Department of Animal Health, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain.
Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain.
BMC Vet Res. 2020 Aug 27;16(1):312. doi: 10.1186/s12917-020-02509-x.
Captive and free-ranging wild mammals have been recognized as potential reservoirs of Leishmania infantum infection. The aim of this study was to describe the first clinical case of leishmaniosis in the Eurasian otter.
A case of clinical leishmaniosis is reported in a 4-year-old male Eurasian otter housed at a wildlife park (Murcia, South Eastern Spain). The Eurasian otter showed bilateral epistaxis, anorexia, apathy, and weight loss. A complete blood cell count and biochemical analyses revealed hyperproteinemia, hyperglobulinemia, decreases of paraoxonase-1, increases of haptoglobin and ferritin, and proteinuria. Bilateral nephropathy with hydronephrosis, mesenteric lymphadenomegaly, and ascites were also observed. L. infantum infection was confirmed by microscopy (amastigotes were detected in macrophages from spleen aspirate), molecular diagnosis (L. infantum DNA was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction), and serology (anti-Leishmania IgG2 antibodies were detected by time-resolved immunofluorometry). The animal was treated with allopurinol for 3 months and gained weight, the epistaxis disappeared, and the ferritin concentration decreased.
This is the first report of clinical leishmaniosis in the Eurasian otter. Our results suggest that Eurasian otters are susceptible to infection with L. infantum and can develop clinical leishmaniosis in endemic areas.
圈养和野生野生动物已被认为是利什曼原虫感染的潜在宿主。本研究旨在描述欧亚水獭的首例利什曼病临床病例。
报告了一只 4 岁雄性欧亚水獭在野生动物公园（西班牙东南部穆尔西亚）发生临床利什曼病的病例。欧亚水獭出现双侧鼻出血、食欲不振、冷漠和体重减轻。全血细胞计数和生化分析显示高球蛋白血症、高球蛋白血症、对氧磷酶-1 减少、触珠蛋白和铁蛋白增加以及蛋白尿。还观察到双侧肾病伴肾积水、肠系膜淋巴结肿大和腹水。通过显微镜检查（在脾抽吸物中的巨噬细胞中检测到无鞭毛体）、分子诊断（通过实时聚合酶链反应检测到利什曼原虫 DNA）和血清学（通过时间分辨免疫荧光测定检测到抗利什曼原虫 IgG2 抗体）证实了利什曼原虫感染。该动物接受了 3 个月的别嘌醇治疗，体重增加，鼻出血消失，铁蛋白浓度降低。
这是首例欧亚水獭临床利什曼病的报告。我们的结果表明，欧亚水獭易感染利什曼原虫，并可在流行地区发生临床利什曼病。
