Prevalence and Factors Associated with Leishmania infantum Infection in Dogs in Brazil
Author Information
Author(s): Coura-Vital Wendel, Marques Marcos José, Veloso Vanja Maria, Roatt Bruno Mendes, Aguiar-Soares Rodrigo Dian de Oliveira, Reis Levi Eduardo Soares, Braga Samuel Leôncio, Morais Maria Helena Franco, Reis Alexandre Barbosa, Carneiro Mariângela
Primary Institution: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
Hypothesis
What are the prevalence and associated factors of Leishmania infantum infection in dogs in an urban area of Brazil?
Conclusion
The study found a high prevalence of L. infantum infection in dogs, with socioeconomic factors and owner knowledge influencing infection rates.
Supporting Evidence
- 230 dogs were seropositive in at least one ELISA test.
- 356 dogs were positive for L. infantum DNA by PCR-RFLP.
- Factors associated with infection included low family income and owner knowledge of the vector.
Takeaway
This study shows that many dogs in Brazil are infected with a parasite that can cause disease in humans, and certain factors like family income and owner knowledge can affect this.
Methodology
A cross-sectional study was conducted where blood samples were collected from 1,443 dogs, and serological and molecular methods were used to determine infection status.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to non-probabilistic sampling and reliance on owner-reported data.
Limitations
The study's cross-sectional design limits causal inferences, and the sampling was not probabilistic.
Participant Demographics
The study included 1,443 dogs from urban households in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI 1.4–3.8
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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