title: Occurrence of Leishmania infantum and associated histological alterations in the genital tract and mammary glands of naturally infected dogs.
abstract: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the occurrence of Leishmania infantum in the male and female genital tract and female mammary glands of dogs and the parasite burden and to identify histological alterations associated with this protozoan. Twenty male and 20 female Leishmania-seropositive dogs with isolation of L. infantum were examined. Tissue samples of the prepuce, glans, epididymis, testes, prostate, vulva, vagina, uterus, uterine tubes, and mammary glands were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and histopathology. For parasitological culture and in situ hybridization, samples were collected from the testis, epididymis, and uterus. Additionally, seminal fluid was aspirated from the epididymis for parasitological culture. In the genital tract, 34 (85 %) dogs, including 18 males and 16 females, were positive for Leishmania. Of these, 27 (79 %) animals were symptomatic. Leishmania was detected in the mammary glands of 13 (65 %) females. L. infantum was isolated for the first time from the seminal fluid and uterus of naturally infected dogs. The parasite burden and intensity of the inflammatory reaction were greater in the prepuce and glans of males and in the vulva and mammary glands of females. In addition to inflammation, testicular degeneration, atrophy, absence of spermatogenesis, and necrosis were observed. Detection of amastigote forms in the mammary gland lumen indicates possible elimination of this parasite in milk. The frequent parasitism observed in the genital tract of infected males and females and the viability of L. infantum in seminal fluid and uterus suggest the possibility of bidirectional venereal and vertical transmission.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Pesquisa Clínica em Dermatozoonoses em Animais Domésticos, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360, Brazil.
authors.forename: Viviane Cardoso
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Boechat
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Pesquisa Clínica em Dermatozoonoses em Animais Domésticos, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360, Brazil.
authors.forename: Artur Augusto Velho
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Mendes Junior
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Vigilância em Leishmanioses, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria de Fátima
authors.initials: Mde F
authors.lastname: Madeira
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Anatomia Patológica, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Claudio
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Pesquisa Clínica em Dermatozoonoses em Animais Domésticos, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabiano Borges
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Anatomia Patológica, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisco das Chagas de Carvalho
authors.initials: Fd
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Pesquisa Clínica em Dermatozoonoses em Animais Domésticos, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360, Brazil.
authors.forename: Valéria da Costa
authors.initials: Vda C
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Epidemiologia Clínica, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360, Brazil.
authors.forename: Raquel de Vasconcellos Carvalhaes
authors.initials: Rde V
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Pesquisa Clínica em Dermatozoonoses em Animais Domésticos, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360, Brazil. rodrigo.menezes@ini.fiocruz.br.
authors.forename: Rodrigo Caldas
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Menezes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000662:veterinary*; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology
keywords: Diagnosis; Dogs; Genital tract; Histopathology; Leishmania infantum; Mammary glands