title: Urine sampling for real-time polymerase chain reaction based diagnosis of canine leishmaniasis.
abstract: A real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was used for quantifying Leishmania infantum DNA in urine samples from naturally infected dogs. Forty-one infected dogs were divided into 3 groups: 22 dogs showing only cutaneous signs (group 1), 12 dogs showing hematuria (group 2), and 7 dogs affected by severe nephropathy (group 3). Groups 2 and 3 dogs showed altered laboratory parameters related to an impairment of renal function. The real-time PCR analysis showed higher levels of Leishmania DNA in the lymph node aspirates from all groups of infected dogs versus those measured in their blood or urine. Interestingly, urine samples from dogs belonging to groups 2 and 3 contained a higher Leishmania DNA load than that detected in their blood. This finding suggests that a real-time PCR analysis of urine from infected dogs could be a useful and noninvasive tool for monitoring the severity of leishmaniasis.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche Veterinarie, Università di Napoli Federico II, Via F. Delpino, Napoli 1-80137, Italy. laumanna@unina.it
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Manna
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reale
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Picillo
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vitale
authors.forename: Angelo Elio
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Gravino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000652:urine*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000469:parasitology / Q000652:urine / Q000662:veterinary*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast; D016054:DNA, Protozoan