Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

An immunohistochemical study in cases with usual and unusual clinicopathological findings of canine visceral leishmaniosis

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Parasitology Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present study describes pathologic findings and immunohistochemical diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) in 22 dogs who died naturally in the Aegean region of Turkey. At necropsy, lymphadenomegaly, hepatosplenomegaly, hepatic, and nephrosclerotic lesions were conspicuous. Histopathologically, chronic inflammatory reactions of the spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow, liver, and skin were marked findings. Cytological and histological examinations showed macrophages loaded with Leishmania amastigotes in these organs. Immunohistochemistry revealed that immunolabeling of amastigotes and/or parasite antigen, especially in the lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, liver, and skin, and occasionally, in the kidneys, intestines and lungs. Our laboratory results showed that immunohistochemistry should be included, along with cytological and histological examinations, in the diagnosis of CVL.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barrouin-Melo SM, Larangeira DF, Fernando AA, Filho Trigo J, Julia FS, Franke CR, Aguiar PHP, Dos-Santos WLC, Carvalho LP (2006) Can spleen aspirations be safely used for the parasitological diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniosis? A study on assymptomatic and polysymptomatic animals. Vet J 171:331–339

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Benderitter TH, Casanova P, Nashkidachvili L, Quilici M (1988) Glomerulonephritis in dogs with canine leishmaniasis. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 82:335–341

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blavier A, Keroack S, Denerolle P, Goy-Thollot I, Chabanne L, Cadorè JL, Bourdoiseau G (2001) Atypical forms of canine Leishmaniosis. Vet J 162:108–120

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bourdoiseau G, Marchal T, Magnol JP (1997) Immunohistochemical detection of Leishmania infantum in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of canine skin and lymph nodes. J Vet Diagn Invest 9:439–440

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brito T, Hoshino-Shimizu S, Amato Neto V, Duarte IS, Pena DO (1975) Glomerular involvement in human kala azar: a light, immunofluorescent and electron microscopic study based on kidney biopsies. Am J Trop Med Hyg 24:9–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Ciaramella P, Oliva G, De Luna R, Gradoni L, Ambrosio R, Cortese L, Scalone A, Persechino A (1997) A retrospective clinical study of canine leishmaniasis in 150 dogs infected by Leishmania infantum. Vet Rec 141:539–543

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Costa FAL, Goto H, Saldanha LCB, Silva SMMS, Sinhorini IL, Silva TC, Guerra JL (2003) Histopathologic patterns of nephropathy in naturally acquired canine visceral leishmaniasis. Vet Pathol 40:677–684

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duarte MIS, Corbett CEP (1984) Histopathological and ultrastructural aspects of interstitial pneumonitis of experimental visceral leishmaniasis. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 78:683–688

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duarte MI, Silva MR, Goto H, Nicodemo EL, Amato Neto V (1983) Interstitial nephritis in human kala-azar. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 77:531–537

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duarte MIS, Laurenti MD, Brandao Nunes VL, Rego Junior AF, Oshiro ET, Corbett CE (1986) Interstitial pneumonitis in canine visceral leishmaniasis. Rev Inst Med Trop São Paulo 28:431–436

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dutra M, Martinelli R, Carvalho EM, Rodrigues LE, Brito E, Rocha H (1985) Renal involvement in visceral leishmaniasis. Am J Kidney Dis 6:22–27

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ferrer L (1988) Skin lesions in canine leishmaniasis. J Small Anim Pract 29:381–388

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferrer L, Rabanal R, Domingo M, Ramos JA, Fondevila D (1988) Identification of Leishmania amastigotes in canine tissues by immunoperoxidase staining. Res Vet Sci 44:194–196

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ferrer L, Juanola B, Ramos JA (1991) Chronic colitis due to Leishmania infection in two dogs. Vet Pathol 28:342–343

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Font A, Closa JM, Molina A, Mascort J (1993) Thrombosis and nephrotic syndrome in a dog with visceral leishmaniasis. J Small Anim Pract 34:466–470

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Font A, Gines C, Closa JM, Mascort J (1994) Visceral leishmaniasis and disseminated intravascular coagulation in a dog. J Am Vet Med Assoc 204:1043–1044

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Font A, Mascort J, Altimira J, Closa JM, Vilafranca M (2004) Acute paraplegia associated with vasculitis in a dog with leishmaniasis. J Small Anim Pract 45:199–201

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Giunchetti RC, Martins-Filho OA, Carneiro CM, Mayrink W, Marques MJ, Tafuri WL, Oliveira RC, Reis AB (2008) Histopathology, parasite density and cell phenotypes of the popliteal lymph node in canine visceral leishmaniasis. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 121:23–33

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gonçalves R, Tafuri WL, Melo MN, Raso P, Tafuri WL (2003) Chronic interstitial pneumonitis in dogs naturally infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi-histopathological and morphometrical study. Rev Inst Med Trop São Paulo 45:1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez JL, Rollan E, Novoa C, Castano M (1988) Structural and ultrastructural hepatic changes in experimental canine leishmaniasis. Histol Histopathol 3:323–329

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grimaldi G, Tesh RB, McMathon-Pratt DA (1989) A review of the geographic distribution and epidemiology of leishmaniasis in the New World. Am J Trop Med Hyg 41:687–725

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koutinas AF, Polizopoulou ZE, Saridomichelakis MN, Argyriadis D, Fytianou A, Plevraki KG (1999) Clinical considerations on canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) in Greece: a retrospective study of 158 spontaneous cases (1989–1996). J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 35:376–383

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lamothe J (1997) An illustration of the unusual clinical conditions of canine leishmaniosis. Türkiye Parazitoloji Dergisi 21:103

    Google Scholar 

  • Lamothe J, Poujade A (2002) Ulcerative glossitis in a dog with leishmaniasis. Vet Rec 151:182–183

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lima WG, Michalick MSM, Melo MN, Tafuri WL, Tafuri WL (2004) Canine visceral leishmaniasis: a histopathological study of lymph nodes. Acta Trop 92:43–53

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Livni N, Abramowitz A, Londner M, Okon E, Morag A (1983) Immunoperoxidase method of identification of Leishmania in routinely prepared histological sections. Virchows Arch Pathol Anat 401:147–151

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luna LG (1968) Manual of histologic staining methods of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. McGraw-Hill company, New York, 153 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Manzillo FV, Pagano A, Paciello O, Di Muccio T, Gradoni L, Oliva G (2005) Papular-like glossitis in a dog with leishmaniosis. Vet Rec 156:213–215

    Google Scholar 

  • Nieto CG, Navarrete I, Habela MA, Serrano EF, Redondo E (1992) Pathological changes in kidneys of dogs with natural Leishmania infection. Vet Parasitol 45:33–47

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Poli A, Abramo F, Mancianti F, Nigro M, Pieri S, Bionda A (1991) Renal involvement in canine leishmaniasis: a light microscopic, immunohistochemical and electron-microscopic study. Nephron 57:444–452

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Poli A, Abramo F, Barsotti P, Leva S, Gramiccia M, Ludovisi A, Mancianti F (2002) Feline leishmaniosis due to Leishmania infantum in Italy. Vet Pathol 106:181–191

    Google Scholar 

  • Pugliese A, Di Pietro S, Giudice E (2006) Clinical and diagnostic patterns of leishmaniasis in the dog. Vet Res Commun 30:39–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pumarola M, Brevik L, Badiola Vargas JA (1991) Canine leishmaniasis associated with systemic vasculitis in two dogs. J Comp Pathol 105:279–286

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rallis T, Day MJ, Saridomichelakis MN, Adamama-Moraitou KK, Papazoglou L, Fytianou A, Koutinas AF (2005) Chronic hepatitis associated with canine leishmaniosis (Leishmania infantum): a clinicopathological study of 26 cases. J Comp Pathol 132:145–152

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reis AB, Martins-Filho OA, Teixeira-Carvalho A, Carvalho MG, Mayrink W, Franca-Silva JC, Giunchetti RC, Genaro O, Correa-Oliveira R (2006a) Parasite density and impaired biochemical/hematological status are associated with severe clinical aspects of canine visceral leishmaniasis. Res Vet Sci 81:68–75

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reis AB, Teixeira-Carvalho A, Vale AM, Marques MJ, Giunchetti RC, Mayrink W, Guerra LL, Andrade RA, Correa-Oliveira R, Martins-Filho OA (2006b) Isotype patterns of immunoglobulins: hallmarks for clinical status and tissue parasite density in Brazilian dogs naturally infected by Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 112:102–116

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sartori A, Oliveira AV, Roque-Barreira MC, Rossi MA, Campos-Neto A (1987) Immune complex glomerulonephritis in experimental kala-azar. Parasite Immunol 9:93–103

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Slappendel RJ, Ferrer L (1998) Leishmaniasis. In: Greene CE (ed) Clinical microbiology and infectious diseases of the dog and cat. W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 450–458

    Google Scholar 

  • Solano-Gallego L, Fernandez-Bellon H, Morell P, Fondevila D, Alberola J, Ramis A, Ferrer L (2004) Histological and immunohistochemical study of clinically normal skin of Leishmania infantum-infected dogs. J Comp Pathol 130:7–12

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tafuri WL, Michalick MS, Dias M, Genaro O, Leite VH, Barbosa AJ, Bambirra EA, Da Costa CA, Melo MN, Mayrink W (1989) Optical and electron microscopic study of the kidney of dogs naturally and experimentally infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi. Rev Inst Med Trop São Paulo 3:139–145

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tafuri WL, De Oliveira MR, Melo MN, Tafuri WL (2001) Canine visceral leishmaniasis: a remarkable histopathological picture of one case report from Brazil. Vet Parasitol 3:203–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tafuri WL, Santos RL, Arantes RME, Ricardo Goncalves Meloc MN, Michalick MSM, Tafuri WL (2004) An alternative immunohistochemical method for detecting Leishmania amastigotes in paraffin-embedded canine tissues. J Immunol Meth 292:17–23

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Toplu N, Aydogan A, Oguzoglu TB (2007) Visceral leishmaniosis and parapoxvirus infection in a mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus). J Comp Pathol 136:283–287

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by research fund of Adnan Menderes University Research Council, Project VTF-07-024.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Adnan Menderes University, 09016-Isikli, Aydin, Turkey

    Nihat Toplu & Ahmet Aydogan

Authors
  1. Nihat Toplu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ahmet Aydogan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nihat Toplu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Toplu, N., Aydogan, A. An immunohistochemical study in cases with usual and unusual clinicopathological findings of canine visceral leishmaniosis. Parasitol Res 109, 1051–1057 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-011-2345-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-011-2345-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation