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Parasites & Vectors 2011
The prevalence of canine Leishmania infantum infection in western China detected by PCR and serological testsAbstract: The proportion of dogs infected with Leishmania in Jiuzhaigou County was 36.79%, 9.43%, and 51.88% detected by ELISA, dipstick test, and PCR, respectively. The ELISA and PCR tests were more sensitive than dipstick test. The PCR method is the most sensitive way to detect dogs infected with Leishmania parasites. The total positive rate for infected dogs in the area was 59.43% by the three methods. The PCR products of 116-bp fragment amplified from the kDNA conserved region of dog blood samples and laboratory maintained L. infantum were DNA sequenced and the variation of the sequences was observed. The phylogenetic tree based on the sequences of 116-bp fragment reveals that L. infantum is more genetically related to visceralizing species L. donovani than to the Leishmania species associated with cutaneous disease.More than half of dogs living in the endemic Jiuzhaigou County were infected by L. infantum. Control measures, such as treatment or eradication of infected dogs, or prohibition of maintaining dogs, must be taken against these infected dogs due to their role in the transmission of the infection to vectors. The phylogenetic tree based on the sequences of conserved region in kDNA of Leishmania can effectively distinguish species of Leishmania.Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a severe vector-borne parasitic disease of humans and other mammals caused by protozoa of the Leishmania donovani complex [1,2]. The disease is endemic in 61 countries and is responsible for the annual loss of an estimated 1.81 million disability adjusted life-years (DALYs) and 57,000 lives [3].Clinically and epidemiologically, there are two main forms: zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (ZVL) and anthroponotic visceral leishmaniasis (AVL) [4]. ZVL, caused by L. infantum or Leishmania chagasi, is mainly distributed in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America [5-9]. In most of those regions, canine infection with L. infantum is the cause of disease in dogs and as a reservoir for human VL. Accurate a
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