Seroepidemiological Study on Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis in Meshkin-Shahr District, Ardabil Province, Northwest of Iran during 2006-2007
Background: This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of canine visceral leishmaniasis in Meshkin-Shahr district as endemic areas of human visceral leishmaniasis (HVL) for presenting control program of HVL to health authorities. Methods: A seroepidemiological study to determine seroprevalenc...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Tehran University of Medical Sciences
2008-09-01
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| Series: | Iranian Journal of Parasitology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ijpa.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijpa/article/view/64 |
| Summary: | Background: This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of canine visceral leishmaniasis in Meshkin-Shahr district as endemic areas of human visceral leishmaniasis (HVL) for presenting control program of HVL to health authorities.
Methods: A seroepidemiological study to determine seroprevalence of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) among ownership dogs using direct agglutination tests (DAT) in 21 villages of Meshkin-Shahr district, Ardabil Province was carried out from June 2006 to August 2007. Three hundred and eighty four ownership dogs were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling. Chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used to compare seroprevalence values relative to gender, age and clinical signs.
Results: Of the 384 serum samples tested by DAT, 17.4 %( 95%C.I, 13.2%-20.8%) were positive (1:320 and higher). No statistical significant difference was found between male (16.5%) and female (20.2%) seroprevalence (P=0.416). The highest seroprevalence rate (64.2%) was observed among the ownership dogs of three years age and above. Only 25.4% of the seropositive dogs had clinical signs and symptoms. The most clinical signs among symptomatic dogs were cachexia (75%) and alopecia (36.5%).
Conclusion: The majority of seropositive dogs (74.6%) lived in endemic areas of Meshkin-Shahr district were asymptomatic. It seems that all symptomatic and asymptomatic infected dogs are the most important risk factors for human infection in VL endemic areas. |
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| ISSN: | 1735-7020 2008-238X |