title: [Allochthonous cases of canine visceral leishmaniasis in Paraná, Brazil: epidemiological implications].
abstract: The south region is the only area in Brazil that does not present autochthonous cases of visceral leishmaniasis (VL), however, in the state of Paraná, dogs and humans have been found showing a VL compatible clinical profile. In view of this problem, the present work aimed at isolating and identifying the parasite and determining the cases autochthony. All animals clinically suspect of VL were clinically evaluated, and had samples of their blood collected for hemoculture (NNN culture medium), serology, PCR and RAPD-PCR, hemogram, and biochemical assays. The dogs presenting VL clinical profile had their lymph nodes and/or bone marrow punctured and their content inoculated in NNN culture medium. The protozoan isolated was identified by PCR and PCR-RAPD. Strains of Leishmania were isolated in 19 out of the 24 studied animals. Fourteen isolates were identified as L. (Leishmania) infantum, and five were L. (Viannia) braziliensis. In the epidemiological analysis, it was possible to determine that all dogs with L. (L.) infantum being allochthonous cases. Leishmaniasis is a zoonose that has the domestic dog as reservoir, the migration of such animals can disseminate the parasite to other regions, provided the agent finds an adequate ecotope and a specific vector (Lutzomyia longipalpis).
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Parasitologia Molecular, Setor de Ciências Biológicas, Centro Politécnico, Universidade Federal do Paraná, UFPR. vasoccol@ufpr.br
authors.forename: Vanete
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tomaz-Soccol
authors.forename: Edilene A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: Italmar Theodorico
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.forename: Marconi Rodrigues
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: de Farias
authors.forename: Lília Maria
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Yanê
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Saloé
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bispo
authors.forename: Norberto Assis
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Membrive
authors.forename: João Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Minozzo
authors.forename: Jessé
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Truppel
authors.forename: Wagner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bueno
authors.forename: Ennio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Luz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004285:Dogs; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*