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Low infectiousness of a wildlife host of Leishmania infantum: the crab-eating fox is not important for transmission

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Courtenay, Orin, Quinnell, R. J., Garcez, L. M. and Dye, C.. (2002) Low infectiousness of a wildlife host of Leishmania infantum: the crab-eating fox is not important for transmission. Parasitology , Vol.125 (No.5). pp. 407-414. ISSN 0031-1820

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0031182002002238

Abstract

The epidemiological role of the crab-eating fox Cerdocyon thous in the transmission of Leishmania infantum is assessed in a longitudinal study in Amazon Brazil. A total of 37 wild-caught foxes were immunologically and clinically monitored, and 26 foxes exposed to laboratory colonies of the sandfly vector Lutzomyia longipalpis, over a 15-month period. In total 78% (29/37) of foxes were seropositive for anti-Leishmania IgG on at least 1 occasion, and 38% (8/37) had infections confirmed by PCR and/or by culture. Point prevalences were 74% (serology), 15% (PCR), and 26% (culture). No signs of progressive disease were observed. None of the foxes were infectious to the 1469 sandflies dissected from 44 feeds. A conservative estimate of the possible contribution of foxes to transmission was 9% compared to 91% by sympatric domestic dogs. These results show that crab-eating fox populations do not maintain a transmission cycle independently of domestic dogs. The implication is that they are unlikely to introduce the parasite into Leishmania-free dog populations.

Item Type:

Journal Article

Subjects:

Q Science > QL Zoology

Divisions:

Faculty of Science > Life Sciences (2010- ) > Biological Sciences ( -2010)

Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):

Leishmania, Dusicyon -- Diseases and pests, Kala-azar, Zoonoses, Dogs as carriers of disease

Journal or Publication Title:

Parasitology

Publisher:

Cambridge University Press

ISSN:

0031-1820

Official Date:

May 2002

Dates:

Date	Event
May 2002	Published

Volume:

Vol.125

Number:

No.5

Page Range:

pp. 407-414

Identification Number:

10.1017/S0031182002002238

Status:

Peer Reviewed

Access rights to Published version:

Open Access

References:

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