Natural Infection by Platynosomum illiciens in a Stray Cat in Cruz das Almas, Recôncavo da Bahia, Brazil

This paper describes the main aspects of natural infection of a street cat with Platynosomum illiciens in Cruz das Almas, Bahia, Brazil. The most significant histopathological findings included nonsuppurative cholangiohepatitis and hepatic fibrosis, which explain partially the main clinical signs displayed by the patient: cachexia, jaundice, and stupor. The gallbladder, biliary ducts and ductus choledochus were dilated, thickened, and highly infested with flukes. This report should serve to warn veterinarians about the presence of P. illiciens in the Recôncavo region of Bahia, and reinforces the importance of platynosomiasis in the differential diagnosis for feline liver diseases.

Natural Infection by Platynosomum illiciens in a Stray Cat in Cruz das Almas, Recôncavo da Bahia, Brazil

This paper describes the main aspects of natural infection of a street cat with Platynosomum illiciens in Cruz das Almas, Bahia, Brazil. The most significant histopathological findings included nonsuppurative cholangiohepatitis and hepatic fibrosis, which explain partially the main clinical signs displayed by the patient: cachexia, jaundice, and stupor. The gallbladder, biliary ducts and ductus choledochus were dilated, thickened, and highly infested with flukes. This report should serve to warn veterinarians about the presence of P. illiciens in the Recôncavo region of Bahia, and reinforces the importance of platynosomiasis in the differential diagnosis for feline liver diseases.(AU)

Complement activation-related pseudoallergy in dogs following intravenous administration of a liposomal formulation of meglumine antimoniate / Pseudoalergia relacionada à ativação do complemento em cães após administração intravenosa de uma formulação lipossomal de antimoniato de meglumina

The increasing use of nanotechnologies in advanced therapies has allowed the observation of specific adverse reactions related to nanostructures. The toxicity of a novel liposome formulation of meglumine antimoniate in dogs with visceral leishmaniasis after single dose has been investigated. Groups of 12 animals received by the intravenous route a single dose of liposomal meglumine antimoniate (group I [GI], 6.5 mg Sb/kg), empty liposomes (GII) or isotonic saline (GIII). Evaluation of hematological and biochemical parameters showed no significant changes 4 days after administration. No undesired effects were registered in the GIII. However, adverse reactions were observed in 67.7% of dogs from both groups that received liposomal formulations. The side effects began moments after bolus administration and disappeared during the first 15 minutes after treatment. Prostation, sialorrhea and defecation were the most frequent clinical signs, registered in 33.3% and 41.6 % of animals from the groups GI and GII, respectively. Tachypnea, mydriasis, miosis, vomiting and cyanosis were also registered in both groups. The adverse reactions observed in this study were attributed to the activation of the complement system by lipid vesicles in a phenomenon known as Complement Activation-Related Pseudoallergy (CARPA). The influence of the physical-chemical characteristics of liposomal formulation in the triggering of CARPA is discussed.(AU)

O crescente uso das nanotecnologias nas terapias avançadas tem permitido a observação de reações adversas específicas relacionadas às nanoestruturas. A toxicidade de uma nova formulação lipossomal de antimoniato de meglumina após dose única foi avaliada em cães com leishmaniose visceral. Grupos de 12 animais receberam por via intravenosa uma dose única de antimoniato de meglumina lipossomal (grupo I [GI], 6,5 mg Sb/kg), lipossomas vazios (GII) ou solução salina isotônica (GIII). A avaliação de parâmetros hematológicos e bioquímicos não revelou alterações significativas quatro dias após a administração. Nenhum efeito indesejável foi registrado no GIII. No entanto, reações adversas foram observadas em 67,7% dos cães de ambos os grupos que receberam formulações lipossomais. Os efeitos colaterais iniciaram momentos após a administração em "bolus" e desapareceram no decurso dos primeiros 15 minutos após o tratamento. Prostração, sialorréia e defecação foram os sinais clínicos mais frequentes, registrados em 33,3% e 41,6% dos animais dos grupos GI e GII, respectivamente. Taquipnéia, midríase, miose, vômitos e cianose também foram registrados em ambos os grupos. As reações adversas observadas neste trabalho foram atribuídas à ativação do sistema complemento pelas vesículas lipídicas em fenômeno conhecido como Pseudoalergia Relacionada à Ativação do Complemento (PARAC). A influência das características físico-químicas da formulação lipossomal no desencadeamento de PARAC é abordada.(AU)

Occurrence of anti-Neospora caninum and anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in dogs with visceral leishmaniasis / Ocorrência de anticorpos anti-Neospora caninum e anti-Toxoplasma gondii em cães com leishmaniose visceral

Uninfected dogs and those naturally infected with Leishmania chagasi exhibiting different clinical forms of disease were evaluated for the presence of anti-Neospora caninum and anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies. Blood samples were collected from 110 mongrel dogs. Sera were tested using the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), and the animals with visceral leishmaniasis (VL) (n=60) were classified clinically. Out of the 110 sera investigated, 5 (4.5 percent) were positive for N. caninum (IFAT>50) and 36 (32.7 percent) for T. gondii (IFAT>16). Anti-L. chagasi antibody titers in asymptomatic dogs (n=10) were found to be significantly lower (P<0.05) than those in oligosymptomatic ones (n=22), which were in turn significantly lower (P<0.05) than those in symptomatic ones (n=28). No association between Leishmania and N. caninum infections was observed. Among dogs infected with L. chagasi, a tendency (P=0.053) towards an association between the infection with T. gondii and the appearance of VL symptoms was observed, suggesting that the clinical manifestation of VL in dogs may enhance their susceptibility to T. gondii. The possible influence of the immunosuppressive status of canine leishmaniasis in the different clinical forms of the disease is discussed.(AU)

A presença de anticorpos anti-Neospora caninum e anti-Toxoplasma gondii foi avaliada em cães não infectados e naturalmente infectados com Leishmania chagasi manifestando diferentes formas clínicas da enfermidade. Amostras de sangue foram coletadas de 110 cães sem raça definida. Os soros foram avaliados por meio da reação de imunofluorescência indireta (RIFI) e os animais com leishmaniose visceral (LV) (n=60) foram classificados clinicamente. Dos 110 soros analisados, 5 (4,5 por cento) foram reativos para N. caninum (RIFI>50) e 36 (32,7 por cento) para T. gondii (RIFI>16). Os títulos de anticorpos anti-L. chagasi em cães assintomáticos (n=10) foram significativamente (P<0,05) mais baixos que aqueles verificados em oligossintomáticos (n=22), que por sua vez foram significativamente menores (P<0,05) que em cães sintomáticos (n=28). Não foi observada associação entre infecções por Leishmania e N. caninum. Entre os cães infectados com L. chagasi, verificou-se uma tendência de associação (P=0.053) entre infecção com T. gondii e aparecimento de sinais clínicos da LV, o que sugere que a manifestação clínica da LV em cães pode aumentar sua susceptibilidade ao T. gondii. A provável influência do quadro de imunossupressão em diferentes formas clínicas da leishmaniose canina é abordada.(AU)

Histopathological and parasitological analysis of skin tissues biopsies from two distinct anatomical areas of the ears of dogs naturally infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi

Canine visceral leishmaniasis is an endemic disease in Latin America caused by Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi and transmitted to man and animals by infected blood-sucking sandflies) of the genus Lutzomyia. Dogs are considered to be the primary domestic reservoir of disease because they present an intense cutaneous parasitism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intensity of the inflammatory process and to compare it to the parasite load of tissue from two different sites of the ear skin of dogs naturally infected with Leishmania chagasi. We think that exist a specific anatomical region that exhibits a relatively higher rate of parasitism. For diagnostic analysis, serological tests were carried out using the indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Twelve animals naturally infected with Leishmania chagasi were euthanatized with a lethal dose of Sodium Thiopental™ and T61™ During the necropsy, fragments of the extremity and middle anatomical regions of the ear were collected. All tissues were fixed in a 10% formalin solution and then paraffin-embedded for histopathological (HE) and immunohistochemical analysis. The streptavidin-peroxidase immunohistochemistry method was used to detect tissue amastigotes using optical microscopy. Our results indicated a chronic inflammatory reaction, ranging from discrete to an intense magnitude. The inflammatory process was more frequently observed in the extremity of the ear than in the middle portion of the ear (p<0.05). The presence of parasites in the ear extremity was higher than in other evaluated regions. A positive correlation between the tissue inflammation, parasitism, and serological data was confirmed at both ear positions (p<0.05). Skin biopsies are an important tool for CVL diagnosis and the ear extremity represents an appropriated area to perform the assays.