Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Skin nodules from feline leishmaniosis in Venezuela cats
By Aruanai Kalú Rivas et al.·Published in Parasites & Vectors·2018·Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Veterinary School, University Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado, GB·View original on DOAJ →
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Original publication title: Clinical and diagnostic aspects of feline cutaneous leishmaniosis in Venezuela
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats in Venezuela showed skin problems, specifically nodular lesions on their noses, ears, tails, and legs, which led to a diagnosis of feline leishmaniosis (a disease caused by parasites). Out of 31 cats studied, six had these lesions, and tests confirmed that three of them were infected with Leishmania parasites. The most effective way to diagnose the disease was through skin biopsies and cytology, while blood tests were often negative. Treatment details weren't specified, but recognizing this condition is crucial for proper care.
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Abstract
Abstract Background Venezuela is an endemic area for human and canine leishmaniosis due to Leishmania infantum and parasites of the Leishmania braziliensis and L. mexicana complexes. Limited data are available on feline leishmaniosis (FeL) in this region. The aim of this study was to describe clinical and diagnostic aspects of FeL in Venezuela. Results Thirty-one domestic cats from urban areas of Lara State in Venezuela were enrolled. Twenty-five were healthy. Six other cats had solitary or multiple nodular lesions, which were located on the nose, ears, tail and lower limbs. Cutaneous lesions were characterized by diffuse pyogranulomatous infiltrate in all sick cats with numerous intracellular and extracellular amastigotes, and immunohistochemistry was positive for Leishmania in five sick cats. All healthy cats were seronegative for L. infantum and L. braziliensis antigens by ELISA. Two out of five sick cats yielded a positive ELISA result to both Leishmania antigens with higher antibody levels to L. braziliensis compared to L. infantum. Significantly higher antibody levels by ELISA as well as a higher number of bands by Western blot (WB) were found for L. braziliensis when compared to L. infantum antigens in all sera from Venezuelan sick and healthy cats. All healthy cats were blood Leishmania spp. qPCR negative while three out of six sick cats were blood qPCR positive. All paraffin-embedded skin biopsies (n = 4) as well as cutaneous cytology (n = 3) were positive by Leishmania spp. qPCR in sick cats. Leishmania speciation was obtained only from the cutaneous lesion samples from cytological preparations of two out of three sick cats which were identified as infected with L. mexicana or a closely related specie. Conclusions Feline leishmaniosis should be included in the differential diagnosis list of nodular-ulcerative lesions. The most reliable diagnostic technique in sick cats is cytological or histopathological examination along with immunohistochemistry, since blood PCR and serology by ELISA might be negative. WB appears to be more sensitive in detecting infection. Cats with leishmaniosis from Venezuela are most likely infected with species of L. mexicana or a closely related species or the L. braziliensis species complex and not with L. infantum.
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Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-018-2747-2