ANÁLISE DA LEISHMANIOSE VISCERAL CANINA E HUMANA NO MUNICÍPIO DE CLÁUDIO, MACRORREGIONAL DE SAÚDE OESTE DE MINAS GERAIS, BRASIL

The World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health of Brazil advocate the importance of assessing the occurrence of neglected diseases, including Leishmaniasis, in regions considered free from these diseases, because early identification of areas where these diseases occur favors a more effective implementation of preventive measures. Objective: To determine the prevalence of canine visceral leishmaniasis (VL), the frequency of human VL and to identify Leishmania species circulating in the city of Cláudio, in the Midwest of Minas Gerais. Method: A canine serological survey was carried out in the urban area of the city using two immunological tests (rapid immunochromatography, and immunoenzymatic assay), and serological diagnosis in humans by using three tests (rapid immunochromatography, immunoenzymatic assay, indirect immunofluorescence) in residents of houses in which there were infected dogs and/or where there were captured Lutzomyia longipalpis, insect vectors of Leishmania infantum. Results: Of the 430 dogs examined, five were seroreagents in both immunological tests, with visceral leishmaniasis prevalence of 1.2% (95% CI: 0.4%–2.7%). In bone marrow, spleen and lymph nodes samples from seroreagents dogs, amastigote forms were identified and, through molecular diagnosis, the presence of L. infantum, a parasite that causes visceral leishmaniasis, was found. In the human visceral leishmaniasis study, 74 individuals were evaluated, with none of them being identified with positive serology. Conclusion: The implementation of prevention and control strategies for canine visceral leishmaniasis in municipality is essential to prevent the spread of parasitosis among the canine population and its transmission to the human population, since these diseases are rapidly expanding in the Midwest of Minas Gerais, and can lead to death if not diagnosed and treated early. keywords: Leishmania infantum. Visceral leishmaniasis. Dog. Epidemiology. Prevalence. Public Health.