Leishmania infantum and Neospora caninum simultaneous skin infection in a young dog in Italy.
Vet Parasitol
; 102(1-2): 77-83, 2001 Dec 03.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-11705654
ABSTRACT
Leishmania infantum, the agent of canine leishmaniasis in Mediterranean countries, and Neospora caninum, a recently recognized protozoal pathogen in dogs, were diagnosed in a 9-month-old Argentine Dogo dog. Both skin lesions and neurological signs were present. Histopathology of cutaneous lesions revealed a suppurative, diffuse dermatitis with numerous intracellular protozoa. Serology was positive for both L. infantum (1640) and N. caninum (1800). Double-label immunohistochemical staining of skin samples with hyperimmune serum from L. infantum-infected dogs was positive for protozoa within macrophages, while the polyclonal antibody specific for N. caninum showed positive reactions for protozoa in endothelial cells and fibroblasts. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed the infection with both protozoa. This is, to the authors' knowledge, the first case of simultaneous infection with L. infantum and N. caninum in a dog. It is possible that the immunosuppressive effects of Leishmania infection or long-term steroid therapy may have been a contributing factor to the development of N. caninum in this dog.
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Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Skin Diseases, Parasitic
/
Coccidiosis
/
Leishmania infantum
/
Neospora
/
Dog Diseases
/
Leishmaniasis, Visceral
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
Limits:
Animals
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
En
Journal:
Vet Parasitol
Year:
2001
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Italy