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Onychogryphosis is one of the main clinical findings in dogs with visceral leishmaniasis (VL); however, research focusing on the subungual area of infected dogs is scarce. This study aims to assess the subungual area of dogs with VL that presented or not onychogryphosis by means of histopathological analyses and immunohistochemical studies (parasite burden). The third digit of the thoracic and pelvic limbs of Leishmania infantum naturally infected dogs was collected regardless of sex, breed or age. The animals were split into two groups, dogs with onychogryphosis (G1; n=7) and without onychogryphosis (G2; n=9). The digits were evaluated in four areas (dorsal epidermis/dermis, ventral epidermis/dermis, dorsal matrix/dermis and ventral matrix/dermis). All lesions observed (mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate, vacuolar degeneration of basal keratinocytes, dermoepidermal clefting and pigmentary incontinence) were present in both groups, being more severe in the digits of G1 group. Immunostaining of the amastigote forms of Leishmania infantum were observed in the different areas of the digit, with statistical difference between the dorsal epidermis/dermis area and the dorsal matrix/dermis of G1 group. In conclusion, the main histopathological alteration of the digit of dogs with VL is mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate and parasite burden, especially in cutaneous tissue adjacent to the nail matrix. This aspect can influence the onychogryphosis development, due to the presence of the parasite and by inflammatory mediators released in the nail microenvironment.
Leishmaniasis treatment monitoring is an important problem, since patient’s frequently present clinical signs improvements with positive indirect immunofluorescence (IFI) titers of anti-Leishmania antibodies, thus making difficult the clinician understand the therapy efficacy. The study aimed 1) to identify over a short period of 30 days, which of the main changes on the serum proteinogram fractions in patients treated with meglumine antimoniate and allopurinol, can be pointed as indicator to classify patients as slower or faster responsive to treatment. A sample of 56 dogs (n=56) with leishmaniasis diagnosis was followed-up for clinical condition, proteinograms and titers of anti-Leishmania antibodies during the treatment period considering three different time points: M0 (diagnosis moment), M1 (15 days after therapy start), and M2 (30 days after therapy start). Two groups of patients were considered according to their clinical condition evolution rate: faster recovery group (FRG) and slower recovery group (SRG). Statistical significant results were considered for p-value <0.05. Statistically significant differences in proteinogram variations between FRG and SRG were registered for TPs (p= 0.03), and for the fractions β (p=0.04), γ (p=0.04), amongst M0 and M2.The PT, β and γ-globulin fractions of proteinogram, in association with patient clinical assessment evolution should be considered as an indicator and a simple way to appoint the efficacy response of the patients to the therapy.