Visceral leishmaniasis, caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania donovani complex, is a vectorborne zoonotic infection that infects humans, dogs, and other mammals. In 2000, this infection was implicated as causing high rates of illness and death among foxhounds in a kennel in New York. A serosurvey of >12,000 foxhounds and other canids and 185 persons in 35 states and 4 Canadian provinces was performed to determine geographic extent, prevalence, host range, and modes of transmission within foxhounds, other dogs, and wild canids and to assess possible infections in humans. ...

<128 were randomly selected from foxhounds that were kenneled in southern states (where T. cruzi occurs enzootically in wildlife) to further assess the prevalence of T. cruzi infection. We defined a confirmed case of Leishmania infection as being culture-positive for L. infantum, regardless of antibody titer. A probable case was defined as Leishmania IIF titer>

<16    16         32 
 
Pet dogs * (n = 709)                        706     3    0 
Shelter dogs, ([dagger]) Dutchess County 
  (n = 74)                                   71     2    1 
Shelter dogs, ([dagger]) Orange County 
  (n = 55)                                   53     2    0 
Wild canids ([double dagger]) (n = 291)     286     2    2 ([section]) 
 
                                                       Titer 
 
Animal                                      64         128         256 
 
Pet dogs * (n = 709)                         0    0                  0 
Shelter dogs, ([dagger]) Dutchess County 
  (n = 74)                                   0    0                  0 
Shelter dogs, ([dagger]) Orange County 
  (n = 55)                                   0    0                  0 
Wild canids ([double dagger]) (n = 291)      0    1 ([section])      0 
 
                                            Titer 
 
Animal>