Evidence of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum infection in dogs from Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, based on immunochromatographic dual-path platform (DPP®) and PCR assays

• Published in: Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo Vol. 56; no. 3; pp. 225 - 229
• Main Authors: Castro-Júnior, José Geraldo, Freire, Mariana Lourenço, Campos, Samantha Priscila Silva, Scopel, Kezia K G, Porrozzi, Renato, Da Silva, Edimilson Domingos, Colombo, Fabio A, da Silveira, Rita de Cássia Viveiros, Marques, Marcos José, Coimbra, Elaine Soares
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Instituto de Medicina Tropical de Sao Paulo 01-05-2014; Instituto de Medicina Tropical; Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Protozoan - blood; Brazil - epidemiology; Canine visceral leishmaniasis; Chromatography, Affinity; Dog Diseases - diagnosis; Dog Diseases - epidemiology; Dogs; DPP; Immunochromatographic diagnosis; Leishmania infantum - genetics; Leishmania infantum - immunology; Leishmaniasis; Leishmaniasis, Visceral - diagnosis; Leishmaniasis, Visceral - epidemiology; Leishmaniasis, Visceral - veterinary; PCR diagnosis; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Serological diagnosis; TROPICAL MEDICINE; PCR diagnosis; Serological diagnosis; DPP; Immunochromatographic diagnosis; Canine visceral leishmaniasis
• ISSN: 0036-4665; 1678-9946; 1678-9946; 0036-4665
• DOI: 10.1590/S0036-46652014000300008

In Brazil, domestic dogs are branded as the primary reservoir for zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis, due to the clear positive correlation observed between human and canine infection rates. This study aimed to carry out a serological survey of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) in dogs housed at a public kennel in the municipality of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, using the immunochromatographic TR DPP® CVL rapid test. Additionally, conventional and/or real time PCR assay was used to detect and confirm L. infantum infection in the DPP positive dogs only. Of the 400 dogs studied, most did not present clinical signs for CVL (p < 0.05), and fifteen (3.8%) were seropositive in the DPP test. There was no statistically significant difference between the DPP seropositive dogs and the clinical signs of the disease (p > 0.05). Both conventional and real time PCR tests confirmed L. infantum infection in nine (75.0%) of the twelve DPP seropositive dogs that remained alive during the follow-up period. This study is the first seroepidemiologic survey of CVL held in the city of Juiz de Fora, and the results reinforce the idea that this disease is currently in a process of expansion and urbanization in Brazil. Furthermore, this study highlights the use of the DPP test as an alternative for diagnosing CVL in large and mid-sized cities, due to its ease of implementation.