Clinical and parasitological evaluation of dogs naturally infected by Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi submitted to treatment with meglumine antimoniate

Aiming to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment of canine visceral leishmaniasis, to verify the occurrence of a possible disease relapse, and to search for the presence of the parasites after the end of the treatment, seven dogs naturally infected by Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi were used. The dogs were subjected to a treatment with 75 mg/kg meglumine antimoniate subcutaneously every 12 h for 21 days, and followed-up for a period of 6 months. During the whole experimental period the animals wore deltamethrin collars and were kept in a screened kennel to avoid reinfection. Lymph node and bone marrow aspiration biopsy was carried out to search for the parasite at seven moments: before the treatment, 30, 60, 90, 120 150 and 180 days after the start of the treatment. After the end of the experiment all dogs were humanely euthanized. Then, spleen and liver imprints and ill vitro cultures were carried out to search for amastigote forms of the parasite. During the treatment all animals presented remission of symptoms. However, two dogs were observed to present new symptoms in the course of the experiment. At the end of the experiment, the presence of amastigote forms of the parasite was evidenced in five of the seven dogs. This enabled us to conclude that the treatment promoted clinical cure but did not eliminate the parasites completely. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Histopathological findings and detection of parasites in the eyes of dogs infected naturally with Leishmania chagasi

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Ocular alterations in dogs naturally infected by Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi

Ocular conditions, anti-Leishmania antibodies and total protein of the aqueous humor were studied in dogs naturally infected by Leishmania ( Leishmania) chagasi. Fifty dogs were analyzed and assigned into two groups of 25 animals each. All animals were submitted to routine ophthalmic exam. Results showed that 76% of the affected animals presented ocular signs, being uveitis the predominant. The mean of total protein in the aqueous humor of animals with uveitis was higher ( P < 0.05) when compared to the mean of animals with other ocular signs or no clinical sign. The anti- Leishmania chagasi antibody values in plasma were superior to those found in the aqueous humor (P < 0.05).

TESA-blot for the diagnosis of Chagas disease in dogs from co-endemic regions for Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma evansi and Leishmania chagasi

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Occurrence of antibodies anti-Neospora caninum, anti-Toxoplasma gondii, and anti-Leishmania chagasi in serum of dogs from Para State, Amazon, Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Estudo histológico e imunoistoquímico do sistema nervoso central de cães naturalmente infectados por Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi

The present study aimed to characterize the histopathological alterations and to detect, by immunohistochemistry, the presence of amastigote forms of Leishmania in CNS tissue of dogs with and without neurological clinical signs of the disease. Two groups of animals were used: the first was composed of 18 dogs with visceral leishmaniasis without clinical evidence of neurological involvement, and the second, composed of 21 dogs with visceral leishmaniasis and neurological symptoms. The most frequent histopathological alterations found in the CNS of dogs of both groups were neuronal degeneration with neuronophagia, gliosis, leptomeningitis, vascular congestion, presence of perivascular lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate and areas of focal microhemorrhage. Antigen labeling for whole forms of Leishmania amastigotes was not observed in any fragment of the CNS of the dogs of either groups; however, most of them presented labeling of blood vessels walls, which suggests the presence of circulating parasite antigens.

Avaliação hematológica de cães naturalmente infectados por Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi submetidos a tratamento com antimoniato de meglumina

The present research was carried out aiming to assess the hematological response of dogs with visceral leishmaniasis submitted to treatment. For this, seven animals naturally infected by Leishmania sp. were submitted to a treatment with 75 mg/kg meglumine antimoniate subcutaneously, 12-12h/3 weeks. In all animals, a complete blood count and bone marrow aspiration biopsy were carried out for a descriptive evaluation at up to seven moments: before the treatment, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 days after the start of the treatment. Before the beginning of the experiment hematological alterations were observed in four of the seven dogs (57.1%), among them, nonregenerative anemia, lymphopenia, lymphocytosis and monocytosis. During the course of the experiment the occurrence of leukocytoses, such as left shift neutrophilia and eosinophilia, were observed in some of the animals. Before the beginning of the treatment (M1), the occurrence of erythrocytic hypoplasia was detected by bone marrow cytology in two of the dogs (28.6%). This was reversed through an increase in the amount of erythroid progenitor cells after the administration of meglumine antimoniate. Thus, it can be concluded that the treatment led to normalization of the hematological alterations and recovery of the bone marrow.

Avaliação clínica e parasitológica de cães naturalmente infectados por Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi submetidos a tratamento com antimoniato de meglumina e alopurinol

Aiming to assess the efficacy of the treatment, to verify the occurrence of possible disease relapses and to search for the presence of parasites after the treatment, seven dogs naturally infected by Leishmania sp., were submitted to a treatment with meglumine antimoniate and allopurinol. For this, lymph node and bone marrow aspiration biopsies were carried out at seven moments. After the end of the six-month observation period all dogs were submitted to euthanasia. Then, spleen and liver imprints and in vitro cultures were carried out to search for amastigote forms of the parasite. All animals presented remission of the symptoms and during all the observation period no dog presented relapse of the disease, although amastigote forms of the parasite were observed in two of the animals at the end of the experiment. Thus, it was possible to conclude that the treatment promotes clinical healing but it does not eliminate the parasites completely.

Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Leishmania spp. infection in cats from Brazil

A total of 386 feline blood samples from Brazil were collected and analyzed by the indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) for the presence of Toxoplasma gondii and Leishmania spp. antibodies. Specific antitoxoplasma IgG were found in 63 of 386 (16.3%) cats and immunoglobulin G against Leishmania spp. was detected in two serum samples. The overall prevalence was significantly higher in adult cats than in juvenile cats for T. gondii infection. There were no significant differences between positivity and gender or breed. The frequency of T. gondii antibodies found in domestic cats of Brazil suggests active transmission within an urban environment. This study proved the occurrence of two important protozoan zoonosis in felines from Brazilian endemic area for visceral leishmaniasis. © 2013.

Alterações clínicas, protéicas do humor aquoso, sorológicas e histopatológicas em olhos de cães (Canis familiaris) (Linnaeus, 1758), infectados experimentalmente, por via conjuntival, com Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi (Cunha & Chagas, 1937)

Pós-graduação em Cirurgia Veterinária - FCAV

Detecção de anticorpos anti-leishmania chagasi em cães do município São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Estudo clínico-laboratorial das articulações de cães naturalmente infectados com leishmaniose visceral e experimentalmente inoculados com Leishmania chagasi por via intra-articular

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Expressão em Escherichia coli de uma proteína recombinante do gene A2 de Leishmania chagasi e utilização desta proteína no diagnóstico da leishmaniose visceral canina

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Estudo da resposta imune de camundongos BALB/c com a proteína recombinante A2 de Leishmania chagasi

Pós-graduação em Microbiologia Agropecuária - FCAV

Clinical and parasitological evaluation of dogs naturally infected by Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi submitted to treatment with meglumine antimoniate and allopurinol

Aiming to assess the efficacy of the treatment, to verify the occurrence of possible disease relapses and to search for the presence of parasites after the treatment, seven dogs naturally infected by Leishmania sp., were submitted to a treatment with meglumine antimoniate and allopurinol. For this, lymph node and bone marrow aspiration biopsies were carried out at seven moments. After the end of the six-month observation period all dogs were submitted to euthanasia. Then, spleen and liver “imprints” and in vitro cultures were carried out to search for amastigote forms of the parasite. All animals presented remission of the symptoms and during all the observation period no dog presented relapse of the disease, although amastigote forms of the parasite were observed in two of the animals at the end of the experiment. Thus, it was possible to conclude that the treatment promotes clinical healing but it does not eliminate the parasites completely.