Researchers from Brazil describe the first records of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis in dogs (Canis familiaris) diagnosed clinically as having canine visceral leishmaniasis from Araçatuba County.

“These are the first records of this parasite in this species,” José E. Tolezano, from Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, and associates point out.

The scientists found that attempted parasite isolation from inguinal lymph node aspirates of the two dogs was unsuccessful and that the indirect immunofluorescent test for visceral leishmaniasis was negative in both cases.

However, parasites were seen in cytological preparations of the lymph nodes and DNA obtained from these same tissues produced the expected fragment in a Leishmania specific rDNA based PCR assay.

According to the report, published online on August 27 in Veterinary Parasitology, the products only hybridized with the L. (L.) amazonensis specific probe S8. No human cases of L. (L.) amazonensis have been reported in this region, Tolezano’s team adds.

“These results suggest that L. (L.) amazonensis is being transmitted in the peridomestic habitat and that this parasite is responsible for a clinical condition that is similar to visceral leishmaniasis caused by L. (L.) i. chagasi that is present in the same area,” the authors conclude.

References

• Vet Parasitol, available online 27 August 2007
  Article in Press, Corrected Proof
  doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2007.07.