Epidemiological aspects of canine visceral leishmaniosis in Azarshahr a new endemic focus of kala-azar in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Abstract

An epidemiological study to examine the sero-prevalence of zoonotic visceral leishmaniosis (ZVL) among domestic and wild canines in endemic foci of Azarshahr county of Iran was carried out during 2004-2005 to assess the distribution of the disease and the possible association between infection in dogs, wild canines and people. Anti -leishmanial antibodies were detected by the direct agglutination test (DAT). Parasitological study was performed for all captured wild canines and were detected in some of the seropositive dogs with specific clinical signs (n = 120). Serum samples (n = 1568) were collected from domestic dogs in villages that are known endemic foci of human visceral leishmaniosis (HVL). Wild canine sera were collected from jackals (Canis aureus, n = 10), foxes (Vulpes vulpes, n = 10) and wolves (Canis lupits, n = 10). Of the 120 serum sampled collected from domestic dogs, 23(19.7%)were positive by DAT (1:320 and above) and IFAT (1:160 and above).40(33.3%) of the dogs had lower titers than positive titer. No statistically significant difference was found between male and female sero-prevalence (P = 0.083). Dogs of 8 years and above showed the highest sero-prevalence (40.6%). Only 23.9% of the seropositive domestic dogs had clinical signs. Parasitology and serology tests that were performed in 30 wild canines showed 10% these animals were infected by Leishmania infantum. Fifteen of Leishmania spp. isolated from the dogs and wild canines were identified as Leishmania infanturn by molecular techniques.