Clinical and histopathological features of myocarditis in dogs with visceral leishmaniasis

Abstract

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a cosmopolitan parasitic zoonosis that can promote myocarditis and heart rate changes in canine and human hosts. Thus, histopathological aspects of the myocardium and clinical, hematological, biochemical, radiological and electrocardiographic data were evaluated in a group of 36 dogs naturally infected with VL (VLG) and compared to data from 15 non-infected dogs (CG=Control Group). A prevalence of asymptomatic dogs was present in the CG (100%) and polysymptomatic dogs in the VLG (66%). In addition, two dogs in the VLG demonstrated systolic murmurs in the mitral valve region: one with a II/VI intensity and the other with a III/VI intensity. The mean values of RBC, hemoglobin and hematocrit were lower in dogs in VLG and were associated with higher values of total protein, total leukocytes, neutrophils, creatine kinase overall (CK) and the CK-MB fraction (CK-MB). The absence of radiographic changes was accompanied by a predominance of respiratory sinus arrhythmia associated with episodes of migratory pacemaker and sinus arrest in dogs in VLG (75%), sinus rhythm in dogs in CG (60%) and decreased P wave amplitude in VLG electrocardiography. Mononuclear cell infiltration was detected in the myocardium of 77,8% of dogs in GVL and classified primarily as mild multifocal lymphohistioplasmacytic. Amastigotes were detected in only one dog, which did not allow the association between myocarditis and parasitism, although the myocardial lesions that were found constitute irrefutable evidence of myocarditis in the VLG dogs, accompanied by lenient electrocardiographic changes compared to CG. Keywords: Electrocardiography, Leishmania sp., visceral leishmaniasis, dogs RESUMO A leishmaniose visceral (LV) é uma zoonose parasitária cosmopolita capaz de promover miocardite e alterações no ritmo cardíaco em cães e seres humanos. Dessa forma, os aspectos clínicos, hematimétricos, bioquímicos, radiográficos, eletrocardiográficos e histopatológicos do miocárdio foram avaliados em 36 cães naturalmente infectados com LV (GLV) e comparados a 15 cães não infectados (GC). Houve predomínio de cães assintomáticos no GC (100%) e polissintomáticos no GLV (66%). Dois cães do GLV apresentaram sopro sistólico de intensidade II/VI e III/VI, em região de foco mitral. Os valores médios de hemácia, hemoglobina e hematócrito foram inferiores nos cães do GLV, associados a maiores valores de proteína total, leucócitos totais, neutrófilos, creatinina quinase total (CK) e fração MB (CK-MB

Immunopathological Features of Canine Myocarditis Associated withLeishmania infantumInfection

“…Canine myocarditis associated with L. infantum infection in dogs has been already described [ 20 , 21 ]; however, the inflammatory pattern and its immunopathological features have never been fully investigated so far.…”

Evaluación de biomarcadores cardiopulmonares durante diferentes etapas de Leishmaniasis visceral canina

“…Visceral leishmaniasis, a global parasitic zoonosis, may cause myocarditis and heart rate changes in canine and human hosts. In CVL, myocarditis has already been already described (5,10). In the present study, we measured levels of troponin I, NT-proBNP as indicative of the myocardial damage and D-dimer levels as a marker of thrombolysis in CVL.…”

“…La leishmaniasis visceral, una zoonosis parasitaria global, puede causar miocarditis y cambios en la frecuencia cardiaca en huéspedes caninos y humanos. En CVL, ya se ha descrito miocarditis (5,10). En el presente estudio, se midieron los niveles de troponina I, NT-proBNP como indicativo del daño miocárdico y los niveles de D-dímero como un marcador de la trombólisis en CVL.…”

P wave dispersion and cardiac troponin i concentration in canine visceral leishmaniasis*

“…Given canine myocarditis in relation with L. infantum infection has already been determined (6,9), with pathological changes composed of degeneration and necrosis of cardiomyocytes and interstitial infiltration (5,8), it should not be unwise to draw conclusion that cardiac involvement in dogs with CVL of different stages should be investigated with electrocaridographic and cardiac troponin I investigations, which was the puposes of this study.…”