Clinical considerations on canine visceral leishmaniasis in Greece: a retrospective study of 158 cases (1989-1996)

Abstract

The medical records of 158 dogs with visceral leishmaniasis confirmed cytologically and/or serologically were reviewed. Ages of affected dogs varied from nine months to 15 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.3. The most common clinical manifestations of the disease were variable cutaneous lesions such as exfoliative dermatitis and skin ulcerations, chronic renal failure, peripheral lymphadenopathy or lymph node hypoplasia, masticatory muscle atrophy (i.e., chronic myositis), ocular lesions (i.e., conjunctivitis, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, blepharitis, and uveitis), and poor body condition. Ascites, nephrotic syndrome, epistaxis, polyarthritis, and ulcerative stomatitis were seen only in a small number of cases. Clinical splenomegaly was not a common finding. The clinicopathological abnormalities were nonregenerative anemia, hyperproteinemia, glomerular proteinuria, and symptomatic or asymptomatic azotemia. In this study, an indirect immunofluorescence assay's diagnostic sensitivity was found to be higher than that of lymph node aspiration cytology.

Clinical and laboratory alterations in dogs naturally infected by Leishmania chagasi

“…Anemia in dogs naturally infected with Leishmania chagasi is one of the most common laboratory findings, as reported by Reis et al 12 in symptomatic dogs, and by Ciaramella and Corona 6 in about 60% of infected animals, but the factors involved in its pathogenesis are complex and poorly known. The reason for anemia may be related to bleeding, hemolysis, inflammation, renal failure, chronic disease, and marrow aplasia or hypoplasia 17 . However, no correlation has been found between anemia and the appearance of clinical signs 18 .…”

Caracterização clínica e epidemiológica das leishmanioses em cães no Estado de São Paulo

“…De fato a anemia pode ser provocada pela lise de eritrócitos, perda sanguínea ou devido a uma hipo ou aplasia medular 13,14 .…”

Avaliação hematológica de cães naturalmente infectados por Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi submetidos a tratamento com antimoniato de meglumina

“…7 In the lymphoid organs, the proliferation of B lymphocytes, plasmocytes, histiocytes and macrophages may result in generalized lymphadenomegaly and hepatosplenomegaly. 5,8,9,10 Dermatological alterations are very frequent in animals with visceral leishmaniasis and they may occur in the absence of other symptoms. 10 The buildup of immune complexes in the kidneys occasionally results in proliferative glomerulonephritis and, in many cases, in interstitial nephritis, which can lead to kidney insufficiency.…”

“…10 The buildup of immune complexes in the kidneys occasionally results in proliferative glomerulonephritis and, in many cases, in interstitial nephritis, which can lead to kidney insufficiency. 3,8,9,11,12,13,14,15 Leishmania also multiply within macrophages in the liver, producing an active chronic hepatitis and, occasionally, hepatomegaly, vomiting, polyuria, polydipsia, anorexia and weight loss. 3,8,11,13,16 Some animals present chronic diarrhea and melena due to the presence of ulcerations in the gastric and intestinal mucosa.…”

“…3,8,11,13,16 Some animals present chronic diarrhea and melena due to the presence of ulcerations in the gastric and intestinal mucosa. Enteritis may be a result of direct parasitic damage 11 or a consequence of kidney insufficiency 8,9,17 . It is possible to observe animals with locomotor, respiratory, cardiac, ophthalmic and neurologic alterations.…”