Changes

The viscreal form causes a chronic wasting condition where generalised excema can be seen. Hair is lossed from around the eyes giving the animal a 'spectacled' appearance. These symptoms are accompanied by an intermitted fever and some generalized lymphadenopathy.

The viscreal form causes a chronic wasting condition where generalised excema can be seen. Hair is lossed from around the eyes giving the animal a 'spectacled' appearance. These symptoms are accompanied by an intermitted fever and some generalized lymphadenopathy.

*Long periods of remission followed by recurrence of clinical signs is not uncommon in infections

Even once an animal has been treated for leishmaniasis it is not uncommon for clinical symptoms to recur after a lengthy period of remission.

*Involved in [[Parasitic skin infections - Pathology#Protozoa|skin infections]]

The spread of the disease relies on the presence of the [[Psychodidae|sand fly]]as a vector. Therfore the regions in which it is found commonly are those in which conditions are suitable for the flies such as the Mediteranean coast, southern Europe as well as in central America and northern Africa. As these flies are very common in these regions controlling there numbers has limited success, however due to control of [[Culicidae|mosquitos]] to prevent the spread of malaria the number of sand flies has also been reduced and a reduction in the number of cases of leishmania has been noted. Although this parasite is of primary veterinary importance in dogs, large reservoirs exist in wild animals and stray dogs. This reservoir is easily accessed by the sand fly vector and compounds the issue of controlling the spread of the disease.

Although the UK is not home to any species of sand fly, leishmaniasis is being observed more frequently in the domestic dog population. This is largely due to the increase in the number of animals that travel to areas of

*Disease dependent on [[Psychodidae|sand fly]] vectors

**E.g. Common in dogs around the Mediterranean coast, foci around southern Europe and around Madrid

 

*Reservoirs of infection

**E.g. Wild animals such as rodents and stray dogs

*Mechanisms of transmission

*Mechanisms of transmission