Biological behavior of Leishmania (L.) amazonensis isolated from a cat (Felis catus) from Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil

Abstract

Even though the main mammalian reservoirs of Leishmania described in the
Americas are rodents, opossums, horses, canines, and primates, the role of the cat
as a host of Leishmania has also been discussed. This work was performed in order
to study the histopathology of cutaneous lesions of mice infected with Leishmania
(L.) amazonensis isolated from a cat in Ribas do Rio Pardo, Mato Grosso do Sul,
Brazil. The histopathological analysis comprised an assessment of the intensity
and composition of the inflammatory infiltrate, as well as parasite load. Mice
exhibited a high degree of cutaneous parasitism in the paw, at 20 days post infection, demonstrating the high and rapid infectivity of the sample isolated from the cat. An intense and diffuse lymphohistiocytic, eosinophilic inflammatory infiltrate and
a diffuse, moderate necrosis were observed at the site of infection. It is important
to note that the original cat presented no sign of immunosuppressive disease. The
occurrence of visceralization was not observed, since no parasites were found in the
liver or spleen 60 days after infection. Nonetheless, the liver presented focal and
perivascular inflammatory reactions.