title: Factors associated with Leishmania chagasi infection in domestic dogs from Teresina, State of Piauí, Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many studies have evaluated risk factors for human visceral leishmaniasis, but few have focused on the infection among dogs. The objective of this study was to assess the association between peridomestic socioeconomic and environmental factors and the presence of dogs seropositive for Leishmania chagasi in the City of Teresina, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  This case-control study was based on the results of a routine seroepidemiological survey among domestic dogs carried out in 2007. Serological tests were performed by means of indirect immunofluorescence antibody test. All dwellings in which at least one seropositive dog was detected were considered cases, and controls were a random sample of dwellings in which only seronegative dogs were identified. Associations between variables were expressed as odds ratios (OR) and their respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) estimated using multivariate logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dwellings with a history of dogs removed by the visceral leishmaniasis control program in the last 12 months had five-fold higher odds of having at least one seropositive dog as compared with dwellings having no history of dog removal (OR = 5.19; 95%CI = 3.20-8.42). Dwellings with cats had 58% increased odds of dog infection as compared with those having no cats (OR = 1.58; 95%CI = 1.01-2.47).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Identification of factors associated with canine visceral leishmaniasis might be used for the delimitation of areas of higher risk for human visceral leishmaniasis, since infection in dogs generally precedes the appearance of human cases.
authors: Gerência de Controle de Zoonoses, Fundação Municipal de Saúde, Teresina, PI, Brasil.
authors: João Pereira
authors: JP
authors: da Silva
authors: Guilherme Loureiro
authors: GL
authors: Werneck
authors: Emanuelle Cardoso
authors: EC
authors: Macedo
authors: Hanny
authors: H
authors: de Carvalho
authors: Maria do Socorro Pires E
authors: Mdo S
authors: Cruz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004285:Dogs; D004777:Environment; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000276:immunology*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan