Twice upon a time: The progression of canine visceral leishmaniasis in an Argentinean city

CASAS, NATALIA; COSTA, SEBASTIÁN ANDRÉS; RIVERO, MARÍA ROMINA; LIOTTA, DOMINGO JAVIER; BERROZPE, PABLO EDUARDO; GIULIANI, MAGALÍ GABRIELA; MARIELA, FLORENCIA MARTÍNEZ; HUMERES, CRISTIAN ALEJANDRO; SALOMÓN, OSCAR DANIEL; LAMATTINA, DANIELA; MOYA, SOFÍA LORIAN; ARRABAL, JUAN PABLO; SALAS, MARTÍN; MEICHTRY, MARÍA BELÉN

PLOS ONE

PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE

Lugar: San Francisco; Año: 2019 vol. 14

1932-6203

Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis (CVL) prevalence, spatial distribution and associated factorswere assessed in four locations in Iguazu´ department in 2014 and in Puerto Iguazu´ cityagain in 2018. The city areas were divided into a grid of 400x400m cells. All cells were sampledin 2014 and a random subsampling was developed in 2018. In each cell, five dogsclustered in a ?critical scenario? (prone to have vectors) were sampled. A rapid immunochromatographicdipstick was used to detect antibodies against Leishmania infantum, confirmingby lymph node smears observation and PCR. For Puerto Iguazu´ , Generalized LinearModels (GLMs) were constructed considering environmental, dog and clinical variables.Pearson?s Chi square and Fisher?s exact tests were employed to evaluate the associationbetween CVL, dog clinical signs and infestation with other parasites. Cartographic outputswere made and Moran?s I indices were calculated as spatial autocorrelation indicators.CVL prevalence rates were 26.18% in 2014 and 17.50% in 2018. No associations wereestablished in environmental models, but dog age and repellent use were significant whenrunning 2014 dog models. Clinical models showed significant associations between seropositivedogs and ophthalmological, dermal signs and onychogryphosis in 2014. In 2018,only adenomegaly was associated. The results of global Moran´s I were not significant butregarding local analysis, six sites in 2014 and one in 2018 presented autocorrelation withneighboring sites. The decrease in CVL prevalence may be associated to transmission stabilization,which could explain the lack of associations with dog-related variables. Further,spatial distribution of CVL is a poor evidence for design of transmission control measuresbut could be important in case of intensive parasite circulation or when the first autochthonouscases appear. For control success, sensitivity of diagnostic methods, political will andadequate material resources remain critical. Modeling of multiple variables will be requiredto identify factors that drive disease stabilization/destabilization.