Seroprevalence of and risk factors forLeishmania seropositivity in a samplepopulation of Western Sicily (Italy)

Background: Leishmania is a vector-borne parasite responsible for significant morbidity andmortality worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of and risk factors forLeishmania infantum seropositivity in a sample of Sicilian population.Methods: A total of 260 subjects were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire and requestedfor an venous blood sample.Results: Overall, 36 subjects (13.8%) were seropositive against L. infantum with a statisticallysignificant higher prevalence of positivity in older subjects (p=0.04). After adjustment for age, ahigher risk for Leishmania seropositivity was found in subjects who had pets living outdoors anduntreated with anti-pests, and in those who were current smokers (adj-OR = 2.95 and adj-OR = 3.11,respectively; p < 0.05).ConclusionS: Our data confirm that Leishmania infections among Sicilian citizens can be consideredrelatively frequent, suggesting that a percentage of Leishmania seropositivity can be probablyattributed to exposure to both old and new risk factors.