Serum trace element levels in dogs with canine visceral leishmaniasis

Abstract

Canine visceral leishmaniasis has been denoted as neglected despite being a very well-known disease. Trace element alteration has been recognized in humans with visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis, together with canine visceral leishmaniasis. The trace elements occupy a vital position in the immunological system, and host immune responses mitigate defense against leishmaniasis. We aimed to select trace elements in a total of 45 dogs of several breeds; those at the age of 11 months to 6 and from both sexes (26 male and 19 female) were enrolled in the study. The dogs included in the study were divided into leishmaniasis-infected and noninfected groups. All cases in this study were included according to written owner consent. The trace element analysis of serum samples was carried out by using an inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. The results of our study revealed that between the canine visceral leishmaniasis infected group and the uninfected group, Leishmania-positive dogs had significantly lower levels of Se (p < 0.001) and Zn (p < 0.001) compared to the negative ones. These results should be carefully elucidated in an attempt to analyze immune responses in dogs with canine visceral leishmaniasis.