Work

Serological evidence of Leishmania spp. exposure in rabbits and hares: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Year: 2026

Type: review

Study designs: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis

Abstract: ABSTRACT Rabbits and hares are increasingly recognized as potentially relevant hosts in the epidemiology of Leishmania spp., yet the serological evidence across available studies remains fragmented and highly variable. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to quantitatively synthesize the published evidence on anti- Leishmania spp. seropositivity in rabbits and hares and to investigate geographical, host-related, temporal, and methodological sources of variation. PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were systematically searched for studies published between 1 January 2000 and 1 August 2026, supplemented by Google Scholar and reference list screening. Eligible studies reporting animal-level serological data for rabbits or hares were included. Pooled seroprevalence was estimated using a random-effects model with logit-transformed event rates. Heterogeneity, subgroup analyses, univariable meta-regression, leave-one-out and sample-size sensitivity analyses, and publication-bias assessments were performed. Host-level associations with age and sex were evaluated using pooled odds ratios (ORs). Eighteen studies contributed 29 eligible serological datasets. Based on the available published evidence, the pooled seroprevalence of anti- Leishmania spp. antibodies in lagomorphs was 17.3% (95% CI: 12.0–24.2%), with substantial between-dataset heterogeneity ( I 2 = 95.0%). The estimate remained stable in leave-one-out analyses (16.0–18.7%) and after excluding the dataset with < 10 animals (17.4%, 95% CI: 12.0–24.4%). Significant differences were observed by country ( P < 0.001), antibody endpoint ( P < 0.001), and hare species ( P = 0.008). In contrast, differences according to host type, publication period, sample size, serological method, and rabbit husbandry type were not statistically significant. Meta-regression showed no significant association with publication year ( P = 0.067) or sample size ( P = 0.286). Neither age (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 0.92–3.10) nor sex (OR = 1.00, 95% CI: 0.68–1.47) was significantly associated with seropositivity. Egger’s test showed no significant funnel-plot asymmetry ( P = 0.090), and trim-and-fill analysis imputed no missing studies. The available evidence indicates substantial but highly heterogeneous anti- Leishmania spp. seropositivity in rabbits and hares, with significant variation by country, antibody endpoint, and hare species. These findings support the epidemiological relevance of lagomorph exposure while highlighting the need for more standardized and geographically diverse serological studies.

Source: Current Research in Parasitology and Vector-Borne Diseases

DOI: 10.1016/j.crpvbd.2026.100453

Authors: Ali Asghari, Giovanni Sgroi, Zaid Hassan Mohsin Alsafi, Laya Shamsi

Institutions: Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, University of Sannio, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, University of Wasit, Islamic Azad University, Tehran

Language: English

Topic: Research on Leishmaniasis Studies

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,350