Research Communications of the 27(th) ECVIM-CA Congress: Intercontinental, Saint Julian's, Malta, 14th to 16th September 2017

Elevation of cTnI (Dog 1: 0.36 ng/mL; Dog 2: 0.59 ng/mL; Dog 3: 4.56 ng/mL; Dog 4: 7.69 ng/mL; Dog 5: 9.23 ng/mL; Median 4.56 ng/mL; IQR 0.59-7.56 ng/mL; normal <0.06 ng/mL) and Cr (Dog 1: 2.7 mg/dL; Dog 2: 4.3 mg/dL; Dog 3: 15.5 mg/dL; Dog 4: 3.8 mg/dL; Dog 5: 7 mg/dL; Median 4.3 mg/dL; IQR 3.8-7 mg/dL; normal 0.7-1.2 mg/dL;) was detected in all dogs. Severe lymphoplasmacytic myocarditis was observed in all myocardial samples. L. infantum DNA was detected in the myocardial tissue of all five dogs and RT-PCR assay was performed in the samples to estimate the parasite load (Dog 1: 20,72 parasites/mg; Dog 2: 25.57 parasites/mg; Dog 3: 146.19 parasites/mg; Dog 4: 284.88 parasites/mg; Dog 5: 290 parasites/mg; Median 146.19 parasites/ mg; IQR 25.57-258.88 parasites/mg). A positive strong correlation was observed between cTnI and the parasitic load (P < 0.001) but no correlation (P > 0.05) was observed between cTnI and Cr concentrations.