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The objective of this study was to analyze morphological changes and parasite loads in the adrenal gland from 45 dogs with visceral leishmaniasis (VL). The animals were from the Zoonosis Control Center of Araçatuba, state of São Paulo, which is an endemic region for the disease. These animals were euthanized due to positive diagnoses of VL. The dogs were classified into asymptomatic, oligosymptomatic and symptomatic groups. The parasite load was determined by immunohistochemistry, using VL-positive dog hyperimmune serum. Nine dogs showed an inflammatory infiltrate composed, predominantly, of plasma cells and macrophages. However, only eight dogs showed macrophages with amastigote forms of the parasite, immunolabeled in the cytoplasm. The medullary and reticular layers were the most affected areas, possibly due to a favorable microenvironment created by hormones in these regions. The density of parasites in the glandular tissue was not associated with clinical signs of VL (P > 0.05). However, the presence of the parasite was always associated with the presence of a granulomatous inflammatory infiltrate. This gland may not be an ideal place for the parasite's multiplication, but the presence of injuries to the glandular tissue could influence the dog's immune system, thus favoring the parasite's survival in the host's different organs.

Abstract One of the measures to control visceral leishmaniosis (VL) in Brazil is the identification and culling of the canine reservoir. There is much controversy concerning this strategy, including the proper identification of positive dogs and the fact that the host-parasite relationship changes over time make it more challenging. A dynamic cohort of 62 dogs was followed every three months using serological and parasitological examinations and PCR. Positivity by PCR was higher than by serology and by parasitological examinations and showed a tendency to decrease over time, while serology tended to increase after six months. Concomitant positivity in all tests was observed in 10.4% of the samples, and negativity in 29.1%. Overall sensitivity ranged from 43.6 to 64.1%, and was not uniform over time. The proportion of dogs with or without clinical signs was not different by cytology or PCR but PCR was able to identify a larger number of asymptomatic dogs compared to ELISA and immunochromatography. PCR can be useful for surveillance of areas where cases of canine VL have not yet been detected and in which control strategies can be implemented to limit the spread of the disease. Despite the advance in diagnostic tools CVL diagnosis remains a challenge.

To evaluate the prevalence of hypertension and its correlation with the severity of renal injury and proteinuria in dogs with leishmaniosis, sixty-six dogs were divided into two groups. Group 1 (G1) was composed of 54 dogs included in stage 1 of chronic kidney disease (CKD), and group 2 (G2) of twelve dogs in stages 2 and 3 of CKD. Prevalence of hypertension was 28.8%, comprising 22.2% of the dogs from G1 and 58.3% from G2 (P=0.011). The mean arterial blood pressure (BP) of dogs from G1 (135.7 ± 20.5) was lower than from G2 (170.0 ± 26.3) (P