Canine visceral leishmaniasis in colombia: Relationship between clinical and parasitologic status and infectivity for sand flies

B. L. Travi, C. J. Tabares, H. Cadena, C. Ferro, Y. Osorio

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

127 Scopus citations

Abstract

We studied the reservoir competency of canines with distinct clinical presentations of Leishmania chagasi infection. The parasitologic Status of asymptomatic and symptomatic dogs was determined by standard culture methods Infectivity was assessed by multiple xenodiagnoses with Lutzomyia longipalpis, over a period of 2-11 months. Asymptomatic dogs were non-infective (0 of 5) while 2 of 7 oligosymptomatic dogs infected L. longipalpis, transmitting the parasites at low rates (range 0.9-5.2% of engorged flies). Polysymptomatic dogs transmitted L. chagasi more frequently (4 of 8 dogs) and reached higher infection rates (range 5.0-22.5% of engorged flies). The skin of the ear tended to be more infective to sand flies than that of the abdomen. Polymerase chain reaction hybridization (PCR-H) was a sensitive method for detection of L. chagasi, yielding the highest positive rate in serum (16 of 17 dogs) with no distinction between clinical groups. No association between skin positivity by PCR-H and infectivity to sand flies was found. The infectivity of dogs from clinically comparable groups from Colombian and Mediterranean foci differed. This may be a reflection of varied nutritional conditions or vector competency of distinct sand fly species.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)119-124
Number of pages6
JournalAmerican Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Volume64
Issue number3-4
DOIs
StatePublished - 2001
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Parasitology
  • Virology
  • Infectious Diseases

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