Leishmaniasis in dogs and people in Bulgaria

Leishmaniases are vector-borne protozoan diseases. In Bulgaria the most common form of manifestation is the visceral leishmaniasis – affecting both people and animals. It was initially established in people as a non-autochthonous leishmaniasis in 1921, and as autochthonous in 1937 by Mollov C. (Gruev , 1949); over the past 25 years there it has been registered annually (Harizanov 2012). In dogs, since it had been established in 2006, in the first two clinical cases of Rottweilers in Petrich (Tsachev, 2010), is being also annually identified (Tsachev, 2015). Focusing on Bulgaria, leishmaniasis in dogs is represented by its modern etiologic and current nosogeographic characteristics - by countries, regions and years. Described are the clinical symptoms, the hematological and biochemical changes and the morphological findings. Special attention is paid to the diagnostic methods and approach to sick animals. Discussed are the treatment options and the preventive measures against L.infantum. Leishmaniasis in humans in Bulgaria is presented in terms of veterinary public health – nosogeography, morbidity, mortality and clinical cases.BG; bg; EFSAfocalpoint@mzh.government.b