Canine Leishmaniasis in Brazil: Serological Follow-Up of a Dog Population in an Endemic Area of American Visceral Leishmaniasis

Abstract

We performed a serological, clinical, and parasitological follow-up of a dog population in an endemic area of American Visceral Leishmaniasis estimated by indirect immunofluorescent assay (IFA) and western blot (WB). After twelve months, the results obtained from IFA demonstrated that 50% were seropositive and two serological profiles were observed: the first one ranging from 1/40 to 1/80 and the second ≥1/160. By WB, it was observed that the same percentage and sera from positive dogs presented the recognition of the peptides of 29 and 32 kDa up to 8 months before IFA serum conversion. Among the positive dogs, all the sera from symptomatic ones with tissue parasitism recognized the peptide of 68.5 kDa. Our results suggest the need of modifications in the control measures regarding the elimination of the dogs. They also corroborate the high sensitivity and specificity of western blot in the diagnosis of canine leishmaniasis, suggesting the possibility of its association with IFA.

Canine visceral leishmaniasis: seroprevalence survey of asymptomatic dogs in an endemic area of northwestern Iran

“…The dogs are considered as the most important reservoir hosts for human infection (Cortes et al 2012;da Silva et al 2009). In the endemic areas of Iran, ownership dogs are described as major risk factors for HVL (Gavgani et al 2002).…”

THE SERO-CONVERSION AND EVALUATION OF RENAL ALTERATIONS IN DOGS INFECTED BY Leishmania (Infantum) chagasi

“…This new information can serve as a guideline for the sampling frequency for analysis, for the faster identification of seropositive dogs and for the expedited removal of the animals from the areas' transmission. Because of the findings highlighted above, similar studies have been conducted in other regions 1,7,30,36,37,38,49 . However, the results were unique to each particular endemic area because each area has its own specific characteristics related to the canine population, socio-economic conditions of the human population, health conditions, sanitation and vector populations with different densities.…”

“…The loss of follow-up of 15 dogs was attributed to the death of some dogs, the owners' absence due to travel which precluded the collection of material, the change of owners from other cities and even the refusal of owners to continue their participation in our study. Although such obstacles have been previously described by other studies 49 , these difficulties hampered the monitoring and evaluation of all of the animals.…”

“…Increased periods of sero-conversion were observed in similar studies. In the endemic areas of Rio de Janeiro, 60 dogs were examined and 50% became seropositive over one year 49 . A study of 23 dogs in an endemic area of Italy revealed that 19 dogs tested PCR-or IFAT-positive at eight months and that four dogs tested positive after 12 months 39 .…”

“…In this regard, there are two serological profiles for dogs with VL. The first is a profile in which the animals initially have low antibody titers which remain low, whereas in the other profile the dogs start with low antibody titers but they tend to increase over the period of infection 49 . Our study is consistent with these profiles because most of the dogs examined exhibited low antibody titers when they subsequently tested positive for VL, despite later developing …”