Domestic animals and epidemiology of visceral leishmaniasis, Nepal.
On the Indian subcontinent, visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is considered an anthroponosis. To determine possible reasons for its persistence during interepidemic periods, we mapped Leishmania infections among healthy persons and animals in an area of active VL transmission in Nepal. During 4 months (September 2007-February 2008), blood was collected from persons, goats, cows, and buffaloes in 1 village. Leishmania infections were determined by using PCR. We found infections among persons (6.1%), cows (5%), buffaloes (4%), and goats (16%). Data were georeferenced and entered into a geographic information system. The bivariate K-function results indicated spatial clustering of Leishmania spp.-positive persons and domestic animals. Classification tree analysis determined that among several possible risk factors for Leishmania infection among persons, proximity of Leishmania spp.-positive goats ranked first. Although our data do not necessarily mean that goats constitute a reservoir host of L. donovani, these observations indicate the need for further investigation of goats' possible role in VL transmission.
Bhattarai
Narayan Raj
NR
BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal.
Van der Auwera
Gert
G
Rijal
Suman
S
Picado
Albert
A
Speybroeck
Niko
N
Khanal
Basudha
B
De Doncker
Simonne
S
Das
Murari Lal
ML
Ostyn
Bart
B
Davies
Clive
C
Coosemans
Marc
M
Berkvens
Dirk
D
Boelaert
Marleen
M
Dujardin
Jean Claude
JC
D000818:Animals; D002020:Buffaloes; D002417:Cattle; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000469:parasitology*; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D006041:Goats; D006801:Humans; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence