Bioclimatic and floristic studies showed that this area is an enclave of the supra-Mediterranean climatic zone, containing a typically xerothermophilic Mediterranean flora. The Pyrenees Mountains are usually considered to be outside of the endemic range of leishmaniasis in southern France, and so our demonstration of a microfocus of canine leishmaniasis in the northern foothills is noteworthy. A second serologic survey carried out in 2007 (216 dogs) showed an inversion of the seropositive rates between the two groups of villages compared with those of 1994: only 2.72% in the valley villages and 11.32% in the foothills villages. The decrease of seroprevalence in the first area (valley villages) can be related to a considerable use of deltamethrin collars during the transmission season. The increase of seroprevalence of the foothill villages could be related to climatic conditions, since there was an increase of about 1 degrees C in the mean annual temperature.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19271999/