Estudo radiográfico e parasitológico das articulações de cães positivos para leishmaniose visceral

Abstract

Visceral canine leishmaniasis (LVC) is caused by the protozoan Leishmania chagasi with the dog as the main reservoir. It affects bones and joints causing the appearance of symmetrical and bilateral lesions with intermittent claudication associated with erosive / non-erosive polyarthritis. Its etiology is due to the parasite itself, to the circulation of immunocomplexes or to the deposit of both in the synovial membrane. Based on the assumption that dogs infected with Leishmania sp., Present locomotive disorders associated with disease, and that the parasitic evaluation of the synovial fluid is not considered a routine diagnostic method, this research aimed to characterize radiographic joint alterations and to identify by means of Direct parasitological examination, amastigote forms of Leishmania sp. In the synovial fluid of the femur-tibio-patellar and hip joints of dogs positive for visceral leishmaniasis seen in HVU-UEMA. In the present study, 60% of the dogs presented clinical signs of the locomotor system, being claudication, paresis of the hind limbs and artralgia the most frequent. The bilateral femur-tibiopatellar and coxofemoral joints of 15 dogs were evaluated, totaling 45 joints studied. In the assessment of synovial fluid, amastigote forms of Leishmania sp. In only one animal. In 60% of the dogs, at least one lesion was observed in the femur-tibial-patellar joint with bilateral involvement, characterized by irregularity in the articular surface, subchondral sclerosis and increased density in the joint capsule.