The northward spread of leishmaniasis in Italy : evidence from retrospective and ongoing studies on the canine reservoir and phlebotomine vectors
Articolo
Data di Pubblicazione:
2008
Citazione:
The northward spread of leishmaniasis in Italy : evidence from retrospective and
ongoing studies on the canine reservoir and phlebotomine vectors / M. Maroli, L. Rossi, R. Baldelli, G. Capelli, E. Ferroglio, C. Genchi, M. Gramiccia,
M. Mortarino, M. Pietrobelli, L. Gradoni. - In: TROPICAL MEDICINE & INTERNATIONAL HEALTH. - ISSN 1360-2276. - 13:2(2008 Feb), pp. 256-264.
Abstract:
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) incidence has been increased in Italy in humans and
dogs since the 1990s, with new foci being detected within traditional boundaries
of endemic transmission but also in northern regions previously regarded as
non-endemic. To monitor the putative VL spreading, surveillance was implemented
in northern continental Italy comprising: analysis of human cases recorded from
1990 through 2005; retrospective literature analysis of canine leishmaniasis
(CanL) and phlebotomine sandfly records through 2002; prospective investigations
in dogs from 2003 through 2005 and surveys on sandflies in 2003 and 2004.
Two-hundred-thirty human cases (11% of Italian cases) were recorded. Their
stratification by age and HIV status disclosed a sharp decrease of HIV/VL
co-infections paralleled by concomitant increase of paediatric and HIV-negative
adult patients during the study period. Four patients had no travel history.
Seven leishmaniasis foci were retrospectively identified since 1990, whereas
prospective investigations in dogs disclosed 47 autochthonous clinical cases and
106 autochthonous seropositives among 5442 dogs (2.1%) from 16 foci of six
regions. Parasites were typed as Leishmania infantum MON-1. Four vector species
were identified among 1696 Phlebotomus (Larroussius) collected specimens.
Comparisons with historical data showed that P. perniciosus and P. neglectus have
increased in density and expanded their geographic range in the study area.
Northern continental Italy is now focally endemic for VL and a moderate risk for
human disease does exist, although the intensity of transmission seems to be
lower than in traditional settings of Mediterranean VL.
Tipologia IRIS:
01 - Articolo su periodico
Elenco autori:
M. Maroli, L. Rossi, R. Baldelli, G. Capelli, E. Ferroglio, C. Genchi, M. Gramiccia,
M. Mortarino, M. Pietrobelli, L. Gradoni
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