Epidemiological aspects of canine visceral leishmaniasis in an endemic area of Argentina

LAMATTINA, D.; CASAS, N.; ARRABAL, J.P.; COSTA, S.; MOYA, S.L.; GIULIANI, M.G.; MEICHTRY, M.B.; FUJISAWA, K.; SALOMÓN, O.D.

La Plata

Congreso; II Congress of the Latin American Society for Vector Ecology "Control of endemic zoonotic and vector-borne emerging and re-emerging diseases: Current challenges in Latin America"; 2022

Universidad Nacional de La Plata

Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis (CVL) and Human Visceral Leishmaniasis (HVL) are among the vector-borne parasitic diseases with the greatest impact on public and veterinary health in the world, and are endemic in the province of Misiones, northeastern Argentina. The main urban reservoir in America and much of Europe for Leishmania infantum is the dog. The protozoan is transmitted in our continent mainly by the bite of sandflies of the species Lutzomyia longipalpis and also between dogs by vertical and venereal transmission. In addition to being a highly lethality global zoonosis, CVL is a disease that is difficult to manage due to its complexity and the wide variety of clinical manifestations, which range from asymptomatic dogs to severe symptoms. There are no preventive drugs against VL nor a vaccine in use for humans or canines that has demonstrated effectiveness as a prevention or control tool in collective health, and although the insect Lu. longipalpis is susceptible to household insecticides, its application has not shown effectiveness to interrupt transmission. There are insecticide repellent collars impregnated with pyrethroids for dogs, which anti-feeding effectiveness extends for periods of 6 to 12 months, but the high acquisition costs translate into little acceptance and adoption by dog owners in endemic areas. In turn, the low sensitivities and failures in timely diagnosis, added to the high rates of dispersion due to pet transit and trafficking, make it difficult to manage infected dogs. In Misiones, a series of studies were carried out in different locations, and the results of surveys, statistical models, and cartographic outputs were used to evaluate the prevalence, spatial distribution, and factors associated with CVL. These and other epidemiological aspects of CVL in an endemic area of Argentina will be addressed, presenting the main challenges for the prevention and control of this parasitosis.