Aspectos epidemiológicos, clínicos e laboratoriais da leishmaniose visceral em cães (Canis familiaris) (Linnaeus, 1758) provenientes da zona urbana do município de Bom Jesus- PI e região metropolitana do Recife- PE, Brasil.

Abstract

Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis (CVL) in Brazil is caused by Leishmania infantum, which is reported in several regions. The objective of this research was to investigate the epidemiological, clinical and laboratory features of visceral leishmaniasis in dogs (Canis familiaris) (Linnaeus, 1758) from the urban area of Bom Jesus, Piaui State and Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Pernambuco State, Brazil. Dogs from Bom Jesus, Piauí, and Muribeca neighborhood, Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Pernambuco, Brazil, were submitted to blood collection and investigated for Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis clinical signs. Serum samples were analyzed by ELISA for anti-Leishmania infantum to determine the frequency of positive animals in the two localities mentioned above. According to serology, positive dogs were assigned coordinates by using a portable GPS in Muribeca neighborhood. The points were recorded in the district and analyzed in ArcGIS using the "Spatial Correlation of Moran's," to distinguish grouping based on the variables of vegetation and hydrology. Samples of the urinary bladder of adult dogs naturally infected by L. infantum in the metropolitan area of Recife were performed by immunohistochemical and histopataologic analysis. On the serological survey of Bom Jesus, PI, 42.23% were positive by ELISA from 206 serum samples examined. There was no significant difference between symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs. In Muribeca, Jaboatão dos Guararapes, 159 dog blood samples were used, which 50.3% were positive by ELISA. No significant difference in relation to race and gender was found, but a significantly higher frequency was observed in asymptomatic animals. The skin diseases predominated among the positive animals. Moreover, the correlations between all points and environmental factors, vegetation type and hydrology, which were pooled showed no relationship. Samples of urinary bladder and kidneys from 25 Leishmania infantum natural infected dogs provenient of metropolitan region of Recife were analysed by immunohistochemical and histopathology. In assessing the immunohistochemical staining 32% of samples of bladder and 8% of samples of kidneys demonstrated immunostaining of amastigotes of L. infantum. Cystitis was present in 36% of samples analyzed bladder. Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and interstitial nephritis were the more found renal histopathological changes. We conclude that the frequency of seropositive animals at both locations of study is high. Immunohistochemistry was superior in comparison with histopathology for the detection of amastigotes in different samples of kidneys and urinary bladder of Leishmania infantum naturally infected dogs. This is the first report in urinary bladder.