Leishmania Flashcards
What is a leishmania parasite?
Single-Celled kinetoplastid parasite
* Transmitted by female phlebotomine sandflies
* causes leishmaniosis in dogs, humans and other mammals
What are the two genus of sandflies that can cause leishmania?
Phlebotomus genus –
Europe, Africa, Asia
Lutzomyia genus –
North and South
America
What parasite causes canine leishmaniosis?
Leishmania infantum
What are the two clinical responses to l.infantum?
Th.1 like response
* low specific antibody response
* predominant cellular immunity
* low parasite load
Th.2 like response
* High specific antibody response
* decreased cellular immunity
* high parasite load
What is the course of infection of leishmania in dogs?
Sand fly bite causes parasite replication in cutaneous macrophages
-> parasite dissemination to internal organs
-> long incubation period (3 months- years)
What is the pathogenesis of leishmania?
- Hyperplasia of the B lymphocyte regions of lymphoid organs
- Depletion of T lymphocyte regions of lymphoid organs
- Lymphadenomegaly, splenomegaly
- Polyclonal antibody response
What are some of the factors that affect the outcome of infection?
- Immune response
- genetics
- repeated infection
- virulence of isolate
- concurrent disease
What are the most susceptible dog breeds to leishmania?
German shephards, Boxers and Rottweilers
How may you diagnose disease?
- History
- Clinical signs
- Serology
- Detection of parasite
- Culture
- PCR
*
What is the main aim of the treatment and management?
to slow the progress of infection and improve clinical signs
How can you prevent leishmania?
- Products that contain pyrethroid insecticides (repellent)
- Preventing sand fly bites
- indoor insecticides
When can vaccinations be provided to dogs?
When the dogs are older than 6 months
What is the association between human and canine leishmainia?
- Increased prevalence in dogs associated with increased
incidence in humans - Poor socioeconomic conditions
- Dog density and infected dog risk factors
What is the main leishmania reservoir for dogs?
Leishmania infantum
What are the clinical signs of equine leishmaniosis?
- Usually occurs in young horses
- No clinicopathological abnormalities
- Papulo-nodular dermatitis
- Head, ear, axilar and inguinal
regions - Cutaneous lesions heal
without treatment after 3-5
months
