Caracterização epidemiológica de zoonoses em cães no Estado da Paraíba.

Abstract

This thesis is composed by three Chapters. In Chapters I and II the seroprevalences and risk factors associated with Leishmania spp., Trypanosoma cruzi, Leptospira spp., Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum were determined in dogs from Paraiba state, northeastern Brazil. A total of 1,043 sera were sampled from dogs from five urban centers considered as regional poles. Seroprevalences for the infections were, respectively, 7.8% (95% CI = 6.1-9.4%), 7.9% (95% CI = 6.3-9.6%), 9.3% (95% CI = 7.5–11.1%), 22.1% (95% CI = 19.6–24.7%) and 7.7% (95% CI = 6.1–9.3%), respectively. Semi-domiciled housing (OR = 2.044), free housing (OR = 4.151), and soil (OR = 3.425) and soil/cement (OR = 3.065) environmental conditions were identified as risk factors for Leishmania spp., and semi-domiciled (OR = 2.353) or free housing (OR = 3.454), and contact with bovine (OR = 2.015) for T. cruzi. Age > 48 months (OR = 2.92), mixed breed (OR = 1.94) and access to street (OR = 1.57) were identified as risk factors for Leptospira spp. infection. For toxoplasmosis, age > 48 months (OR = 1.74), homemade food (OR = 2.24), comercial and homemade food (OR = 2.34) and contact with cats (OR = 1.57) were considered risk factors, while access to street (OR = 2.62) was risk fator for N. caninum. In Chapter III the occurrence of anti-Leishmania spp., T. cruzi, T. gondii and Leptospira spp. antibodies was investigated in dogs and owners from a paraiban county with human cases of visceral leishmaniasis and toxoplasmosis in recent years. Serum samples from 200 dogs and 23 owners were submitted to serological diagnosis, and frequencies of 6%, 7.5%, 18% and 14% were found to Leishmania spp., T. cruzi, T. gondii and Leptospira spp., respectively, as well as anti-T. gondii antibodies were also found in owners. We conclude that dogs from the study area are exposed to Leishmania spp., T. cruzi, Leptospira spp., T. gondii and N. caninum infections, evidenced by antibody detection, suggesting the need for revisiting and intensification of disease control measures through constant monitoring of the canine population and correction of the identified risk factors.