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. 2022 Dec;46(4):967-987.
doi: 10.1007/s12639-022-01521-2. Epub 2022 Jul 18.

Prevalence and risk factors of canine leishmaniasis in Morocco: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Karima El-Mouhdi  1   2   3 , Samia Boussaa  4 , Abdelkader Chahlaoui  3 , Mohammed Fekhaoui  1
Affiliations

Prevalence and risk factors of canine leishmaniasis in Morocco: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Karima El-Mouhdi et al. J Parasit Dis. 2022 Dec.

Abstract

Human visceral leishmaniasis has long been associated with canine leishmaniasis (CL). However, to date, there is no clear information on the status of the disease in dogs in Morocco that could be used by policymakers for the prevention of human cases. This study aims to assess the status of CL in Morocco and its risk factors through an exhaustive literature search. The meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4. The main results showed that the overall prevalence of CL in Morocco is 17% (95% CI: 0.12-0.22), caused by two strains of Leishmania parasite: Leishmania tropica and L. infantum. According to the region, the maximum prevalence was reported in the coastal provinces and in the central part of the country; while, the CL risk was higher in rural area (18% [95% CI: 0.14-0.23]) and at altitude above 1000 m (23% [95% CI: - 0.08-0.53]). Regarding the intrinsic factors, the prevalence of the disease increased with the age of the dog, (30% [95% CI - 0.09-0.68) and the risk was very high in clinically asymptomatic dogs (RR = 2.08 [95% CI: 1.15-3.76]). This study is the first in Morocco indicating the CL prevalence, its geographical distribution and detailing its risk factors. These results are needed to improve management strategies for the canine reservoir of leishmaniasis in Morocco and interrupt the local transmission cycle to humans.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12639-022-01521-2.

Keywords: Canine leishmaniasis; Meta-analysis; Morocco; Prevalence; Risk factors; Systematic review.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interestThe author(s) declare(s) that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
PRISMA Eligible Studies Selection Process
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Risk of bias summary: review authors' judgements about each risk of bias item for each included study
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Risk of bias graph: review authors' judgements about each risk of bias item presented as percentages across all included studies
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Funnel plot assessing the publication bias of eligible studies on canine leishmaniasis in Morocco
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Forest plot of the prevalence of canine leishmaniasis in Morocco
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Distribution of canine leishmaniasis in the different regions of Morocco
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Distribution of canine leishmaniasis in the different provinces of Morocco
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Forest plot of canine leishmaniasis prevalence estimates in Morocco by time period
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
Forest plot represents relative risk of Leishmania infection by sex of dog
Fig. 10
Fig. 10
Forest plot represents the relative risk of Leishmania infection according to the clinical status of the dog
Fig. 11
Fig. 11
Forest plot on prevalence estimates of canine leishmaniasis in Morocco using subgroup analysis by clinical status
Fig. 12
Fig. 12
Forest plot on prevalence estimates of canine leishmaniasis in Morocco by subgroup analysis according to dog age category
Fig. 13
Fig. 13
Forest plot on prevalence estimates of canine leishmaniasis by dog breed
Fig. 14
Fig. 14
Forest plot on prevalence estimates of canine leishmaniasis in Morocco by subgroup analysis according to regional altitude
Fig. 15
Fig. 15
Forest plot on prevalence estimates of canine leishmaniasis in Morocco by subgroup analysis according to the living environment of the dog
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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