Leishmaniasis, a protozoan disease that infects both dogs and humans, has been confirmed in 2 Spinone Italiano dogs.  One was an import from Italy and the other was an unrelated domestically breed dog that had been in contact with the former.  All dogs in the kennels involved are being tested for the presence of leishmaniasis through blood sampling with the Division of Parasitic Diseases at the CDC. 

Current Status in the Spinone 

To date, more than 150 Spinone Italiano dogs have been tested for Visceral Leishmaniasis (VLM).  Nine (9) dogs have tested with titers of 1:16 to 1:32 and one (1) dog has tested with a titer of 1:128.  As has been suggested by the CDC, these dogs will all be retested to determine whether they are false positives.  The test itself has a 3-4% false positive rate.  For a description of the testing methodology and description of titers, see the accompanying article “Visceral Leishmaniasis in Dogs” by Peter M. Schantz, VMD, PhD, Division of Parasitic Diseases, National Center For Infectious Diseases, Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.

What dogs need to be tested. 

To help determine the extent of the infection in the Spinone Italiano, the Breed Health Committee, concordant with the CDC, request that ALL Spinone Italiano be tested.  To insure that the required information accompany your blood serum sample we have included a Serum Submission Form with specific sampling and routing directions at:

http://www.spinone.com/health/leishmaniasis/BHC_LMSamples.htm 

Print the form and complete all required information.  The completed form together with your spinone's serum sample should be submitted to the CDC. 

See the sample submissions form for detailed instructions. 

What is Leishmaniasis?

Leishmania are protozoa which cause an infection in man and animals.  With regard to humans the disease can be divided into 3 major clinical syndromes: cutaneous leishmaniasis, (CL) mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (MCL), and visceral leishmaniasis(VL).  In the canine, the disease is of a cutaneous and visceral form.  (Canine Leishmaniasis: an update.  Proceedings of the International Canine Leishmaniasis Forum, Barcelona, Spain – 1999.  Foreword by R. Killick-Kendrick, Editor) 

What are the Clinical signs of Leishmaniasis in dogs?

Clinical signs of affected dogs usually present for treatment with one or more of nine main clinical features:

• Skin lesions

• Loss of weight or poor appetite

• Local or generalized lymphadenopathy (swollen glands)

• Ocular lesions

• Epistaxis (nose bleed)

• Lameness

• Anemia

• Kidney failure

• Diarrhea

Why is it important to test your Spinone for Leishmaniasis?

Leishmaniasis has a world-wide distribution and occurs in all continents except Antarctica, Australasia, and the Pacific Islands.  Most of the affected countries are in the tropics and subtropics.  The settings in which leishmaniasis are found range from rain forests in Central and South America to deserts in West Asia.  (http://www.dpd.cdc.gov/dpdx/HTML/Frames/G-L/Leishmaniasis/body_Leishmaniasis_page1.htm )  Although more than 90 percent of the world’s cases of visceral leishmaniasis are in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sudan and Brazil, the disease is endemic in all countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea and in Portugal.

The disease has long been known of in Italy, Visceral Leishmaniasis was first identified in 1903, and in 1910 it was determined that 40% of all dogs in Rome were positive for Leishmaniasis.  Since a large number of Spinone are of Italian origin we need to be particularly aware of this disease. (Geographical distribution and the identification of parasites causing canine leishmaniasis  in the Mediterranean Basin. Jacques Dereure, F. Pratlong and J.P. Dedet, Canine Leishmaniasis: an update.  Proceedings of the International Canine Leishmaniasis Forum, Barcelona, Spain – 1999)

While Leishmaniasis in this country does not appear to be overly infections to humans, immuno-compromised people, such as those taking immunosuppressive medications or individuals with disease like HIV and cancer are thought to be at an additional risk of infection. Examples of diseases treated with immunosuppressive drugs include hyperthyroidism, organ transplant, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and HIV.

How does Leishmaniasis spread?

In general, the Leishmania parasite requires another larger organism, their hosts, to provide food, home and transportation.  In endemic areas, the typical description of the life cycle of the Leishmania parasites live in two different host organisms, the warm blooded mammal or reservoir host and the tiny sandfly or insect vector.  Examples, of the mammalian hosts include man, canines (dogs), horse, opossum, donkey, armadillo, cotton rat.  In endemic areas, transmission of the parasite is considered a two step process which correlates with two forms of the parasite; the amastigote and promastigote forms. .  The amastigote form is present intracellular in the white blood cells (particularly the monocytes or macrophages) of an infected host organism. When a sandfly bites the host organism for its blood meal it may ingest white blood cells containing these amastigotes.  Once in the sandfly, these amastigotes go through a complex morphologic change where they acquire a tail (a flagellum) that makes them mobile.  This form of the Leishmania parasite is called a promastigote.  Through the use of this flagellum the promastigote migrates to the sandfly’s biting mouthparts or proboscis.  When the sandfly attempts to take another blood meal from a host, it may be unable to suck blood due to blockage of its proboscis by the promastigotes.  With repeated contraction of the sandfly's proboscis muscles the Leishmania parasites may be dislodged from the sandfly’s mouth and deposited in the host.  Once in the host they are taken up by the white blood cells (macrophages) in defense to destroy these pathogens.  Unfortunately, within the white cells, the leishmania parasite multiply now as the amastigote form until the white cell bursts where they can infect nearby whites cells.

What is the occurrence of Leishmaniasis in the United States?

Prior to the reports of the presence of Leishmaniasis in foxhounds which began appearing in mid 2000 and the subsequent report in the New York Times in late August, 2000 the disease was virtually unheard of in the United States.  Only about 14 cases were reported between 1955 and 1993.  (A review of canine leishmaniasis presenting outside endemic areas. Robert J. Slappendel and Erik Teste, Canine Leishmaniasis: an update.  Proceedings of the International Canine Leishmaniasis Forum, Barcelona, Spain – 1999.)  It is generally believed that these cases were either a result of imported dogs or dogs that may have traveled to endemic areas with vacationers or military personnel.

With the identification of Leishmaniasis in the foxhound a number of researchers and the CDC have engaged in an intensified effort of studying the prevalence of the disease in this country.  Through the cooperation of the Masters of Foxhounds Association of America more than 10,000 foxhounds have been screened for this disease, resulting in reports of the presence of Leishmaniasis titers in foxhounds in 21 states and Ontario, Canada.

Although, Leishmaniasis is generally believed to be transmitted via the bites of sand flies; as Dr. Schantz has pointed out in his accompanying article “Visceral Leishmaniasis in Dogs”..... "this method of transmission has not been confirmed in North America...."  To date there are no reports of the existence of Leishmaniasis in the sandfly in the United States.  In addition, other breeds and associated mammals in contact with the affected kennels have not exhibited the presence of the leishmania parasite.  Further, as a result of the preliminary evidence in the foxhound, Dr. Schantz  says “...it is suspected that the infection is transmitted from dog to dog in blood and secretions incidental to biting, licking, breeding, blood transfusion, etc.”

What Spinoni in the United States are at Risk?

Imported dogs from endemic regions are the primary risk of the disease of Leishmaniasis.  This is not to discount the potential for the spread of the disease through dog to dog contact, however, the preliminary results of screening for leishmaniasis in the Spinoni would suggest that the majority of Spinone in the United States are not at risk.  In addition, the dissimilar nature of kenneling between the foxhound and the Spinone would suggest a more limiting exposure. 

What are the Breed Health Committee Recommendations?

As is the case with infectious diseases, exposure increases risk.  Subsequently the Breed Health committee offers the following recommendations. 

Preliminary Screening. 

To further determine and define the prevalence of the leishmaniasis disease in the Spinone Italiano – ALL SPINONE over 6 months of age need to be screened for leishmaniasis.

It is recommended that breeders of affected kennels should identify and notify owners of dogs that have had an extended exposure to the infected animals to insure that they are screened for Leishmaniasis. 

Retesting.

Because the signs of Leishmaniasis in dogs are variable and often do not appear until many months after exposure to the infection, we suggest that any animal that has an increase risk of exposure should be retested at 6-9 month intervals for not less than 2 years following exposure.

Imported dogs. 

Where possible, any Spinoni to be imported into the United States should be screened for Leishmaniasis prior to its arrival.  Leishmaniasis positive dogs should not be brought into the United States.  These imports should be retested as described above at 6-9 months intervals.

Both the sire and dam of a proposed breeding should be screened for Leishmanisis before breeding.

If you have questions?

Leishmaniasis
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