A survey on canine leishmaniasis in western Turkey by parasite, DNA and antibody detection assays

Human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by Leishmania infantum is found throughout the Mediterranean Region, including Turkey, where dogs are considered to be the main reservoir host for this parasite. In the district of Manisa, western Turkey, 37 human VL cases were reported from June 1993-August...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Acta tropica 2000-01, Vol.74 (1), p.1-6
Main Authors: OZBEL, Y, OSKAM, L, OZENSOY, S, TURGAY, N, ALKAN, M. Z, JAFFE, C. L, OZCEL, M. A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal protozoal diseases
Animals
Antibodies, Protozoan - isolation & purification
Biological and medical sciences
DNA, Protozoan - isolation & purification
Dog Diseases - diagnosis
Dog Diseases - epidemiology
Dogs
Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect
Humans
Infectious diseases
Leishmania infantum
Leishmaniasis - diagnosis
Leishmaniasis - epidemiology
Leishmaniasis - veterinary
Medical sciences
Parasitic diseases
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Prevalence
Protozoal diseases
Tropical medicine
Turkey - epidemiology
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Summary:Human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by Leishmania infantum is found throughout the Mediterranean Region, including Turkey, where dogs are considered to be the main reservoir host for this parasite. In the district of Manisa, western Turkey, 37 human VL cases were reported from June 1993-August 1997. Twenty-four villages in this district were chosen for a survey of disease prevalence in dogs. The dogs, 490 in total, were examined using either the indirect immunofluoresence assay (IFAT) or direct agglutination test (DAT). Anti-Leishmania antibodies were found by at least one test in 5.3% (26/490) of the dogs. Infections were confirmed by parasitological examination of or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on lymph node aspirates in 65% (13/20) and 76.4% (13/17) of the seropositive dogs tested, respectively. The confirmation rate was 85% by combining the results of PCR and microscopy. Our results demonstrate that canine VL is wide spread in western Turkey where human VL is endemic, and that serodiagnosis is a valuable tool for monitoring the infection.
ISSN:0001-706X
1873-6254
DOI:10.1016/S0001-706X(99)00047-9