Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Co-infections affecting severity of canine leishmaniosis in Spain
By Baxarias, Marta et al.·Published in Parasites & vectors·2018·Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Spain·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Does co-infection with vector-borne pathogens play a role in clinical canine leishmaniosis?
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with clinical leishmaniosis (a disease caused by a parasite) were tested for other infections that could complicate their condition. The study found that many of these dogs also had infections from other pathogens, such as Rickettsia and Ehrlichia, which were linked to more severe symptoms and changes in blood tests. This suggests that dogs suffering from leishmaniosis may be at risk for additional infections that can worsen their health. Treatment focused on managing both leishmaniosis and any co-infections to improve the dogs' overall condition.
People also search for: dog leishmaniosis symptoms · co-infection in dogs · Rickettsia infection treatment · Ehrlichia in dogs · leishmaniosis dog care
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The severity of canine leishmaniosis (CanL) due to Leishmania infantum might be affected by other vector-borne organisms that mimic its clinical signs and clinicopathological abnormalities. The aim of this study was to determine co-infections with other vector-borne pathogens based on serological and molecular techniques in dogs with clinical leishmaniosis living in Spain and to associate them with clinical signs and clinicopathological abnormalities as well as disease severity. METHODS: Sixty-one dogs with clinical leishmaniosis and 16 apparently healthy dogs were tested for Rickettsia conorii, Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Bartonella henselae antigens by the immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and for E. canis, Anaplasma spp., Hepatozoon spp., Babesia spp. and filarioid DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: Among the dogs examined by IFAT, the seroprevalences were: 69% for R. conorii, 57% for E. canis, 44% for A. phagocytophilum and 37% for B. henselae; while the prevalences found by PCR were: 8% for Ehrlichia/Anaplasma, 3% for Anaplasma platys and 1% for H. canis. No other pathogen DNA was detected. Statistical association was found between dogs with clinical leishmaniosis and seroreactivity to R. conorii antigen (Fisher's exact test: P = 0.025, OR = 4.1, 95% CI = 1-17) and A. phagocytophilum antigen (Fisher's exact test: P = 0.002, OR = 14.3, 95% CI = 2-626) and being positive to more than one serological or molecular tests (co-infections) (Mann-Whitney test: U = 243, Z = -2.6, n = 14, n = 61, P = 0.01) when compared with healthy dogs. Interestingly, a statistical association was found between the presence of R. conorii, E. canis, A. phagocytophilum and B. henselae antibodies in sick dogs and some clinicopathological abnormalities such as albumin and albumin/globulin ratio decrease and increase in serum globulins. Furthermore, seroreactivity with A. phagocytophilum antigens was statistically associated with CanL clinical stages III and IV. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that dogs with clinical leishmaniosis from Catalonia (Spain) have a higher rate of co-infections with other vector-borne pathogens when compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, positivity to some vector-borne pathogens was associated with more marked clinicopathological abnormalities as well as disease severity with CanL.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29554918/