Endemic Visceral Leishmaniasis in a Dog from Texas (original) (raw)
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2008
The "Canine Leishmaniasis Working Group"(CLWG) has elaborated guidelines for the diagnosis of canine leishmaniasis, its classification and the treatment of affected dogs with concurrent proteinuria. The guidelines are based on existing references and/or the experience of the CLWG members. The paper aims to provide the most updated information about the treatment of dogs affected by leishmaniasis. The veterinary clinician should critically evaluate the potential applicability of the present guidelines when treating cases of canine leishmaniasis. A dog with clinical signs and/or laboratory findings compatible with leishmaniasis (skin or ocular lesion, lymphadenopathy, lameness, anemia, dysproteinemia, azotemia, proteinuria) is considered affected if the parasite is identified within lesions on cytology and/or there is a fourfold increase of the antibody titer above what is considered the lower positive level of the reference laboratory. If the antibody titer is mildly to moderately increased, and cytological specimens are negative, it will be necessary to perform histology/immunohistology (on skin lesions) or PCR on bone marrow
Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis, United States and Canada, 2000–2003
Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2006
Visceral leishmaniasis, caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania donovani complex, is a vectorborne zoonotic infection that infects humans, dogs, and other mammals. In 2000, this infection was implicated as causing high rates of illness and death among foxhounds in a kennel in New York. A serosurvey of >12,000 foxhounds and other canids and 185 persons in 35 states and 4 Canadian provinces was performed to determine geographic extent, prevalence, host range, and modes of transmission within foxhounds, other dogs, and wild canids and to assess possible infections in humans. Foxhounds infected with Leishmania spp. were found in 18 states and 2 Canadian provinces. No evidence of infection was found in humans. The infection in North America appears to be widespread in foxhounds and limited to dog-to-dog mechanisms of transmission; however, if the organism becomes adapted for vector transmission by indigenous phlebotomines, the probability of human exposure will be greatly increased. V isceral leishmaniasis, caused by geographic variants of the Leishmania donovani complex (L. donovani, L. infantum, L. chagasi), is a progressive wasting disease of dogs and humans that is often fatal if untreated (1). Agents of the L. donovani complex occur in parts of Mediterranean Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Central and South America (1-3). In infections involving the L. donovani complex in the Mediterranean region (L. infantum) and in South America (L. chagasi), dogs are reservoirs for human infection (1,2). Parasites are usually transmitted between hosts by phlebotomine sandflies (Lutzomyia or Phlebotomus spp.) (2,3). Direct quantitative relationships between prevalence of leishmaniasis in local dog populations and incidence of
A long term experimental study of canine visceral leishmaniasis
International Journal for Parasitology, 2007
Previous studies on Leishmania infantum and the canine immune response are derived mainly from short-term studies. To date, there have been no longitudinal studies that perform a serial analysis of the intensity of infection in conjunction with immunological parameters and clinical signs in Leishmania-infected dogs. For this purpose, six dogs were infected experimentally by the i.v. route and were monitored for 1 year. Clinical, immunological (humoral and cellular response) and parasitological (parasitaemia) parameters were evaluated monthly. Four dogs developed clinico-pathological signs compatible with leishmaniasis, whereas two dogs showed few abnormalities during the study. Evaluation of clinical, immunological and parasitological parameters showed that the intensity of Leishmania infection in blood samples, as indicated by the amount of Leishmania DNA, was correlated significantly with IgG, IgG1, IgG2, IgA, and IgM concentrations and with clinical signs. Parasitaemia and Leishmania-specific cell-mediated immunity were inversely correlated. Moreover, higher quantities of Leishmania DNA were detected in the liver, spleen, lymph node, skin and bone marrow of dogs exhibiting clinical signs than those exhibiting few such signs. These findings suggest that progressive disease in experimental canine leishmaniasis is associated with specific T-cell unresponsiveness and unprotective humoral responses which allow the dissemination and multiplication of L. infantum in different tissues. Ó
Canine visceral leishmaniasis: Diagnosis and management of the reservoir living among us
PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2018
This article reviews essential topics of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) due to Leishmania infantum infection. It focuses on the current serological and molecular diagnostic methods used in epidemiological research and veterinary clinics to diagnose CVL and includes new point-of-care (POC) tests under development. The efficacy of different treatment regimens on the clinical improvement and infectiousness of dogs is also addressed. In the last section, the review provides a critical appraisal of the effectiveness of different control measures that have been implemented to curb disease transmission.
Relationship between clinical and pathological signs and severity of canine leishmaniasis
Revista Brasileira De Parasitologia Veterinaria, 2013
Canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) is a zoonotic disease that presents variable clinical and laboratory aspects. The aims of this study were to identify the main biochemical/hematological status of dogs naturally infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum and to associate theses parameters with clinical forms of CVL. Blood samples were analyzed from 51 dogs, 15 uninfected (control group) and 36 infected, which were classified clinically in three groups: asymptomatic (n=12), oligosymptomatic (n=12) and symptomatic (n=12). All the infected dogs showed lower albumin/ globulin ratios (A-G ratio) than the limit of reference. The mean values of total protein, urea, α-globulin 2, globulin and A-G ratio of infected dogs were outside the reference interval and differed significantly from those of the controls. Anemia was detected only in groups that showed clinical signs of the disease, and a statistical analysis indicated a significantly higher frequency of lower eritrogram in these groups than in the asymptomatic group. In addition, a significant association was observed between anemia and the presence of the symptoms, with dogs displaying higher erythrogram values showing better clinical conditions. These results provide additional evidence that the clinical forms of CVL may reflect on the erythrogram status.
Surveillance of canine visceral leishmaniasis in a disease-free area
2010
Leishmaniasis is an important re-emergent parasitosis worldwide, particularly in tropical countries. There are no reports of autochthonous disease in the State of Paraná, southern Brazil. No surveillance has been carried out in the most populated areas such as the city of Curitiba and its surroundings. The purpose of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence of visceral leishmaniasis in dogs at the Center for Zoonosis Control of São José dos Pinhais, Paraná, before euthanasia. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) were used to detect antibody levels against Leishmania sp. in dog sera. Imprints of the popliteal lymph nodes that were also randomly collected from 50 dogs with suspected clinical signs of visceral leishmaniasis, and evaluated under light microscopy for the detection of amastigote forms, were negative. A total of 364 dog samples were tested. The results showed only one positive sample (0.0027%) by ELISA test but negative by IFAT. Although positive, the dog had no clinical signs. Random surveillance of dog populations from several districts of a metropolitan area may be a means of preventing Leishmania spreading. Based on our results, the city of Curitiba and its metropolitan area were considered at low risk for visceral leishmaniasis.
Canine Leishmaniasis Caused by Leishmania Leishmania Infantum in Two Labrador Retrievers
Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, 1992
Canine leishmaniasis, a generally fatal parasitic disease, was diagnosed in 2 dogs with a medical history of foreign travel, lymphadenopathy, emaciation, anorexia, intermittent fever, and cutaneous lesions. Clinically, hyperproteinemia, proteinuria, azotemia, and glomerulopathy were evident. Isolation of Leishmania species was done using Schneider's Drosophila medium. Syrian hamsters were used for infectivity studies. Clear taxonomic identification was done biochemically by isoenzyme analysis and comparison of zymogram banding patterns with 6 World Health Organization reference strains. Based on the geographic origin of affected dogs, clinicopathologic presentation, visceralization with hepatosplenomegaly in hamsters, and isoenzyme analysis, a diagnosis of Leishmania leishmania infantum was made. This study, representing the first taxonomic identification of an isolate from canine leishmaniasis, demonstrates the Zoonotic and epidemiologic implications of this disease.