Ballesteros-García Orla, Martínez-Sáez Lola, Lesta Ana, Marín-García Pablo Jesús, Martínez-Guillen Ana, Llobat Lola
Molecular Mechanisms of Zoonotic Diseases (MMOPS) Research group, Departamento Producción y Sanidad Animal, Salud Pública y Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos (PASAPTA), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, Spain.
Departamento Producción y Sanidad Animal, Salud Pública y Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos (PASAPTA), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, Spain.
Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis. 2025 Aug;121:102365. doi: 10.1016/j.cimid.2025.102365. Epub 2025 May 21.
Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease caused by the Leishmania spp. an intracellular parasite which are transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies. Dogs have traditionally been considered the primary reservoir for Leishmania infantum, predominant agent in the Mediterrenean region. However, this parasite has also been identified in different host species, including wild animals and livestock. The role of farm pigs in the epidemiology of leishmaniasis remains unclear. The objective of this study has been to assess the seroprevalence of Leishmania spp. in farm pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) from intensive farms in the Eastern Spain, a Mediterranean region. To carry out this study, a total of 94 pigs were tested for Leishmania spp. antibodies by serological test, and epidemiological data were collected regarding sex, age, reproductive status, farm type, and location. The overall seroprevalence of Leishmania spp. was 4.3 %, with a higher prevalence in weaned piglets (2.1 %) compared to new-born piglets and adults (1.1 %). A higher of seroprevalence was found in farrow-to-wean farms than in finishing farms. For the first time, Leishmania spp. antibodies have been detected in farm pigs of Europe, suggesting that these animals could play a role in the maintenance and transmission of this parasite in endemic areas. The results highlight the importance of further studies related to the epidemiology of leishmaniasis including in livestock, and the potential implementation of vector control strategies in farms to reduce transmission risk.
利什曼病是一种由利什曼原虫属引起的人畜共患病，利什曼原虫属是一种通过白蛉传播的细胞内寄生虫。传统上，狗被认为是婴儿利什曼原虫的主要宿主，婴儿利什曼原虫是地中海地区的主要病原体。然而，这种寄生虫也在包括野生动物和家畜在内的不同宿主物种中被发现。家猪在利什曼病流行病学中的作用仍不清楚。本研究的目的是评估西班牙东部一个地中海地区集约化农场的家猪（Sus scrofa domesticus）中利什曼原虫属的血清流行率。为了开展这项研究，共对94头猪进行了利什曼原虫属抗体的血清学检测，并收集了有关性别、年龄、繁殖状况、农场类型和位置的流行病学数据。利什曼原虫属的总体血清流行率为4.3%，与新生仔猪和成年猪（1.1%）相比，断奶仔猪中的流行率更高（2.1%）。在分娩至断奶农场中发现的血清流行率高于育肥农场。欧洲首次在家猪中检测到利什曼原虫属抗体，这表明这些动物可能在流行地区该寄生虫的维持和传播中发挥作用。研究结果凸显了开展包括家畜在内的利什曼病流行病学相关进一步研究的重要性，以及在农场实施病媒控制策略以降低传播风险的可能性。
