Seroprevalence of visceral leishmaniasis in dogs in Aegean region

SUMMARYSeroprevalence of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Dogs in Aegean RegionLeishmaniasis which is the most important zoonotic diseases as declared by WorldHealth Organisation (WHO) is infectious diseases of human beings, domestic and wildmammals in temperate, tropical and subtropical regions. While there are several forms of thedisease in human and animals, in Turkey visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and cutaneousleishmaniasis (CL) forms of the disease in humans and canine visceral leishmaniasis (CanVL)form in dogs were recognized. In Turkey like in many other Mediterranean countries, infectedwild and domestic dogs constitute the main reservoir of the parasite causing visceralleishmaniasis (Kala-Azar) and play a key role in epidemiology of the disease in an area,whether it is endemic or sporadic.Canine visceral leishmaniasis (CanVL) is a potential risk for human health. When theeconomical loss due to the disease is thought, after an endemic area is recognized theeffective implementation of control measures should be taken, Veterinary Practitioners andmedical doctors in such area must be informed about diagnosis and differential diagnosis ofthe diseases. Additionally, detailed epidemiological surveys should be performed in order toobtain information about the incidence and prevalence of the disease where the caninevisceral leishmaniasis is diagnosed. In view of the fact that, in our country, most of thetraveling has been drifted to areas dominating Mediterranean climate where the dogs areinfected with leishmaniasis, visceral leishmaniais has became very important in Aegeanregion in recent years. .In this study, it was aimed to determine seroprevalence of the disease in kennel dogsin İzmir/Selcuk, Manisa/Turgutlu, Aydin/Centre, Aydin/Kusadasi, Mugla/Marmaris andMugla/Bodrum.For this purpose, with the determination of the breed, age and sex, physicalexamination of 300 stray dogs in kennels from İzmir/Selcuk, Manisa/Turgutlu, Aydin/Centre,Aydin/Kusadasi, Mugla/Marmaris and Mugla/Bodrum, serum samples were collected in orderto make the serological diagnosis of the disease. In the serum samples, anti-Leishmaniaantibodies were determined using IFAT diagnostic prosedure and amastigote forms of the theparasite was tried to be dedected in smears from popliteal lymph nodes of the dogs whichcould be attained.In this study, the presence of visceral leishmaniasis was determined in 27 (9 %) of the 300dogs. It was also determined that eleven of the 27 seropositive dogs were from Aydin / Kusadasi, 3from Izmir / Selcuk, 1 from Manisa / Turgutlu, 1 from Mugla / Marmaris and 11 from Mugla /Bodrum.However, amastigotes were seen in the microscobic examination of the aspirates preparedfrom the popliteal lymph node from the 11 of the 16 CanVL seropositive dogs, in other 5 dogsamastigotes could not be seen.Clinical signs associated with the CanVL could be noticed in 25 (92,5 %) of the 27seropositive dogs, however in two (7,5 %) dogs any clinical sign could not be seen.It was consider that the result of this study may be used as a reference to furtherstudies on human and dogs. In our country, there is need for; giving information for theveterinary and human practitioners on the disease and necessary protection precautions shouldbe made in the regions that the disease was determined considering the facts that CanVL is apotensial risk for human and may cause loss in national economy. We are in oppinion that theseroprevelance studies should be performed regulary and together in order to detect thehuman patients and the sympthomatic and asympthomatic dog which are the reservoirs for thedisease.