Background: Leishmaniasis is a vectorial zoonosis with systemic presentation in immunosuppressed humans, the cutaneous form is underdiagnosed.
A lot of owners and Rescue kennels can not pay the treatment because it is very expensive, but not treating or not preventing is dangerous for Public Health.
Therefore, there is a tendency to replace the veterinary drug by the human drug form, ahead of those responsible for Public Health.
Objectives: To know the disease carrier animals, the prescription tendencies of the veterinarians, the tendencies of search in Internet of drugs for prevention and treatment.
Methods: Blood test of 255 animals, application of market prices to the results, survey on the prescription of clinical veterinarians and analysis of Internet search trends among users.
Results: 38 dogs were founded inapparent carriers (infected, but not ill) and 28 sick carriers. The rest were non-carriers. A price difference of more than 50 % was obtained in the treatment between human or generic drugs and that of veterinary medicine. About the prevention, the difference is 11 times the veterinary price compared to that of humans.
Veterinarians prescribe correctly but report other cheaper options and the search trend on the internet is price and replacement oriented.
Conclusion: The price is the main cause of substitution and the legislation is not agree the relevance of this zoonosis. The health authorities must assess the real needs in terms of Public Health.