**3. Results**

Slovenian society, named "Hrtji svet" (Hounds world) has been rescuing dogs from Spain via adoption by Slovenian owners. During 2009–2016 they have imported 117 dogs. Although routine leishmaniasis testing on these dogs was suggested to all of the new owners, this could not have had prevented possible infective state of these dogs. In 7 of 117 dogs high antileish‐ mania antibody titer was found and these dogs were treated with allopurinol. One dog died, and one has finished the therapy, but the rest five out of seven dogs were still under treatment at the time of writing this chapter. In Slovenia there is also another society that rescues dogs from Spain, but data on their numbers and epidemiological status are not available.

In **Table 1**, results on additional CanL cases, reported by one single veterinary practice, being settled in the North‐East of the country are presented (**Figure 1a**). We can see that 14 seropos‐ itive dogs had been presented to the practice in the period 2012–2015. Nine of them had been tested because of clinical signs and five of them were found positive on routine testing.

Living on the Edge: Border Countries Should Have Strict Veterinary and Health Policy on Leishmaniasis http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/65273 7


*Abbreviations*: F, female; M, male; SG, Spanish greyhound; IH, Ibizan hound; MIX, mixed breed.

**Table 1.** Seropositive dogs, adopted from Spain during 2012–2015, all successfully treated, settled mainly in Podravska (North‐Eastern) region of Slovenia.


*Abbreviations*: m, male; f, female.

and backyards and a cave. Two traps were set at each collecting site. The insect caught was checked each morning and the trapped flies were sorted and kept either dry or in 70% ethanol. Sticky traps were set in outbuildings, within walls, in tree holes in olive groves, and in the open surrounding phrygana‐type scrubland. The trapped flies were removed with brushes and stored in 70% ethanol. Indoor collection of Phlebotomine flies was carried out using mouth and electric aspirators. The collected flies were mounted on permanent microscope slides for

**Figure 1.** Map of the study area. **(a)** Veterinary clinic in Spodnji Duplek, **(b)** Kočevje, place of the first autochthonous

Slovenian society, named "Hrtji svet" (Hounds world) has been rescuing dogs from Spain via adoption by Slovenian owners. During 2009–2016 they have imported 117 dogs. Although routine leishmaniasis testing on these dogs was suggested to all of the new owners, this could not have had prevented possible infective state of these dogs. In 7 of 117 dogs high antileish‐ mania antibody titer was found and these dogs were treated with allopurinol. One dog died, and one has finished the therapy, but the rest five out of seven dogs were still under treatment at the time of writing this chapter. In Slovenia there is also another society that rescues dogs

In **Table 1**, results on additional CanL cases, reported by one single veterinary practice, being settled in the North‐East of the country are presented (**Figure 1a**). We can see that 14 seropos‐ itive dogs had been presented to the practice in the period 2012–2015. Nine of them had been tested because of clinical signs and five of them were found positive on routine testing.

case of canine leishmaniasis in Slovenia, **(c)** Slovenian littoral, and **(d)** Phlebotomine flies collection sites.

from Spain, but data on their numbers and epidemiological status are not available.

**3. Results**

species identification, which was carried out according to keys by [14, 15].

6 The Epidemiology and Ecology of Leishmaniasis

**Table 2.** Phlebotomine flies collected in the coastal and karst region of Slovenia (**Figure 1**) during 2013–2015.

One autochthonous CanL case was reported from South‐Eastern region of Slovenia by a private practitioner. It was a female dog living in the South‐East of the country (**Figure 1b**). This region has mild microclimate and is close to the Croatian border. The infected female dog regularly slept outdoors and had never left the country. The dog was presented to the local vet when it was 5 years old with signs of skin changes, loss of weight, general malaise, and changes in laboratory parameters, compatible to leishmaniasis (hypoalbuminemia, hypergammaglobu‐ linemia, leukocytosis, monocytosis, and anemia). Immunofluorescence antibody titer (IFAT) test revealed 1:>160 antileishmania antibody titer. Clinical improvement was achieved following therapy with allopurinol.

Five human cases (two women and three men, 24–55 years old) were reported during the period from 1997 to 2016, two of them in 2015, and one of them in 2016.

During the period from 2013 to 2015, five species of Phlebotomine flies were collected and identified (**Table 2**).
