title: Serological and molecular survey of Leishmania infection in dogs from Luanda, Angola.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Canine leishmaniosis (CanL) due to Leishmania infantum is a global zoonosis endemic in more than 70 countries in Europe, North Africa, Asia and America; however, data on this infection is scarce from southern Africa. The aim of this study was to survey dogs in Luanda, Angola, for Leishmania infection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred-and-three dogs presented to a veterinary medical centre in Luanda were serologically and molecularly assessed for Leishmania with the direct agglutination test (DAT) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Two dogs were seropositive, with DAT titres of 800 and ≥6400; the latter was also found to be PCR-positive and confirmed to be infected with L. infantum by DNA sequence analysis. No other dog was found to be PCR-positive. The first dog had been imported from Portugal, but the latter had never left Angola (neither had its parents), strongly suggesting an autochthonous infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although other cases of CanL have previously been described in the country, this is the first reported study of canine Leishmania infection at the population level, as well as the first report on the molecular characterization of L. infantum in dogs from Angola.
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vilhena
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Granada
authors.forename: Ana Cristina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Henk D F H
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Schallig
authors.forename: Yaarit
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nachum-Biala
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal. lcardoso@utad.pt.
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: Gad
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baneth
mesh_terms: D000810:Angola / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012698:Serologic Tests