title: Epidemiology of canine visceral leishmaniosis in the endemic area of Montes Claros Municipality, Minas Gerais State, Brazil.
abstract: The Montes Claros City is located in an endemic area for visceral leishmaniosis in the Minas Gerais State, Brazil. With the implementation of a program for the control of visceral leishmaniosis in 1994, a sectional study was carried out to evaluate the infection by viscerotropic Leishmania in the population of dogs from Montes Claros, basically using indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT). Blood samples were collected on filter paper from 33,937 dogs, representing 96.1% of the canine local population. The prevalence for visceral leishmaniosis was found to be 9.7% in the municipality, being 9.9% in the urban area and 8.8% in the rural area. The annual incidence showed to be 64.3/1000 dogs. Prevalence of infection was not correlated with dogs age. The most affected breeds were: Boxer (24.6%) and Cocker (26.9%); Mongrel dogs had a prevalence of 7.8%. Short-hair animals had a prevalence of 11.9%, while long-furred animals had a prevalence of 8.9%. The isoenzymatic profile indicated that Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi was the visceral leishmaniosis etiological agent in Montes Claros City, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The main geographical areas for the parasite transmission were identified, and control measures were immediately started. The role of the dog as a reservoir for L. chagasi was confirmed. It was demonstrated that short-furred animals are at a higher risk of acquiring visceral leishmaniosis than the long-furred dogs.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitologia, Laboratorio de Leishmanioses and Vacinas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antonio Carlos 6627, Pampulha 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: João C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: França-Silva
authors.forename: Roberto T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: da Costa
authors.forename: Ari M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Siqueira
authors.forename: George L L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Machado-Coelho
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: da Costa
authors.forename: Wilson
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mayrink
authors.forename: Edva P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: Jaime S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Odair
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Genaro
authors.forename: Evaldo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nascimento
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000662:veterinary; D006197:Hair / Q000469:parasitology; D015994:Incidence; D007891:Leishmania / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan