title: Preliminary survey of domestic animal visceral leishmaniasis and risk factors in north-west Ethiopia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  After the epidemics of L. donovani complex in 2004/05 in human patients, to investigate the presence of antibodies against L. donovani in domestic animals in north-west Ethiopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and three domestic animals were screened. Serum and biopsy samples were collected. A modified direct agglutination test (DAT) for canine reservoirs was used to screen serum samples at ≥ 1:320 cut-off titre. Giemsa stain and culture on Novy macNeal Nicolae (NNN) media were used for biopsy samples. Pre-tested questionnaires were used to elicit information on potential risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Antibody against L. donovani in domestic animals was detected in 30.5% of animals. The highest seropositivity rates were 41.9% in cattle, 40% in dogs, 33.3% in donkeys, 10% in goats and 4.8% in sheep. No Leishmania parasite was isolated from spleen, liver, skin snip and exudates, bone marrow or lymph node of dogs. Dogs owned by households with history of kala-azar treatment and humans sharing the house with cattle were more affected by visceral leishmaniasis (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed a high serological prevalence of leishmaniasis in domestic animals. Their role in the epidemiology of visceral leishmaniasis remains unclear.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Immunology and Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Debre Ziet, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Ambaye
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kenubih
authors.forename: Shimelis
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dagnachew
authors.forename: Gizat
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Almaw
authors.forename: Tamerat
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abebe
authors.forename: Yegnasew
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takele
authors.forename: Asrat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hailu
authors.forename: Wessensegad
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lemma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D002417:Cattle / Q000469:parasitology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004285:Dogs / Q000469:parasitology; D018397:Equidae / Q000469:parasitology; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006041:Goats / Q000469:parasitology; D007893:Leishmania donovani / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012756:Sheep / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan
keywords: L. donovani; L. donovani; Libo Kemkem; Libokemkem; Noroeste de Etiopía; animal domestique; animal doméstico; anticorps de leishmaniose; anticuerpos Leishmania; antileishmanial antibodies; domestic animal; facteur de risque; factor de riesgo; kala-azar treatment; nord-ouest de l'Ethiopie; north-west Ethiopia; risk factor; traitement du kala-azar; tratamiento para kala-azar