Leishmania infantum infection in two captive barbary lions (Panthera leo leo).
A female barbary lion (Panthera leo leo) from the Montpellier Zoological Park (France) showing colitis, epistaxis, and lameness with pad ulcers was positive by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Leishmania infantum. Further indirect immunofluorescence (IFAT) tests on the banked sera from all lions of the park detected another infected but asymptomatic female, which was confirmed by PCR on ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) blood sample. Leishmania infantum zymodeme MON-1 was cultured from EDTA bone marrow samples sampled from this second animal. The first female was successfully treated with marbofloxacine at 2 mg/kg s.i.d. for 28 days (Marbocyl, Vetoquinol 70204 Lure, France) and allopurinol at 30 mg/kg s.i.d. for 3 mo (Allopurinol Mylan, Mylan SAS, 69800 Saint-Priest, France) and then 1 wk/mo. Both positive animals were born at the Rabat Zoological Park, Morocco, and arrived together at Montpellier in 2003. The chronicity and source of this current infection are unknown since Morocco and southern France are well-known to be enzootic for leishmaniasis.
Parc Zoologique de Montpellier, 50 avenue Agropolis, 34090 Montpellier, France. zooveto@yahoo.fr
Cédric
C
Libert
Christophe
C
Ravel
Francine
F
Pratlong
Patrick
P
Lami
Jacques
J
Dereure
Nicolas
N
Keck
D000493:Allopurinol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D024841:Fluoroquinolones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000662:veterinary*; D008045:Lions
D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D000493:Allopurinol; C080260:marbofloxacin