Prevalence of Leishmania infantum infection in dogs living in an area of canine leishmaniasis endemicity using PCR on several tissues and serology

We studied and compared the prevalence of leishmania infection and the sero prevalence and the prevalence of canine leishmaniasis in an area where cani ne leishmaniasis is endemic. One hundred dogs living on the island of Mallo rca (Spain) were studied. In this study, we clinically examined each dog fo r the presence of symptoms compatible with leishmaniasis, determined the ti ter of anti-Leishmania antibodies, and investigated the presence of Leishma nia DNA by PCR in skin, conjunctiva, and bone marrow samples of each dog, T he prevalence of the disease and the seroprevalence were 13 and 26%, respec tively. In 63% of the dogs, Leishmania DNA could be detected by PCR in at l east one of the tissues studied. The results of positive PCR in the bone ma rrow, the conjunctiva, and the skin were 17.8, 32, and 51%, respectively. T he prevalence of the infection, 67%, was calculated using all animals that were seropositive and/or positive by PCR with any tissue. The results showe d that the majority of dogs living in an area where canine leishmaniasis is endemic are infected by Leishmania and that the prevalence of infection is much greater than the prevalence of overt Leishmania-related disease.