A mixed-methods approach to understanding domestic dog health and disease transmission risk in an indigenous reserve in Guyana, South America

Abstract

Domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) can transmit a variety of pathogens due to their ubiquitousness in urban, rural and natural environments, and their close interactions with wildlife and humans. In this study, we used a mixed-methods approach to assess the role of domestic dogs as potential intermediaries of disease transmission from wildlife to humans among indigenous Waiwai in the Konashen Community Owned Conservation Area, Guyana. To address these objectives we 1) performed physical examinations and collected biological samples to assess Waiwai domestic dog health, and 2) administered questionnaires to characterize the role of dogs in the community and identify potential transmission pathways between wildlife, dogs, and humans. We observed ectoparasites on all dogs (n = 20), including: fleas (100%), ticks (15%), botflies (30%), and jigger flea lesions (Tunga penetrans) (80%). Ten percent of dogs were seropositive for Ehrlichia canis/ewingii, 10% were positive for Dirofilaria immitis, and one dog was seropositive for Leishmania infantum. All dogs (n = 20) were seronegative for: canine distemper virus, Brucella canis, Leptospira serovars, Trypanosoma cruzi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum/platys and Borrelia burgdorferi. Our questionnaire data revealed that the Waiwai remove ectoparasites from their dogs, clean up dog feces, and administer traditional and/or Western medicine to their dogs. White blood cell, strongyle-type ova, and eosinophil counts were lower in dogs that were not frequently used for hunting, dogs that did receive traditional and/or western medicine, and dogs that were frequently kept in elevated dog houses, although differences were not statistically significant. While our results suggest that the Waiwai have developed cultural practices that may promote dog health and/or prevent zoonotic disease transmission, more research is necessary to determine the efficacy of these practices. Our study provides important data on the health of dogs and the potential for disease transmission to humans in a zoonotic hotspot.

Leishmania spp. in indigenous populations: A mini-review

“…In Guyana, another Amazonian country, a recent study on various diseases in a southern indigenous Waiwai reserve showed that only one of 20 dogs surveyed (5.0%) had antibodies against L. infantum . The dog in question had been brought as an adult from northwestern Brazil and may have been infected elsewhere ( 37 ). Since dogs have been recognized as a major reservoir for L. infantum infections, the study shows the importance of dog movement among indigenous communities, particularly along international borders ( 37 ).…”

“…The dog in question had been brought as an adult from northwestern Brazil and may have been infected elsewhere ( 37 ). Since dogs have been recognized as a major reservoir for L. infantum infections, the study shows the importance of dog movement among indigenous communities, particularly along international borders ( 37 ).…”

Canine leishmaniasis in the Americas: etiology, distribution, and clinical and zoonotic importance

“…However, there is enough evidence (e.g., the presence of sand fly vectors, human cases, and/or seropositive dogs) indicating the risk of canine leishmaniasis in these countries [ 27 – 30 ]. For instance, leishmaniasis is considered nonendemic in Chile, but supposedly, imported cases in humans [ 31 ] and seropositive dogs [ 29 , 30 ] have been reported. Little is known about the sand fly fauna of Chile, where only a single sand fly species ( Oligodontomyia isopsi ) has been reported thus far [ 32 ].…”

Disentangling Human Nature: Environment, Evolution and Our Existential Predicament

“…The new SARS-CoV-2 [47] thus reminds us that cross-species transmission depends significantly on the different modalities of human existence; our presence in the material world is, properly speaking, inextricably intertwined with other entities and hence, chaotic outcomes are highly contingent upon the quality of the human-environment interface. Zoonoses, in essence, are the byproduct of the entangled and intricate relationships among humans, different animal taxa, and their econiches [48][49][50][51][52][53].…”