Leishmaniasis in dogs

[Fred R. Opperdoes]

This message was posted at ProMEd Mail
Date: 5 Jan 2001
From: ProMED-mail <promed at promedmail.org>
Source: Science, 8 Dec 2000, pp. 1881-1882 [edited]
<http://www.sciencemag.org>


Following the realization of the chronic outbreak afflicting a pack of
foxhounds in Millbrook NY, 130 km north of New York City, in 1999 when some
two dozen hounds died, researchers at NCSU [North Carolina State
University], CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and the
Walter Reed Army Institute of Research initiated a testing of the 11 000
foxhounds kept by US hunts.

About 12% had antibodies to _Leishmania_ though the majority are
asymptomatic. These seropositive dogs were in the eastern USA. Some 50 dogs
from in and around Millbrook have also been tested and found to be
seronegative, as were the 450 stored canine serum samples at CDC.

How the Millbrook hounds became infected remains unknown as it is well
north of any known sand fly sites in New Jersey. However, it is noted that
foxhounds are frequent fliers and may have been infected while in the
southern states. The researchers are reported as commenting, "We probably
uncovered a smouldering epidemic that has been in this country for 20 years
or more."

[Byline: Martin Enserink]

-- 
ProMED-mail
<promed at promedmail.org>

[I have heard from Ed Breitschwerdt (<Ed_Breitschwerdt at ncsu.edu>) that the
full manuscript describing this study has yet to be submitted to a
scientific journal. Anyone needing details should contact him. As yet the
details of the actual geographic distribution of the 11 000 hounds tested
and counties with positive and negative hunts have not been revealed. -
Mod.MHJ]
..................................mhj/pg/ds

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-- 
Fred R. Opperdoes,
Research Unit for Tropical Diseases (TROP) and
Laboratory of Biochemistry (BCHM)
Christian de Duve Institute of Cellular Pathology (ICP)
and Catholic University of Louvain (UCL)
Avenue Hippocrate 74-75, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium

Tel: ++32-2-764.74.39 (secretary) Fax: ++32-2-762.68.53
Tel: ++32-2-764.74.55 (direct)
Voicemail/fax: ++3270705047
E-mail:Opperdoes at trop.ucl.ac.be
Internet: http://www.icp.ucl.ac.be/~opperd/trop.html
           http://www.icp.ucl.ac.be/~opperd/Fred.html