How effective is dog culling in controlling zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis? a critical evaluation of the science, politics and ethics behind this public health policy
INTRODUCTION: Zoonotic kala-azar, a lethal disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania is considered out of control in parts of the world, particularly in Brazil, where transmission has spread to cities throughout most of the territory and mortality presents an increasing trend. Although a hi...
Published in: | Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical |
---|---|
Main Author: | |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT)
2011
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1590/s0037-86822011005000014 https://doaj.org/article/c013dae8b9c747648104ad1fe5f0c1fa |
id |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:c013dae8b9c747648104ad1fe5f0c1fa |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:c013dae8b9c747648104ad1fe5f0c1fa 2023-05-15T15:12:06+02:00 How effective is dog culling in controlling zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis? a critical evaluation of the science, politics and ethics behind this public health policy Carlos Henrique Nery Costa 2011-04-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1590/s0037-86822011005000014 https://doaj.org/article/c013dae8b9c747648104ad1fe5f0c1fa EN eng Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0037-86822011000200021&lng=en&tlng=en https://doaj.org/toc/1678-9849 1678-9849 doi:10.1590/s0037-86822011005000014 https://doaj.org/article/c013dae8b9c747648104ad1fe5f0c1fa Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical, Vol 44, Iss 2, Pp 232-242 (2011) Calazar Leishmaniose visceral Controle Cães China Brasil Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 article 2011 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1590/s0037-86822011005000014 2022-12-31T02:53:06Z INTRODUCTION: Zoonotic kala-azar, a lethal disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania is considered out of control in parts of the world, particularly in Brazil, where transmission has spread to cities throughout most of the territory and mortality presents an increasing trend. Although a highly debatable measure, the Brazilian government regularly culls seropositive dogs to control the disease. Since control is failing, critical analysis concerning the actions focused on the canine reservoir was conducted. METHODS: In a review of the literature, a historical perspective focusing mainly on comparisons between the successful Chinese and Soviet strategies and the Brazilian approach is presented. In addition, analyses of the principal studies regarding the role of dogs as risk factors to humans and of the main intervention studies regarding the efficacy of the dog killing strategy were undertaken. Brazilian political reaction to a recently published systematic review that concluded that the dog culling program lacked efficiency and its effect on public policy were also reviewed. RESULTS: No firm evidence of the risk conferred by the presence of dogs to humans was verified; on the contrary, a lack of scientific support for the policy of killing dogs was confirmed. A bias for distorting scientific data towards maintaining the policy of culling animals was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Since there is no evidence that dog culling diminishes visceral leishmaniasis transmission, it should be abandoned as a control measure. Ethical considerations have been raised regarding distorting scientific results and the killing of animals despite minimal or absent scientific evidence Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Azar ENVELOPE(-63.733,-63.733,-64.983,-64.983) Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical 44 2 232 242 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Calazar Leishmaniose visceral Controle Cães China Brasil Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 |
spellingShingle |
Calazar Leishmaniose visceral Controle Cães China Brasil Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Carlos Henrique Nery Costa How effective is dog culling in controlling zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis? a critical evaluation of the science, politics and ethics behind this public health policy |
topic_facet |
Calazar Leishmaniose visceral Controle Cães China Brasil Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 |
description |
INTRODUCTION: Zoonotic kala-azar, a lethal disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania is considered out of control in parts of the world, particularly in Brazil, where transmission has spread to cities throughout most of the territory and mortality presents an increasing trend. Although a highly debatable measure, the Brazilian government regularly culls seropositive dogs to control the disease. Since control is failing, critical analysis concerning the actions focused on the canine reservoir was conducted. METHODS: In a review of the literature, a historical perspective focusing mainly on comparisons between the successful Chinese and Soviet strategies and the Brazilian approach is presented. In addition, analyses of the principal studies regarding the role of dogs as risk factors to humans and of the main intervention studies regarding the efficacy of the dog killing strategy were undertaken. Brazilian political reaction to a recently published systematic review that concluded that the dog culling program lacked efficiency and its effect on public policy were also reviewed. RESULTS: No firm evidence of the risk conferred by the presence of dogs to humans was verified; on the contrary, a lack of scientific support for the policy of killing dogs was confirmed. A bias for distorting scientific data towards maintaining the policy of culling animals was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Since there is no evidence that dog culling diminishes visceral leishmaniasis transmission, it should be abandoned as a control measure. Ethical considerations have been raised regarding distorting scientific results and the killing of animals despite minimal or absent scientific evidence |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Carlos Henrique Nery Costa |
author_facet |
Carlos Henrique Nery Costa |
author_sort |
Carlos Henrique Nery Costa |
title |
How effective is dog culling in controlling zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis? a critical evaluation of the science, politics and ethics behind this public health policy |
title_short |
How effective is dog culling in controlling zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis? a critical evaluation of the science, politics and ethics behind this public health policy |
title_full |
How effective is dog culling in controlling zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis? a critical evaluation of the science, politics and ethics behind this public health policy |
title_fullStr |
How effective is dog culling in controlling zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis? a critical evaluation of the science, politics and ethics behind this public health policy |
title_full_unstemmed |
How effective is dog culling in controlling zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis? a critical evaluation of the science, politics and ethics behind this public health policy |
title_sort |
how effective is dog culling in controlling zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis? a critical evaluation of the science, politics and ethics behind this public health policy |
publisher |
Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) |
publishDate |
2011 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1590/s0037-86822011005000014 https://doaj.org/article/c013dae8b9c747648104ad1fe5f0c1fa |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-63.733,-63.733,-64.983,-64.983) |
geographic |
Arctic Azar |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Azar |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_source |
Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical, Vol 44, Iss 2, Pp 232-242 (2011) |
op_relation |
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0037-86822011000200021&lng=en&tlng=en https://doaj.org/toc/1678-9849 1678-9849 doi:10.1590/s0037-86822011005000014 https://doaj.org/article/c013dae8b9c747648104ad1fe5f0c1fa |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1590/s0037-86822011005000014 |
container_title |
Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical |
container_volume |
44 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
232 |
op_container_end_page |
242 |
_version_ |
1766342835820298240 |