Diagnosis of Canine Leishmaniasis using Ear Blood PCR in Region of Brazil

The objective of this study was to evaluate a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the diagnosis of Canine leishmaniasis (CanL) using less invasive sample collection. PCR-based detection of Leishmania infantum using ear peripheral blood collected from dogs with symptomatic CanL and coinfection with Ehrlichia sp. in the city of Campo Grande (Brazil) was investigated. A total of 268 CanL seropositive dogs were sampled. Of the 268 dogs tested, 70.90% were PCR positive for CanL, 72.43% of the dogs with ear lesion/s (185) were PCR positive, whereas only 67.47% of dogs without ear lesion/s (83) were PCR positive. Additionally, 35.82% of dogs tested were positive based on parasitological diagnosis for Ehrlichia sp. It was concluded that ear blood PCR may be an alternative for the diagnosis of CanL. Because it is more rapid collect and less invasive sample, this makes ear-blood PCR a potentially useful supplement to traditional diagnostic methods.