Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis associated with domestic animals in Venezuela and Brazil.
Abstract: After outbreaks of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Solano State, Venezuela, 5% of the population had parasitized ulcers while after similar outbreaks in Mesquita, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, 9% had the disease. In these foci children, including some under six years of age, were affected. There was no significant difference in the occurrence of the disease according to sex or type of employment. In Solano, 3% of dogs and 28% of donkeys had parasitized lesions, while in Mesquita these indices were 19.8% and 30.8% respectively. The parasite from man, dogs and equines was identified as Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis, by zymodeme and serodeme characterization. In these foci there is evidence suggesting that leishmaniasis is a zoonosis, possibly with equines and dogs as reservoirs, although both a wild enzootic cycle and the role of man as a source of infection can not be ruled out. Transmission is assumed to occur peridomestically by sandfly vectors such as Lutzomyia panamensis in Venezuela and Lutzomyia intermedia in Brazil. Information about the origin of these foci suggests that infected equines may be an important factor in the dissemination of the parasite in a peridomestic situation where these sandflies are abundant.
Publication Date: 1990-01-01 PubMed ID: 2319948DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02761989000100005Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The research investigates cutaneous leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease prevalent in Venezuela and Brazil, and its association with domestic animals such as dogs and donkeys. The study finds that there is a possibility that these animals act as reservoirs for Leishmania braziliensis, the parasite responsible for the disease, thus suggesting that the disease could be a zoonosis one.
Overview of the Research
- The research was carried out following outbreaks of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Solano State, Venezuela and Mesquita, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. There, significant portions of the population had contracted the disease with parasitized ulcers observed in 5% and 9% of the population, respectively. The disease did not show a significant bias in terms of sex or employment type.
- Children, including some under six years of age, were among those affected by the disease. In Solano, 3% of dogs and 28% of donkeys had parasitized lesions, while in Mesquita these indices were 19.8% and 30.8% respectively.
Identification of the Parasite
- The parasite responsible for the disease in humans, dogs, and equines was identified as Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis. This identification was achieved through zymodeme and serodeme characterization, methods used to differentiate strains of a microorganism.
Transmission and Spread of the Disease
- The research provides evidence suggesting that leishmaniasis is a zoonosis, a disease transmitted from animals to humans. The possible reservoirs for the parasite are proposed to be equines and dogs. However, the research also acknowledges the possibility of a wild enzootic cycle (a disease prevalence in animal populations) and the role of humans as a source of infection.
- Transmission is hypothesized to occur in environments peridomestic, or close to human habitation, by sandfly vectors. The specific sandfly species are Lutzomyia panamensis in Venezuela and Lutzomyia intermedia in Brazil.
- The origin information of these foci suggests that infected equines may play a significant role in the dissemination of the parasite, especially in situations where the sandfly vectors are abundant.
Cite This Article
APA
Aguilar CM, Rangel EF, Garcia L, Fernandez E, Momen H, Grimaldi Filho G, De Vargas Z.
(1990).
Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis associated with domestic animals in Venezuela and Brazil.
Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz, 84(1), 19-28.
https://doi.org/10.1590/s0074-02761989000100005 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade de Carabobo, Valencia, Venezuela.
MeSH Terms
- Adolescent
- Adult
- Animals
- Brazil
- Child
- Child, Preschool
- Disease Reservoirs
- Disease Vectors
- Dog Diseases / parasitology
- Dogs
- Female
- Humans
- Infant
- Infant, Newborn
- Leishmania braziliensis / isolation & purification
- Leishmaniasis / epidemiology
- Leishmaniasis / transmission
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Perissodactyla
- Psychodidae / parasitology
- Venezuela
Citations
This article has been cited 19 times.- Elghandour MMMY, Maggiolino A, Vázquez-Mendoza P, Alvarado-Ramírez ER, Cedillo-Monroy J, De Palo P, Salem AZM. Moringa oleifera as a Natural Alternative for the Control of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Equines: A Review. Plants (Basel) 2023 May 8;12(9).
- Sandoval-Ramírez CM, Hernández C, Teherán AA, Gutierrez-Marin R, Martínez-Vega RA, Morales D, Hoyos-Lopez R, Araque-Mogollón A, Ramírez JD. Complex ecological interactions across a focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Eastern Colombia: novel description of Leishmania species, hosts and phlebotomine fauna. R Soc Open Sci 2020 Jul;7(7):200266.
- Lago J, Silva JA, Borja L, Fraga DBM, Schriefer A, Arruda S, Lago E, Carvalho EM, Bacellar O. Clinical and histopathologic features of canine tegumentary leishmaniasis and the molecular characterization of Leishmania braziliensis in dogs. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019 Jul;13(7):e0007532.
- Brilhante AF, Lima L, Zampieri RA, Nunes VLB, Dorval MEC, Malavazi PFNDS, Melchior LAK, Ishikawa EAY, Cardoso CO, Floeter-Winter LM, Teixeira MMG, Galati EAB. Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis type 2 as probable etiological agent of canine cutaneous leishmaniasis in Brazilian Amazon. PLoS One 2019;14(4):e0216291.
- Maggi RG, Krämer F. A review on the occurrence of companion vector-borne diseases in pet animals in Latin America. Parasit Vectors 2019 Mar 28;12(1):145.
- Ribeiro RR, Michalick MSM, da Silva ME, Dos Santos CCP, Frézard FJG, da Silva SM. Canine Leishmaniasis: An Overview of the Current Status and Strategies for Control. Biomed Res Int 2018;2018:3296893.
- Eid D, Guzman-Rivero M, Rojas E, Goicolea I, Hurtig AK, Illanes D, San Sebastian M. Risk factors for cutaneous leishmaniasis in the rainforest of Bolivia: a cross-sectional study. Trop Med Health 2018;46:9.
- Rivas AK, Alcover M, Martínez-Orellana P, Montserrat-Sangrà S, Nachum-Biala Y, Bardagí M, Fisa R, Riera C, Baneth G, Solano-Gallego L. Clinical and diagnostic aspects of feline cutaneous leishmaniosis in Venezuela. Parasit Vectors 2018 Mar 20;11(1):141.
- Calzada JE, Saldaña A, González K, Rigg C, Pineda V, Santamaría AM, Rodríguez I, Gottdenker NL, Laurenti MD, Chaves LF. Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in dogs: is high seroprevalence indicative of a reservoir role?. Parasitology 2015 Aug;142(9):1202-14.
- Shender LA, De Los Santos M, Montgomery JM, Conrad PA, Ghersi BM, Razuri H, Lescano AG, Mazet JA. Native rodent species are unlikely sources of infection for Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis along the Transoceanic Highway in Madre de Dios, Peru. PLoS One 2014;9(7):e103358.
- Truppel JH, Otomura F, Teodoro U, Massafera R, da Costa-Ribeiro MC, Catarino CM, Dalagrana L, Costa Ferreira ME, Thomaz-Soccol V. Can equids be a reservoir of Leishmania braziliensis in endemic areas?. PLoS One 2014;9(4):e93731.
- Esch KJ, Petersen CA. Transmission and epidemiology of zoonotic protozoal diseases of companion animals. Clin Microbiol Rev 2013 Jan;26(1):58-85.
- Vieira VP, Ferreira AL, Biral dos Santos C, Leite GR, Ferreira GE, Falqueto A. Peridomiciliary breeding sites of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in an endemic area of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in southeastern Brazil. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2012 Dec;87(6):1089-93.
- Ahuja AA, Bumb RA, Mehta RD, Prasad N, Tanwar RK, Satoskar AR. Successful treatment of canine cutaneous leishmaniasis using radio-frequency induced heat (RFH) therapy. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2012 Aug;87(2):261-3.
- Vélez ID, Carrillo LM, López L, Rodríguez E, Robledo SM. An epidemic outbreak of canine cutaneous leishmaniasis in Colombia caused by Leishmania braziliensis and Leishmania panamensis. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2012 May;86(5):807-11.
- Quintana MG, Fernández MS, Salomón OD. Distribution and abundance of phlebotominae, vectors of leishmaniasis, in Argentina: spatial and temporal analysis at different scales. J Trop Med 2012;2012:652803.
- Grimaldi G Jr, Tesh RB. Leishmaniases of the New World: current concepts and implications for future research. Clin Microbiol Rev 1993 Jul;6(3):230-50.
- Djellouli M, Eddaikra N, Beneldjouzi A, Benikhlef R, Ghimire R, Wilkins M, Lafri I. Serological, molecular, and epidemiological assessment of Leishmania spp. in equids within a hotspot endemic area for cutaneous leishmaniasis in southeastern Algeria. Vet Res Commun 2025 Sep 25;49(6):328.
- Martínez-Sáez L, Dulac Q, Montaner-Angoiti E, Marín-García PJ, Llobat L. Prevalence and Factors Related to Leishmania infantum Infection in Healthy Horses (Equus caballus) from Eastern Spain. Animals (Basel) 2023 Sep 11;13(18).
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
