Visceral leishmaniasis in a recent transmission region: 27.4% infectivity rate among seronegative dogs.

American visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a parasitic disease whose main domestic reservoir in the urban environment is dog and is considered one of the most important zoonoses in the context of public health. Serological tests are typically used for the diagnostic screening of the disease. This study aimed to analyse the performance of different methodologies used in the diagnosis of VL in dogs sampled from a recent transmission area.

Infectivity of Strains Isolated From Dogs Naturally Infected With Present a Distinct Pathogenic Profile in Hamsters.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a severe disease caused by . Dogs are the parasite's main reservoir, favoring its transmission in the urban environment. The analysis of from infected dogs contributes to the identification of more virulent parasites, thereby supporting basic and applied studies such as vaccinal and therapeutic strategies.

A Vaccine Therapy for Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis Promoted Significant Improvement of Clinical and Immune Status with Reduction in Parasite Burden.

Herein, we evaluated the treatment strategy employing a therapeutic heterologous vaccine composed of antigens of associated with MPL adjuvant (LBMPL vaccine) for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in symptomatic dogs naturally infected by . Sixteen dogs received immunotherapy with MPL adjuvant ( = 6) or with a vaccine composed of antigens of associated with MPL (LBMPL vaccine therapy,  = 10). Dogs were submitted to an immunotherapeutic scheme consisting of 3 series composed of 10 subcutaneous doses with 10-day interval between each series.

Detection of Leishmania infantum in 4 different dog samples by real-time PCR and ITS-1 nested PCR.

The canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) diagnosis is an important step of visceral leishmaniasis control program in Brazil, which involves the elimination of infected dogs, the main animal reservoir host of the disease. The aim of the present study was to evaluate a sensitive real-time PCR method for Leishmania infantum detection in 4 different clinical samples of dogs, including the noninvasive conjunctival swab (CS) sample. The results of real-time PCR were compared with those obtained using internal transcribed spacer 1 nested PCR.

Nasal, oral and ear swabs for canine visceral leishmaniasis diagnosis: new practical approaches for detection of Leishmania infantum DNA.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential use of nasal, oral, and ear swabs for molecular diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) in an endemic urban area in Brazil.

Methodology/principal Findings: Sixty-two naturally infected and ten healthy dogs were enrolled in this study. Bone marrow aspirates, peripheral blood, skin biopsy, and conjunctival, nasal, oral, and ear swabs were collected.

Canine skin and conjunctival swab samples for the detection and quantification of Leishmania infantum DNA in an endemic urban area in Brazil.

Background: We evaluated kDNA PCR/hybridization and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) targeting the gene of DNA polymerase of Leishmania infantum for CVL diagnosis and assessment of parasite load in clinical samples obtained invasively and non-invasively.

Methodology/principal Findings: Eighty naturally infected dogs from an endemic urban area in Brazil were used. Animals were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of CVL clinical sings.

PCR diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in asymptomatic dogs using conjunctival swab samples.

The efficacy of conjunctival swab (CS) as a sampling method for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) diagnosis by PCR of asymptomatic dogs was evaluated. The CS was compared to blood samples (B) and skin biopsies (SB), two less invasive samples potentially useful for massive screening of dogs. Thirty asymptomatic dogs, with serological and parasitological positive tests, were used.

Comparison of PCR methods for diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis in conjunctival swab samples.

Four PCR assays for detection of Leishmania DNA in conjunctival swab samples were compared. All methods had two steps: a first amplification followed by hybridization or by a new amplification (nested or seminested). Two methods (kDNA PCR-hybridization and kDNA snPCR) used primers targeted to the minicircles of kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) and the other two methods to the coding (LnPCR) and intergenic noncoding regions (ITS-1 nPCR) of ribosomal rRNA genes.

Evaluation of the conjunctival swab for canine visceral leishmaniasis diagnosis by PCR-hybridization in Minas Gerais State, Brazil.

The visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Brazil is caused by Leishmania chagasi (L. infantum) and dogs are considered to be the main domestic reservoir. The epidemiological control involves the elimination of infected dogs.