The frequency and distribution of canine leishmaniosis diagnosed by veterinary practitioners in Europe.
This study aimed to evaluate the frequency and spatial distribution of canine leishmaniosis (CanL) in France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain. An online questionnaire investigated the location and frequency of CanL cases diagnosed by veterinary practitioners. Further data from the practice management systems of veterinary clinics in France were provided by a financial benchmarking company in relation to all treatment and test invoice data from participating practices. The geographical and temporal web interest in leishmaniosis was explored using Google Trends. Veterinary practitioners from France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain completed 1231 questionnaires. The percentage of practice-attending dogs with a veterinary diagnosis of CanL ranged from 0.71% in France to 7.80% in Greece. However, due to regional differences in response rates, particularly in France, the mean regional estimates may better reflect the disease burden. Benchmarking data relating to approximately 180,000 dogs estimated that 0.05% of dogs attending veterinary clinics were treated for CanL or euthanased with suspected CanL in France. The regional frequency of Google web queries for leishmaniosis generally reflected the spatial patterns of disease identified from the other data sources. In conclusion, CanL was a relatively common diagnosis in veterinary clinics in many regions of the countries studied. Knowledge of CanL in endemic areas can direct the use of preventative measures and help estimate the likelihood of infection in dogs visiting or inhabiting these countries.
Department of Production and Population Health, The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, UK. Electronic address: maddyla@hotmail.com.
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MJ
Mattin
Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animal, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici V, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
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Solano-Gallego
European Food Safety Authority, Via Carlo Magno 1°, 43126 Parma, Italy.
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Dhollander
European Food Safety Authority, Via Carlo Magno 1°, 43126 Parma, Italy.
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Afonso
Department of Production and Population Health, The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, UK.
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Brodbelt
D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D020407:Internet; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D019083:Mediterranean Region / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012621:Seasons; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018634:Veterinarians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
Canine; Dog; Epidemiology; Leishmaniosis; Prevalence