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Year 2013 - Volume 33, Number 4
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Outbreak of autochthonous canine visceral leishmaniasis in Santa Catarina, Brazil, 33(4):490-496
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ABSTRACT.- Steindel M., Menin A., Evangelista T., Stoco P.H., Marlow M.A., Fleith R.C., Pilati C. & Grisard E.C. 2013. Outbreak of autochthonous canine visceral leishmaniasis in Santa Catarina, Brazil. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 33(4):490-496. Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Rua João Pio Duarte Silva s/n, Córrego Grande, Bloco A, Campus Trindade, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900, Brazil. E-mail: mario.steindel@ufsc.br
The present study reports the first outbreak of autochthonous canine visceral leishmaniasis in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, southern Brazil. Following the report of two cases of CVL, the Control Center of Zoonotic Diseases conducted a serological survey by ELISA and IFAT assays in seven districts of the Santa Catarina Island. Eleven seropositive dogs of autochthonous transmission were used in the present study. Infection by Leishmania sp. was confirmed by parasitological examination of bone marrow, liver, spleen and lymph nodes, culture in Schneider’s medium and PCR. Leishmania sp. isolates were characterized by PCR-RFLP and hybridization with specific probes, allowing for the identification of Leishmania infantum. Autochthonous transmission of this disease in an area with high tourist traffic presents a major public health concern and signifies the emergence of an important zoonosis in southern Brazil. Therefore, the implementation of surveillance and control measures is imperative to prevent the spread of the disease among the canine population as well as transmission to the human population. |
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