title: First description of autochthonous canine visceral leishmaniasis in the metropolitan region of Vitória, State of Espírito Santo, Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We investigated autochthonous canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) in the metropolitan region of Vitória (MRV), an area in which a human case was previously reported.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serological, parasitological, and molecular tests were performed in 201 dogs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-six (13%) and 12 (6%) dogs were identified as positive using in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and rK39 tests, respectively. Two dogs had a positive culture for Leishmania chagasi, and 4 were polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive for Leishmania spp. One positive dog belonged to the aforementioned patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the responsible vector was not found, our results provide evidence of autochthonous CVL in the MRV, a non-endemic area for VL.
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Doenças Infecciosas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, ES.
authors.forename: Marco André Loureiro
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tonini
authors.forename: Elenice Moreira
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Lemos
authors.forename: Alexandre Barbosa
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: Wendel Coura
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Vital
authors.forename: Edelberto Santos
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.forename: Reynaldo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dietze
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004285:Dogs; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D011576:Psychodidae; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D016054:DNA, Protozoan