The authors carried out microscopic examination of blood smears of 1438 dogs infected with Leishmania infantum. Unusual findings of leishmaniosis associated with circulating parasitised cells are described in four dogs. Most of the dogs presented severe illness, with lethargy, dysorexia, emaciation and alterations of the haematological pattern (anaemia, thrombocytopenia, neutrophilia and monocytosis). In three cases, leishmaniosis was associated with ehrlichiosis. On examination of peripheral blood smears, Leishmania sp. amastigotes were observed both in various circulating leukocytes (neutrophil, monocyte, macrophage) and free. In conclusion, parasites can rarely be detected in blood smears (in 0.28% of the animals examined); thus, the time-consuming microscopic search for amastigotes can make only a weak contribution to the conventional diagnosis of canine leishmaniosis.
Baneth, G., Koutinas, A. F., Solano-Gallego, L., Bourdeau, P. and Ferrer, L. (2008): Canine leishmaniosis — new concepts and insights on an expanding zoonosis: part one. Trends Parasitol. 24, 324–330.
Ferrer L. , 'Canine leishmaniosis — new concepts and insights on an expanding zoonosis: part one ' (2008 ) 24 Trends Parasitol. : 324 -330.
Bienzle, D. (2000): Monocytes and Macrophages. In: Feldman, B. F., Zinkl, J. G. and Jain, N. C. (eds) Schalm’s Veterinary Hematology. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia. pp. 318–325.
Bienzle D. , '', in Schalm’s Veterinary Hematology , (2000 ) -.
de Freitas, E., Melo, M. N., da Costa-Val, A. P. and Michalick, M. S. (2006): Transmission of Leishmania infantum via blood transfusion in dogs: potential for infection and importance of clinical factors. Vet. Parasitol. 137, 159–167.
Michalick M. S. , 'Transmission of Leishmania infantum via blood transfusion in dogs: potential for infection and importance of clinical factors ' (2006 ) 137 Vet. Parasitol. : 159 -167.
Foglia Manzillo, V., Piantedosi, D. and Cortese, L. (2005): Detection of Leishmania infantum in canine peripheral blood. Vet. Rec. 156, 151–152.
Cortese L. , 'Detection of Leishmania infantum in canine peripheral blood ' (2005 ) 156 Vet. Rec. : 151 -152.
Gueirard, P., Laplante, A., Rondeau, C., Milon, G. and Desjardins, M. (2008): Trafficking of Leishmania donovani promastigotes in non-lytic compartments in neutrophils enables the subsequent transfer of parasites to macrophages. Cell. Microbiol. 10, 100–111.
Desjardins M. , 'Trafficking of Leishmania donovani promastigotes in non-lytic compartments in neutrophils enables the subsequent transfer of parasites to macrophages ' (2008 ) 10 Cell. Microbiol. : 100 -111.
Jochim, R. C. and Teixeira, C. (2009): Leishmania commandeers the host inflammatory response through neutrophils. Trends Parasitol. 25, 145–147.
Teixeira C. , 'Leishmania commandeers the host inflammatory response through neutrophils ' (2009 ) 25 Trends Parasitol. : 145 -147.
Kyriakou, D. S., Alexandrakis, M. G., Passam, F. H., Kourelis, T. V., Foundouli, P., Matalliotakis, E. and Maniatis, A. N. (2003): Quick detection of Leishmania in peripheral blood by flow cytometry. Is prestorage leucodepletion necessary for leishmaniasis prevention in endemic areas? Transfusion Med. 13, 59–62.
Maniatis A. N. , 'Quick detection of Leishmania in peripheral blood by flow cytometry. Is prestorage leucodepletion necessary for leishmaniasis prevention in endemic areas? ' (2003 ) 13 Transfusion Med. : 59 -62.
McFarlane, E., Perez, C., Charmoy, M., Allenbach, C., Carter, K. C., Alexander, J. and Tacchini-Cottier, F. (2008): Neutrophils contribute to development of a protective immune response during onset of infection with Leishmania donovani. Infect. Immun. 76, 532–541.
Tacchini-Cottier F. , 'Neutrophils contribute to development of a protective immune response during onset of infection with Leishmania donovani ' (2008 ) 76 Infect. Immun. : 532 -541.
Mirò, G., Cardoso, L., Pennisi, M. G., Oliva, G. and Baneth, G. (2008): Canine leishmaniosis — new concepts and insights on an expanding zoonosis: part two. Trends Parasitol. 24, 371–377.
Baneth G. , 'Canine leishmaniosis — new concepts and insights on an expanding zoonosis: part two ' (2008 ) 24 Trends Parasitol. : 371 -377.
Owens, S. D., Oakley, D. A., Marryott, K., Hatchett, W., Walton, R., Nolan, T. J., Newton, A., Steurer, F., Schantz, P. and Giger, U. (2001): Transmission of visceral leishmaniasis through blood transfusions from infected English Foxhounds to anemic dogs. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 219, 1076–1083.
Giger U. , 'Transmission of visceral leishmaniasis through blood transfusions from infected English Foxhounds to anemic dogs ' (2001 ) 219 J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. : 1076 -1083.
Roura, X., Breitschwerdt, E., Lloret, A., Ferrer, L. and Hegarty, B. (2005): Serological evidence of exposure to Rickettsia, Bartonella, and Ehrlichia species in healthy or Leishmania infantum-infected dogs from Barcelona, Spain. Intern. J. Appl. Res. Vet. Med. 3, 129–137.
Hegarty B. , 'Serological evidence of exposure to Rickettsia, Bartonella, and Ehrlichia species in healthy or Leishmania infantum-infected dogs from Barcelona, Spain ' (2005 ) 3 Intern. J. Appl. Res. Vet. Med. : 129 -137.
Ruiz de Gopegui, R. and Espada, Y. (1998): Peripheral blood and abdominal fluid from a dog with abdominal distention. Vet. Clin. Pathol. 27, 64–67.
Espada Y. , 'Peripheral blood and abdominal fluid from a dog with abdominal distention ' (1998 ) 27 Vet. Clin. Pathol. : 64 -67.
Saran, R., Sharma, M. C., Gupta, A. K., Sinha, S. P. and Kar, S. K. (1997): Diurnal periodicity of Leishmania amastigotes in peripheral blood of Indian Kala-azar patients. Acta Trop. 68, 357–360.
Kar S. K. , 'Diurnal periodicity of Leishmania amastigotes in peripheral blood of Indian Kala-azar patients ' (1997 ) 68 Acta Trop. : 357 -360.
Schultze, A. E. (2000): Interpretation of canine leukocyte responses. In: Feldman, B. F., Zinkl, J. G. and Jain, N. C. (eds) Schalm’s Veterinary Hematology. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia. pp. 366–381.
Schultze A. E. , '', in Schalm’s Veterinary Hematology , (2000 ) -.
Sharma, M. C., Gupta, A. K., Das, V. N. R., Verma, N., Kumar, N., Saran, R. and Kar, S. K. (2000): Leishmania donovani in blood smears of asymptomatic persons. Acta Trop. 76, 195–196.
Kar S. K. , 'Leishmania donovani in blood smears of asymptomatic persons ' (2000 ) 76 Acta Trop. : 195 -196.