Abstract
BackgroundThe bone marrow is considered to be an important storage of parasites in Leishmania-infected dogs, although little is known about cellular genesis in this organ during canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL).Methodology/Principal FindingsThe aim of the present study was to evaluate changes in erythropoiesis and leucopoiesis in bone marrow aspirates from dogs naturally infected with Leishmania chagasi and presenting different clinical statuses and bone marrow parasite densities. The evolution of CVL from asymptomatic to symptomatic status was accompanied by increasing parasite density in the bone marrow. The impact of bone marrow parasite density on cellularity was similar in dogs at different clinical stages, with animals in the high parasite density group. Erythroid and eosinophilic hypoplasia, proliferation of neutrophilic precursor cells and significant increases in lymphocytes and plasma cell numbers were the major alterations observed. Differential bone marrow cell counts revealed increases in the myeloid:erythroid ratio associated to increased numbers of granulopoietic cells in the different clinical groups compared with non-infected dogs.ConclusionsAnalysis of the data obtained indicated that the assessment of bone marrow constitutes an additional and useful tool by which to elaborate a prognosis for CVL.
Highlights
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), which is caused by Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum [syn
Analysis of the data obtained indicated that the assessment of bone marrow constitutes an additional and useful tool by which to elaborate a prognosis for canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL)
Based on either the similarity of clinical signs observed in human and dogs and the evolution of natural history of the disease, CVL has been suggested as a good model to better understand the pathogenesis of the human disease [4,5]
Summary
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), which is caused by Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum [syn. 90%) of VL cases worldwide occur in Bangladesh, Brazil, India and Sudan. In Brazil, for example, some 37,294 new human cases of VL have been reported in the last 16 years [2]. Canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) cause a great impact in Brazilian public health, because, domestic dogs are the most important VL peridomicile reservoirs in urban and periurban areas, since both asymptomatic and symptomatic dogs are infectious to the vectors [3]. The bone marrow is considered to be an important storage of parasites in Leishmania-infected dogs, little is known about cellular genesis in this organ during canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL)
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