Equine infection with Leishmania spp. in Costa Rica: Study of five cases.
Abstract: Cutaneous forms of leishmaniosis due to Leishmania braziliensis have been reported in horses in the New World. Domestic animals play a role in the transmission of the disease. In Costa Rica, human cases of L. braziliensis, L. panamensis and L. infantum have been reported. The present report describes five cases of equine cutaneous leishmaniosis in Costa Rica. The aetiological diagnosis was based on the presence of the parasite within the lesions. Skin biopsies were used to perform histopathological analyses of the lesions. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the presence of the Leishmania spp. antigens in tissue sections. Laser-capture micro-dissection and quantitative real-time PCR techniques were carried out to detect the pathogen nucleic acid within the microscopic lesions. Histopathological analyses showed a granulomatous inflammation within the dermis, with multi-nucleated giant cells, macrophages, lymphocytes and few neutrophils and eosinophils. We detected the parasite by immunohistochemistry, using a rabbit polyclonal antibody raised against Leishmania spp. However, we could not identify Leishmania spp. by quantitative real-time PCR in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues, using specific primers for the conserved region in the minicircle of the Leishmania DNA kinetoplast. Our results emphasise the importance of Leishmania spp. not only as a causative agent of equine cutaneous disease in the New World, but also as a possible emerging pathogen. Leishmaniosis is one of the most prevalent parasitic public health problems worldwide, and equines may have a role in the epidemiology of the disease.
© 2021 The Authors. Veterinary Medicine and Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Publication Date: 2021-08-02 PubMed ID: 34342158PubMed Central: PMC8604103DOI: 10.1002/vms3.587Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research is about identifying Leishmania infection in horses in Costa Rica, and the role these animals may play in the transmission of the disease.
Introduction
- The research paper focuses on a parasitic disease called leishmaniosis, which is caused by Leishmania parasites.
- This illness, often contractable by both humans and animals, can exhibit cutaneous (skin-related) symptoms.
- Historically, the Leishmania braziliensis species have caused these symptoms in horses particularly in New World countries (the Americas).
- In Costa Rica, human infections with various Leishmania species such as L. braziliensis, L. panamensis, and L. infantum have been recorded.
- This study investigates five cases of horses with cutaneous leishmaniosis in Costa Rica.
Methods
- The research used skin biopsies from the horses’ lesional spots for the study.
- Through histopathological analyses of the biopsied tissues, they studied the cellular changes and disease progression.
- To confirm the presence of Leishmania species antigens within the tissue sections, the team used a technique known as immunohistochemistry.
- Additionally, they employed laser-capture micro-dissection and quantitative real-time PCR to detect any pathogen’s nucleic acid within the microscopic lesions.
- Although they reported the parasite’s detection via immunohistochemistry with a rabbit polyclonal antibody created against Leishmania species, they could not identify the same using quantitative real-time PCR in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues.
Results and Conclusion
- The histopathological analyses demonstrated granulomatous inflammation within the dermis along with multi-nucleated giant cells, macrophages, lymphocytes, and few neutrophils and eosinophils.
- Despite detection limitations in their study, the researchers underscored the importance of Leishmania species, not only as a causative agent for equine cutaneous disease in the New World but also as a potential emerging pathogen.
- Considering leishmaniosis’ prevalence as a significant parasitic public health issue across the globe, the study also implies that horses might play a key role in the epidemiology of the disease by being a reservoir or transmission link.
Cite This Article
APA
Ortega-García MV, Salguero FJ, García N, Domínguez M, Moreno I, Berrocal A.
(2021).
Equine infection with Leishmania spp. in Costa Rica: Study of five cases.
Vet Med Sci, 7(6), 2234-2239.
https://doi.org/10.1002/vms3.587 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Subdirección de Sistemas Terrestres, Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA)-Campus La Marañosa, Madrid, Spain.
- Department of Pathology and infectious Diseases, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
- Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
- Unidad de Inmunología Microbiana, Área de Inmunología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain.
- Unidad de Inmunología Microbiana, Área de Inmunología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain.
- Histopatovet, Heredia, Costa Rica.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Costa Rica / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horses
- Leishmania
- Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / epidemiology
- Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / veterinary
- Rabbits
- Skin / parasitology
- Skin / pathology
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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This article includes 22 references
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Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Montaner-Angoiti E, Llobat L. Is leishmaniasis the new emerging zoonosis in the world?. Vet Res Commun 2023 Jul 12;.
- Anuntasomboon P, Siripattanapipong S, Unajak S, Choowongkomon K, Burchmore R, Leelayoova S, Mungthin M, E-Kobon T. Identification of a conserved maxicircle and unique minicircles as part of the mitochondrial genome of Leishmania martiniquensis strain PCM3 in Thailand. Parasit Vectors 2022 Dec 12;15(1):459.
- Gazzonis AL, Morganti G, Porcellato I, Roccabianca P, Avallone G, Gavaudan S, Canonico C, Rigamonti G, Brachelente C, Veronesi F. Detection of Leishmania spp. in Chronic Dermatitis: Retrospective Study in Exposed Horse Populations. Pathogens 2022 May 31;11(6).
- Pineda V, Calzada JE, Montilla S, Rodríguez I, Howard E, Torres AI, Vasquez V, Reina A, Saldaña A, González K. Molecular Detection of Leishmania (V.) braziliensis and Leishmania (M.) martiniquensis Infecting Domestic Animals from Panama, Central America. Animals (Basel) 2025 Sep 12;15(18).
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