Genital Lesions Associated with Visceral Leishmaniasis and Shedding of Leishmania sp. in the Semen of Naturally Infected Dogs

Abstract

Although visceral leishmaniasis is primarily transmitted by a biological invertebrate vector, transmission in the absence of the vector has been reported, including venereal transmission in humans. Considering the possibility of venereal transmission, we studied genital lesions in dogs naturally infected with visceral leishmaniasis and shedding of Leishmania sp. in the semen. Approximately 200 dogs were serologically tested for anti-Leishmania antibodies and divided into three groups: 1) serologically negative dogs (n = 20), 2) asymptomatic serologically positive dogs (n = 20), and 3) symptomatic serologically positive dogs (n = 20). Samples from both testes, all segments of both epididymes, prostate gland, glans penis, and prepuce were histologically evaluated and processed for immunodetection of Leishmania sp. Semen samples were obtained from 22 symptomatic serologically positive dogs and processed for detecting Leishmania DNA by polymerase chain reaction. A significantly higher frequency of inflammation was observed in the epididymes, glans penis, and prepuce of dogs with visceral leishmaniasis, which was associated with a high frequency of immunohistochemically positive tissues (up to 95% of tissues from symptomatic dogs were positive by immunohistochemistry). Leishmania DNA was detected in eight of 22 semen samples from symptomatic dogs. Together these findings indicate that genital lesions and shedding of Leishmania sp. (donovani complex) in the semen are associated with visceral leishmaniasis. Additional studies should address the possibility of venereal transmission of the disease in the dog.

Correlation between chronic inflammation, immunostaining and parasite load in the genital system of female dogs naturally infected with Leishmania infantum

“…infantum amastigotes have wide distribution in the tissues of dogs (TAFURI et al, 2004). In male dogs, several studies have demonstrated the tropism of L. infantum in genital organs (DINIZ et al, 2005). However, few studies previous studies have demonstrated L. infantum tropism in female genital organs of the correlation between parasite load and the onset of lesions in these organs (DUBEY et al, 2005;ROSYPAL et al, 2005;SILVA et al, 2008).…”

Qualidade espermática de sêmen de cães naturalmente infectados por Leishmania sp:

“…Pesquisas recentes associam o elevado número de formas amastigotas da leishmaniose visceral a lesões inflamatórias no testículo, podendo levar à degeneração testicular (Diniz et al, 2005) e, em consequência, alterar o quadro espermático.…”

“…(1996) isolaram L. infantum do sêmen e urina de cães experimentalmente infectados. Pesquisas mais recentes (Diniz et al, 2005) mostraram que a leishmaniose visceral está associada à alta frequência de lesões inflamatórias na maioria dos órgãos sexuais nos cães. O alto número de formas amastigotas no testículo seria um fator causador de resposta inflamatória, assim a degeneração testicular seria consequência desta reação.…”

“…O alto número de formas amastigotas no testículo seria um fator causador de resposta inflamatória, assim a degeneração testicular seria consequência desta reação. Gonzales et al (1983), ao trabalharem com hamsters infectados experimentalmente, encontraram lesões degenerativas no testículo associadas à presença de infiltrado de linfócitos e macrófagos contendo formas amastigotas, enquanto Diniz et al (2005) não verificaram nenhuma forma do parasita no tecido testicular, mas as detectaram por PCR no sêmen de cães naturalmente infectados.…”

Detection of Leishmania infantum in the smegma of infected dogs

“…In dogs, VL is associated with variable clinical manifestations characterized by splenomegaly, limphadenopathy, anemia, pancytopenia, weight loss and weakness (Ciaramella et al, 1997). The disease may also cause male (Diniz et al, 2005) and female genital lesions (Silva et al, 2008).…”