Factors associated with the occurrence of epistaxis in natural canine leishmaniasis (Leishmania infantum).
BACKGROUND
Canine leishmaniasis (CanL) is a common cause of epistaxis in dogs residing in endemic areas. The pathogenesis of CanL-associated epistaxis has not been fully explored because of the limited number of cases reported so far.


OBJECTIVE
Epistaxis in CanL could be attributed to more than 1 pathomechanism such as hemostatic dysfunction, biochemical abnormalities, chronic rhinitis, and coinfections occurring in various combinations.


METHODS
Fifty-one dogs with natural CanL.


METHODS
The allocation of 51 dogs in this cross-sectional study was based on the presence (n = 24) or absence (n = 27) of epistaxis. The potential associations among epistaxis and concurrent infections (Ehrlichia canis, Bartonella spp., and Aspergillus spp.), biochemical and hemostatic abnormalities, and nasal histopathology were investigated.


RESULTS
Hypergammaglobulinemia (P= .044), increased serum viscosity (P= .038), decreased platelet aggregation response to collagen (P= .042), and nasal mucosa ulceration (P= .039) were more common in the dogs with epistaxis than in those without epistaxis. The other significant differences between the 2 groups involved total serum protein (P= .029) and gamma-globulin (P= .013) concentrations, which were higher, and the percentage platelet aggregation to collagen, which was lower (P= .012) in the epistaxis dogs.


CONCLUSIONS
CanL-associated epistaxis appears to be the result of multiple and variable pathogenetic factors such as thrombocytopathy, hyperglobulinemia-induced serum hyperviscosity, and nasal mucosa ulceration.
Petanides
T A
TA
Companion Animal Clinic, Veterinary Faculty, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), Thessaloniki, Greece.
Koutinas
A F
AF
Mylonakis
M E
ME
Day
M J
MJ
Saridomichelakis
M N
MN
Leontides
L S
LS
Mischke
R
R
Diniz
P
P
Breitschwerdt
E B
EB
Kritsepi
M
M
Garipidou
V A
VA
Koutinas
C K
CK
Lekkas
S
S
D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D004844:Epistaxis / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D018314:Leishmania infantum; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male