Prevalence of Leishmania infantum and Dirofilaria immitis Infection in Dogs in Aydın Province and the Town of Selçuk, İzmir, Turkey

Authors: HÜSEYİN VOYVODA, SERDAR PAŞA, SERAY ÖZENSOY TÖZ, YUSUF ÖZBEL, HATİCE ERTABAKLAR

Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Leishmania infantum and Dirofilaria immitis infection in dogs housed outdoors in Aydın province and Selçuk in western Turkey. Anti-Leishmania antibodies were evaluated in sera samples by IFA and ELISA techniques. The presence of D. immitis microfilariae was determined in blood samples by use of the modified Knott’s test. Using the IFA and ELISA on 158 dogs surveyed, 5 (3.2%) were positive for anti-Leishmania antibodies while 22 (13.9%) were found infected with D. immitis. Only 2 out of 5 seropositive dogs exhibited major signs of canine visceral leishmaniosis, and amastigotes were detected in parasitological examinations of popliteal lymph node aspirates. It was noted that there were dogs infected with Leishmania in dog shelters in the towns of Kuşadası and Selçuk, and the infection rate of dogs for D. immitis was high in 3 villages near the city of Aydın.

Keywords: Leishmania infantum, Dirofilaria immitis, dog, prevalence

Full Text: PDF