St. Paul deploys rapid test for canine visceral leishmaniasis

The Instituto Adolfo Lutz just deploy rapid test for detection of canine visceral leishmaniasis in São Paulo. The test, which uses a small blood sample from the dog, has the disease results in about 20 minutes.

In the first phase, the services of zoonosis control of 270 municipalities in the region of Presidente Prudente, Araçatuba, Marilia, Bauru and the Sao Jose do Rio Preto were trained by the institute to conduct the investigation. In the implementation schedule of this review are being prioritized cities with a record of the disease in humans or animals.

The new test, Quick Test DPP ® Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis, produced by Biomanguinhos / Fiocruz, will be available statewide later this year. According to the researcher at the Instituto Adolfo Lutz, José Eduardo Tolezano, the new test avoids the incidence of false-positive results.

Besides speeding up the result, the new test uses a more modern method for specific detection of canine visceral leishmaniasis, says Tolezano.

Visceral leishmaniasis is a disease caused by Leishmania chagasi, with transmission via mosquito that lives in dark, damp and garbage accumulation.

In urban environments, the role of dogs are reservoirs of the disease, which can be transmitted to humans. Among the symptoms are fever of long duration, weakness, emaciation and pallor. Furthermore, visceral leishmaniasis may also affect the liver, spleen and bone marrow.

This year, the state of Sao Paulo reported five cases of human American visceral leishmaniasis, compared with 187 recorded cases of the disease last year.

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