Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Immune complexes in dogs with Leishmania infection outside endemic
By Kaempfle, Melanie et al.·Published in PloS one·2026·LMU Small Animal Clinic, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Circulating immune complexes in dogs with Leishmania infantum infection in a non-endemic country.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs infected with Leishmania infantum, a parasite that can cause serious health issues, were monitored for signs of illness over a year. Symptoms included swollen lymph nodes, eye problems, skin issues, and hair loss. The study found that measuring specific immune complexes in the blood helped track the disease's progression and indicated when a relapse might occur. This information can be valuable for veterinarians in managing treatment and monitoring the health of dogs with this infection.
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Abstract
Circulating immune complexes (CIC) cause different organ lesions in canine leishmaniosis. This study aimed to measure CIC in dogs infected with Leishmania (L.) infantum in a non-endemic country and to analyze associations with disease parameters. Measurement of Leishmania-specific CIC was performed by a polyethylene glycol ELISA (cut-off: 0.274 optical density (OD)) every three months during a one-year study period in 52 L. infantum-infected dogs. Each appointment included a physical examination, complete blood count, serum biochemistry including C-reactive protein, urinalysis, L. infantum PCR and antibody ELISA. Statistical analyses included Mann-Whitney U tests, a multivariable robust linear regression, Spearman correlation, univariable logistic regression, and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. CIC levels differed significantly between dogs with and without lymphadenopathy (p < 0.01; β=-0.38; 95% CI: -0.52, -0.24), uveitis (p < 0.01; β=-0.52; 95% CI: -0.89, -0.15), seborrhea/hypotrichosis (p = 0.04; β=-0.11; 95% CI: -0.21, -0.01), and skin nodules (p < 0.01; β = 0.22; 95% CI: 0.13, 0.31). Significant moderate to strong correlations with CIC levels were found for L. infantum antibodies (p < 0.01; rs = 0.65; 95% CI: 0.57, 0.72), globulin (p < 0.01; rs = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.51, 0.68), albumin-to-globulin ratio (p < 0.01; rs=-0.56; 95% CI: -0.65, -0.47) and total protein (p < 0.01; rs = 0.46; 95% CI: 0.35, 0.56). CIC levels were significantly higher in dogs with positive lymph node PCR (p = 0.04) as well as in dogs with disease relapses (p < 0.01). The ROC curve analysis revealed one highly specific cut-off value at 1.668 OD for differentiating between dogs with and without disease relapse (98% specificity; 60% sensitivity). Measurement of Leishmania-specific CIC is useful for monitoring dogs with L. infantum infections and for indicating disease relapse.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41989997/