Received: October 13, 2008.

Accepted: December 3, 2008.

Abstract published online: January 12, 2009.

Full paper published online: May 30, 2009

DOMESTIC FELINE CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF RIBAS DO RIO PARDO, MATO GROSSO DO SUL STATE, BRAZIL: A CASE REPORT

Souza AI (1), Nunes VLB (2), Borralho VM (1), Ishikawa EAY (3)

(1) Department of Veterinary Medicine, Center of Biological, Agrarian and Health Sciences, University for the Development of the State and the Pantanal Region, UNIDERP, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil; (2) Department of Pharmacy, Center of Biological, Agrarian and Health Sciences, University for the Development of the State and the Pantanal Region, UNIDERP, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil; (3) Tropical Medicine Unit, State University of Pará, Belém, Pará State, Brazil and Evandro Chagas Institute, Secretary of Health Vigilance, Ministry of Health, Ananindeua, Pará State, Brazil.

ABSTRACT: Cutaneous leishmaniases are anthropozoonoses that involve many species of Leishmania and a wide variety of wild mammalian hosts, thus presenting high importance to public health. This study reports the second case of feline leishmaniasis in Mato Grosso do Sul state, in which Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis was found in a domestic cat from Ribas do Rio Pardo. Clinical signs were similar to those observed in other diseases commonly diagnosed in cats, such as cryptococcosis and sporotrichosis. Cutaneous leishmaniasis should, therefore, be added to differential diagnoses by feline veterinary practitioners, and also adequate investigations should be carried out to verify the relevance of domestic cats as L. amazonensis reservoirs.

KEY WORDS: cutaneous leishmaniasis, Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis, domestic cat, Mato Grosso do Sul state.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: There is no conflict.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

ALDA IZABEL DE SOUZA, Curso de Medicina Veterinária, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Agrárias e da Saúde, Universidade para o Desenvolvimento do Estado e da Região do Pantanal, UNIDERP, Campo Grande, MS, 79037-280, Brasil. Phone: +55 67 3818 3024. Email: aldaizabel@hotmail.com.