Retrospective study of canine cases of leishmaniasis attended in São Paulo, Brazil (1997-2007)

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is zoonosis caused by pleomorphic protozoa of the genus Leishmania. The spread of the disease in Brazil lead to this retrospective survey of canine visceral leishmaniasis diagnosed at the Service of Dermatology and Medical Clinics of the Small Animal Hospital-USP. We evaluated the records of 36 dogs naturally infected with Leishmania sp, which diagnosis included disease characterization during anamnesis, physical and dermatologic examination, hematology, biochemistry, imaging, serology (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay – ELISA and/or Indirect Fluorescent Reaction – RIFI), skin histopathology and/or agent isolation from aspiration biopsy samples of lymph nodes and/or bone marrow, and immunohistochemistry. All cases were allochtonous without gender predilection; 52.8% were 13 to 48 months old, with greater occurrence in pure breed dogs (66,7%), mostly Poodles and Labradors (20.8% each). Regarding origin: Campinas, Campo Limpo Paulista, Holambra, Ilha Bela, São Roque, Sorocaba, Ubatuba and Uberaba (one case / city). The remaining 28 cases from the State of São Paulo were located in cities with reported canine-human transmission (Araçatuba – three, Bauru – one), intra-canine transmission (Cotia – five, Embu – four) or cities under investigation (São Paulo – 11, Mogi das Cruzes – one). Portugal (one) and Minas Gerais (Belo Horizonte – two) reported caninehuman transmission. Prior to the leishmaniasis development dogs remained for short or long periods in 14 cities in the State of São Paulo (Araçatuba, Birigui, Caraguatatuba, Cotia, Eldorado, Embu e Embu Guaçu, Guarujá, Ilha Bela, Itapecerica da Serra, Peruíbe, Presidente Prudente, São Roque and São Paulo) and five other Brazilian States (Maranhão, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro and Santa Catarina. Most animals were oligosymptomatic (50%), 47.2% symptomatic and 2.8% asymptomatic.