Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Peripheral blood of 400 dogs infected with Leishmania and Ehrlichia were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and clinical signs were characterized.
METHODS
PCR and parasitological tests were conducted.
RESULTS
PCR was positive for Leishmania in 84.75%, and parasitological tests showed that 63.25% and 31.75% were positive for Leishmania and Ehrlichia, respectively. All animals showed more than three clinical signs. PCR results were negative for Leishmania in 15.25% of the samples.
CONCLUSIONS
Conventional PCR of peripheral blood can be used for diagnosing canine visceral leishmaniasis in combination with other techniques, especially in uncertain cases that need species identification.
Keywords:
Canine visceral leishmaniasis; PCR; Sensitivity; Peripheral blood