Asymptomatic dogs are highly competent to transmit Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum chagasi to the natural vector


Autoria(s): Laurenti, Márcia Dalastra; Rossi, Claudio Nazaretian; Matta, Vânia Lúcia Ribeiro da; Tomokane, Thaise Yumie; Corbett, Carlos Eduardo Pereira; Secundino, Nágila Francinete Costa; Pimenta, Paulo Filemon Paulocci; Marcondes, Mary
Contribuinte(s)

Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP)

Data(s)

27/05/2014

27/05/2014

23/09/2013

Resumo

We evaluated the ability of dogs naturally infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum chagasi to transfer the parasite to the vector and the factors associated with transmission. Thirty-eight infected dogs were confirmed to be infected by direct observation of Leishmania in lymph node smears. Dogs were grouped according to external clinical signs and laboratory data into symptomatic (n= 24) and asymptomatic (n= 14) animals. All dogs were sedated and submitted to xenodiagnosis with F1-laboratory-reared Lutzomyia longipalpis. After blood digestion, sand flies were dissected and examined for the presence of promastigotes. Following canine euthanasia, fragments of skin, lymph nodes, and spleen were collected and processed using immunohistochemistry to evaluate tissue parasitism. Specific antibodies were detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Antibody levels were found to be higher in symptomatic dogs compared to asymptomatic dogs (p= 0.0396). Both groups presented amastigotes in lymph nodes, while skin parasitism was observed in only 58.3% of symptomatic and in 35.7% of asymptomatic dogs. Parasites were visualized in the spleens of 66.7% and 71.4% of symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs, respectively. Parasite load varied from mild to intense, and was not significantly different between groups. All asymptomatic dogs except for one (93%) were competent to transmit Leishmania to the vector, including eight (61.5%) without skin parasitism. Sixteen symptomatic animals (67%) infected sand flies; six (37.5%) showed no amastigotes in the skin. Skin parasitism was not crucial for the ability to infect Lutzomyia longipalpis but the presence of Leishmania in lymph nodes was significantly related to a positive xenodiagnosis. Additionally, a higher proportion of infected vectors that fed on asymptomatic dogs was observed (p= 0.0494). Clinical severity was inversely correlated with the infection rate of sand flies (p= 0.027) and was directly correlated with antibody levels (p= 0.0379). Age and gender did not influence the transmissibility. Our data show that asymptomatic dogs are highly infective and competent for establishing sand fly infection, indicating their role in maintaining L. (L.) infantum chagasi cycle as well as their involvement in VL spreading in endemic areas. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Formato

296-300

Identificador

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2013.03.017

Veterinary Parasitology, v. 196, n. 3-4, p. 296-300, 2013.

0304-4017

1873-2550

http://hdl.handle.net/11449/76617

10.1016/j.vetpar.2013.03.017

WOS:000323864500008

2-s2.0-84881548934

Idioma(s)

eng

Relação

Veterinary Parasitology

Direitos

closedAccess

Palavras-Chave #Canine leishmaniasis #Lutzomyia longipalpis #Transmissibility #Vector infection rate #Visceral leishmaniasis #Xenodiagnosis #amastigote #animal experiment #animal tissue #antibody detection #controlled study #disease severity #dog #enzyme linked immunosorbent assay #female #immunohistochemistry #Leishmania #Leishmania infantum chagasi #lymph node #male #nonhuman #parasite load #parasite transmission #parasite vector #parasitism #promastigote #skin #spleen #symptomatology #visceral leishmaniasis #xenodiagnosis #Animalia #Canis familiaris #Leishmania infantum #Phlebotominae
Tipo

info:eu-repo/semantics/article