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Inflammation and structural changes of splenic lymphoid tissue in visceral leishmaniasis: A study on naturally infected dogs
Author(s) -
SANTANA C. C.,
VASSALLO J.,
DE FREITAS L. A. R.,
OLIVEIRA G. G. S.,
PONTESDECARVALHO L. C.,
DOSSANTOS W. L. C.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
parasite immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.795
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1365-3024
pISSN - 0141-9838
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3024.2008.01051.x
Subject(s) - visceral leishmaniasis , biology , leishmaniasis , immunology , spleen , leishmania , serology , white pulp , canine leishmaniasis , pathology , antibody , medicine , leishmania infantum , parasite hosting , world wide web , computer science
SUMMARY The aim of this study was to identify splenic immuno‐inflammatory patterns associated with natural infection by Leishmania chagasi . Spleen samples were obtained from 72 stray dogs from an endemic area of visceral leishmaniasis. The animals were grouped into four categories as follows: (i) potentially resistant to visceral leishmaniasis, with a positive leishmanin skin test result, and negative splenic culture for Leishmania parasites (ii) potentially susceptible to visceral leishmaniasis, with a negative leishmanin skin test and positive splenic culture for Leishmania (iii) infected with undefined susceptibility status, with a positive leishmanin skin test and positive splenic culture for Leishmania , and (iv) noninfected, with a negative leishmanin skin test, negative splenic culture for Leishmania , and negative serology for anti‐ Leishmania antibodies. Histopathological analyses showed that there was a higher frequency of perisplenitis (18/25, P < 0·0001), granuloma (7/25, P = 0·0102), structural disorganization (14/25, P < 0·0001), and atrophy of the lymphoid follicles (20/25, P = 0·0036) and of the marginal zone (15/25, P = 0·0025) in the potentially susceptible group than in the other groups. The data presented here show changes in the white pulp of the spleen that are associated with naturally acquired visceral leishmaniasis.