Preliminary survey of domestic animal visceral leishmaniasis and risk factors in north-west Ethiopia

Abstract

Objective: After the epidemics of L. donovani complex in 2004/05 in human patients, to investigate the presence of antibodies against L. donovani in domestic animals in north-west Ethiopia.

Methods: Two hundred and three domestic animals were screened. Serum and biopsy samples were collected. A modified direct agglutination test (DAT) for canine reservoirs was used to screen serum samples at ≥ 1:320 cut-off titre. Giemsa stain and culture on Novy macNeal Nicolae (NNN) media were used for biopsy samples. Pre-tested questionnaires were used to elicit information on potential risk factors.

Results: Antibody against L. donovani in domestic animals was detected in 30.5% of animals. The highest seropositivity rates were 41.9% in cattle, 40% in dogs, 33.3% in donkeys, 10% in goats and 4.8% in sheep. No Leishmania parasite was isolated from spleen, liver, skin snip and exudates, bone marrow or lymph node of dogs. Dogs owned by households with history of kala-azar treatment and humans sharing the house with cattle were more affected by visceral leishmaniasis (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: This study showed a high serological prevalence of leishmaniasis in domestic animals. Their role in the epidemiology of visceral leishmaniasis remains unclear.

Keywords: L. donovani; L. donovani; Libo Kemkem; Libokemkem; Noroeste de Etiopía; animal domestique; animal doméstico; anticorps de leishmaniose; anticuerpos Leishmania; antileishmanial antibodies; domestic animal; facteur de risque; factor de riesgo; kala-azar treatment; nord-ouest de l'Ethiopie; north-west Ethiopia; risk factor; traitement du kala-azar; tratamiento para kala-azar.