Epidemiological aspects and spatial distribution of visceral leishmaniasis in Governador Valadares, Brazil, between 2008 and 2012

Introduction: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is an important parasitic disease. We evaluated the epidemiological aspects and spatial distribution of visceral leishmaniasis in Governador Valadares, Brazil. Methods: All cases of VL, registered by the municipal health department, were analyzed and georeferenced. Results: The human mortality rate was 15% and canine seroprevalence rate was 29.0%. Higher numbers of canine VL cases correlated with higher incidence of human cases. Conclusions: The high rate of canine seroprevalence, resurgence of the human disease, and correlation between canine and human VL reinforces the role of the dog in disease transmission within the municipality.