Cross-sectional survey of canine leishmaniasis in Pantelleria island in Sicily

Dogs are the major reservoir of Leishmania infantum, the causative agent of canine visceral and cutaneous human leishmaniasis in the Mediterranean basin. Canine and human leishmaniosis are endemic in Italy, particularly in central and southern regions, including islands. Here we show a preliminary, clinical, serological and molecular study carried out in Pantelleria island during 2017. In this study, we clinically examined 136 dogs for the presence of symptoms compatible with leishmaniasis, determined the titer of anti-Leishmania antibodies, and investigated Leishmania DNA by real time PCR in blood and/or lymph node of each dog. The prevalence of disease was equal to 27% with 95% CI [21%; 32%], lower than prevalence obtained in the other Sicily islands (Lampedusa, Lipari). We observed that enlarged lymph nodes was more positivitely associated with canine leishmaniasis (CanL) than other clinical signs. The results obtained showed that in an endemic area, such as Sicily, diagnosis of CanL needs to be carried out by including an immunological, molecular clinical approach.