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- Title
Understanding the epidemiological features of Leishmania infantum in dogs from the Metropolitan Area of Bucaramanga Santander, Colombia.
- Authors
Jaimes-Dueñez, Jeiczon; Jimenez-Leaño, Ángela; Laura-Garcia; Romero-Vera, Lina; Castillo-Castañeda, Adriana; David-Ramirez, Juan; Duque, Jonny; Cantillo-Barraza, Omar; Triana-Chávez, Omar
- Abstract
Dogs are the main reservoir of Leishmania infantum so their epidemiological surveillance is essential to control visceral leishmaniasis. Considering the paucity of studies of canine leishmaniasis in Colombia, the present study aims to determine the prevalence of Leishmania spp., in healthy and symptomatic dogs from the Metropolitan Area of Bucaramanga (MAB), Santander. The symptomatic group, corresponding to 33 dogs with differential diagnoses of canine leishmaniasis that attended clinical centers of this area, whereas the healthy one corresponds to 215 dogs from the MAB, that attend government schedules for rabies vaccination. In both groups, DNA was extracted from the blood samples, whereas a lymph node aspiration was additionally processed in the symptomatic group. CDC traps were used in strategy points for the capture of vector insects. For both mammals and vectors, the molecular diagnosis was performed using a PCR targeting the Hsp70 gene of Leishmania spp., and the PCR products were sequenced using Sanger methods for species identification. Serological analyzes were performed using immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT). Molecular analyses showed a positivity rate of 24,2% (8/33) to L. infantum in the symptomatic group, of which 12.1% (4/33), 9% (3/33), and 3% (1/33) came from Bucaramanga, Giron, and Floridablanca, respectively. Higher positivity was detected in lymph node aspirations (6/33) compared with blood samples (2/33) (P < 0.005). Clinical signs associated to infection were alopecia, cachexia, lymphadenitis, anemia, and lymphopenia. A total seroprevalence of 24.8% was detected by IFAT, with higher values in symptomatic group (42.4%), followed by asymptomatic one (21%). Respect to the vector, a total of 33 Lutzomyia specimens were collected, bellow for two main species (L. camposi and L. dubitans), without Leishmania spp., infection. Our results show an active transmission cycle of L. infantum in dogs from MAB, with a higher rate of infection in symptomatic ones, that suggest high pathogenicity, probably associated with genetic variants of the pathogen, as well as ecological conditions in the study area.
- Subjects
BUCARAMANGA (Colombia); SANTANDER (Colombia : Dept.); LEISHMANIASIS; LEISHMANIA infantum; METROPOLITAN areas; VISCERAL leishmaniasis; SAND flies; RABIES vaccines; DOGS; SYMPTOMS
- Publication
Actualidades Biológicas, 2022, Vol 44, p54
- ISSN
0304-3584
- Publication type
Article