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Volume 32, Number 1—January 2026

Dispatch

Presence or Emergence of Canine Leishmaniasis, Malawi

Boniface Chikufenji, Kyoko HayashidaComments to Author , Yasuyuki Goto, Tatsuki Sugi, Chizu Sanjoba, Chrispin Njala, Inga McDermott, Frederic Lohr, Dagmar Mayer, Shohei Ogata, Masahiro Kajihara, Naganori Nao, Ryo Nakao, Laston Chimaliro, Donales Kapira, Janelisa Musaya, Junya Yamagishi, and Elisha Chatanga
Author affiliation: Ministry of Agriculture, Lilongwe, Malawi (B. Chikufenji); Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan (B. Chikufenji, K. Hayashida, T. Sugi, S. Ogata, M. Kajihara, N. Nao, R. Nakao, L. Chimaliro, J. Yamagishi); University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia (K. Hayashida, S. Ogata, M. Kajihara); University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan (Y. Goto, C. Sanjoba); Mission Rabies Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi (C. Njala, I. McDermott, F. Lohr, D. Mayer); Malawi–Liverpool Wellcome Programme, Blantyre (D. Kapira, J. Musaya); Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Lilongwe (E. Chatanga)

Main Article

Table

PCR and ELISA results for detecting Leishmania spp. in indigenous dogs from the Mchinji, Nkhotakota, and Zomba districts in a study of canine leishmaniasis, Malawi*

District qPCR-positive† SSU–cPCR-positive ITS2–cPCR-positive LdSLA-seropositive rK39r4-seropositive PCR-positive‡ Serologic test–positive§ Both PCR and serologic test–positive
Mchinji 12/157 (7.6) 17/157 (10.8) 13/157 (8.3) 0/140 (0) 1/140 (0.7) 17/157 (10.8) 1/140 (0.7) 0/140 (0)
Nkhotakota 5/100 (5.0) 5/100 (5.0) 5/100 (5.0) 0/98 (0) 0/98 (0) 5/100 (5.0) 0/98 (0) 0/98 (0)
Zomba 9/300 (3.0) 22/300 (7.3) 17/300 (5.7) 16/300 (5.3) 15/300 (5.0) 23/300 (7.7) 21/300 (7.0) 10/300 (3.3)
Total 26/557 (4.7) 44/557 (7.9) 35/557 (6.3) 16/538 (3.0) 16/538 (3.0) 45/557 (8.4) 22/538 (4.1) 10/538 (1.9)

*All values are no. (%). cPCR, conventional PCR; ITS2, internal transcribed spacer 2; LdSLA, Leishmania donovani soluble lysate antigen from cultured promastigotes; qPCR, real-time PCR; rK39r4, recombinant rK39r4 antigen; SSU, small subunit. †Defined as cycle threshold value <35. ‡Defined as the count of the sample that showed positives in any of the 3 tests: qPCR, SSU-cPCR, or ITS2-cPCR. §Defined as the count of the sample that showed positives in LdSLA, rK39r4 antigen, or both.

Main Article

Page created: December 31, 2025
Page updated: January 29, 2026
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