Evidence of Leishmania spp. antibodies and DNA in bush dogs (Speothos venaticus) in Brazil.
The municipality of Ilha Solteira, São Paulo, Brazil is an endemic area of leishmaniasis. At the Companhia Energética de São Paulo (CESP) Wild Animal Center of Ilha Solteira, two bush dogs (Speothos venaticus) showed clinical signs of this disease. The amastigote form of Leishmania was detected in lymph-node smears taken by fine-needle biopsy. In addition, serum samples from both animals, screened with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), were positive for anti-Leishmania antibodies. Moreover, tissue samples from one of the bush dogs were evaluated for the presence of Leishmania DNA by means of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR). DNA of the parasite was indeed detected in the tissue samples of the liver and the lymph nodes; however, no DNA from the parasite was detected in samples of the skin and spleen. These findings confirm a Leishmania infection in bush dogs (S. venaticus).
Lima
Valéria Marçal Felix
VM
Departamento de Clínica, Cirurgia e Reprodução Animal, Faculdade de Odontologia-Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Rua Clóvis Pestana, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil. vmflima@fmva.unesp.br
Fattori
Karina Reinaldo
KR
Michelin
Aparecida de Fátima
Ade F
Nogueira
Fábio dos Santos
Fdos S
Souza
Lucio de Oliveira e
Lde O
D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D046028:Canidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D007891:Leishmania / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000469:parasitology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D016054:DNA, Protozoan