Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Leishmania infection in Dogs in Al Gadarif State, Sudan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is an endemic disease in eastern Sudan, particularly in Al Gadarif State, causing significant morbidity  and fatality rates. This disease is induced by Leishmania donovani and Leishmania infantum. Several studies have suggested that dogs  (Canis familiaris), which are known for being the primary reservoir hosts of L. infantum (causing canine leishmaniasis), may play a vital  role in transmitting human VL caused by L. donovani. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of leishmaniasis in general and L.  donovani, particularly in dogs, and to investigate the potential risk factors associated with the disease in Al Gadarif State. Blood samples  were collected from 151 dogs from five localities and examined using Giemsa-stained blood smears and PCR. The overall prevalence was  44.4% based on microscopic examination. Significant variation in the prevalence of leishmaniasis was observed among the localities (p =  0.000), where the highest prevalence was reported in Algurreisha (85%) and the lowest was observed in Alhawata (4.2%). Dog type was  another risk factor that was shown to be significantly associated with infection (p = 0.041). The highest prevalence was reported in  household dogs (47.7%) compared to stray dogs (23.8%). The analysis revealed that factors such as the use of dogs, sex, and age were  not statistically linked to the disease. However, among household dogs, the highest prevalence was reported in pet dogs (59.7%), males  (49.1%) compared to females (32.6%), and young dogs (50%) compared to older dogs (40.9%). All blood samples tested negative for L.  donovani by PCR, thus requiring further investigation to identify the causative species in dogs and their possible roles in the  epidemiology of zoonotic leishmaniasis in Sudan.