title: Use of a leishmanin skin test in the detection of canine Leishmania-specific cellular immunity.
abstract: The leishmanin skin test was used to detect Leishmania-specific cellular immunity in asymptomatic dogs from an endemic region of visceral leishmaniosis. The test was safe since no clinical signs of intolerance to leishmanin were detected during 1 month, in 14 dogs after inoculations of 3 x 10(8) promastigotes/ml. In another group of four dogs no cross reactivity was found after inoculations of a PPD which demonstrated the specificity of the test. In the same group of animals, repeatability was assessed by repeated inoculations of leishmanin at 1-5-month intervals and the threshold of sensitivity was the concentration of 3 x 10(6) promastigotes/ml. Secondly, we applied the test in a dog population that live in an endemic region of visceral leishmaniosis and found a significant increase in Leishmania-infected dogs after the application of this test in the field.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Higiene e Sanidade, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Neto
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cabral
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000469:parasitology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000662:veterinary; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology; D007891:Leishmania / Q000276:immunology*; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology; D012882:Skin Tests / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; C032127:leishmanin