Attempted control of mucocutaneous leishmaniasis through treatment of diseased dogs

An attempt was made to control cutaneous leishmaniasis in the municipality of Santa Leopoldina, Espírito Santo State, Brazil, by treating infected dogs. Another area in the municipality of Afonso Cláudio, which is ecologically similar, served as the control area, and dogs were left untreated there. In an initial survey, 34/141 inhabitants of the first area had positive leishmanin tests and 8/26 dogs had cutaneous leishmaniasis, while in the second area 37/127 individuals had positive leishmanin tests and 7/44 dogs were infected. After treatment of the sick dogs in the first area the populations of both areas were periodically examined for new infections. More new human infections were observed in the control area, but the difference was not statistically significant.