Presence ofLeishmaniaandBrucellaSpecies in the Golden JackalCanis aureusin Serbia

Abstract

The golden jackalCanis aureusoccurs in south-eastern Europe, Asia, the Middle East, the Caucasus, and Africa. In Serbia, jackals neared extinction; however, during the last 30 years, the species started to spread quickly and to increase in number. Few studies in the past have revealed their potential role as carriers of zoonotic diseases. Animal samples were collected over a three-year period (01/2010–02/2013) from 12 sites all over Serbia. Of the tissue samples collected, spleen was chosen as the tissue to proceed; all samples were tested forLeishmaniaspecies andBrucellaspecies by real-time PCR. Of the 216 samples collected, 15 (6.9%) were positive forLeishmaniaspecies, while four (1.9%) were positive forB. canis. The potential epidemiologic role of the golden jackal in carrying and dispersing zoonotic diseases in Serbia should be taken under consideration when applying surveillance monitoring schemes.