A case of visceral leishmaniasis in a five-year-old, intact male Akita presented to the Veterinary Hospital at the University of Cruz Alta, RS, Brazil after having lived in the state of Alagoas for three years is described. Clinical signs included progressive weight loss, crusty lesions on the tip of the ears, nose and periorbital region, an ulcer at the distal region of the right forelimb, corneal opacity, vomiting, and occasional bouts of diarrhea. Serologic testing for leishmaniasis by ELISA was positive. Macrophages with intracytoplasmic amastigote forms were observed in bone marrow imprints stained with Diff Quick. Histopathology was characterized by marked lymphohistioplasmacytic inflammation associated with intrahistiocytic basophilic structures suggestive of leishmanial amastigotes. The diagnosis of leishmaniasis was confirmed by positive immunohistochemical staining for Leishmania sp.
Visceral leishmaniasis; Leishmania sp.; amastigotes; ELISA; immunohistochemistry
