Disseminated leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania tropica in a puppy from Karaj, central Iran

A 5-month old puppy with muco-cutaneous lesions in the chin, around lips and eyes was examined physically and microscopically for leishmaniasis. Muco-cutaneous lesions containing a large number of amastigotes of Leishmania spp. were observed. Amastigotes were also detected in liver and spleen of the puppy. The animal was positive with Dipstick rK39 kit and high level of anti-Leishmania antibodies was detected by direct agglutination test [DAT]. DNA, Using PCR-RFLP technique extracted from cultured Leishmania promastigotes and L. tropica was identified. This is the first report of concurrent mucosal and visceral involvement of L. tropica in a puppy from Iran

Vaccine trial against canine visceral leishmaniasis in the Islamic republic of Iran

Sixteen dogs were randomly divided into four groups. Group 1 received autoclaved Leishmania infantum vaccine with BCG. Group 2 received autoclaved L. major vaccine with BCG. Group 3 received BCG alone and Group 4 received normal saline. Dogs received the vaccines intradermally three times each at 30-day intervals. All dogs were tested at 2-month intervals with the leishmanin skin test and anti-Leishmania ELISA. Ninety days after the third dose, each dog received an intraperitoneal challenge of 2.5 X 10[6] infective promastigotes of L. infantum. Necropsy was performed on all dogs to investigate for parasites. All of the dogs in the unvaccinated groups were infected with L. infantum but of the dogs in the vaccinated groups, only one dog was infected