Extensiveness of invasion of leishmaniasis of dogs in megir district of syunik marz of Armenia

Abstract

Every year, leishmaniasis infects from one million to two million inhabitants of the Earth. The causative agent of leishmaniasis are parasites from the genus protozoan Leishmania, which has more than two dozen species. The main carriers of leishmaniasis are about 90 species of blood-sucking insects. The danger of the current situation on leishmaniasis is aggravated by the fact that the habitat of mosquitoes is expanding due to global warming. Armenia is a leishmaniasis endemic country. Both imported and local cases of the disease are registered in the republic. There are foci of infection both in the republics bordering on Armenia and in some regions of the country. The aim of our work was to clarify the epizootic situation of dog leishmaniasis in the Meghri district of the Syunik region of Armenia.In May 2022, 23 dogs of both sexes aged from 10 months to 10 years, dogs used by residents of the Meghri district of the Syunik region of Armenia, were examined for the presence of leishmaniasis infestation. Dogs were kept in open enclosures on the territory of private houses. The infection of dogs with leishmaniasis was determined in the laboratory of molecular parasitology of the Scientific Center of Zoology and Hydroecology of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia. Peripheral blood was taken from the animals, the presence of Leishmania infantum antibodies was detected using the Leishmania canis Ab Rapid Test immunochromatographic instrumentless test system.The largest number of dogs with leishmaniasis was registered by the authors at the age of 3 years - 46.8% of cases. At the age of 10 months to a year, 2 years, 7 years and 10 years, 13.2% of sick animals were registered. In dogs aged 6 to 7 years, as well as aged 9 to 10 years, leishmaniasis was recorded in 19.8% of cases. In the studies conducted in dogs aged 4 to 5 years, as well as at the age of 8 years, leishmania infestation was not recorded.