Document Type : Original Articles
Authors
1
Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran.
2
Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
3
Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, School of Medicine, Dezful University of Medical Sciences, Dezful, Iran.
4
Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Medicine, Dezful University of Medical Sciences, Dezful, Iran.
5
Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Dezful University of Medical Sciences, Dezful, Iran.
10.22092/ari.2025.369720.3690
Abstract
Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis (CVL), caused by Leishmania infantum, is a neglected zoonotic disease that poses serious public health concerns, especially in endemic areas like Iran’s Khuzestan Province. Dezful County, located in northern Khuzestan, has ecological and epidemiological conditions conducive to disease transmission but lacks comprehensive seroepidemiological data on CVL. This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out between February and September 2023 to assess the seroprevalence of CVL among domestic dogs—both stray and owned—in Dezful and its nearby rural regions. Serum samples were collected in Dezful County from three shelters (n=105) and one veterinary clinic (n=25) of dogs with or lacking clinical signs. 130 dogs were tested for antibodies against Leishmania infantum using the Direct Agglutination Test (DAT), a commonly employed serological method for diagnosing visceral leishmaniasis that identifies anti-Leishmania antibodies in the bloodstream. Titers of 1:320 or higher were considered indicative of infection. Sixteen dogs (12.3%) tested seropositive, including four (3.07%) with strong positivity at a titer of 1:1280. All seropositive dogs were asymptomatic, with no clinical signs related to VL, and were predominantly stray or sheltered, with an average age of 1.5 years. No statistically significant associations were observed between seropositivity and sex (P=0.712) or age group. However, a significant difference in seroprevalence was found between living conditions, with higher rates in stray and sheltered dogs compared to owned dogs (P = 0.041), indicating that these populations may serve as important cryptic reservoirs of infection. The detection of Phlebotomus alexandri, a likely vector in the area, along with many asymptomatic infected dogs, underscores the potential for an active transmission cycle of CVL in Dezful. Notably, the silent infection among asymptomatic dogs complicates early diagnosis and control efforts, as over 50% of seropositive dogs may lack clinical signs but still contribute to parasite transmission. These findings underscore the critical need for ongoing surveillance, integrated vector management, and molecular studies to confirm circulating Leishmania species. This study offers essential epidemiological insights into an understudied area and highlights the urgency of targeted control strategies to reduce zoonotic transmission in northern Khuzestan.
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