Presence of amastigotes forms the Leishmania chagasi and profile the leucocytes cells in the reproductive tract of dogs

Benites A.P., Fernandes C.E., Brum K.B. & Abdo M.A.G.S. 2011. [Presence of amastigotes forms the Leishmania chagasi and profile the leucocytes cells in the reproductive tract of dogs.] Presenca de formas amastigotas de Leishmania chagasi e perfil leucocitario no aparelho reprodutivo de caes. Pesquisa Veterinaria Brasileira 31(1):72-77. Faculdade de Medicina Veterinaria e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Cidade Universitaria, Caixa Postal 549, Campo Grande, MS 79070-900, Brazil. E-mail: arianebenites@hotmail.com Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a zoonosis caused by Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi. Canine visceral leishmaniasis (VLC) is most important. The infection occurs usually between the invertebrate host and vertebrate host; however, transmission in the absence of the vector has been reported. The aim of this study was to identify the presence of amastigote forms, quantify the leucocyte cells and to estimate the presence (odds ratio) of the amastigotes in the reproductive tract of dogs serologically positive with and without clinical signs. Sexually mature Mongrel dogs, serologically tested to VLC (symptomatic, n=25; asymptomatic, n=25), were used. After euthanasia, testes, epidydimal (caput, corpus and cauda) and prostate gland fragments (randomized) were recovered and impressed on slides. Twenty animals serologically negative and asymptomatic were used as control group. Samples of spleen were included as parasitological positive controls. Lymphocyte percentages were higher (P < 0.05) in the corpus and caudal region of epididymis, similar to the testes in the symptomatic group. Macrophage percentage was higher (P < 0.05) in the corpus and caudal epididymis regions. The presence of amastigote forms was associated with different regions of the reproductive tract. In the symptomatic group, the variation was between 0.50 and 0.80, and in the symptomatic between 0.79 and 0.95. The odds ratio for amastigote forms in the testicle of the symptomatic dogs was 6.5 in relation to asymptomatic dogs. The results demonstrate the epidemic potential of venereal transmission of the disease, specifically in areas where control programs of VLC do not consider this transmission route.