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C.E. Teichmann, A.S. Silva, S.G. Monteiro, et al. 2011. Evidence of Venereal and Transplacental Transmission of Canine Vis-ceral Leishmaniasis in Southern Brazil. Acta Scientiae Veterinariae. 39(4): 1003.Acta Scientiae Veterinariae, 2011. 39(4): 1003.

CASE REPORTPub. 1003

ISSN 1679-9216 (Online)

Evidence of Venereal and Transplacental Transmission of Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis in Southern Brazil

Cristiane Elisa Teichmann1, Aleksandro Schafer Da Silva2, Silvia Gonzalez Monteiro2, Carlos Flávio Barbosa3 & Rafael Barcelos4

ABSTRACT

Background: Zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease caused by obligate intracellular protozoan para-sites of the genus Leishmania. In South America, dogs are the primary domestic reservoir host and control measures for this disease are focused on vector-control and euthanasia of seropositive dogs. The infection occurs usually between the invertebrate host and vertebrate host; however, transmission in the absence of the vector has been reported. Ticks as the vectors of the parasite L. infantum have been mentioned and investigated by researchers. Researchers have reported new mechanisms of transmission of canine visceral leishmaniasis, such as venereal and transplacental transmission. In october 2010, a veterinary clinic of Santa Maria received one canine, female, Doberman bred, two years old, L. chagasi positive. According to the authors, this would be the fi rst case of autochthonous leishmaniasis in the State of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil. Therefore, through epidemiological surveys, this study had the aim to clarify how the dog was infected by the parasite.Case: During the epidemiological survey was discovered that this canine positive for L. chagasi had never left the city of Santa Maria, place where it was born. However the parents of this animal were born in São Borja, RS, where they lived for about two months. According to the owner, both animals (male and female Doberman) were brought to Santa Maria as puppies in 2006 and since then never returned to the city of origin. Both animals were bought from different dog bree-ders in São Borja. Once in Santa Maria, the animals mated and the female gave birth to eight puppies. The owners of the puppies kept only one and the other puppies were sold to neighbors and other buyers. The canine male Doberman, four years old, had skin lesions that did not healed (especially in the hip region), diffi culty in gaining weight, and nodules on the face. In the cytology of the skin lesions was observed in forms which resembling to amastigotes of Leishmania sp. Then blood was collected from the animal, aiming to perform serological tests, which confi rmed the leishmaniasis. Sero-logic test was also performed in the female Doberman and in the puppies which were asymptomatic, but in direct contact with a symptomatic male. Serologic tests showed three animals as positive for the parasite, and they were euthanized as recommended by the Ministry of Health. Discussion: Based on data obtained we suggest that the male Doberman has came from São Borja town already infected with the parasite Leishmania sp., as well as it might have occurred to the female Doberman. The female may was infected during copulation (venereal infection), and then the puppies were infected. The possibility of venereal transmission in dogs was reported by researchers, when the presence of Leishmania amastigotes in testicular of symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs was observed, and in semen associated with genital lesions caused by the parasite. Since in Santa Maria there was not recorded the presence of the vector L. longipalpis, we hypothesized that the two puppies were infected with the parasite transplacentally. Researchers recently showed that canine visceral leishmaniasis has vertical transmission, because a female pregnant dog and infected with L. infantum bore positive puppies to the disease. Based on the survey and the results of epidemiological literature we concluded that this is the fi rst case of autochthonous canine leishmaniasis recorded in Santa Maria (RS), with evidences of transplacental and venereal transmission.

Keywords: Leishmania infantum, dog, transmission form.

Received: June 2011 www.ufrgs.br/actavet Accepted: August 2011

1Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Cruz Alta (UNICRUZ), Cruz Alta, RS, Brazil. 2Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Uni-versidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. 3DVM, Secretaria da Saúde, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. 4DVM, Private practitioner. CORRESPONDENCE: C.E. Teichmann [cristeich@yahoo.com.br - FAX: +55 (55) 3321-1500]. Campus Universitário Dr. Ulysses Guimarães - Rodovia Municipal Jacob Della Méa, Km 5.6 - Parada Benito. Centro da Ciência da Saúde. CEP 98.020-290 Cruz Alta, RS, Brazil.

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C.E. Teichmann, A.S. Silva, S.G. Monteiro, et al. 2011. Evidence of Venereal and Transplacental Transmission of Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis in Southern Brazil. Acta Scientiae Veterinariae. 39(4): 1003.

INTRODUCTION

Leishmania chagasi (syn. Leishmania infan-tum), an important zoonotic agent, is well established as the agent of visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil [1]. The main form of transmission, in the Americas, occurs through the bite of the vector insects Lutzomyia longi-palpis, which is infected when it feeds of blood in an infected animal or even a man, ingesting amastigotes forms of parasites present in the dermis and trans-mitting them when it feeds in another healthy animal [1,7]. However, in some endemic areas in Brazil, the density of L. longipalpis is not correlated with a profi le of transmission of leishmaniasis to humans and canines. In addition, there are reports of transmission in the absence of vector [5]. Ticks as the vectors of the parasite L. infantum have been mentioned and investigated by researchers [4]. Recently researchers have reported new mechanisms of transmission of canine visceral leishmaniasis, such as venereal and transplacental transmission [2,3,6,8].

In october 2010, a veterinary clinic of Santa Maria received one canine, female, Doberman bred, two years old, L. chagasi positive [5]. According to the authors, this would be the fi rst case of autochthonous leishmaniasis in the State of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Southern Brazil. Therefore, through epidemiological surveys, this study had the aim to clarify how the dog was infected by the parasite.

CASE REPORT

During the epidemiological survey was dis-covered that this canine positive for L. chagasi [5] had never left the city of Santa Maria, place where it was born. However the parents of this animal were born in São Borja, RS, where they lived for about two months. According to the owner, both animals (male and female Doberman) were brought to Santa Maria as puppies in 2006 and since then never returned to the city of origin. Both animals were bought from different dog breeders in São Borja. Once in Santa Maria, the animals mated and the female gave birth to eight puppies. The owners of the puppies kept only one and the other puppies were sold to neighbors and other buyers.

The canine male Doberman (Figure 1-A), four years old, had skin lesions (Figure 1-B) that did not healed (especially in the hip region), diffi culty in gaining weight, and nodules on the face. In the

Figure 1. Male dog naturally infected with Leishmania chagasi (A). Dog skin lesions, Doberman male (B) and amastigotes of Leishmania sp. obtained by cytology of these lesions (C). Cyto-logical was stained with Romanovski (100x).

male Doberman has came from São Borja town already infected with the parasite Leishmania sp., as well as it might have occurred to the female Doberman. The female may was infected during copulation (vene-real infection), and then the puppies were infected. The possibility of venereal transmission in dogs was

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C.E. Teichmann, A.S. Silva, S.G. Monteiro, et al. 2011. Evidence of Venereal and Transplacental Transmission of Canine Vis-ceral Leishmaniasis in Southern Brazil. Acta Scientiae Veterinariae. 39(4): 1003.

recytology of the skin lesions was observed in forms which resembling to amastigotes of Leishmania sp. (Figure 1-C), which made this case be notifi ed by the veterinarians to the Secretary of Health of the Santa Maria town. Then blood was collected from the animal, aiming to perform serological tests, which confi rmed the leishmaniasis. Serologic test was also performed in the female Doberman and in the puppies which were asymptomatic, but in direct contact with a symptomatic male. Serologic tests showed three animals as positive for the parasite, and they were euthanized as recom-mended by the Ministry of Health. The remaining puppies were not investigated, however in October of 2010 one of them (living in another part of town) showed clinical signs of leishmaniasis and it was eu-thanized [5]. After this event the secretary of health of the city carried blood collection of the dogs that lived near of the residence of the animal which serum test was positive to Leishmania sp. and the results were negative for these animals. Traps were also installed in attempting to capture the vector (L. longipalpis), without success, since none of the mosquitoes of this genus were captured.

DISCUSSION

Based on data obtained we suggest that the male Doberman has came from São Borja town already infected with the parasite Leishmania sp., as well as it might have occurred to the female Doberman. The female may was infected during copulation (venereal infection), and then the puppies were infected. The possibility of venereal transmission in dogs was re-

ported by researchers [2,6,8], when the presence of Leishmania amastigotes in testicular of symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs was observed [2], and in semen associated with genital lesions caused by the parasite [6,8].

Since in Santa Maria there was not recorded the presence of the vector L. longipalpis, unlike São Borja where it was present during the outbreak of leish-maniasis [9] and as other canines of the neighborhood were serologically negative for the Leishmania sp., we hypothesized that the two puppies were infected with the parasite transplacentally. Researchers recently showed that canine visceral leishmaniasis has trans-placental transmission [3,8], because a female preg-nant dog and infected with L. infantum bore positive puppies to the disease, which were analyzed 24 h (8 puppy) and 3 months (4 puppy) postpartum [3]. The fi rst hint of transplacental transmission for visceral leishmaniasis in a newborn came from an infected mother described in 1926 and since then, other human cases were recorded.

Based on the survey and the results of epide-miological literature we concluded that this is the fi rst case of autochthonous canine leishmaniasis recorded in Santa Maria (RS), with evidences of transplacental transmission. Probably, the leishmaniasis was origi-nated in São Borja, a currently endemic area for the disease. Also there is strong evidence of venereal transmission, i.e. male to female during coitus.

Declaration of interest. The authors report no confl icts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

REFERENCES

1 Ashford R.W. 1998. The leishmaniases. In: Palmer S.R. (Ed). Zoonoses. Oxford: Oxford University, pp.527-543.2 Benites A.P., Fernandes C.E., Brum K.B. & Abdo M.A.G.S. 2011. Presença de formas amastigotas de Leishmania

chagasi e perfi l leucocitário no aparelho reprodutivo de cães. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira. 31(1): 72-77.3 Boggiatto P., Gibson-Corley K., Metz K., Gallup J., Hostetter J., Mullin K. & Petersen C. 2011. Transplacental

transmission of Leishmania infantum as a means for continued disease incidence in North America. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 5(4): e1019.

4 Dantas-Torres F. 2011. Ticks as vectors of Leishmania parasites. Trends in Parasitology. 27(4): 155-159.5 Da Silva A.S., França R.T., Richini-Pereira V.B., Langoni H., Monteiro S.G. & Lopes S.T.A. 2011. First autochtho-

nous case of canine visceral leishmaniasis in the center of Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Acta Scientiae Veterinariae. 39(2): 968.

6 Diniz S.A., Melo M.S., Borges A.M., Bueno R., Reis B.P., Tafuri W.L., Nascimento E.F. & Santos R.L. 2005. Genital lesions associated with visceral leishmaniasis and shedding of Leishmania sp. in the semen of naturally infected dogs. Veterinary Pathology. 42(6): 650-658.

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C.E. Teichmann, A.S. Silva, S.G. Monteiro, et al. 2011. Evidence of Venereal and Transplacental Transmission of Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis in Southern Brazil. Acta Scientiae Veterinariae. 39(4): 1003.

7 Luvizotto M.C.R., Ferrari H.F. & Moreira M.A.B. 2005. Lesão nodular na cavidade oral de cão causada por Leish-mania sp. - relato de casos. Arquivos Brasileiros de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia. 57(1): 18-19.

8 Silva S.M., Ribeiro V.M., Ribeiro R.R., Tafuri W.L. & Melo M.N. 2009. First report of vertical transmission of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum in a naturally infected bitch from Brazil. Veterinary Parasitology. 166(2): 159-162.

9 Souza G.D., Santos E. & Andrade-Filho J.D. 2009. The fi rst report of the main vector of visceral leishmaniasis in America, Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva) (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae), in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. 104(12): 1181-1182.

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