THE SERO-CONVERSION AND EVALUATION OF RENAL ALTERATIONS IN DOGS INFECTED BY Leishmania (Infantum) chagasi

Abstract

SUMMARYThis study investigated the sero-conversion period in which dogs from endemic areas test positive for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) as well as the early post-infection period in which renal alterations are observed. Dogs that were initially negative for Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis (CVL) were clinically evaluated every three months by serological, parasitological and biochemical tests until seroconversion was confirmed, and six months later a subsequent evaluation was performed. Samples of kidney tissues were processed and stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E), Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) and Masson's trichrome stain and lesions were classified based on the WHO criteria. Of the 40 dogs that initially tested negative for VL, 25 (62.5%) exhibited positive serological tests during the study period. Of these 25 dogs, 15 (60%) tested positive within three months, five (20%) tested positive within six months and five (20%) tested positive within nine months. The dogs exhibited antibody titers between 1:40 and 1:80 and 72% of the dogs exhibited clinical symptoms. The Leishmania antigen was present in the kidneys of recently infected dogs. We found higher levels of total protein and globulin as well as lower levels of albumin in the infected dogs when compared to the control dogs. Additionally, infected dogs presented levels of urea and creatinine that were higher than those of the uninfected dogs. Glomerulonephritis was detected in some of the dogs examined in this study. These data suggest that in Teresina, the sero-conversion for VL occurs quickly and showed that the infected dogs presented abnormal serum proteins, as well as structural and functional alterations in the kidneys during the early post-infection period.

Evaluation of the serum biochemistry and histopathology of kidney and bladder of dogs with Leishmania sp. in their urine

“…The occurrence of renal lesions without alterations in serum creatinine and urea concentrations may be due to recent infection, and consequently low intensity of lesions (ALVES et al, 2013). Hence, the possibility of Leishmania sp.…”

Leishmania infantum-chagasi activates SHP-1 and reduces NFAT5/TonEBP activity in the mouse kidney inner medulla

“…Renal involvement during VL infection is described in both humans (13,14,31,42,43) and dogs (3,12). A majority of VL patients have a defect in concentrating urine (13,32).…”

Leishmaniose Visceral: raça canina e perfil lipídico

“…Mais recentemente tem crescido o número de investigações científicas que vem abordando a relevância dos lípides no metabolismo das leishmânias (Zhang et al 2010a(Zhang et al , 2010bAndrade-Neto et al, 2011;De Cicco et al 2012;Chattopadhyay & Jafurulla, 2012;Ramakrishnan et al 2013;Descoteaux et al 2013) e na suscetibilidade à infecção por Leishmania tanto no homem quando no cão (Nieto et al 1992;Soares et al 2010;Lal et al 2010) (Tryphonas et al 1977;Barral et al 1986;Slappendel, 1988;Ciaramella et al 1997;Koutinas et al 1999;Juttner et al 2001;Solano-Gallego et al 2011). A diminuição na concentração de albumina sérica pode ser reflexo tanto da menor síntese destas proteínas pelo fígado ocasionada por lesões hepáticas decorrentes do parasitismo (Giunchetii et al 2008) como da lesão glomerular envolvendo a participação de imunoglobulinas mas principalmente linfócitos T CD4 + e comprometimento do processo de apoptose o que levaria a uma maior excreção destas proteínas (Slappendel, 1988;Ferrer, 1999;Alves et al 2013) ou ainda devida a subnutrição (Noli, 1999). Já a hipergamaglobulinemia identificada nestes casos corresponde a uma maior síntese de imunoglobulinas por ativação policlonal de linfócitos B (Galvão-Castro et al 1984) que tem implicação na suscetibilidade à doença (Ferrer 1992;Koutinas, 1999;Noli, 1999) As análises dos parâmetros de creatinina e ureia, utilizados para avaliar a No fígado, a Fosfatase Alcalina corresponde a um conjunto de enzimas intracelulares que aparecem nas bordas sinusoidais e canaliculares, (Lopes et al 2006).…”