title: Identification of Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi isolated from healthy skin of symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs seropositive for leishmaniasis in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
abstract: Euthanasia of seropositive dogs has been one of the principal measures adopted by the Program for the Control of Leishmaniasis in Brazil for many years. However, its efficacy is currently being questioned. We obtained intact skin samples from 20 Leishmania-reactive dogs from the municipality of Rio de Janeiro that had been referred for euthanasia. The promastigote forms of Leishmania were isolated in culture from 18 of these animals. Fourteen of these isolates were identified as Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi by isoenzyme electrophoresis; seven of these were from asymptomatic dogs and seven were from symptomatic animals with visceral leishmaniasis. In conclusion, cutaneous parasitism is found in the intact skin of dogs naturally infected with L. (L.) chagasi, irrespective of the presence or absence of clinical signs suggestive of visceral leishmaniasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Micro-Immuno-Parasitology, Institute of Clinical Research Evandro Chagas, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Av. Brazil 4365, 21045-900 Rio de Janeiro/RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria de Fátima
authors.initials: Mde F
authors.lastname: Madeira
authors.forename: Armando de Oliveira
authors.initials: Ade O
authors.lastname: Schubach
authors.forename: Tânia Maria Pacheco
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Schubach
authors.forename: Cristianni Antunes
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: Mauro Célio de Almeida
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Marzochi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D004586:Electrophoresis / Q000379:methods*; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000032:analysis; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes