Land use, land cover, and prevalence of canine visceral leishmaniasis in Teresina, Piauí State, Brazil: an approach using orbital remote sensing.

This study examines the association between land use and land cover and the occurrence of canine visceral leishmaniasis (VL). This is a case-control study in which cases were households with seropositive dogs for canine VL and controls were households with seronegative dogs. We used remote sensing images (CBERS: 2/CCD and 2B/HRC) to describe land use and cover in squares of 625m2 in the study area. Odds of canine VL were twice as high in households located in squares with an area ≤ 25m2 covered by residential structures with little vegetation in comparison to those where the cover reached ≥ 600m2. Households located in squares with up to half of the area covered by residential structures with extensive vegetation showed 65% lower odds of canine VL in comparison to those situated in areas almost totally covered by this characteristic. Since canine infection usually precedes the occurrence de human cases, identification of the characteristics of land use and cover associated with canine VL can contribute to the demarcation of risk areas for human VL.