Animal reservoirs for visceral leishmaniasis in densely populated urban areas

Authors

  • Soraia A. Diniz Secretaria Municipal de Saúde, Prefeitura Municipal de Ribeirão das Neves, Ribeirão das Neves, MG
  • Fabiana L. Silva Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Vet., Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG
  • Alcina C. Carvalho Neta Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Vet., Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG
  • Regina Bueno Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Betim, MG
  • Rita M.S.N.C. Guerra Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luis, MA
  • Ana L. Abreu-Silva Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luis, MA
  • Renato L. Santos Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Vet., Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.318

Keywords:

visceral leishmaniasis, Leishmania, animal reservoir

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease of major public health and veterinary importance, affecting 88 countries with up to 2 million cases per year. This review emphasizes the animal reservoirs and spreading of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in urban areas, particularly in two Brazilian metropolitan areas, namely São Luis and Belo Horizonte, where the disease has become endemic in the past few years. Urbanization of visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil during the last decades has created favorable epidemiological conditions for maintenance of the disease, with dense human populations sharing a tropical environment with abundant populations of the mammalian reservoir and the invertebrate vector, facilitating transmission of the disease.

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Published

2008-02-01

How to Cite

1.
Diniz SA, Silva FL, Carvalho Neta AC, Bueno R, Guerra RM, Abreu-Silva AL, Santos RL (2008) Animal reservoirs for visceral leishmaniasis in densely populated urban areas. J Infect Dev Ctries 2:024–033. doi: 10.3855/jidc.318

Issue

Section

Reviews