Biochemistry Postgraduate Program, Federal University of Pampa, 118 BR 472, Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul, Km 592, Brazil.
Animal Science, Postgraduate, Federal University of Pampa, 118 BR 472, Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul, Km 592, Brazil.
BMC Vet Res. 2019 Oct 30;15(1):381. doi: 10.1186/s12917-019-2108-1.
Leishmaniosis, zoonosis that produces significant public health impacts, is caused by Leishmania infantum. Canines are the main domestic reservoir and, besides humans, other species of mammals could be infected when living in endemic areas. In this study, we detected equine Leishmania infantum infections in a canine visceral leishmaniosis transmission area and evaluated the clinical, haematological, biochemical and oxidative stress disorders. This study was conducted in Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul, south of Brazil. Peripheral blood samples were collected from 124 animals (98 horses and 26 dogs) of both genders and several breeds after they underwent general and dermatologic examinations.
Twenty five Leishmania infantum infected animals (20.16%), 14 horses and 11 dogs were detected by PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) amplification of kinetoplast DNA regions with 96% homology to Leishmania infantum (GenBank Accession No. L 19877.1). The clinical and haematological alterations of infected equines were skin lesions, nodules, lymphadenopathy, decreased levels in red blood cells and haematocrit (p < 0.05) and increase in urea serum concentration (p < 0.05), while CVL presented a decrease in red blood cells counts (p < 0.05), increase in lymphocytes (p < 0.05), and decrease in neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (p < 0.05). Oxidative stress markers of plasma protein carbonyl and plasma lipid peroxidation were not statistically significant (p > 0.05) in both species.
To our knowledge, this has been the first leishmaniosis equine survey performed in south of Brazil, caused by Leishmania infantum that were able to initially identify haematological and biochemical changes in the species, even in asymptomatic animals. We present evidence supporting those findings of haematological and biochemical changes could be related to infection. Surprisingly, the clinical manifestations of equine infection were similar to those found in canine visceral leishmaniosis. The equine population could be play an important role in the cycle of leishmaniosis in south Brazil and consequently indicates a great risk of public health. This evaluation of infected animals is important to establish the clinical and laboratory parameters involved in the disease progression.
利什曼病是一种由利什曼原虫引起的人畜共患病，对公共卫生有重大影响。犬类是主要的家养宿主，其他哺乳动物在流行地区生活时也可能被感染。在本研究中，我们在犬内脏利什曼病传播地区检测到马内脏利什曼原虫感染，并评估了临床、血液学、生化和氧化应激紊乱。该研究在巴西南部的乌拉圭亚纳进行。对 124 只（98 匹马和 26 只狗）雌雄不同、多个品种的动物进行了全身和皮肤检查后，采集了外周血样。
PCR（聚合酶链反应）扩增锥虫 DNA 区的 25 只利什曼原虫感染动物（20.16%），14 匹马和 11 只狗与利什曼原虫（GenBank 登录号 L19877.1）具有 96%的同源性。感染马的临床和血液学改变为皮肤损伤、结节、淋巴结病、红细胞和血细胞比容水平下降（p<0.05）和血清尿素浓度升高（p<0.05），而 CVL 则表现为红细胞计数下降（p<0.05），淋巴细胞增加（p<0.05），中性粒细胞-淋巴细胞比值下降（p<0.05）。血浆蛋白羰基和血浆脂质过氧化的氧化应激标志物在两种物种中均无统计学意义（p>0.05）。
据我们所知，这是巴西南部首次进行的马利什曼病调查，由利什曼原虫引起，该原虫能够初步识别该物种的血液学和生化变化，即使是无症状动物。我们提供的证据支持了这些发现，即血液学和生化变化可能与感染有关。令人惊讶的是，马感染的临床症状与犬内脏利什曼病的发现相似。马群在巴西南部利什曼病循环中可能发挥重要作用，因此表明存在很大的公共卫生风险。对感染动物的评估对于确定疾病进展中涉及的临床和实验室参数非常重要。
