Laboratório de Leishmanioses, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Augusto de Lima 1715, 30190-002 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
Prev Vet Med. 2010 Nov 1;97(2):131-3. doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2010.08.006.
The association between the prevalence of infestation by Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Ctenocephalides felis felis and the presence of anti-Leishmania antibodies has been evaluated in dogs located in a city of Brazil endemic for canine visceral leishmaniasis. Blood samples from 5556 domestic dogs domiciliated in the urban area of Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais state) were submitted to enzyme linked immunosorbent (ELISA) and indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFAT) assays, and 432 (7.8%) animals tested positive. Seropositive (n=200) and seronegative (n=200) dogs were randomly selected and examined for the presence of ticks and fleas, the results of which were expressed qualitatively as infested or non-infested, irrespective of the intensity of infestation. The prevalence of infestation by R. sanguineus was significantly greater (ρ=0.04) among seropositive dogs (38.5%) compared with their seronegative counterparts (29.0%). Similarly, the prevalence of infestation by C. felis felis was significantly greater (ρ<0.01) within the seropositive group (36.5%) than within the seronegative group (15.0%). Moreover, the probability of seropositivity for Leishmania was 53% higher in tick-infested dogs and 300% higher in flea-infested dogs in comparison with non-infested animals. Our data provide evidence of the vectorial capacity of these ectoparasites in transmitting Leishmania to the canine population, although further studies are needed to confirm or reject this hypothesis.
在巴西一个犬内脏利什曼病流行的城市中，评估了犬利什曼原虫和猫栉首蚤感染的流行率与抗利什曼原虫抗体存在之间的关系。将来自贝洛奥里藏特（米纳斯吉拉斯州）城区的 5556 只家养犬的血液样本进行酶联免疫吸附（ELISA）和间接免疫荧光抗体（IFAT）检测，结果 432 只（7.8%）动物呈阳性。随机选择了血清阳性（n=200）和血清阴性（n=200）的犬，并检查了它们的蜱和跳蚤感染情况，结果以定性方式表示为感染或未感染，而不考虑感染的严重程度。血清阳性犬（38.5%）的利什曼原虫感染率明显高于血清阴性犬（29.0%）（ρ=0.04）。同样，血清阳性犬（36.5%）的猫栉首蚤感染率明显高于血清阴性犬（15.0%）（ρ<0.01）。此外，与未感染的动物相比，感染蜱的犬的血清阳性率高 53%，感染跳蚤的犬的血清阳性率高 300%。我们的数据提供了这些外寄生虫在将利什曼原虫传播给犬群方面具有媒介能力的证据，尽管需要进一步的研究来证实或否定这一假设。
