Leishmaniasis in animals: symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

Leishmaniasis is an infectious animal disease caused by an intracellular parasite. This parasite of the genus Leishmania is carried by mosquitoes. The spread of the disease is promoted by both domestic and wild mammals. Leishmaniasis can be a visceral or cutaneous form.

Etiology

The life cycle of the parasite passes with a change of hosts: a vertebrate animal, including a human, and a mosquito carrier. There are 2 types of leishmania - flagellum, parasitizing in the bodies of bloodsucking insects, and non-combustible - in the cells of the host macrophages.

Leishmaniasis in animals is distributed mainly endemically. However, most cases are registered in developing countries. In 32 countries, the disease is subject to mandatory registration.

For the first time leishmaniasis in an animal in Russia was discovered in 1909. The case described belonged to the dogs of Transcaucasia. From 2008 to 2010 in Ukraine, there were 52 cases of this disease in dogs.

Epizootology

The disease begins from infected animals or humans. Insects when bloodsucking receive amastigots, which begin active reproduction in its intestines. After 8-10 days amastigots pass into invasive forms, concentrated in the proboscis of the mosquito and the anterior parts of the intestine. At the next bite of the carrier, the parasite enters the blood of the vertebrate and proceeds to multiply. Just one day in a single cage there may be more than 200 pieces of astigot. The cells full of parasites are completely destroyed, amastigots are trapped by neighboring cells, in which the process is repeated. Thus, leishmanias appear in the skin, bone marrow, liver, lymph nodes and any other organs.

Incubation period

Depending on the form of the disease, the clinic is different. The incubation period of visceral leishmaniasis can last up to 10 months, developing gradually.

Leishmaniasis of the skin develops rapidly, its incubation period is extremely short.

Symptoms

Disease affects animals of any age and sex. Young animals are less likely to develop symptoms at an early stage, leading to late diagnosis and a higher mortality rate. Some studies prove that animals aged 3-5 years are most susceptible to leishmaniasis.

Leishmaniasis in animals, a photo of which can be seen here, runs according to the classical scheme, affecting all the organs and cells of the animal.

The cutaneous form of leishmaniasis begins with the appearance of nodules at the site of the bite by the carrier. Over time, these nodules flow into ulcers. The places around the eyes, the back of the nose and the ears of the animal are most prone to primary disease.

In this form, the disease can take place sluggishly, for a year or even longer. The death of an animal at this stage is extremely rare. Visceral leishmaniasis is much more severe: it can be acute or chronic. With any form of fever, there is a general depressed state of the animal, a strong weight loss.

Simultaneously with the remaining signs, the diseased animal develops conjunctivitis, anemia, and digestion disorders are often observed. Paralysis or paresis may occur, hemodynamics are significantly impaired. As the organism slowly decays under the influence of parasites, allergic or toxic reactions are possible.

When the reproduction of leishmania increases, the liver, lymph nodes and spleen. The acute form of the disease is more typical for young animals. Usually, death occurs a few months after the appearance of the first signs of the disease. There are rare cases of recovery.

With the visceral form of leishmaniasis, the weakness of the animal's organism gradually increases, fatigue increases. Skin pale, appetite decreases. At this stage, by enlarging the spleen, you can see an increase in the spleen. There is a slight increase in temperature. If the temperature has increased significantly, it indicates the peak of the disease. This course of the disease can last up to 3 months.

With the development of the disease, anemia, cachexia may begin. On the mucous there are sites affected by necrosis. There may be heart disease.

Leishmaniasis in animals in the cutaneous form manifests itself within 10-20 days. Initially, a papule with a diameter of about 3 cm appears. After about 2 weeks, one can already observe a necrotic focus surrounded by a roller of infiltrated skin with abundant secretions. Near the primary leishmanoma, secondary tubercles are formed, turning into new ulcers. Over time, all ulcers merge into one large hearth. With proper and timely treatment, these ulcers heal in a few months, in their place remain significant scars, which are rarely covered again with wool. Bumps and ulcers are almost painless formations.

Complications

If the disease is long enough, the risk of developing nephritis, diathesis, pneumonia, agranulocytosis is high. There is a high probability of purulent-necrotic inflammation. With significant damage to the body, irreversible damage to the organs of vision is possible.

Diagnostics

With leishmaniasis, various studies are conducted to identify the pathogen. So, a general blood test can show increased ESR, hypochromic anemia, low platelet count. Biochemistry will reveal hypergammaglobulinemia. Cutaneous leishmaniasis in animals is diagnosed after isolation of the pathogen from ulcers and tubercles. Visceral leishmania is detected in the blood culture. In some cases, a biopsy of various organs is performed.

When epidemiological studies produce a skin test with leishmanin (Montenegro reaction).

Currently, new ways of diagnosing leishmaniasis are being developed, as those that are currently available require significant material costs and take a lot of time.

Ulcers in leishmaniasis are similar to foci in anthrax carbuncle, so it is preferable to exclude the presence of an anthrax for accurate diagnosis .

Forecast

Leishmaniasis in an animal, passing in mild form, sometimes ends in an independent recovery. With timely diagnosis and correct medical intervention, the favorable end of the illness is also great. In severe cases, with infection of individuals with weak immunity, in the absence of medication, the likelihood of a lethal outcome is high. Leishmaniasis of the skin always leaves scars or scars.

Treatment

Leishmaniasis of animals is treated with preparations of pentavalent antimony. These are drugs such as "Glucantima", "Solyusurmina" or "Neostibozan." With the visceral form of the disease, these drugs are administered intravenously for 7-10 days with a gradual increase in the recommended dose. If treatment is not effective, then connect "Amphotericin B", which is injected slowly intravenously in a complex with 5% glucose solution.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis in animals at an early stage is cured by cutting the tubercles "Monomycin", "Urotopin." In addition to injections, lotions are made with the same drugs. If ulcers are already formed, use the intramuscular means Miramistin. To speed up the process of prolonging ulcers, the use of laser therapy is recommended.

Reserve funds for the disease are "Pentamidine" and "Amphotericin B", which are prescribed in cases of resistance of the parasite to traditional drugs or if the infection recurs.

In order to increase the effectiveness of treatment, recombinant gamma interferon, developed for human treatment, is added.

In rare cases, removal of the spleen must be surgically removed for treatment.

Despite all the measures taken to get rid of the disease, even after the animal is fully recovered, the causative agent of leishmaniasis can not completely disappear from the body.

Prevention

At the moment there is no way to vaccinate animals and people. To protect against phlebotomus bites, it is recommended to use special insecticides designed for use in veterinary medicine.

As a preventive measure of leishmaniasis in settlements located in the risk zone, the places of mosquitoes' settlement are eliminated, disinfestation of premises is carried out.

When detecting the disease in domestic mammals, it is customary for hosts to conduct chemoprophylaxis with "Pirimetamine".

When a disease is detected in wild animals, it is recommended that the destruction of these individuals with the complete elimination of their remains be recommended for the purpose of prevention.

Attitudes towards people

More than 350 million people are currently at risk of infection. The centers of the spread of leishmaniasis are found on the vast expanses of Asia and Europe. In different areas, carriers of leishmaniasis are the blood-sucking insects that live there. Cases of visceral leishmaniasis have been recorded in Ukraine, North Ossetia, in the Crimean steppes, the Caucasus Mountains and some other regions.

The disease is not transmitted directly from the animal to humans, but when infecting the first, prevention is recommended for people, since the very fact of the disease speaks of the presence of its carriers.

Effects

Leishmaniasis is a disease to which antibodies are not produced. Accordingly, an animal or a person can become ill the second time, and the third. However, such cases are extremely rare, since it is unlikely that an animal will survive more than two repeated infections.

To prevent recurrence of the disease, the drugs recommended for treatment are applied every six months. However, such frequent use can lead to the development of the body's resistance and toxic effects.

After the transferred disease the animal body needs a long rehabilitation, and in the case of partial or complete removal of organs by surgical means, it is necessary to follow a diet.

Leishmaniasis in animals is an extremely dangerous and insidious disease, so those who live in unfavorable areas should carefully monitor the animals so that when the first symptoms (or even just a suspicion of the disease) are found, it is time to provide the necessary help.