Comparison of ELISA and IFAT for Leishmania infantum by European and Middle Eastern diagnostic laboratories.

Background: Visceral leishmaniosis (VL) is the most severe form of human leishmaniosis, with an estimated 95% case fatality if left untreated. Dogs act as peridomestic reservoir hosts for the protozoan parasite Leishmania infantum, a causative agent for human leishmaniosis, endemic throughout the Mediterranean basin. To assure consistent and accurate surveillance of canine infection and prevent transmission to people, consistent diagnosis of canine L.

Dogs as Reservoirs for Leishmania donovani, Bihar, India, 2018-2022.

Visceral leishmaniasis derived from Leishmania donovani is transmitted by sand flies (Phlebotomus argentipes) throughout the Indian subcontinent. Although considered anthroponotic, L. donovani infects other mammals susceptible to sand fly bites, including dogs.

First detection of Leishmania major in dogs living in an endemic area of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Tunisia.

Background: Dogs are considered the main domestic animals that may be a reservoir for Leishmania infantum, the agent of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (ZVL) in several countries of the world. The dog may host other Leishmania species, but its epidemiological role in the maintenance and spreading of these parasites is not completely elucidated. Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL), caused by Leishmania major, affects thousands of people every year and is particularly diffused in many countries of North Africa and Middle East Asia.

Canine Leishmania spp. infection in two distinct foci of visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis in Tunisia.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) caused by Leishmania (L.) infantum and L. major, respectively, are endemic in Tunisia.

Retrospective Long-Term Evaluation of Miltefosine-Allopurinol Treatment in Canine Leishmaniosis.

Miltefosine-Allopurinol (MIL-AL) combination is reported to be one of the most effective treatments for canine leishmaniosis, thanks to its oral administration and MIL-documented low impact on renal function. However, MIL-AL is considered a second-choice treatment when compared to meglumine-antimoniate-allopurinol combination, mainly due to the risk of earlier relapses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the MIL-AL protocol during a long-term follow-up with an average duration of nine years.

Determination of the effect of collars containing 10% w/w imidacloprid and 4.5% w/w flumethrin (Seresto®) on the incidence of Leishmania and other canine vector-borne pathogen infections in Greece.

Background: The objective of this field study was to assess the effect of treating a considerable portion of a dog population naturally exposed to canine vector-borne pathogens (CVBPs) in endemic areas with a 10% w/w imidacloprid/4.5% w/w flumethrin collar (Seresto®) on the transmission of CVBPs and the resulting incidence of infection.

Methods: A total of 479 dogs from two sites were enrolled in the study.

Vector-borne and other pathogens of potential relevance disseminated by relocated cats.

Large populations of unowned cats constitute an animal welfare, ecological, societal and public health issue worldwide. Their relocation and homing are currently carried out in many parts of the world with the intention of relieving suffering and social problems, while contributing to ethical and humane population control in these cat populations. An understanding of an individual cat's lifestyle and disease status by veterinary team professionals and those working with cat charities can help to prevent severe cat stress and the spread of feline pathogens, especially vector-borne pathogens, which can be overlooked in cats.

Examining the Relationship of Clinical and Laboratory Parameters With Infectiousness to and Its Potential Infectivity in Dogs With Overt Clinical Leishmaniasis.

Infected dogs are considered the main domestic animal reservoirs for parasite. Infectiousness to competent phlebotomine vectors has been associated with many factors, the main being the severity of the disease exhibited by infected dogs. This study examines the relationship between different clinical parameters and the infectiousness to colonized sand flies having a blood meal on dogs.

Comparison of Two Dosing Regimens of Miltefosine, Both in Combination With Allopurinol, on Clinical and Parasitological Findings of Dogs With Leishmaniosis: A Pilot Study.

Miltefosine (MIL)-allopurinol combination therapy administered at standard dosage is effective to treat canine leishmaniosis, nevertheless for some dogs the digestive tolerance of MIL is not acceptable. This study evaluates an alternative therapeutic protocol by using a modified dosage of MIL to increase its effectiveness and improve the digestive tolerance. Thirty-four owned naturally infected dogs were included and monitored for 180 days.

Parasites and vector-borne diseases disseminated by rehomed dogs.

The Companion Vector-Borne Diseases (CVBD) World Forum is a working group of leading international experts who meet annually to evaluate current scientific findings and future trends concerning the distribution, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis and prevention of vector-borne infections of dogs and cats. At the 14th Symposium of the CVBD World Forum in Trieste, Italy (March 25-28, 2019), we identified the need to (i) bring attention to the potential spread of parasites and vectors with relocated dogs, and (ii) provide advice to the veterinary profession regarding the importance of surveillance and treatment for parasites and vector-borne infections when rehoming dogs. This letter shares a consensus statement from the CVBD World Forum as well as a summary of the problem faced, including the role of veterinary professionals in parasite surveillance, causal issues, and the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation in addressing the problem.

Assessment of Circulating Immune Complexes During Natural and Experimental Canine Leishmaniasis.

Canine leishmaniasis (CanL) is a disease characterized by a large variety of clinical alterations, the majority of which being due to immune mediated mechanisms. Sick dogs usually produce high levels of -specific immunoglobulins which may give rise to circulating immune complexes (CICs) whose defective clearance by scavenging macrophages induces vasculitis and their deposition in specific organs. The aim of this study was to assess the serum level of CICs in dogs exposed to natural and experimental infection.

Mapping the canine vector-borne disease risk in a Mediterranean area.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine exposure to vector-borne pathogens (VBPs) in populations of dogs living on Greek islands in the Ionian and Aegean seas.

Methods: In total, 1154 dogs with different lifestyles and of varying ages and breeds were randomly sampled and examined for the presence of clinical signs compatible with canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs). Blood was collected from each individual animal.

Clinical, Molecular and Serological Diagnosis of Canine Leishmaniosis: An Integrated Approach.

Canine leishmaniosis (CanL) is caused by protozoans of the genus and characterized by a broad spectrum of clinical signs in dogs. Early diagnosis is of great importance in order to perform an appropriate therapy and to prevent progression towards severe disease. The aim of this study was to compare a point-of-care molecular technique, i.

Canine Leishmaniasis Control in the Context of One Health.

Dogs are the main reservoir of Leishmania infantum and in some countries have been regularly culled as part of government policy to control visceral leishmaniasis. At the 13th Symposium of the Companion Vector-Borne Diseases World Forum in Windsor, UK, March 19-22, 2018, we consolidated a consensus statement regarding the usefulness of dog culling as a means of controlling visceral leishmaniasis. The statement highlighted the futility of culling infected dogs, whether healthy or sick, as a measure to control the domestic reservoir of L.

Simultaneous Detection of Parasitic Vector Borne Diseases: A Robust Cross-Sectional Survey in Hunting, Stray and Sheep Dogs in a Mediterranean Area.

Canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs) are a spectrum of diseases caused by different pathogens transmitted by blood-feeding arthropoda. The aim of this study was to investigate leishmaniosis, babesiosis, and filarial infections in dogs with three different lifestyles (hunting, stray, and sheep dogs) in Molise, the smallest region of southern Italy, where data available about these parasitic infections are very scant. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 318 hunting, 180 stray, and 218 sheep dogs.

An investigation of polymorphisms in innate and adaptive immune response genes in canine leishmaniosis.

The outcome of infection with Leishmania infantum in dogs is variable, which is thought to be due to the nature of the immune response mounted by the host. As a consequence, the clinical signs and severity of canine leishmaniosis vary between individual dogs. Host immunogenetic factors might play an important role in determining the outcome of infection.

Nostril mass caused by Leishmania spp. in a dog.

Canine leishmaniasis (CanL) is a systemic zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Leishmania, an intracellular macrophage parasite, transmitted by the bite of phlebotomine sandflies. In dogs, the clinical disease is mostly characterised by symptoms associated with viscerocutaneous lesions such as lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, skin lesions, and renal and ocular disease caused by the deposition of immune complexes. The parasite may provoke mucosal lesions which cause atypical clinical signs.

Serological and entomological survey of canine leishmaniasis in Lampedusa island, Italy.

Background: During last decade Lampedusa island (Italy) has been interested by a deep social change caused by the massive arrival of migrants from north Africa. The goal of this study was to evaluate current CanL burden and risk factors for Visceral Leishmaniosis (VL) on Lampedusa, actually based on very few data obtained in a previous study performed fifteen years ago. Two hundred and forty-two dogs were enrolled for the detection of Leishmania infantum infection by serology.

Diagnostic Challenges in the Era of Canine Leishmania infantum Vaccines.

The diagnosis of canine leishmaniosis (CanL) is complex due to its variable clinical manifestations and laboratory findings. The availability of vaccines to prevent CanL has increased the complexity of diagnosis, as serological tests may not distinguish between naturally infected and vaccinated dogs. Current practices of prevaccination screening are not sufficiently sensitive to detect subclinically infected dogs, resulting in the vaccination of infected animals, which may lead to disease in vaccinated dogs that are also infectious to sand flies.