Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Canine leishmaniasis diagnosis and spread in Bahia Brazil
By Oliveira, T N A et al.·Published in Genetics and molecular research : GMR·2016·Programa de Pó·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Diagnosis and epidemiology of canine leishmaniasis in southeastern Bahia, Brazil.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs in southeastern Bahia, Brazil, were tested for leishmaniasis, a disease caused by parasites. Out of 399 dogs, 60 tested positive for antibodies, and 86 had DNA from the parasite L. braziliensis, which can cause skin lesions. However, only 37 dogs showed skin lesions, and none tested positive for the other type of leishmaniasis, L. infantum chagasi. The study found that dogs living in rural areas were more likely to be infected than those in urban settings. It's important for dog owners in these regions to be aware of the risks and monitor their pets for any skin issues.
People also search for: dog skin lesions Brazil · leishmaniasis in dogs symptoms · rural dog health risks
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania. Two distinct forms are recognized: visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). In the Americas, the causative agent of VL is L. infantum chagasi, whereas L. braziliensis is principally responsible for CL. Domestic dogs constitute the main source of VL in urban environments, and have also been implicated in CL epidemiology. We carried out molecular and serological surveys to detect Leishmania infection in dogs from the municipality of Ituberá in Bahia, Brazil. Furthermore, we identified risk factors associated with illness in dogs from this locality. Blood samples were collected from 399 dogs and tested using an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect Leishmania spp antibodies and L. infantum chagasi and L. braziliensis DNA, respectively. Dogs were clinically evaluated and tissue samples from those exhibiting skin lesions were examined for parasites. In addition, the dog owners completed an epidemiological questionnaire to identify factors associated with infection. Skin lesions consistent with CL were found on 37 (9.3%) of the evaluated animals, but parasitological examination was negative for all samples. The IFA returned positive results for 60 (15%) dogs. PCR identified DNA from L. braziliensis in 86 (21.6%) animals, where as all samples proved negative for L. infantum chagasi. The 134 dogs (33.6%) testing positive using IFA and/ or PCR were considered infected, and of these, only 13 demonstrated skin lesions. Animals from rural areas were 3.39-times more likely to be infected compared to those in urban environments.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27706707/