Leishmaniasis canina en Venezuela: un problema de salud pública

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is an infectious disease characterized by a spectrum of clinical manifestations in humans and caused by various species of Leishmania parasite. Particularly Visceral Leishmaniais (VL) is a fatal zoonosis in Latin America and the causative agent is Leishmania infantum / chagasi, which mainly affects children under ten (10) years in which a high rate of infant mortality occurs in endemic areas, representing a serious public health problem. The domestic dog is the main reservoir of the disease and in turn may or may not have signs and symptoms of it that can lead to death of the canine. The possession of potentially infected domestic dogs represents a risk factor in endemic areas and is a high source of transmission to humans. This review covers the most important aspects of the epidemiology, diagnosis, immunology and treatment in dogs and prospects for vaccine and control measures of canine visceral leishmaniasis.