title: Molecular and Serological Evidence of Leishmania Infection in Stray Dogs from Visceral Leishmaniasis-Endemic Areas of Bangladesh.
abstract: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), or kala-azar, is mainly caused by two closely related Leishmania species, Leishmania infantum and Leishmania donovani Leishmania infantum is responsible for zoonotic VL, with dogs as the main reservoir host in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Asia, and South America. In the Indian subcontinent, VL is caused by L. donovani and is considered anthroponotic, although the only known vector, the sand fly, is zoophilic in nature. The role of domestic and stray dogs in VL transmission is still unclear in this area. We screened 50 stray dogs from VL-endemic areas of Bangladesh for serological and molecular evidence of Leishmania infection. We detected anti-Leishmania antibodies in six (12%) dog serum samples using rK39 immunochromatographic tests. We observed Leishmania kinetoplast DNA in 10 (20%) buffy coat DNA samples by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), five of which were positive based on internal transcribed spacer 1-PCR. A sequencing analysis of the amplified products confirmed that the parasitic DNA was derived from L. donovani Our findings support the hypothesis that stray dogs are an animal reservoir for L. donovani in this endemic region. Further studies are required to determine the precise role of dogs in the epidemiology of VL in Bangladesh.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, Japan. Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Shirin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akter
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Mohammad Zahangir
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Alam
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nakao
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Golam
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yasin
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirotomo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, Japan. kenkata@vetmed.hokudai.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katakura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity / Q000662:veterinary; D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000469:parasitology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D007893:Leishmania donovani / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D011576:Psychodidae / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast