CANLEISH · Non-invasive volatiles test for canine leishmaniasis diagnosis

Non-invasive volatiles test for canine leishmaniasis diagnosis

The EU-funded CANLEISH project focused on the non-invasive diagnosis of canine leishmaniasis, one of the most important vector-borne parasitic diseases of dogs. Researchers from nine partner countries in Europe, South America, Africa and Asia (electronic engineers, biochemists, veterinarians, human doctors, biologists, technicians, IT specialists) developed an innovative, non-invasive diagnostic method that detects specific volatile compounds (VOCs) emitted by dogs' breath and hair. Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by the Leishmania intracellular parasites that are transmitted through the bite of certain female sandflies. It is found in the tropics, subtropics and southern Europe, and diagnosis takes place through tissue examination, parasitological diagnosis and serological diagnosis. We defined the following scientific objectives for the present project: - Identification of CanL volatile biomarkers in dogs’ breath and hair - Fabrication of a chemical gas sensor system for CanL diagnosis from analysis of breath and hair volatiles - Fabrication of a portable e-nose system for CanL diagnosis - On-site testing in real-world environments of the portable e-nose system for CanL diagnosis Conclusion :The importance of this research for society is major: in zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis, dogs are the main carriers, and their rapid identification allows reducing the risk of disease transmission to humans. VOCs analysis and the production of equipment that can exploit the results provided by these compounds represent a future technology in the detection and control of leishmaniasis, providing rapid, non-invasive diagnosis. By reducing the animal reservoir, optimizing public interventions and reducing costs, they can generate a major impact on human and community health. The CANLEISH partnership has developed and is further researching an AI-based decision support system capable of interpreting sensor outputs and distinguishing between healthy and infected dogs. The research has also developed a strong partnership between multidisciplinary research teams from Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union