Can spleen aspirations be safely used for the parasitological diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniosis? A study on assymptomatic and polysymptomatic animals.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety of spleen aspiration as a sampling technique for the parasitological detection by culture and microscopy of Leishmania (chagasi) infantum. Two hundred and nine domiciled dogs from an endemic area for visceral leishmaniasis in Bahia State, Brazil, were studied. Most dogs (87%) were seropositive for anti-L. chagasi antibodies by ELISA. Clinical signs of disease were recorded and the animals monitored during and after spleen puncture in order to detect possible complications associated with the procedure. From a total of 257 splenic punctures in the 209 animals, only three minor events occurred, with no significant consequence for the animals and no association with risk factors. Leishmania was isolated from 149/180 (83%) seropositive dogs, and from 6/26 (23%) seronegative animals. The procedure did not cause adverse side effects or unnecessary suffering and confirmed the diagnosis in a large percentage of dogs. We conclude that spleen aspiration can be considered an effective and safe procedure for the definitive diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniosis.
Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rua Valdemar Falcão 121, Salvador 40295-001, Brazil. sbarrouin@cpqgm.fiocruz.br
Stella Maria
SM
Barrouin-Melo
Daniela Farias
DF
Larangeira
Fernando Antônio
FA
de Andrade Filho
Joelma
J
Trigo
Fred Silva
FS
Julião
Carlos Roberto
CR
Franke
Paulo Henrique
PH
Palis Aguiar
Washington Luís
WL
Conrado dos-Santos
Lain
L
Pontes-de-Carvalho
D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D013154:Spleen / Q000469:parasitology*
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan