First detection of Leishmania kDNA in canine cerumen samples by qPCR.
Nowadays, searching for alternative non-invasive methods for molecular diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniosis is getting increasingly important. We previously described the presence of Leishmania kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) in canine hair; in this case we hypothesized whether foreign DNA might be present in cerumen of dogs with leishmaniosis, and be detected by Real time quantitative PCR (qPCR). A population of 38 dogs that lived in Leishmania endemic areas was divided in two groups: A (33 dogs with confirmed leishmaniosis by serological techniques) and B (5 healthy dogs). Blood, lymph node, bone marrow and cerumen samples from all animals were tested for the presence of parasite kDNA. Our method was 100% specific, and in dogs from group A, Leishmania infantum kDNA was detected and quantified in the 100% of lymph node samples, in 90.9% of cerumen samples, in 88.5% of the bone marrow samples and in 57.6% of the blood samples. The qPCR-cerumen is a new non-invasive method that shows a high potential for the diagnosis of zoonotic visceral leishmaniosis.
LeishmanCeres Laboratory (GLP Compliance Certificated), Parasitology Unit, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, 10003 Cáceres, Spain. Electronic address: sibelo@unex.es.
Silvia
S
Belinchón-Lorenzo
Genetics Unit, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, 10003 Cáceres, Spain.
Juan Carlos
JC
Parejo
LeishmanCeres Laboratory (GLP Compliance Certificated), Parasitology Unit, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, 10003 Cáceres, Spain.
Virginia
V
Iniesta
LeishmanCeres Laboratory (GLP Compliance Certificated), Parasitology Unit, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, 10003 Cáceres, Spain.
Javier
J
Fernández-Cotrina
LeishmanCeres Laboratory (GLP Compliance Certificated), Parasitology Unit, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, 10003 Cáceres, Spain.
Rubén
R
Muñoz-Madrid
LeishmanCeres Laboratory (GLP Compliance Certificated), Parasitology Unit, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, 10003 Cáceres, Spain.
Isabel
I
Monroy
LeishmanCeres Laboratory (GLP Compliance Certificated), Parasitology Unit, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, 10003 Cáceres, Spain.
Victoria
V
Baz
LeishmanCeres Laboratory (GLP Compliance Certificated), Parasitology Unit, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, 10003 Cáceres, Spain.
Adela
A
Gómez-Luque
LeishmanCeres Laboratory (GLP Compliance Certificated), Parasitology Unit, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, 10003 Cáceres, Spain.
Francisco Javier
FJ
Serrano-Aguilera
LeishmanCeres Laboratory (GLP Compliance Certificated), Parasitology Unit, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, 10003 Cáceres, Spain.
José Luis
JL
Barneto
LeishmanCeres Laboratory (GLP Compliance Certificated), Parasitology Unit, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, 10003 Cáceres, Spain.
Luis Carlos
LC
Gómez-Nieto
D000818:Animals; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000469:parasitology; D002571:Cerumen / Q000469:parasitology*; D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast / Q000097:blood; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000469:parasitology; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast
Cerumen; Dog; Kinetoplast DNA (kDNA); Leishmania infantum; Real Time PCR