Endemic Canine Leishmaniasis

Abstract

Leishmaniasis of man is an endemic, sporadic infection in Central and [4-7, 9, 12, 131. All were in dogs with a history of travel in Greece for extended periods. A fox in a zoo probably acquired leishmania1 infection in Northern Africa [3]. We report the discovery of an endemic focus of canine leishmaniasis in north central Oklahoma.A 7-year-old female American Foxhound dog, had had alopecia of 90% of its body for about a year and Demodex mites had been found repeatedly in skin scrapings. It had come from a kennel of 17 Foxhounds, about half of which had dermatitis characterized by dry hair coat, scaliness, moderate to severe randomly distributed alopecia, moderate erythema, some pruritis and ulceration with exudation.The dog was anemic (packed cell volume, 28.0%) and had a slightly elevated leukocyte count (18,100 WBC/mm3) and neutrophilia (90%). Total serum proteins were 9.5 gm/dl. Blood urea nitrogen, serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase, and glucose were within normal limits. Serum electrophoresis revealed hypoalbuminemia (I. 16 g/dl), hyperglobulinemia (7.84 g/dl) and an albumin/globulin ratio of 0.15.The dog was killed and necropsied. It was thin with prominent bony structure and generalized muscle atrophy. There was complete generalized hair loss except on the dorsal midline. Multiple scabs and areas of ulceration with exudation were on the face, neck and about the ears. The popliteal, prescapular, and superficial inguinal lymph nodes were enlarged. Bone marrow was deep red and wet. The lungs contained several irregular, slightly elevated pale areas, about 1 centimeter at greatest width, that extended slightly into the parenchyma. There was serous atrophy of fat associated with joints and heart. Impression smears of a prescapular lymph node and bone marrow taken at necropsy had numerous leishmania within macrophages ( fig. 1). Organisms were found in sections of hilar, mesenteric, popliteal and prescapular lymph nodes. Cortical and medullary areas contained diffuse, often dense, accumulations of macrophages which contained many organisms. Accumulations of plasma cells were associated with reticuloendothelial proliferation.Organisms also were in macrophages associated with diffuse septa1 thickening and multifocal areas of plasma cells and histiocytes in lung. Macrophages in the red pulp of the spleen, Kupffer cells and periportal macrophages of the liver, macrophages in the lamina propria and submucosa of stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon all contained leishmania. A few macrophages with organisms were in connective tissue of the right and left atrium and of the inner renal medulla. All sections of skin contained numerous organisms in macrophages throughout the superficial and deep dermis. Organisms were within and without areas of

Chronic interstitial pneumonitis in dogs naturally infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi: a histopathological and morphometric study

“…In dogs, pulmonary lesions are very similar to those observed in humans, and were previously characterized by some authors as interstitial pneumonitis mainly characterized by thickening of alveolar walls associated with the presence of a chronic cellular exudate mainly consisting of macrophages 1,23 . Later on, similar lesions were described in dogs experimentally infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi 13 .…”

Neurologic Manifestations ofLeishmania spp.Infection

“…It is also reported to be not uncommon to see ocular changes with canine VL [30]. Similar to the reports of vagueness or apathy in human patients [5,36], in a report of Leishmaniasis in U.S. hunting dogs the dog's caretaker noted neurological signs including "altered states of mind", seizures, hind limb paralysis and loss of scenting ability [2]. A diffuse non-supperative meningoencephalitis with scattered areas of necrosis in grey matter and diffuse vacuolation in the white matter with gliosis in both white and grey matters was found in these Leishmania-infected dogs.…”

Interstitial pneumonitis in canine visceral leishmaniasis

“…There are few reports describing bronchopneumonia as secondary infections and also few references on other pulmonary changes concurrent with this protozoan disease. GEORGE, in 1976 M , re lated "focal interstitial thickening" in one dog, TRYPHONAS, in 1977» and ANDERSON in 1980 6 , also described an "interstitial pneumo nitis" in a dog, evading to suggest any relation to visceral leishmaniasis in spite of the iden tification of leishmania done by Anderson in the lung.…”