title: Serological and molecular survey of Leishmania parasites in apparently healthy dogs in the West Bank, Palestine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) is caused by Leishmania infantum in all Mediterranean countries. The Leishmania parasite is transmitted by the bite of a corresponding sand fly vector and primarily maintained in nature by wild and domestic reservoirs, including dogs, foxes and jackals. Infected dogs are the primary reservoir host in endemic regions and are the most significant risk disposing humans to infection. The present study aimed at assessing the prevalence of infection with Leishmania and identification of Leishmania infantum in domestic dogs in the West Bank, Palestine.
  
  
  METHODS
  The infection rate among domestic dogs collected from seven districts in the Palestinian West Bank was investigated by examination of parasites in culture from the buffy coat using serological and molecular methods; based on ELISA, internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) and cysteine protease (CPB) PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 215 dogs examined for Leishmania, 36 (16.7%) were positive in at least one method. Twenty three animals (11.5%) were positive for Leishmania DNA, whereas, ELISA and culture revealed 16 (7.5%), and 4 (1.5%) respectively. CPB-PCR on one of three culture-positive isolates revealed Leishmania infantum as the causative agent for Leishmania infection in dogs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study showed that canine leishmania infection is prevalent with varying degrees in all the seven studied districts in Palestine despite the absence of human VL cases in 4 of these districts. The causative agent was confirmed to be Leishmania infantum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Al-Quds University, P.O. Box 51000, Jerusalem, Palestine.
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hamarsheh
authors.forename: Abedalmajeed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nasereddin
authors.forename: Safa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Damaj
authors.forename: Samir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sawalha
authors.forename: Hanan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Al-Jawabreh
authors.forename: Kifaya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Azmi
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amro
authors.forename: Suheir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ereqat
authors.forename: Ziad
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Abdeen
authors.forename: Amer
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Jawabreh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D008877:Middle East / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer