Abstract
The aim of the present study was to identify the presence of Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi infection in dogs in the City of Palmas, Tocantins, Brazil, using the PCR technique to list the hot spots of infected dogs in the city and associate their occurrence to significant environmental changes at capture sites. DNA was extracted from blood of dogs, and the PCR were performed with primers RV1/RV2. After screening the population studied, the regions of the city that had the highest occurrence of canine infection were detected. These sites were visited, and ecological parameters denoting anthropogenic disturbance were evaluated. Some important features were listed in the regions visited, such as low urbanization, lack of public collection of sewage, limited garbage collection, vacant lots with tall vegetation, decaying organic matter, and, most importantly, the occurrence of stray dogs and poultry in homes. The methodology for screening the population was very efficient, especially in evaluating a large number of individuals in a short time, with a high degree of automation. The results indicate an association between the observed parameters and the occurrence of infection in dogs. The model presented in the city is ideal for studies of disease progression and expansion and for the evaluation of control measures adopted for canine VL.
Highlights
The aim of the present study was to identify the presence of Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi infection in dogs in the city of Palmas, Tocantins, Brazil, using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique to list the hot spots of infected dogs in the city and associate their occurrence to significant environmental changes at capture sites
The present study identifies the presence of L. (L.) chagasi in dogs living in the city of Palmas, state of Tocantins, Brazil, using the PCR protocol
204 dogs were analyzed, including animals kept by owners as well as stray dogs captured by the Centro de Controle de Zoonoses, city of Palmas, state of Tocantins, Brazil, by request of
Summary
The aim of the present study was to identify the presence of Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi infection in dogs in the city of Palmas, Tocantins, Brazil, using the PCR technique to list the hot spots of infected dogs in the city and associate their occurrence to significant environmental changes at capture sites. After screening the population studied, the regions of the city that had the highest occurrence of canine infection were detected. These sites were visited, and ecological parameters denoting anthropogenic disturbance were evaluated. In Brazil, VL is considered an endemic disease, though outbreaks occur more or less often due to poor immune response of hosts[4] and to an ecoepidemiological scenario that favors the proliferation of infected vector populations[5]. In 2003, the state of Tocantins, Northern Brazil, recorded the highest prevalence of leishmaniasis in the country, with 20 cases per 100,000 inhabitants[6,7]. In 2010, 21 municipalities in Tocantins were considered a priority region in efforts of VL surveillance and control (Secretaria de Saúde do Estado do Tocantins - SESAU/TO: unpublished data)
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