Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
First natural case of canine Leishmania infantum chagasi in Campinas
By Savani, Elisa San Martin Mouriz et al.·Published in Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de Sao Paulo·2011·Centro de Controle de Zoonoses do Municí, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: First occurrence of an autochthonous canine case of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum chagasi in the municipality of Campinas, State of São Paulo, Brazil.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog in Campinas, Brazil, was diagnosed with visceral leishmaniasis, a serious infection caused by a parasite. This case is notable because it marks the first time this disease has been found in a dog in an area where it was previously unknown. Testing of the dog's spleen and liver confirmed the presence of the Leishmania parasite. This discovery indicates that the disease may be spreading naturally in this region, which is concerning for local pet owners.
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Abstract
An autochthonous case of visceral leishmaniasis is reported in a dog (Canis familiaris) as an apparently natural infection in a non-endemic area. DNA obtained from spleen and liver samples produced the expected fragment in a Leishmania-specific rDNA-based nested-PCR assay. The PCR product, a 490 bp fragment, was sequenced and the nucleotide sequence was identical to that of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum chagasi. These results are surprising since no autochthonous human or canine cases of visceral leishmaniasis have ever been reported in this municipality. This case suggests that natural transmission of this disease is occurring in this area.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21915468/