Domestic dog ownership: a risk factor for human infection with Leishmania (viannia) species

An epidemiological study has shown that cumulative, village prevalence of Leishmania (Viannia) infection in dogs ranges from 8% to 45% in Huanuco, Peru. Using data from a prospective survey of human American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) collected during 1994-98, it was shown that the village-level risk of human ACL did not significantly increase with dog abundance, neither in absolute terms (<F>P = 0.659</F>) nor in relation to dog:human ratios (<F>P = 0.213</F>). A significant positive association was observed between risk of human ACL and village dog ACL prevalence (<F>P = 0.022</F>). When controlled for village dog ACL prevalence, there also was an association between the average number of dogs per household and risk of human ACL (<F>P = 0.033</F>). The results suggest that dogs play a role in the (peri) domestic transmission of Le. (Viannia) to humans in Huánuco and indicate that a control intervention targeting dogs to control human ACL is warranted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]