Outbreak of canine visceral leishmaniasis in Barra                     Mansa, State of Rio de Janeiro

In Brazil, American visceral leishmaniasis (AVL) is caused byLeishmania (Leishmania) chagasi and its main vector isLutzomyia longipalpis. Cases of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) in non-endemic areas have been reported over the last few years throughout the country. The objective of this research note is to describe an autochthonous case of CVL that occurred in the municipality of Volta Redonda, state of Rio de Janeiro, an area where the disease is not endemic, alerting veterinarians and the scientific community to the expansion of this important zoonosis and advising veterinary practitioners on how to deal with a suspicion of CVL. Canine visceral leishmaniasis can be misdiagnosed within a broad spectrum of canine diseases based on clinical and laboratory findings. Therefore, knowledge of its clinical manifestations, specific and sensitive laboratory diagnostic tests and parasitological procedures are of the utmost importance for rapid confirmation and notification of a case, thus contributing directly to the control of a focus.

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GEOGRAPHICAL EXPANSION OF CANINE VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS IN RIO DE JANEIRO STATE, BRAZIL

Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo ◽

10.1590/s0036-46652015000500012 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 57 (5) ◽

pp. 435-438 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Denise Amaro da SILVA ◽

Maria de Fátima MADEIRA ◽

Fabiano Borges FIGUEIREDO

Keyword(s):

Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽

Rio De Janeiro ◽

Etiologic Agent ◽

Domestic Dog ◽

Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽

Public Agencies ◽

Leishmania Chagasi ◽

Geographical Expansion ◽

Vector Borne ◽

Janeiro State

SUMMARY Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) is a vector-borne disease that affects humans, and domestic and wild animals. It is caused by the protozoan Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum (syn = Leishmania chagasi). The domestic dog (Canis familiaris) is considered the main reservoir of the etiologic agent of VL in domestic and peridomestic environments. In the past three years, although control actions involving domestic dogs are routinely performed in endemic areas of the Rio de Janeiro State, new cases of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) have been reported in several municipalities. The objective of this short communication was to describe the geographical expansion of CVL in the Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, through its reports in the scientific literature and studies performed by our group. From 2010 to 2013, autochthonous and allochthonous cases of CVL were reported in the municipalities of Mangaratiba, Marica, Niteroi, Barra Mansa, Cachoeiras de Macacu, Volta Redonda, Resende and Rio de Janeiro. These reports demonstrate that CVL is in intense geographical expansion around the state; therefore, a joint effort by public agencies, veterinarians and researchers is needed in order to minimize and/or even prevent the dispersion of this disease.

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Serological survey of cases of canine visceral leishmaniasis and evaluation of phlebotomine fauna on Marambaia Island, municipality of Mangaratiba, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil

Revista Brasileira de Ciência Veterinária ◽

10.4322/rbcv.2015.304 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. 247-251

Author(s):

Livia Aparecida Lopes do Carmo ◽

Marcos Barbosa de Souza ◽

Valmir Laurentino da Silva ◽

Fernanda Nunes Santos ◽

Adilson Benedito de Almeida ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽

Rio De Janeiro ◽

Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽

Serological Survey ◽

Marambaia Island ◽

Janeiro State

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Canine visceral leishmaniasis: study of methods for the detection of IgG in serum and eluate samples

Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo ◽

10.1590/s0036-46652010000400005 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 52 (4) ◽

pp. 193-196 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Fabiano B. Figueiredo ◽

Maria F. Madeira ◽

Lílian D. Nascimento ◽

Tuanne R. Abrantes ◽

Eliame Mouta-confort ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽

Filter Paper ◽

Rio De Janeiro ◽

Serological Test ◽

Fluorescent Antibody ◽

Antibody Test ◽

Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽

Leishmania Chagasi ◽

Blood Samples ◽

One Year

The Brazilian Ministry of Health recommends the culling and euthanasia of dogs with a positive serological test for canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL). In the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro, the technique used for the diagnosis of CVL is the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), using blood samples eluted on filter paper (eluate). A dog survey was conducted over a period of one year in the region of Carapiá, in order to evaluate the diagnosis of CVL in this region. All animals underwent clinical examination, and blood samples (serum and eluate) were collected for analysis by enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) and IFAT. A skin biopsy was obtained for parasitological examination (culture). A total of 305 animals were studied and Leishmania chagasi was isolated from nine animals. Sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 96.6% for ELISA, respectively, 100% and 65.5% for IFAT (cut-off at a 1:40 dilution), 100% and 83.4% for IFAT (cut-off at a 1:80 dilution), and 22.2% and 97.0% for eluate IFAT. In conclusion, ELISA was the best tool for the diagnosis of CVL among the serological techniques tested. The present results suggest the need for a better evaluation of filter paper IFAT as the only diagnostic method for CVL in the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro.

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THE USE OF IMMUNOBLOT ANALYSIS IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF CANINE VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS IN AN ENDEMIC AREA OF RIO DE JANEIRO

Journal of Parasitology ◽

10.1645/ge-2988 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 89 (4) ◽

pp. 832-836 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Adelzon A. de Paula ◽

Alba M. V. da Silva ◽

Octávio Fernandes ◽

Ana M. Jansen

Keyword(s):

Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽

Rio De Janeiro ◽

Endemic Area ◽

Immunoblot Analysis ◽

Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis

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Canine visceral leishmaniasis in Barra de Guaratiba, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: assessment of risk factors

Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo ◽

10.1590/s0036-46652003000200005 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 45 (2) ◽

pp. 79-83 ◽

Cited By ~ 43

Author(s):

Maria Alice A. Cabrera ◽

Adelzon A. Paula ◽

Luis Antonio B. Camacho ◽

Mauro Célio A. Marzochi ◽

Samanta C. Xavier ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽

Rio De Janeiro ◽

Antibody Test ◽

Control Measures ◽

Lutzomyia Longipalpis ◽

Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽

Leishmania Chagasi ◽

The City ◽

Immunofluorescent Antibody Test ◽

Predictor Factors

Barra de Guaratiba is a coastal area of the city of Rio de Janeiro where American visceral leishmaniasis (AVL) is endemic. Although control measures including killing of dogs and use of insecticides have been applied at this locality, the canine seroprevalence remains at 25% and during 1995 and 1997 eight autochthonous human cases were notified. In order to evaluate factors related to the increase of the risk for Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi infection in dogs we have screened 365 dogs by anti-Leishmania immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and captured sandflies in the domestic and peridomestic environment. Some variables related to the infection were assessed by uni- and multivariate analysis. The distance of the residence from the forest border, its altitude and the presence of the opossum Didelphis marsupialis in the backyard, were found predictor factors for L. (L.) chagasi infection in dogs in Barra de Guaratiba. The presence of Lutzomyia longipalpis in the peridomestic environment indicates the possibility of appearence of new human cases. Our data also suggest the presence of a sylvatic enzootic cycle at this locality.

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CANINE VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS CASE INVESTIGATION IN THE JACARE REGION OF NITEROI, RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo ◽

10.1590/s0036-46652015000400009 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 57 (4) ◽

pp. 325-332 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Amanda Codeço de OLIVEIRA ◽

Fabiano Borges FIGUEIREDO ◽

Valmir Laurentino SILVA ◽

Fernanda Nunes SANTOS ◽

Marcos Barbosa de SOUZA ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽

Rio De Janeiro ◽

Clinical Signs ◽

Bivariate Analysis ◽

Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽

Chi Square ◽

Serological Tests ◽

Parasitological Diagnosis ◽

Chi Square Test ◽

Vector Borne

SUMMARY American visceral leishmaniasis is a vector-borne zoonosis in expansion in Brazil. Dogs are the main urban reservoir. Departing from a case of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) in Jacaré, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, an epidemiological canine and entomological study was performed to assess the extension of the disease at the location. Sample was collected around the case and the dogs identified by serological tests (rapid double platform immunochromatographic exams, immunoenzymatic assay/ELISA, indirect immunofluorescence/IFAT). The parasitological diagnosis was performed in animals positive in at least one of these tests. The entomological study was carried out by using light traps and manual collection. The associations between canine variables and outcome (ELISA and IFAT reagents) were assessed by the chi-square test and adjusted by multivariate logistic regression for those associations with p < 0.1 in the bivariate analysis. Seventeen cases of CVL were detected among 110 evaluated dogs (prevalence of 15.5%). Presence of ectoparasites (OR 6.5; 95% CI 1.1-37.4), animals with clinical signs (OR 9.5; 95% CI 1.2-76.6), and previous cases of CVL in the same house (OR 17.9; 95% CI 2.2-147.1) were associated with the outcome. Lutzomyia longipalpiswas not detected. Our results are indicative of an ongoing transmission in the area.

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