title: Evidence of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum infection in dogs from Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, based on immunochromatographic dual-path platform (DPP®) and PCR assays.
abstract: In Brazil, domestic dogs are branded as the primary reservoir for zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis, due to the clear positive correlation observed between human and canine infection rates. This study aimed to carry out a serological survey of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) in dogs housed at a public kennel in the municipality of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, using the immunochromatographic TR DPP® CVL rapid test. Additionally, conventional and/or real time PCR assay was used to detect and confirm L. infantum infection in the DPP positive dogs only. Of the 400 dogs studied, most did not present clinical signs for CVL (p < 0.05), and fifteen (3.8%) were seropositive in the DPP test. There was no statistically significant difference between the DPP seropositive dogs and the clinical signs of the disease (p > 0.05). Both conventional and real time PCR tests confirmed L. infantum infection in nine (75.0%) of the twelve DPP seropositive dogs that remained alive during the follow-up period. This study is the first seroepidemiologic survey of CVL held in the city of Juiz de Fora, and the results reinforce the idea that this disease is currently in a process of expansion and urbanization in Brazil. Furthermore, this study highlights the use of the DPP test as an alternative for diagnosing CVL in large and mid-sized cities, due to its ease of implementation.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Saúde Brasileira, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Geraldo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Castro-Júnior
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitologia, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana Lourenço
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Freire
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitologia, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Samantha Priscila Silva
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitologia, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Kezia K G
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Scopel
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmaniose, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Porrozzi
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Tecnologia Diagnóstica, Biomanguinhos, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Edimilson Domingos
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Da Silva
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Parasitologia, Departamento de Patologia e Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabio A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Parasitologia, Departamento de Patologia e Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rita de Cássia Viveiros
authors.initials: Rde C
authors.lastname: da  Silveira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Parasitologia, Departamento de Patologia e Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcos José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitologia, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elaine Soares
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Coimbra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004285:Dogs; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan