Prevalence of Leishmania infantum in dogs from deforested areas of the Amazon biome

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Species of Leishmania genus are intracellular parasites responsible for severe zoonotic diseases worldwide, such as leishmaniasis. In Brazil, the most important species is Leishmania infantum. In the northern region, the state of Pará is notable, with a high number of cases reported in recent years. The second largest number of cases of human visceral leishmaniasis in the region in recent years has been reported in the city of Marabá (Pará state). We investigated the prevalence of L. infantum in domestic dogs from Marabá in Amazon region in Brazil.

Materials and Methods: A total of 400 blood samples were tested using the dual-path platform chromatographic immunoassay (DPP® CVL—Bio-Manguinhos), and molecular diagnosis based in cathepsin L-like gene, which has better specificity and sensitivity than other similar tests.

Results: The prevalence of L. infantum was 75.5% (302/400) in the serological test, and 59.25% (237/400) in molecular diagnosis, and 45.5% (182/400) in both tests.

Interpretation and Conclusion: The results confirmed that the parasite L. infantum was prevalent in the dog population of the studied region and adoption of appropriate public policies are urgently needed.