Postgraduate Program in Development and Environment, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-900, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.
Institute of Tropical Medicine of Rio Grande do Norte, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-900, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.
Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports. 2024 Apr;49:100988. doi: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2024.100988. Epub 2024 Feb 15.
The incidence of human Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) has decreased in Brazil; however, the number of areas reporting human and canine cases has increased, with Leishmania infantum usually preceding human infection. This study aimed to analyze the profile of infectious diseases that are endemic for both human and canine VL, in dogs housed in a shelter located in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Northeast Brazil. Data was obtained between November/2021 to April/2022. All dogs residing at the shelter (98 dogs) were examined and blood was collected for testing for L. infantum, Ehrlichia canis, and Babesia sp. Statistical analyses considered the clinical and laboratory findings. Of the 98 animals, approximately 43% were positive for L. infantum antibodies, 19% were positive for L. infantum kDNA, and 18% were L. infantum positive by culture. Greater levels of anti-leishmania antibodies were observed in dogs with symptoms suggestive of VL. The dogs tested positive for E. canis (19/98) and B. canis (18/98). Lutzomyia longipalpis was captured inside the shelter, representing 74.25% (n = 225) of whole sandflies in the dog shelter. Concomitant infection by L. infantum and E. canis increased the odds of death. Treatment of VL included the use of allopurinol (n = 48) and miltefosine (n = 8). Treated animals showed more signs of Leishmania infection. Tickborn parasites and Leishmania were prevalent in sheltered dogs in a VL-endemic area, which increases the odds of death and poses an additional challenge for caring for abandoned dogs and at the same time setting protocols to manage reservoirs of L. infantum.
巴西的内脏利什曼病（VL）发病率有所下降；然而，报告人类和犬类病例的地区数量有所增加，利什曼原虫通常先于人类感染。本研究旨在分析巴西东北部北里奥格兰德州一个收容所内收容犬中同时流行于人和犬的传染性疾病的特征。数据于 2021 年 11 月至 2022 年 4 月间获得。对收容所内的所有犬（98 只）进行了检查，并采集血液以检测利什曼原虫、犬埃立克体和巴贝斯虫。统计分析考虑了临床和实验室发现。在 98 只动物中，约有 43%的动物抗利什曼原虫抗体呈阳性，19%的动物利什曼原虫 kDNA 呈阳性，18%的动物利什曼原虫培养呈阳性。具有 VL 症状的犬的抗利什曼原虫抗体水平更高。有 19/98 只犬检测出犬埃立克体阳性，18/98 只犬检测出犬巴贝斯虫阳性。收容所内捕获了 225 只白蛉（74.25%），代表了整个收容所内的所有白蛉。利什曼原虫和犬埃立克体的合并感染增加了死亡的可能性。VL 的治疗包括使用别嘌醇（n=48）和米替福新（n=8）。接受治疗的动物表现出更多的利什曼原虫感染迹象。在 VL 流行地区的收容所犬中，蜱传寄生虫和利什曼原虫很常见，这增加了死亡的可能性，同时也给照顾被遗弃的犬只带来了额外的挑战，并且需要制定管理利什曼原虫储存库的协议。
