Análise do soro por pcr de cães atendidos no HUVet-CCA/UFPB suspeitos para leishmaniose visceral

Abstract

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a highly relevant condition due to its zoonotic nature, commonly known as kala-azar. It is caused by a protozoan of the genus Leishmania, transmitted through phlebotomine vectors. In Brazil, VL is endemically caused by the species Leishmania infantum, with the main vector being Lutzomyia longipalpis. Dogs in urban areas are identified as the primary domestic reservoir, facilitating transmission to humans. Diagnosis should be based on epidemiological data and clinical signs; however, confirmatory diagnosis requires laboratory tests, including Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). This research aimed to adapt the PCR method for the diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis, using 50 residual samples from hematological tests of dogs treated at the Hospital Universitário Veterinário do Centro de Ciências Agrarias da Universidade Federal da Paraíba (HUVet/CCA/UFPB). We obtained a positive result in 2% of the samples. The outcome demonstrates that PCR can detect Leishmania DNA in serum samples obtained from routine tests, and its positive result is sufficient for confirmatory diagnosis, making it a valuable complementary test at HUVet.