Seroprevalence of visceral leishmaniasis and its associated factors among asymptomatic pastoral community of Dire District, Borena zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia
- PMID: 36478712
- PMCID: PMC9720128
- DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.917536
Seroprevalence of visceral leishmaniasis and its associated factors among asymptomatic pastoral community of Dire District, Borena zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a vector-borne protozoan neglected tropical disease. In some parts of Ethiopia, it is a public health problem and its main causative agent is the Leishmania donovani complex. The objective of the study was to determine the seroprevalence of VL and factors associated among the asymptomatic pastoral community of Dire District, Borena Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia. A community-based study was conducted among 432 pastoralist communities from June to July 2021. A systematic random sampling method was used to select households. Pretested structured questionnaires and face-to-face interviews were used to collect data. A single finger-prick blood sample was collected and tested for Leishmania donovani complex using an immune-chromatographic test (rk39-ICT). A logistic regression model was used to assess factors associated with VL infection and a p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 432 study participants were included (their mean age was 26.69) and 218 (50.5%) were females. The overall seroprevalence of VL was 33/432(7.6%) (95%CI: 5.32-15.60). Sero-prevalence was significantly associated with high family size (>5) (adjusted odds ratios (AOR) = 5.134; 95% CI: 2.032-9.748), sleeping or/and staying under acacia tree (AOR = 2.984; 95%CI = 1.074-8.288), presence of cracked house walls (AOR = 1.801; 95%CI: 1.026-4.926), presence of termite hills (AOR = 1.938; 95%CL: 1.002-7.050), availability of water points (AOR = 3.893; 95%CI: 1.034-7.426) and presence of domestic animals (AOR = 2.124; 95% CI: 2.341-5.108). It is recommended that community awareness on the transmission and prevention methods of Leishmania donovani complex and taking appropriate interventions on the identified factors play a greater role to prevent and control infection in the area. Further investigation is also needed to characterize the pathogens and risk factors and tackle the problem.
Keywords: Dire District; Ethiopia; Leishmania donovani; associated factors; seroprevalence; visceral leishmaniasis.
Copyright © 2022 Ketema, Weldegebreal, Gemechu and Gobena.
Conflict of interest statement
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Figures
Similar articles
-
Epidemiology of visceral leishmaniasis in Shebelle Zone of Somali Region, eastern Ethiopia.Parasit Vectors. 2019 May 6;12(1):209. doi: 10.1186/s13071-019-3452-5. Parasit Vectors. 2019. PMID: 31060585 Free PMC article.
-
Seroprevalence of Asymptomatic Leishmania donovani among Laborers and Associated Risk Factors in Agricultural Camps of West Armachiho District, Northwest Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study.J Parasitol Res. 2018 Nov 28;2018:5751743. doi: 10.1155/2018/5751743. eCollection 2018. J Parasitol Res. 2018. PMID: 30622817 Free PMC article.
-
Sero-Prevalence of Visceral Leishmaniasis and Associated Risk Factors among Febrile Patients Attending Metema Hospital, West Gondar Zone, North West Ethiopia.Acta Parasitol. 2024 Sep;69(3):1621-1629. doi: 10.1007/s11686-024-00882-3. Epub 2024 Aug 20. Acta Parasitol. 2024. PMID: 39162925
-
Visceral leishmaniasis in selected communities of Hamar and Banna-Tsamai districts in Lower Omo Valley, South West Ethiopia: Sero-epidemological and Leishmanin Skin Test Surveys.PLoS One. 2018 May 24;13(5):e0197430. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197430. eCollection 2018. PLoS One. 2018. PMID: 29795589 Free PMC article.
-
Prevalence of asymptomatic Leishmania donovani infection and associated factors in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC Infect Dis. 2025 Jan 17;25(1):78. doi: 10.1186/s12879-024-10275-6. BMC Infect Dis. 2025. PMID: 39825258 Free PMC article.
Cited by
-
Leishmaniases in Ethiopia: a scoping review.BMJ Open. 2025 Jun 19;15(6):e100284. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-100284. BMJ Open. 2025. PMID: 40537232 Free PMC article.
-
Environmental Risk Factors for Visceral Leishmaniasis: An Analysis of Housing Types and Behavioral Factors in Baringo County, Kenya.Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2024 Sep 3;111(5):940-949. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.23-0781. Print 2024 Nov 6. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2024. PMID: 39226891
-
Prevalence of human visceral leishmaniasis and its risk factors in Eastern Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Front Public Health. 2024 Nov 21;12:1488741. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1488741. eCollection 2024. Front Public Health. 2024. PMID: 39659723 Free PMC article.
-
First report of cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania donovani in Ethiopia.Parasit Vectors. 2023 Dec 16;16(1):457. doi: 10.1186/s13071-023-06057-9. Parasit Vectors. 2023. PMID: 38104111 Free PMC article.
-
Prevalence of Leishmania infection in refugee camps: A serological and molecular study in Gambella and Benishangul-Gumuz, Ethiopia.PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2025 Jul 8;19(7):e0013280. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0013280. eCollection 2025 Jul. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2025. PMID: 40627779 Free PMC article.
References
-
- WHO . World Malaria Report. Geneva: World Health Organization; (2012).
Publication types
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources