Frequency, active infection and load of Leishmania infantum and associated histological alterations in the genital tract of male and female dogs

PLoS One. 2020 Sep 1;15(9):e0238188. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238188. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Visceral leishmaniasis caused by the protozoan Leishmania infantum is a zoonosis. The domestic dog is the primary reservoir in urban areas. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency, active infection and load of L. infantum in the genital tract of male and female dogs seropositive for this parasite, as well as to identify histological genital alterations associated with this protozoan. We studied 45 male and 25 female L. infantum-seropositive noncastrated dogs from the same endemic area in Brazil. Tissue samples from the testis, epididymis, prostate, vulva, vagina, and uterus were examined by singleplex qPCR and parasitological tests (histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and parasitological culture). The latter were performed for the detection of active infection (parasites able to multiply and to induce lesions). Forty-four (98%) males and 25 (100%) females were positive for L. infantum in the genital tract (epididymis: 98%; vulva: 92%; vagina: 92%; testis: 91%; uterus: 84%; prostate: 66%). Active infection in the genital tract was confirmed in 69% of males and 64% of females (32% in the uterus). Parasite loads were similar in the testis, vulva, epididymis and vagina and lower in the prostate. Only the parasite load in the vagina was significantly associated with the number of clinical signs. Granulomatous inflammation predominated in all organs, except for the prostate. Only in the testis and epididymis was the inflammatory infiltrate significantly more intense among dogs with a higher parasite load in these organs. The high frequency, detection of active infection and similarity of L. infantum loads in the genital tract of infected males and females suggest the potential of venereal transmission of this parasite by both sexes and of vertical transmission by females in the area studied. Additionally, vertical transmission may be frequent since active L. infantum infection was a common observation in the uterus.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Dog Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Dog Diseases / parasitology*
  • Dogs
  • Endemic Diseases / veterinary
  • Female
  • Genitalia / parasitology*
  • Leishmania infantum / physiology*
  • Leishmaniasis, Visceral / epidemiology
  • Leishmaniasis, Visceral / veterinary*
  • Male
  • Prevalence

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the state funding agency Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (Grants: CNE E-26/203.069/2016 and TCT E-26/202.561/2017), http://www.faperj.br, and by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Brazil (Finance Code 001), https://www.capes.gov.br. FBF and RCM are recipients of productivity fellowships from Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Brazil, http://www.cnpq.br. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.