title: First occurrence of an autochthonous canine case of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum chagasi in the municipality of Campinas, State of São Paulo, Brazil.
abstract: An autochthonous case of visceral leishmaniasis is reported in a dog (Canis familiaris) as an apparently natural infection in a non-endemic area. DNA obtained from spleen and liver samples produced the expected fragment in a Leishmania-specific rDNA-based nested-PCR assay. The PCR product, a 490 bp fragment, was sequenced and the nucleotide sequence was identical to that of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum chagasi. These results are surprising since no autochthonous human or canine cases of visceral leishmaniasis have ever been reported in this municipality. This case suggests that natural transmission of this disease is occurring in this area.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Controle de Zoonoses do Município de São Paulo, Rua Santa Eulália 86, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. elisa@prefeitura.sp.gov.br
authors.forename: Elisa San Martin Mouriz
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Savani
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Presotto
authors.forename: Thais
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Roberto
authors.forename: Maria Cecília Gibrail de Oliveira
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Camargo
authors.forename: Sandra Regina Nicoletti
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: D'auria
authors.forename: Débora Veiga
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Sacramento
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000662:veterinary; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan