Experimental infection of canine peritoneal macrophages with visceral and dermotropic Leishmania strains

A study was carried out using macrophages cultured from the peritoneal exudate of dogs infected in vitro with three species of Leishmania: L. (L.) chagasi, L. (Viannia) braziliensis and L. (L.) amazonensis with the aim of investigating the growth kinetics and infectivity of these species in the host cell. Results were expressed as the percentage of macrophages infected measured at 24 hr intervals over six days in RPMI - 1640 culture medium at a temperature of 34-35oC. The findings open the possibility of using canine peritoneal cells as a model for the screenning of leishmanicide drugs and to study the pathogenesis of these species.

N-methylglucamine antimonate (SbV+): intralesional canine tegumentary leishmaniasis therapy.

Twenty five adult dogs of three municipalities of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, that had been naturally infected by L. (V) braziliensis were treated with N-methylglucamine antimonate (Glucantime). Nine of the animals (36.0%) presented ulcerated skin lesions, twelve (48.0%) had mucosal lesions and four (16.0%) had multiple lesions. In some cases the mucosal lesions were associated to skin lesions. A dose of 85 mg SbV+ or 1 ml of the drug was intralesionally administered to the dogs. The animals were divided into three groups according to the amount of necessary doses (between one and three) for the complete healing of the lesions. The dogs were observed for six months after the third group received the last dose. Within this period two animals perished. Serial antibody evaluation through IFAT has shown that in 14 samples (63.3%) the titers have remained unaltered, in four of them (16%) there has been a decrease in two titers and in five of them (21%) serology was negative. Nineteen of the dogs (86.6%) had their lesions completely healed. The authors suggest intralesional therapy be the first choice of treatment of canine tegumentary leishmaniasis due to its effectiveness.

Parasite genotypically related to a monoxenous trypanosomatid of dog's flea causing opportunistic infection in an HIV positive patient.

An HIV positive patient presenting a clinical picture of visceral leishmaniasis co-infection was submitted to a bone marrow aspiration after admission to hospital. Amastigotes forms were seen in the bone marrow aspirate and the parasite grew in culture as promastigotes. Molecular analyses showed that the flagellates isolated did not belong to the genera Leishmania, Trypanosoma or Sauroleishmania. It was not possible to establish infection in laboratory animals. In vitro culture of mouse peritoneal macrophages revealed the invasion of the host cells by the flagellates and their killing 48 hr after infection. Opportunistic infection with an insect trypanosomatid was suspected. Further hybridization analyses against a panel of different monoxenous and heteroxenous trypanosomatids showed kDNA cross-homology with Leptomonas pulexsimulantis a trypanosomatid found in the dog's flea.

Leishmaniasis disseminated by Leishmania braziliensis in a mare (Equus cabalus) immunotherapy and chemotherapy assays.

Cutaneous disseminated lesions caused by Leishmania sp. were found in a pregnant mare (Equus cabalus) from a rural city in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Before delivering, treatment was undertaken by immunotherapy followed by chemotherapy. Histopatology and serology were performed during treatment, as well as the biochemical characterization of the parasite (L. braziliensis) that was isolated from one of the lesions.

Epidemiological aspects of American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in a periurban area of the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

In order to characterize the epidemiology of American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (ACL) in a periurban area of the municipality of Sabará in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte (MRBH), an area until then considered free of the disease, a cross sectional survey was undertaken in 1990. The survey of the population consisted of 1119 interviews and 881 clinical examinations using Montenegro's skin test (MST). A low prevalence (3.7%) of positive MST was encountered. The disease had been occuring in the area for about 20 years in the form of sporadic cases. The predominant species of sandfly both in domestic areas and nearby areas of secondary vegetation was Lutzomyia whitmani. A canine survey of delayed hypersensitivity to the antigen P10,000 identified only one dog with a positive reaction out of 113 examined. The transmission of ACL in MRBH was confirmed. The occurrence of the disease in women, children and individuals with no contact with forest areas as well as the presence of potential vector species in the domiciliar environment, suggests the transmission of the disease in this environmewnt

Epidemiological aspects of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in a periurban area of the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

In order to characterize the epidemiology of American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (ACL) in a periurban area of the municipality of Sabará in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte (MRBH), an area until then considered free of the disease, a cross sectional survey was undertaken in 1990. The survey of the population consisted of 1119 interviews and 881 clinical examinations using Montenegro's skin test (MST). A low prevalence (3.7%) of positive MST was encountered. The disease had been occurring in the area for about 20 years in the form of sporadic cases. The predominant species of sandfly both in domestic areas and nearby areas of secondary vegetation was Lutzomyia whitmani. A canine survey of delayed hypersensitivity to the antigen P10,000 identified only one dog with a positive reaction out of 113 examined. The transmission of ACL in MRBH was confirmed. The occurrence of the disease in women, children and individuals with no contact with forest areas as well as the presence of potential vector species in the domiciliar environment, suggests the transmission of the disease in this environment.

Amyloidosis in experimental tegumentary leishmaniasis in mice.

Renal and hepatosplenic amyloidosis was found in chronic cutaneous leishmaniasis in mice infected with 10(6) purified amastigotes from lesions produced by the H21 strain of Leishmania mexicana amazonensis. After 1 year a progressive lesion leading to metastasis was observed in most animals.