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Is Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis preferentially restricted to the cutaneous lesions of naturally infected dogs?

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Abstract

Nineteen dogs naturally infected with Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis were studied in order to determine the presence of the parasite outside cutaneous lesions. Eleven (57.9%) animals showed single cutaneous or mucosal lesions and eight (42.1%) presented two or three lesions. Twenty-eight active lesions were biopsied. Isolation in culture and characterization by enzyme electrophoresis were possible in 100% of cases and amastigote forms were visualized upon histopathological examination in three samples (n=25, 12%). Isolation of the parasite in culture from peripheral blood and intact skin fragments obtained from the scapular region was negative in all animals, as was the histopathological analysis of skin from this region. Serological reactivity determined by an immunofluorescent antibody test and/or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was demonstrated in 15 animals. The results obtained suggest that L. braziliensis preferentially remains at the site of lesion, in contrast to the systemic distribution of parasites observed in dogs infected with L. (Leishmania) chagasi. A better understanding of this aspect may help direct diagnostic and control strategies applicable to areas characterized by the simultaneous occurrence of the cutaneous and visceral forms of leishmaniasis, as is the case for the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. The authors declare that the experiment was submitted to the Ethics Commission Animal of Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (CEUA/FIOCRUZ) under number PO195–03.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas, Serviço de Parasitologia, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Av. Brasil, 4365, 21040-900, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

    Maria de Fátima Madeira & Eliame Mouta Confort

  2. Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas, Serviço de Zoonoses, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Av. Brasil, 4365, 21040-900, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

    Armando de O. Schubach, Tânia M. P. Schubach, Sandro A. Pereira & Fabiano B. Figueiredo

  3. Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas, Serviço de Anatomia Patológica, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Av. Brasil, 4365, 21040-900, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

    Leonardo P. Quintella

  4. Universidade Federal Fluminense, Faculdade de Veterinária, Rua Vital Brazil, 64, 24230-340, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

    Cathia M. B. Serra

  5. Secretaria Municipal de Saúde da Cidade do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Afonso Cavalcanti, 455, Cidade Nova, 20211-901, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

    Mauro C. A. Marzochi

Authors
  1. Maria de Fátima Madeira
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  2. Armando de O. Schubach
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  3. Tânia M. P. Schubach
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  4. Cathia M. B. Serra
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  5. Sandro A. Pereira
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  6. Fabiano B. Figueiredo
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  7. Eliame Mouta Confort
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  8. Leonardo P. Quintella
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  9. Mauro C. A. Marzochi
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Correspondence to Maria de Fátima Madeira.

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Madeira, M.d.F., Schubach, A.d.O., Schubach, T.M.P. et al. Is Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis preferentially restricted to the cutaneous lesions of naturally infected dogs?. Parasitol Res 97, 73–76 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-005-1374-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-005-1374-y

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