TY - JOUR
T1 - New epidemiological aspects of animal leishmaniosis in europe: The role of vertebrate hosts other than dogs
AU - Cardoso, Luís
AU - Schallig, Henk
AU - Persichetti, Maria Flaminia
AU - Pennisi, Maria Grazia
N1 - Funding Information: L.C. participation was funded by project UIDB/CVT/00772/2020 supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). Publisher Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2021/3/1
Y1 - 2021/3/1
N2 - Infection with Leishmania parasites can lead to severe disease in humans and dogs, which act as a reservoir in zoonotic transmission. An increasing number of reports suggest that leishmaniosis is not restricted to dogs, but also affects many other mammalian and avian species. Consequently, this expands the potential reservoir and is of great public and veterinary health concern. The present study reviews, based on a comprehensive search of scientific literature published from 01 January 2001 to 31 December 2020, the currently available information on animal leishmaniosis in vertebrates in Europe, other than dogs and humans. This review provides an exhaustive list of mammals and birds in which infections with or exposure to Leishmania parasites have been detected in European countries. Most cases are reported from the Mediterranean region. Domestic animals, in particular cats, pose a concern because of close contact with humans. The wildlife reservoir is less likely to contribute to zoonotic transmission, with the exception of hares. This potentially large reservoir needs to be taken into account when developing control measures for zoonotic leishmaniosis. From a veterinary point of view, it is important that veterinarians are better aware of leishmaniosis and trained in its management.
AB - Infection with Leishmania parasites can lead to severe disease in humans and dogs, which act as a reservoir in zoonotic transmission. An increasing number of reports suggest that leishmaniosis is not restricted to dogs, but also affects many other mammalian and avian species. Consequently, this expands the potential reservoir and is of great public and veterinary health concern. The present study reviews, based on a comprehensive search of scientific literature published from 01 January 2001 to 31 December 2020, the currently available information on animal leishmaniosis in vertebrates in Europe, other than dogs and humans. This review provides an exhaustive list of mammals and birds in which infections with or exposure to Leishmania parasites have been detected in European countries. Most cases are reported from the Mediterranean region. Domestic animals, in particular cats, pose a concern because of close contact with humans. The wildlife reservoir is less likely to contribute to zoonotic transmission, with the exception of hares. This potentially large reservoir needs to be taken into account when developing control measures for zoonotic leishmaniosis. From a veterinary point of view, it is important that veterinarians are better aware of leishmaniosis and trained in its management.
KW - Birds
KW - Disease
KW - Epidemiology
KW - Europe
KW - Infection
KW - Leishmania
KW - Leishmaniosis
KW - Mammals
KW - Reservoir
KW - Vertebrates
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85103013405&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10030307
DO - https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10030307
M3 - Review article
C2 - 33800782
SN - 2076-0817
VL - 10
JO - Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
JF - Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
IS - 3
M1 - 307
ER -