Tehran University of Medical Sciences Journal of Arthropod-Borne Diseases 2322-1984 14 1 2019 08 03 1255 1255 Aliehsan Heidari Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran Mehdi Mohebali Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Center for Research of Endemic Parasites of Iran (CREPI), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mozhgan Vahed Center for Research of Endemic Parasites of Iran (CREPI), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Kourosh Kabir Social Determinant of Health Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran Zabihollah Zarei Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Behnaz Akhoundi Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Samira Elikaee Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Hojatallah Barati Center of Against Infectious Diseases, Health Depatment, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran Monireh Sezavar Department of Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Allied medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran Hossein Keshavarz Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran AND Center for Research of Endemic Parasites of Iran (CREPI), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Zahra Kakooei Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Homa Hajjaran Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2020 03 21 Background: Mediterranean form of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is endemic among some provinces of Iran. The pre­sent study was designed to determine the prevalence of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) in the owned dogs of the rural areas of Alborz Province near Tehran as the capital of Iran. Methods: This study conducted on 303 owned dogs that selected using a stratified random sampling method. The direct agglutination test (DAT) was used to determine the frequency of Vl. The spleen biopsy was taken from the serology-positive dogs for the confirmation of CVL in the suspected dogs. Nested PCR and sequencing methods were used to determine the type of Leishmania species in the dogs which were parasitological positive. Results: Overall, the DAT results of 9 dogs (2.97%, CI: 1.57–5.55) showed anti Leishmania antibodies at titers ≥ 1:320 indicating VL infection. One dog (0.33%, CI 95%: 0.06–1.85) showed clinical signs and symptoms of VL. There was a significant correlation between the positive cases of CVL and rural area (p< 0.001). The Leishmania was observed in the impression smears that were prepared from spleen biopsy of five the studied dogs. Leishmania infantum were con­firmed in all them using nested–PCR assay. The sequence analysis of all five isolates was 95% similar to L. infantum. Conclusion: This study shows that domestic cycle of L. infantum has been established in rural areas of Alborz province where located near Tehran as capital city of Iran. It is necessary to increase the awareness and monitoring of the disease periodically. https://jad.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jad/article/view/1255 https://jad.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jad/article/download/1255/481