Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Unilateral keratitis secondary to Leishmania spp. infection in a horse: Clinical signs and successful topical therapy.
- Journal:
- Veterinary ophthalmology
- Year:
- 2024
- Authors:
- Matas Riera, Màrian et al.
- Affiliation:
- Memvet-Centre de Referè · Spain
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A young horse developed a pink, raised spot on the surface of its eye, which was diagnosed as keratitis (an inflammation of the cornea) caused by a Leishmania infection. Although surgery was suggested to remove the lesion, the owner chose to treat it with a topical medication instead for six weeks. The horse showed significant improvement in the first few weeks of treatment, and there have been no signs of the lesion returning for two years since then. This case highlights that Leishmania can cause eye problems in horses, and a simple eye test can help diagnose these issues in areas where the infection is common.
Abstract
Dermatological clinical signs have been seldom reported in the literature secondary to equine leishmaniasis. This case depicts the clinical signs, treatment, and outcome of a young horse with a pink, elevated lesion on the ventromedial quadrant of the cornea. A corneal cytology was performed and revealed the presence of leishmania amastigotes reaching the diagnosis of keratitis secondary to leishmania. Surgical resection was recommended but the owner declined the procedure, and the lesion was treated with a topical antimonial for 6 weeks. The lesion reduced remarkably during the first weeks of treatment. The patient had not shown recurrence of the lesion for 2 years since the treatment was started. Leishmania spp. can be responsible for ocular surface abnormalities such as keratitis. Corneal cytology is an inexpensive diagnostic method that should be considered when ocular surface abnormalities are identified in horses in endemic areas.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37489904/