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

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Abstract

Canine visceral leishmaniasis is a major public health problem that is endemic in tropical and sub tropical countries and is fatal in humans and dogs. In addition to symptomatic dogs, asymptomatic ones seem as source of Leishmania infantum infection. Thus surveillance and control programs of reservoir hosts are essential. This study aimed to evaluate the sero-prevalence of visceral leishmaniasis in asymptomatic domestic dogs from in an endemic area of north west, Iran. A cross sectional study was carried out in Meshkin-Shahr district during 2011–2012. Blood samples collected from 508 asymptomatic domestic dogs were tested by direct agglutination test. In this study 508 dogs (397 males and 111 females, mean age, 3.24 years) from western and eastern parts of the Meshkin-Shahr were examined. A total of 508 dogs examined 119 dogs (23.4 %) had antibodies (titers of ≥1:320) against L. infantum. Statistically significance was occurred between male (25.4 %) and female (16.2) sero-prevalence (P = 0.042). No statistically significance was observed between age groups (P = 0.22). Compared with previous studies it seems to increase sero-prevalence of visceral leishmaniasis in dogs in the studied areas caused by ecological changes. High proportion of asymptomatic but seropositive dogs emphasizes the importance of dogs without clinical signs in the epidemiology of zoonotic leishmaniasis. Thus, the necessity of using serological tests in asymptomatic dogs is recommended for disease control strategy.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by Tehran University of Medical Sciences (Project No: 241/M/559) and also National Institute of Health Research, Islamic Republic of Iran. This study was a part of PhD thesis (M. Barati). The authors thank Dr.H. Hajjaran and Mrs.S.Charehdar for helping us in laboratory techniques and Mr. D. Iravani, Mr. Taghdisi, for helping us to sampling and all colleagues from the District Health Centers in Ardabil Province and Meshkin-Shahr district for helping with the preparation of serum samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 14155-6446, Tehran, Iran

    Mohammad Barati, Mehdi Mohebali & Behnaz Akhoundi

  2. Center for Research of Endemic Parasites of Iran (CREPI), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Mehdi Mohebali

  3. Department of Immunology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran

    Mohammad Hossein Alimohammadian

  4. Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Ali Khamesipour

  5. Meshkin-Shahr Research Station, National Institute of Health Research, Tehran, Iran

    Zabiholah Zarei

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  1. Mohammad Barati
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  2. Mehdi Mohebali
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  3. Mohammad Hossein Alimohammadian
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  4. Ali Khamesipour
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  5. Behnaz Akhoundi
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  6. Zabiholah Zarei
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Correspondence to Mehdi Mohebali.

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Barati, M., Mohebali, M., Alimohammadian, M.H. et al. Canine visceral leishmaniasis: seroprevalence survey of asymptomatic dogs in an endemic area of northwestern Iran. J Parasit Dis 39, 221–224 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-013-0325-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-013-0325-2

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