title: Pancytopenia in a cat with visceral leishmaniasis.
abstract: A 4-year-old, domestic shorthair, female spayed cat was presented for decreased appetite and depression. Severe pancytopenia with erythrocyte autoagglutination was found. The cat was seronegative for feline immunodeficiency and leukemia viruses. Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia was suspected but no response to treatment with a blood transfusion, enrofloxacin, and prednisone was observed. Blood and bone marrow smears obtained 11 days later contained Leishmania amastigotes in the cytoplasm of neutrophils and macrophages, respectively. Serologic and PCR testing of peripheral blood confirmed infection with Leishmania infantum. Despite treatment, the cat worsened clinically and was euthanized. At necropsy, visceral dissemination of the parasite was confirmed. The findings in this case indicate that visceral leishmaniasis should be considered as a differential diagnoses in cats with pancytopenia in areas endemic for Leishmania. In addition, amastigotes may be observed in peripheral blood neutrophils.
authors.affiliation: Cytology Diagnostic Services, ICBAS - Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marcos
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Malhão
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Ana Cristina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Montenegro
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roccabianca
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary*; D010198:Pancytopenia / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary*