2014/04/03 by Silverio Sbrana, S. Sbrana, Veronica Marchetti +7
Medicine · #Research on Leishmaniasis Studies #Rheumatoid Arthritis Research and Therapies #Virology and Viral Diseases
paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/jsap.12204
crossref issued 2014/04/03 · crossref published 2014/04/03 · crossref published-online 2014/04/03 · openalex publication_date 2014/04/03 · crossref created 2014/04/03 · crossref published-print 2014/06/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · crossref deposited 2023/10/02 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/02 · crossref indexed 2026/07/28
OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical appearance, laboratory findings and response to treatment of dogs with inflammatory joint disease associated with Leishmania infection. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of case records of dogs with serologically confirmed leishmaniasis and concurrent inflammatory joint disease presented between 2005 and 2011. RESULTS: In total, 14 cases met the inclusion criteria. Of these, five (36%) dogs were presented with monoarthritis, five (36%) with oligoarthritis and four (28%) with polyarthritis. The most frequently affected joint was the carpus. Both erosive and non-erosive disease was identified on radiographic examination. All dogs had an inflammatory synovial fluid with a high white cell count and a preponderance of neutrophils, and in eight (57%) cases Leishmania amastigotes were found in the synovial fluid smears. Dogs were treated with 50 mg/kg N-methylglucamine antimoniate twice a day for 1 month and 10 mg/kg allopurinol twice a day for 6 to 9 months combined with prednisolone in five cases. At the 6-month follow-up, eight (57%) dogs showed improvement in general and orthopaedic signs and four (28%) dogs were stable. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Leishmaniasis should be considered a differential diagnosis in dogs with inflammatory arthritis in endemic areas.