Investigation and spatial analysis of the occurrence of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis in cattle (Bos taurus) and equidae (Equus spp.) captured on public roads in Bauru-SP

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease caused by protozoa belonging to the order Kinetoplastida, family Trypanosomatidae, and genus Leishmania. The vectors are flies belonging to the genus Lutzomyia. The disease is widely distributed throughout the world, affecting mainly tropical and subtropical regions, where it is among the six infectious and parasitic diseases of major importance and occupy second place in severity surpassed only by malaria. Leishmaniasis can manifest as visceral and cutaneous, whose agents are Leishmania infantum and Leishmania braziliensis, respectively. Despite the dog can be considered the main reservoir of leishmaniasis, studies have shown that many wild and domestic animals may act as reservoirs. Animals of zootechnic importance, such as cattle and horses have their participation in the epidemiology of the disease, with little information about this involvement. Thus cattle and horses captured on public roads in urban areas in Bauru by the Zoonosis Control Center (CCZ) will be evaluated in order to verify the role of these animals in the epidemiology of leishmaniasis. The blood will be collected to perform the hemoculture in Liver Infusion Tryptose (LIT), blood smear for amastigotes research, Immunofluorescence Antibody Test (IFAT) and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), and also Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for Leishmania infantum and Leishmania braziliensis from the blood and blood culture. Sequencing will be performed for positive samples for identification of Leishmania species. PCR will be held also from conjunctival swabs for Leishmania infantum and Leishmania braziliensis. Ectoparasites of these animals will be collected for testing of Leishmania infantum and Leishmania braziliensis by PCR. Based on the results obtained from the districts of origin of these animals the spacial analysis will be performed by analyzing the relationship of human and canine cases of visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis from Bauru-SP with cases of the disease found in the studied animals. (AU)