According to Anfaac statistics, there are more than 29 million pets in Spain. The numbers don’t stop rising. According to its penetration in our families, humans are more exposed than ever
risk Permanent transmission of diseases or zoonoses. Therefore Clean It is very important to guarantee the correct state of health of these little animals and ours too. Especially in view of the arrival of good weather, when vectors of diseases such as parasites such as ticks and mosquitoes leishmaniosis and other serious zoonoses—such as Lyme disease, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever or encephalitis—multiply their incidence.
precise, Lyme disease spread by tick bites Hospitalizations increased rapidly in humans in recent years and it is estimated that 200,000 cases are diagnosed each year in Europe. Its symptoms – fever, fatigue, pain in the extremities or a distinctive rash – are often confused with flu symptoms, delaying detection and treatment. This can cause serious heart or even nervous system problems. It is estimated that in at-risk areas (wooded and high grassy areas) of Europe, between 5% and 40% of ticks are infected with the disease-causing bacteria.
leishmaniosis, for its part, is another of these zoonotic diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans. It is endemic in many areas with tropical or subtropical climates, including countries in the Mediterranean basin. Present in more than 98 countries, adding to it every year 1.5 to 2 lakh newly infected people In addition to 30,000 deaths. According to the World Health Organization, leishmaniosis is the second most important disease caused by protozoa, second only to malaria.
With regard to the incidence and cases of leishmaniosis in Spain, it has been observed an upward trend in recent years, probably due to a multifunctional origin. Climate change, travel between high incidence areas, migration of people and/or infected animals are among the main causes. All this has brought us to the average 385,000 infected dogs per year, According to industry statistics. more heat, more leishmaniosis, and that’s to be expected this summer is the hottest Historical series in Spain.
it constitutes a Serious Problem, And that is that historically it was considered a seasonal disease. This presented “peaks” of incidence between the spring and summer months, coinciding with the time of reproduction and maximum activity of the parasites that transmit it.
However, the rise in temperature due to global warming and the factors mentioned above are in favor of The disease is distributed throughout the country and throughout the year Even in areas that were previously considered “free” or at low risk from canine leishmaniasis.
According to the epidemiological surveillance results collected by Labiana, the first Spanish veterinary laboratory listed on the stock exchange, the following are typical: Balearic Islands, Ourense, Malaga, Caceres, Girona, Cordoba, Granada and Alicante as the provinces with the highest incidence rates.
What is the remedy against these diseases?
The incidence statistics of these diseases show that the control plans and measures taken so far by the competent authorities and the pet owners themselves, Not enough, That is why experts agree on the implementation of a multidisciplinary control plan.
It happens that, although today once the disease has taken place there are specific treatments which without doubt help to alleviate the symptoms with a certain degree of effectiveness. The strategy with the greatest guarantee of success remains prevention. both under the control of the main transmitter of the disease and in domesticated animals and humans.
Immunization programs are important among the tools used for this prevention. Different studies show that Vaccine currently used in Spain It presents a prevention efficacy of 70%-72%, in turn reducing its symptoms.
“However, this is an insufficient measure and will not inhibit future infection or disease transmission. Second, and no less important, the combined action of antiparasitics (ticks, fleas, mosquitoes …) repellent effects, such as the use of Atexxa pipettes and insecticides In areas with a high density of these insects, they contribute to reducing the incidence rate and guaranteeing the health of both our pets and our families”, he concluded from Labiana.
