title: First report of the use of meglumine antimoniate for treatment of canine leishmaniasis in a pregnant dog.
abstract: Canine leishmaniasis during pregnancy is rarely reported, even in countries where the infection in dogs is endemic. The authors report a case of a 4 yr old bitch with leishmaniasis treated with meglumine antimoniate during pregnancy. The pregnancy and delivery were normal and the bitch presented improvement of the infection during treatment. Three puppies died within 2 days of birth and tested negative via real-time PCR for L. infantum. The two surviving puppies were followed clinically, serologically, and by real-time PCR until 1 yr of age with no evidence of congenital leishmaniasis. L. infantum DNA was detected with real-time PCR analysis of uterine tissue from the bitch at the time of ovariohysterectomy. PCR analysis was performed after an ovariohysterectomy of the bitch that was performed two months after parturition. Meglumine antimoniate use in the pregnant bitch may have prevented vertical transmission of leishmaniasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milan, Italy. eva.spada@unimi.it
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spada
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Proverbio
authors.forename: Debora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Groppetti
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Perego
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Grieco
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D008536:Meglumine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077485:Meglumine Antimoniate; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D008536:Meglumine; D000077485:Meglumine Antimoniate