Canine Leishmaniasis in the city of Caucaia, Ceará: Case Report

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a major zoonosis, resulting from the parasitism by intracellular protozoa of the Leishmania genus of the Trypanosomatidae family. It is transmitted through the bite of hematophagous dipterous insects belonging to the subfamily Phlebotominae, with the dog as the main urban reservoir. Two clinical forms are known: visceral leishmaniasis characterized by systemic and sometimes cutaneous alterations, and tegumentary, which can produce manifestations with mucocutaneous lesions, formation of granulomatous background ulcers and protruding edges of difficult healing. The objective of this research was to report a case of a 10-year-old dog male with no defined race, who was treated with a history of ulceration in the nose, ear and tongue, with clinical manifestations aggravating since 2009. The histopathological examination was determinant for the visualization of amastigote forms of Leishmania spp, being possible the diagnosis of leishmaniasis.