canine skin and conjunctival swab samples for the detection and quantification of leishmania infantum dna in an endemic urban area in brazil犬皮肤和结膜拭子样本的检测和量化婴儿利什曼虫dna的流行在巴西城市地区.pdfVIP

Canine Skin and Conjunctival Swab Samples for the Detection and Quantification of Leishmania infantum DNA in an Endemic Urban Area in Brazil 1 2 1 ´ Sidney de Almeida Ferreira , Rodrigo Souza Leite , Leonardo Trindade Ituassu , Gregorio 1 1 1 Guilherme Almeida , Daniel Menezes Souza , Ricardo Toshio Fujiwara , Antero Silva Ribeiro de 2 1 Andrade , Maria Norma Melo * ˆ ´ 1 Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brasil, 2 Centro de Desenvolvimento da ˜ Tecnologia Nuclear, Comissao Nacional de Energia Nuclear, Campus da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brasil Abstract Background: We evaluated kDNA PCR/hybridization and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) targeting the gene of DNA polymerase of Leishmania infantum for CVL diagnosis and assessment of parasite load in clinical samples obtained invasively and non-invasively. Methodology/Principal Findings: Eighty naturally infected dogs from an endemic urban area in Brazil were used. Animals were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of CVL clinical sings. Skin biopsies, bone marrow, blood and conjunctival swabs samples were collected and submitted to L. infantum DNA detection. In addition, anti-Leishmania antibody titers were measured by Immunofluorescence antibody test. The symptomatic dogs had increased titers compared to asymptomatic dogs