A high frequency of feline leishmaniasis has been reported in several countries. However, much information about disease progression in cats still needs to be clarified. This study aimed to verify the occurrence of clinicopathological changes in cats infected with Leishmania infantum. A total of 60 cats were divided into three groups of 20 animals each: control, suspects, and infected. All 60 cats underwent blood count and biochemical analyses. Serum samples from 20 animals with leishmaniasis were also used to diagnose feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia virus. A total of five of the infected animals underwent necropsy for a histopathological study. The main clinical findings in cats with leishmaniasis were lymphadenomegaly (65%), alopecia (55%), ulcerative skin lesions and weight loss (40%), skin nodules (25%), a significant reduction in red blood cells (p=0.0005) and hematocrit (p=0.0007), hyperplasia in spleen 4/5(80%), presence of Leishmania in the spleen 2/5(40%), hepatitis 3/5(60%), liver degeneration 4/5(80%) and inflammatory nephropathy 3/5(60%). It was concluded that cats with leishmaniasis presented significant clinical, hematological, and histopathological alterations compatible with L. infantum infection. The observation of lymphadenomegaly, weight loss, skin lesions and low concentration of red blood cells, contributes significantly to the diagnosis and analysis of progression of feline leishmaniasis.
Atualmente, a escolha de espécies exóticas como animais de estimação tem se tornado comum nos lares por serem dóceis, carinhosos, demandar poucos cuidados e ter baixo custo com a manutenção. Porém, problemas como alopecia, presença de prurido e lesões cutâneas são frequentes e geralmente inespecíficas, necessitando investigação atenta. Estes sinais podem estar relacionados a problemas diretos da pele, ou ser reflexo de alterações sistêmicas ou desequilíbrio nutricional. O artigo descreve um caso de um hamster da espécie Mecricetus auratus, atendido em uma clínica particular da cidade de Teresina, Piauí, apresentando crostas e prurido intenso na região dorso-lombar e prurido moderado no ouvido e andar em círculos. No raspado cutâneo e swab estéril do ouvido foram observados formas adultas de Demodex aurati e Malassezia sp. O objetivo desse trabalho é oferecer conhecimento a respeito da doença e de animais exóticos são tidos como animais de estimação. Fica evidente a importância de se conhecer a fisiologia e comportamentos de roedores domésticos para melhor avaliar as alterações patológicas.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.