Molecular investigation of leishmaniasis in stray dogs in Southwest Iran: Confirmation of cutaneous and visceral species in blood samples

IF 1.4 Q3 PARASITOLOGY

Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports Pub Date : 2025-03-18 DOI:10.1016/j.vprsr.2025.101244

Mohammad Hosein Bastani , Maryam Montaseri , Nooshin Derakhshandeh , Saeed Nazifi , Saeid Hosseinzadeh

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Abstract

Leishmaniasis, with various clinical manifestations, is prevalent and remains a significant zoonosis and public health concern in Iran. Dogs are the main reservoir of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess leishmaniasis in blood samples from 87 stray dogs (55 without skin lesions and 32 with skin lesions) from shelters in Shiraz, southwest Iran, for the first time. Blood samples were collected from all dogs (with and without skin lesions) and skin lesions from dogs with dermatological lesions. To amplify the conserved region of the Leishmania kDNA minicircle, samples were subjected to a species-specific PCR assay. Skin lesion smears were also assessed by microscopic examination. The PCR amplicons were sequenced, assembled, and multiple-aligned with Leishmania strains retrieved from GenBank. Finally, the phylogenetic analysis was carried out. The results showed 8.05 % (7/87) leishmaniasis in all dogs (with and without skin lesions) and 21.87 % (7/32) in dogs with skin lesions. No Leishmania infection was detected in dogs without skin lesions by PCR. A significant association was found between skin lesions and leishmaniasis (P = 0.001). No significant association was found between sex and infection (P = 0.65). Phylogenetic analysis interestingly identified three species, including L. major, L. tropica, and L. infantum, with 95–98 % identities to documented sequences. Microscopic examination of skin smears confirmed the presence of amastigotes in 15.62 % (5/32) of the dogs with skin lesions. This study highlights the importance of sheltered stray dogs with skin lesions as potential reservoirs in dispersing zoonotic visceral and cutaneous Leishmania spp. in this region. It emphasizes the need for surveillance and control measures in shelters to prevent Leishmania transmission to the vectors, humans, and animal hosts. The study also elucidated that cutaneous parasites, identified more in skin lesions by circulating in dog blood, can be detected using kDNA PCR.

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伊朗西南部流浪狗中利什曼病的分子调查：血液样本中皮肤和内脏种类的确认

利什曼病具有各种临床表现，在伊朗很流行，仍然是一个重大的人畜共患病和公共卫生问题。狗是皮肤和内脏利什曼病的主要宿主。对来自伊朗西南部设拉子（Shiraz）收容所的87只流浪狗（55只无皮损，32只有皮损）的血液样本进行了横断面研究，首次对利什曼病进行了评估。采集所有狗（有和没有皮肤病变）的血液样本和皮肤病变狗的皮肤样本。为了扩增利什曼原虫kDNA小环的保守区域，对样品进行了种特异性PCR测定。皮肤病变涂片也通过显微镜检查进行评估。对PCR扩增子进行测序、组装，并与从GenBank中检索到的利什曼原虫菌株进行多重比对。最后进行系统发育分析。结果：所有犬（有和无皮损）中利什曼病发生率为8.05%(7/87)，皮损犬中利什曼病发生率为21.87%（7/32）。无皮损犬未检出利什曼原虫感染。皮肤病变与利什曼病之间存在显著关联（P = 0.001）。性别与感染无显著相关性（P = 0.65）。系统发育分析发现了主要L.、热带L.和婴儿L.三个物种，与已有记录的序列具有95 - 98%的一致性。皮肤涂片镜检证实15.62%（5/32）的皮损犬存在无尾鞭毛菌。本研究强调了有皮肤损伤的流浪狗作为潜在宿主在该地区传播人畜共患内脏和皮肤利什曼原虫的重要性。它强调需要在庇护所采取监测和控制措施，以防止利什曼原虫传播给病媒、人类和动物宿主。该研究还表明，通过狗血液循环在皮肤病变中发现的皮肤寄生虫可以用kDNA PCR检测到。

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来源期刊

Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports Multiple-

CiteScore

2.90

自引率

7.10%

发文量

126

审稿时长

97 days

期刊介绍： Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports focuses on aspects of veterinary parasitology that are of regional concern, which is especially important in this era of climate change and the rapid and often unconstrained travel of people and animals. Relative to regions, this journal will accept papers of the highest quality dealing with all aspects of disease prevention, pathology, treatment, epidemiology, and control of parasites within the field of veterinary medicine. Also, case reports will be considered as they add to information related to local disease and its control; such papers must be concise and represent appropriate medical intervention. Papers on veterinary parasitology from wildlife species are acceptable, but only if they relate to the practice of veterinary medicine. Studies on vector-borne bacterial and viral agents are suitable, but only if the paper deals with vector transmission of these organisms to domesticated animals. Studies dealing with parasite control by means of natural products, both in vivo and in vitro, are more suited for one of the many journals that now specialize in papers of this type. However, due to the regional nature of much of this research, submissions may be considered based upon a case being made by the author(s) to the Editor. Circumstances relating to animal experimentation must meet the International Guiding Principles for Biomedical Research Involving Animals as issued by the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (obtainable from: Executive Secretary C.I.O.M.S., c/o W.H.O., Via Appia, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland).