Molecular and serologic detection of leishmania species in dogs in Muğla province

Leishmaniasis, which has been emphasized by the World Health Organization (WHO) since the beginning of 1980, is considered the third most important disease after malaria and lymphatic filariasis. Disease of the world in many parts of visceral leishmaniasis (VL), cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL) and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (MCL) of different forms, such as, although seen (WHO), in Turkey cutaneous leishmaniasis (KLA) way L.tropica; the species causing visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is known as L .infantum. However, in recent studies, it has been reported that L. infantum species was isolated in patients with CL without a history of VL, and L.tropica was detected in patients with VL without a history of CL. In this study, blood was collected from 69 female and 62 male dogs brought to veterinary clinics in Muğla region and serum was extracted from the blood samples and serologically evaluated by IFAT test. DNA was isolated from the blood taken from anticoagulant tubes containing EDTA from the dogs and DNA samples were isolated by Leishmania spp. determination was made. As a result of IFAT application in serum samples from 131 dogs, anti-Leishmania antibody titer was found to be 1: 64 and higher in 49 dogs (37.4%). PCR was found to be positive in dokuz dogs (6.87%). Seroprevalence of KL was 37.4% and molecular prevalence was 6.87% in 131 dogs in 18 different settlements in the study area.