Objective

This serological survey has been carried out in order to determine the exposure of the stray dogs with B.abartus and B.melitensis in Mashhad area.

Materials & Methods

Rose Bengal, tube agglutination and 2-mercapto ethanol tests were done on sera which collected from 280 stray dogs during April 30 to the end of September 2002 in Mashhad and suburbs.

Results

15 (5.35%) , 13 (4.64%) and 2 (0.71%) sera out of 280 sera sampled, showed positive reaction in rose Bengal, tube agglutination and 2ME tests, respectively. In tube agglutination tests 8 (2.85%), 4 (1.42%) and 1 (0.35%) of dogs had a titre of 1/10, 1/20 and 1/40, respectively. IN 2ME test one serum had a titre of 1/10 and the other 1/20.

Conclusion

The titres of 1/40 or more in Wright test and 1/20 or more in 2ME test are considered positive and the titre of 1/20 in Wright test is considered suspect. Because of negligible amounts of positive sera, it seems that the stray dogs are not important means for transmission of this zoonosis to human in Mashhad.