Presence of Leishmania sp. amastigotes in the reproductive tract of dogs with visceral leishmaniasis.

BACKGROUND

Although canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) transmission primarily occurs through the bite of phlebotomine sand flies infected with Leishmania infantum, alternative routes may exist.

METHODS

Thirty-four dogs diagnosed with CVL were sampled for parasitological investigation in tissues from the reproductive tract.

RESULTS

Amastigotes of Leishmania sp. were present in 79% (27/34) of the reproductive system samples, with distinct infection rates depending on the tissue.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data confirms that alternative routes, such as horizontal and vertical transmissions, should be considered in the epidemiological chain of CVL.