Leishmaniases in Greece

Ntais, Pantelis; Sifaki-Pistola, Dimitra; Christodoulou, Vasiliki; Messaritakis, Ippokratis; Pratlong, Francine; Poupalos, George; Αντωνίου, Μαρία

doi:10.4269/ajtmh.13-0070

Cited by 78 publications

(116 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Competent vectors of L. infantum, the causative agent of human and canine leishmaniosis in Greece, are abundant in the country, and their occurrence was also documented in the region of Thessaly. In the prefectures of Larissa and Magnesia, Phlebotomus perfiliewi and Phlebotomus tobbi which are competent vectors of L. infantum, have been reported (Ntais et al, 2013) while canine and human leishmaniosis are endemic in this region. Thus, the findings of this study support the hypothesis that cats may serve as a reservoir for Leishmania spp in the region of Thessaly.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular investigation and geographical distribution of Leishmania spp infection in stray and owned cats (Felis catus) in Thessaly, central Greece

Giannakopoulos

Tsokana

Papadopoulos

et al. 2018

J Hellenic Vet Med Soc

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In this study we aimed to determine the prevalence of Leishmania spp infection and to report the geographical distribution of Leishmania spp infected cats from Thessaly, central Greece, an endemic region for canine and human leishmaniosis. Blood samples were collected from a total of 150 cats (34 stray and 116 owned) from the area of Thessaly, i.e. Larissa (n=6), Volos (n=94), Trikala (n=30) and Karditsa (n=20). Data on signalment and living conditions were registered for each cat. The samples were tested by Internal Transcribed Spacer 1 nested PCR (ITS1 nested PCR). Geographical Information System (GIS) was used to define the geographical distribution of the Leishmania spp infected cats in relation to the land uses and the altitude. In total, 13.3% (95% CI: 8.3-19.8) of the sampled cats were found positive for Leishmania spp DNA. More precisely, the results are 12.8% (95% CI 6.8-21.2) in Volos, 20% (95% CI 6.8-21.2) in Trikala and 10% (95% CI 12-31.7) in Karditsa while none of the six cats examined from the region of Larissa was found PCR positive. The Leishmania spp infected cats were found in artificial surfaces and associated areas and in cultivated and managed areas with a mean altitude of 81,7 m above sea level (range 14 - 225 ± 51.57 SD). No significant correlation was found between Leishmania spp infection and signalment or living conditions, thus suggest ing that the infection is uniformly distributed among the screened feline population. The findings of this study along with the occurrence of competent vectors of Leishmania infantum in Thessaly, support the hypothesis that cats may serve as a reservoir for Leishmania spp in this region and highlight the need for surveillance in feline population and implementation of control measures. However, the epidemiological role of cats in the maintenance and transmission of Leishmania spp has yet to be defined and deserves further investigation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular investigation and geographical distribution of Leishmania spp infection in stray and owned cats (Felis catus) in Thessaly, central Greece

Giannakopoulos

Tsokana

Papadopoulos

et al. 2018

J Hellenic Vet Med Soc

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“…[8][9][10] To assess the questionnaire's value for epidemiological studies and monitoring practices, the data collected by the questionnaire were compared statistically and by spatial analysis with the results of two epidemiological surveys carried out at the same time as the VQ study in Cyprus 9 and Greece 10 using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Use of Spatial Analysis to Estimate the Prevalence of Canine Leishmaniasis in Greece and Cyprus to Predict its Future Variation and Relate it to Human Disease

Sifaki-Pistola

Ntais

Christodoulou

et al. 2014

The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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Abstract. Climatic, environmental, and demographic changes favor the emergence of neglected vector-borne diseases like leishmaniasis, which is spreading through dogs, the principle host of the protozoan Leishmania infantum. Surveillance of the disease in dogs is important, because the number of infected animals in an area determines the local risk of human infection. However, dog epidemiological studies are costly. Our aim was to evaluate the Emerging Diseases in a Changing European Environment (EDEN) veterinary questionnaire as a cost-effective tool in providing reliable, spatially explicit indicators of canine leishmaniasis prevalence. For this purpose, the data from the questionnaire were compared with data from two epidemiological studies on leishmaniasis carried out in Greece and Cyprus at the same time using statistical methods and spatial statistics. Although the questionnaire data cannot provide a quantitative measure of leishmaniasis in an area, it indicates the dynamic of the disease; information is obtained in a short period of time at low cost.

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“…In Cyprus, the seroprevalence of the disease in dogs had a ninefold increase compared to 10 years before, reaching 14.9% in 2010 [31]. The average seropositivity of dogs in Greece is 22.1%, and positive animals were found in 43 of 54 cities [32].…”

Section: Geographic Distribution and Prevalencementioning

confidence: 97%

Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis in Brazil

Melo¹,

Silva²,

Silva³

et al. 2016

Canine Medicine - Recent Topics and Advanced Research

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Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a disease caused by a protozoon belonging to the genus Leishmania, and it is transmitted through the bite of sand flies. Endemic regions have widened, and canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) occurs mainly in the Mediterranean region and South America. There is no consensus on the risk factors associated with CVL, as results differ between the studied regions and countries. This chapter describes the main aspects of epidemiology, immunology, clinical signs, diagnosis treatment, and control of canine visceral leishmaniasis with emphasis on Brazil.

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Leishmaniases in Greece

Cited by 78 publications

References 43 publications

Molecular investigation and geographical distribution of Leishmania spp infection in stray and owned cats (Felis catus) in Thessaly, central Greece

Molecular investigation and geographical distribution of Leishmania spp infection in stray and owned cats (Felis catus) in Thessaly, central Greece

The Use of Spatial Analysis to Estimate the Prevalence of Canine Leishmaniasis in Greece and Cyprus to Predict its Future Variation and Relate it to Human Disease

Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis in Brazil

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