Leishmaniasis In Animals

Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease which is spread by the bite of sand flies infected with the protozoa Leishmania. There are a number of types of protozoa like L. Donovani, L. Infantum, L. Chagasi, L. Mexicana which can cause leishmaniasis.

Dogs, cats, coyotes, rodents are susceptible to the parasite and act as carriers of the disease. The animal gets infected by the bite of an infected female sand fly which has fed the blood of another infected animal. The animal is the only source or carrier for the disease and is not contagious. The bites start with itching and harsh red rashes which can be treated with anti-histamine creams.

It is peculiar to note that only the female sand fly's bite humans to acquire proteins to complete the cycle of life. Animals may suffer from fever, weight loss, chills, loss of appetite, emaciation, an enlarged spleen and liver. Dry and flaky hairless skin on the muzzle, lesions and wounds like marks on the soles which may spread up to the entire body if left untreated, exercise intolerance are some of the symptoms to be looked for. The disease can take months or even years to develop and it would start affecting the internal organs slowly and steadily.

About 88 countries in the world in the tropics and sub-tropics are places of high risk. These places are usually areas of high tourist interest like the rain forests in Central and South America to the dry deserts in Asia. Most of the world's cases of visceral leishmaniasis are from Asian countries like Nepal, and from south American countries like Brazil, Argentina, Africa and also the middle east. Leishmaniasis is not prevalent in the countries along the pacific like Australia etc.

Sand fly's are usually as harmful as a mosquito bite but potentially life threatening if they are infected with the parasite which causes the disease. As of now there has been vaccine developed to combat the disease. The sand flys get the parasite from biting rodents like rats and they act as an carrier agent transferring the parasite to the human body. It us usually abut a quarter of the size of a mosquito and is difficult to see. It is identifiable by the seven segmented body and long legs. They can jump to great heights of 40cms but usually attacks victims who are lying down and the bites are usually seen in clumps around the ankles. Hence it is virtually very rare to see a sand fly bite in the upper body.

Sand flies are most active during the night time and the percentage of contracting an infection from a single infected sand fly is a hundred!

The animals could be kept indoors from dawn to dusk since the sand fly's are active at that time and the rodent population can be controlled to prevent the spread of the disease. It is best not to let the animals out after immediate showers when the sand fly's are extremely agitated and might launch at anyone in the vicinity.