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FREQUENCY, ACTIVE INFECTION AND LOAD OF LEISHMANIA INFANTUM AND ASSOCIATED HISTOLOGICAL ALTERATIONS IN THE GENITAL TRACT OF MALE AND FEMALE DOGS
Dogs
Reproductive Tract Infections
Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical
Perros
Infecciones del Sistema Genital
Transmisión Vertical de Enfermedad Infecciosa
Cães
Infecções do Sistema Genital
Transmissão Vertical de Doença Infecciosa
Autor(es)
Afiliação
Resumo em Inglês
Visceral leishmaniasis caused by the protozoan Leishmania infantum is a zoonosis. The domestic dog is the primary reservoir in urban areas. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency, active infection and load of L. infantum in the genital tract of male and female dogs seropositive for this parasite, as well as to identify histological genital alterations associated with this protozoan. We studied 45 male and 25 female L. infantum-seropositive non castrated dogs from the same endemic area in Brazil. Tissue samples from the testis, epididymis, prostate, vulva, vagina, and uterus were examined by singleplex qPCR and parasitological tests (histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and parasitological culture). The latter were performed for the detection of active infection (parasites able to multiply and to induce lesions). Forty-four (98%) males and 25 (100%) females were positive for L. infantum in the genital tract (epididymis: 98%; vulva: 92%; vagina: 92%; testis: 91%; uterus: 84%; prostate: 66%). Active infection in the genital tract was confirmed in 69% of males and 64% of females (32% in the uterus). Parasite loads were similar in the testis, vulva, epididymis and vagina and lower in the prostate. Only the parasite load in the vagina was significantly associated with the number of clinical signs. Granulomatous inflammation predominated in all organs, except for the prostate. Only in the testis and epididymis was the inflammatory infiltrate significantly more intense among dogs with a higher parasite load in these organs. The high frequency, detection of active infection and similarity of L. infantum loads in the genital tract of infected males and females suggest the potential of venereal transmission of this parasite by both sexes and of vertical transmission by females in the area studied. Additionally, vertical transmission may be frequent since active L. infantum infection was a common observation in the uterus.
Palavras-chave em inglês
Leishmaniasis, VisceralDogs
Reproductive Tract Infections
Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical
Palavras-chave em espanhol
Leishmaniasis VisceralPerros
Infecciones del Sistema Genital
Transmisión Vertical de Enfermedad Infecciosa
DeCS
Leishmaniose VisceralCães
Infecções do Sistema Genital
Transmissão Vertical de Doença Infecciosa
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