Successful treatment of feline leishmaniosis using a combination of allopurinol and N-methyl-glucamine antimoniate

Basso, Maria Alexandra; Marques, Cátia; Santos, Marcos; Duarte, Ana; Pissarra, Hugo; Carreira, L Miguel; Gomes, Lídia; Valério-Bolas, Ana; Tavares, Luís; Santos-Gomes, Gabriela; Pereira da Fonseca, Isabel

The patient was tested for FIV-specific antibodies, FeLV antigens by ELISA (ViraCHEK/FIV and ViraCHEK/FeLV, respectively; Synbiotics) and immunoflourescence antibody test (IFAT) using an adaptation of Leishmania Spot IFI kit (bioMérieux) with a fluorescently labelled anticat IgG conjugate (anticat IgG MegaCor; MegaCor Diagnostik), which was used to quantify anti-Leishmania antibodies (cut-off 1:40). Previous studies, including more than 100 cats, validated this latter test in inter-laboratory assays using known positive and negative sera, with results as expected. Repeatability and reproducibility were also assessed (unpublished results). The cat tested negatively for FIV antibodies and FeLV antigens, but was positive for anti-Leishmania antibodies, with a titre ⩾1:1280 (Table 1) . Fine-needle aspiration puncture from the ear skin nodules was performed. Smears were stained with Giemsa (Merck) and examined under an optical microscope (Olympus BX51). The aspirate was also used for further molecular and parasitological analysis. The smears revealed Leishmania amastigotes (Figure 3) , and absence of bacteria/neutrophilic infiltration or characteristic cells of autoimmune diseases.