INVESTIGATION OF VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS FOCI IN THE DARVAZ AND PENJIKENT DISTRICTS OF TAJIKISTAN: SEROEPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND SEROEPIZOOTOLOGICAL STUDIES.

A total of 1963 dwellers and 779 dogs from the Penjikent and Darvz districts of the Republic of Tajikistan were examined for antibodies to the pathogen of visceral leishmaniasis (VL), by using the rk39 rapid diagnostic test. Mainly children less than14 years and persons over 14 years of age with signs of VL were selected as an examined contingent. There were 35 and 9 persons who were found to have antibodies to the VL pathogen among the examinees in the Penjikent and Darvaz districts, respectively The examination of infants during the first years of life, whose immune system can be defenseless against leishmaniasis, yielded the largest number (more than 90%) of positive results. Among 330 examined domestic and stray dogs in the human settlements of the Penjikent district, 1 (0.3%) domestic dog and 11 (3.3%) stray dogs showed positive results. In the human settlements of the Darvaz district, the latter were also found in 38 (13.3%) of 286 examined domestic dogs and 6 (12.5%) of 48 stray ones. The detection of anti-bodies to the VL pathogen among the dogs in the human settlements of the above districts should be considered as a confirmation of the synanthropicity of VL foci.