Leishmaniases in Greece.
Abstract. During the last 35 years, visceral leishmaniasis has spread in Greece with autochthonous human cases appearing in 41 of the 54 prefectures. The occurrence of the disease was mapped and related to dog seropositivity, environmental and geospatial risk factors. Average dog seropositivity was 22.1% and positive animals were found in 43 of 54 prefectures. Factors like: altitude, presence of water bodies, land use, wind speed, mean land surface temperature, mean relative humidity, and mean annual rainfall were found to affect dog seropositivity. Cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis, caused by Leishmania tropica are also increasing. Phlebotomus similis believed to be the potential vector of L. tropica in Greece, was found in areas where the disease is widespread but also where cases have never been reported implying a danger of introduction of this anthroponotic parasite to new regions.
Laboratory of Clinical Bacteriology, Parasitology, Zoonoses and Geographical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece; Veterinary Services of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus; University Montpellier 1, Faculty of Medicine, Laboratory of Parasitology-Mycology, Hospital University Centre (CHRU) of Montpellier and French National Reference Centre for Leishmaniases, CNRS 5290 - IRD 224 - University Montpellier 1&2 (UMR "MIVEGEC").
Pantelis
P
Ntais
Dimitra
D
Sifaki-Pistola
Vasiliki
V
Christodoulou
Ippokratis
I
Messaritakis
Francine
F
Pratlong
George
G
Poupalos
Maria
M
Antoniou
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002980:Climate; D004199:Disease Vectors; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D004285:Dogs; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007895:Leishmania tropica / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010691:Phlebotomus / Q000469:parasitology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies