PCR in the investigation of canine American tegumentary leishmaniasis in northwestern Paraná State, Brazil

Abstract

American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) was studied in 143 dogs in a rural area in the county of Mariluz, northwestern Paraná State, Brazil, using direct parasite search, indirect immunofluorescence (IIF), and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Thirty-nine dogs (27.3%) presented lesions suggestive of the disease, 5 (12.8%) of which were positive in direct parasite search and PCR (lesion), and of these 5, 4 were also positive by IIF. Of the 34 dogs with negative direct parasite search, 12 (35.3%) had PCR-positive lesions, and of these, 5 were also IIF-positive. One hundred and four dogs had no lesions, but 17/101 (16.8%) were IIF-positive. PCR in blood was positive in 10/38 (26.3%) of the dogs with lesions and in 16/104 (15.4%) of dogs without lesions. The association between PCR (lesion or blood), direct parasite search, and IIF detected 24/39 (61.5%) positive results among symptomatic dogs and 31/104 (29.8%) among asymptomatic animals. PCR was useful for diagnosing ATL, but there was no correlation between lesions, serology, and plasma PCR. Furthermore, detection of parasite DNA in the blood may indicate hematogenous parasite dissemination.

Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis in dogs in Brazil: epidemiology, co-infection, and clinical aspects

“…In the municipality of Ilhéus, dogs from peri-urban areas showed a higher prevalence of L. braziliensis (P = 0.031), which is consistent with the data for LCan in other areas of the country with peri-urban and rural profiles (Amóra et al, 2006;Velasquez et al, 2006;DantasTorres et al, 2010).…”

“…A previous study was conducted in Paraná and Pernambuco. Initially, using tissue samples and blood, 11.88 and 6.99% LTCan-positive dogs were identified from different species (Velasquez et al, 2006). In the second study in rural areas, 48.78% of dogs were identified as infected by L. braziliensis, while 5% were co-infected with L. infantum based on blood sample analyses (Dantas-Torres et al, 2010).…”

Comparison of different primes for PCR-based diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis

“…in the blood samples of dogs from an endemic area has been reported by several investigators. 15,25,29,30 In the present study, all PCR primers were capable of detecting Leishmania spp. DNA, with different positivity rates, in blood samples from dogs with suspected ACL lesions, whereas the DP technique produced negative results.…”

“…The material was frozen at -18°C until DNA extraction. The DNA was extracted from the blood by either the chloroform-phenol method 15 or the guanidine-phenol method. 16 The DNA sediment was then resuspended in 50 μL of TE buffer (10 mM TRIS; 1 mM EDTA; pH 8.0).…”

Distribuição geográfica e características epidemiológicas da leishmaniose tegumentar americana em áreas de colonização antiga do Estado do Paraná, Sul do Brasil

“…Saúde Pública, Rio de Janeiro, 24(6):1291-1303, jun, 2008 rias de higiene, há acúmulo de matéria orgânica (folhas e frutos caídos, fezes de animais domés-ticos e restos de alimentos a eles oferecidos) no peridomicílio, a umidade do solo é elevada e os abrigos de animais domésticos são próximos do domicílio, observando-se ainda a presença de matas remanescentes de tamanhos variados na proximidade das residências 6,7,8,9,10,11 . Nesse contexto, a leishmaniose tegumentar americana persiste, mesmo com a substituição da vegetação original de florestas pelas culturas de café, soja, milho, algodão e por pastagens 5 , afetando cães 12,13 e humanos de todos os grupos etários e de ambos os sexos 3,4,5 .…”