Levantamento epidemiológico de Leishmaniose Visceral Canina em municípios do Agreste Paraibano: dados preliminares.

Abstract

Epidemiologic Survey of Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis in the Municipa lities of the Harsh of Paraiba: Partial data. Visceral leishmaniasis is a character zoonotic disease, infectious and chronic. In Brazil, it is caused by an intracellular protozoan parasite called Leishmania infantum. The dog is the main domestic reservoir. In Brazil, it is an important public health problem due to its growing expansion. In recent decades, there was an increase of urban and peri-urban cases in dogs, but have not been conducted serological surveys by control authorities. The objective of this study was to evaluate risk factors for canine visceral leishmaniasis in rural and urban areas of the municipalities of Aroeiras, Gado Bravo, Umbuzeiro and Natuba, using serologic techniques authorized by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Supply. The diagnosis was made by ELISA S7®, ELISA / EIA and DPP®. A questionnaire was applied to owners to identify possible risk factors. Serologic frequencies observed in Aroeiras, Umbuzeiro, Bravo Cattle and Natuba were 13.27%, 11%, 18.81%, 13.84% respectively. The risk factors identified in the multivariate analysis by multiple logistic regression were contact with other dogs (Odds ratio = 4.4506, CI = 1.06 to 18.76%; p = 0.0420) and age (odds ratio = 1.9776; CI = 1.20 to 3.26%; p = 0.0075) in Umbuzeiro and Natuba, respectively. When the analysis was performed covering all municipalities, significant predictors were education (odds ratio = 0.7828, CI = 0.62 to 098%; p = 0.0362) and income (Odds ratio = 0.2508; CI% = 0.07 to 0.85; p = 0.0264). Those municipalities in Paraiba have a high frequency of CVL due to predisposing environmental characteristics for maintaining the vector-parasite-host cycle. Thus, due to the common socioeconomic characteristics to those municipalities, it is recommended that public measures are taken to minimize the occurrence of risk factors globally, that is, not particularizing by municipality. Additionally, it is suggested ELISA test as a screening test in cases of canine visceral leishmaniasis.