Sofia Cortes, researcher at the Medical Parasitology Department, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Portugal, and member of the Vector Borne Diseases (VBD) group of GHTM, was invited to participate in an initiative of MSD Animal Health on Leishmaniosis, which was held online on 30th of March.
Sofia Cortes presented the recently published study “Seroprevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Leishmania Infection in Dogs from Portugal”, supported by MSD Animal Health, LETI Pharma and GHTM. Ana Margarida Alho, Public Health Medical Resident – ACES Lisboa Norte, Doctor in Veterinary Medicine and member of VBD-GHTM, was also part of the panel of speakers, where she presented the Public Health point of view.
This initiative highlighted the impact of canine leishmaniosis (CanL) and the need for permanent surveillance. “In Portugal its prevalence has almost doubled in the last 10 years, from 6.3% in 2009 to 12.5% in 2021”, mentioned Sofia Cortes, adding that “the key for controlling CanL and its impact on public health in endemic areas lies in the continuous implementation of prophylactic measures, through the correct use of repellents/insecticides and vaccination, early detection, and monitoring of infected dogs”.
To learn more about leishmaniose click here:
Watch here the presentation of this study at the event: