[Surveillance of American visceral leishmaniasis in dogs from a non-endemic area, Brazil]

A serological survey among domestic and stray dogs of the municipality of S o Jos do Rio Preto, Brazil, was conducted to identify infected animals and detect the chances of transmitting the American visceral leishmaniasis. From November 1998 to June 2000, 2,104 sera samples were tested by indirect immunofluorescence reaction, using as antigen promastigotes of Leishmania (L.) chagasi. There were 2,092 no reactive samples and 12 reactive ones. Of the dogs with reactive serum it was possible to prepare lesion smears in only 3. The slide was stained by Giemsa method and only in one of them it was found amastigotes forms characteristic of Leishmania sp. This finding suggests the need of canine serological and entomological surveillance in S o Jos do Rio Preto for an early detection of any local epidemiological changes.