title: Canine leishmaniasis surveillance in a northern Italy kennel.
abstract: An epidemiological survey on canine leishmaniasis (CanL) was performed during a 3-year period (2007-2009) in a public kennel of the Bologna province. The presence of the disease was shown in the canine population for the first time in 2007 by indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). The parasite circulation was confirmed also by direct diagnostic tools, as PCR, cytology and cultural method, performed on different bioptic materials. The parasite was isolated and identified as Leishmania infantum zymodeme MON 1. The serological monitoring was performed also in 2008 and 2009 on animals that previously showed negative or uncertain results. The incidence values calculated by significant seroconversions in IFAT titre ≥ 1/160, ranged between 4.9% and 6.6%, indicating a stable focus of leishmaniasis. The entomological survey, performed by sticky and CO(2)-baited traps in 2008, showed the presence of the vector Phlebotomus perfiliewi. This study allowed us to identify a stable focus of CanL in an area that was not considered eco-compatible with the presence of the vector and infection. Our results confirm the northward spread of CanL towards areas not previously affected by autochthonous foci.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica Veterinaria e Patologia Animale - Università di Bologna, via Tolara di sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia (BO), Italy. raffaella.baldelli@unibo.it
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baldelli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piva
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Salvatore
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parigi
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Melloni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamba
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bellini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Poglayen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004285:Dogs; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D011576:Psychodidae / Q000469:parasitology; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan