Antibodies to Leishmania in naturally exposed domestic ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) in Spain

Zoonotic leishmaniosis due to Leishmania infantum is a vector-borne disease endemic in southern Europe and dogs are the main reservoir for this infection. Seasonal variations in antibody titers in this species in areas where phlebotomine vectors have seasonal patterns of activity are important for epidemiological, preventive and clinical studies related with canine leishmaniosis. It has been suggested that cats, rabbits and ferrets may act as peridomestic reservoirs and not only as accidental hosts. The aim of this study was to determine if sempositive ferrets (Mustela putorius faro) to Leishmania could be affected by seasonal variations of anti-Leishmania antibodies. A group of seropositive clinically healthy ferrets (n = 21) were included in this study. A significant reduction in anti-Leishmania infantum antibodies was detected during non-transmission period (December 2020-February 2021) in comparison to transmission period (April-October 2020). This study describes for the first time a seasonal variation in the anti-Leishmania antibodies detected in domestic ferrets following natural exposure during sand fly transmission period and the following non-sand fly transmission period in a Mediterranean area considered as an area where L. infantum is endemic.