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.
Highlights
Canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) caused by the protozoan Leishmania infantum is a zoonosis in which the domestic dog (Canis familiaris) is the primary reservoir in urban areas [1]
This study aims to describe the frequency, presence of active infection and parasite load of L. infantum, as well as the histological alterations associated with parasitism in different organs of the genital tract, in male and female dogs seropositive for this parasite from the same endemic area
The findings of the present study suggest that L. infantum parasitism in organs of the genital tract of dogs is not influenced by sex since a high frequency of the parasite was observed in Parasitological method for Leishmaniaa
Summary
Canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) caused by the protozoan Leishmania infantum is a zoonosis in which the domestic dog (Canis familiaris) is the primary reservoir in urban areas [1]. Other studies found a high frequency of parasitism in the genital tract of females, suggesting tropism of L. infantum for the female genital tract and the possibility of venereal transmission from female to male [11, 14]. One of eight L. infantum-free male BALB/c mice used to breed females infected with this parasite tested positive for Leishmania DNA by PCR, suggesting that venereal transmission from female to male may occur in mice [19]. Taken together, these findings demonstrate the lack of consensus regarding the role of females in venereal transmission of L. infantum to males, which requires further investigation
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