Domestic dog ownership: a risk factor for human infection with Leishmania (Viannia) species.
An epidemiological study has shown that cumulative, village prevalence of Leishmania (Viannia) infection in dogs ranges from 8% to 45% in Huánuco, Peru. Using data from a prospective survey of human American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) collected during 1994-98, it was shown that the village-level risk of human ACL did not significantly increase with dog abundance, neither in absolute terms (P = 0.659) nor in relation to dog:human ratios (P = 0.213). A significant positive association was observed between risk of human ACL and village dog ACL prevalence (P = 0.022). When controlled for village dog ACL prevalence, there also was an association between the average number of dogs per household and risk of human ACL (P = 0.033). The results suggest that dogs play a role in the (peri)domestic transmission of Le. (Viannia) to humans in Huánuco and indicate that a control intervention targeting dogs to control human ACL is warranted.
Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK. rreithinger@yahoo.co.uk
Richard
R
Reithinger
Juan
J
Canales Espinoza
Alejandro
A
Llanos-Cuentas
Clive R
CR
Davies
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004199:Disease Vectors; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007891:Leishmania; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors