Evaluation of cardiovascular injury in dogs coinfected with visceral leishmaniasis and monocytic ehrlichiosis by echocardiographic examination and selected biomarker measurements.

Abstract

Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) and Monocytic Ehrlichiosis (ME), which are an important zoonotic diseases of dogs, causing multiple organ dysfunction and has a poor prognosis when not interfered. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the cardiovascular injury that develops in dogs that co‑infected with VL and ME with cardiovascular biomarkers and echocardiographic parameters. The animal material of this study was consisted of 14 owned dogs in total; 7 diseased dogs which were determined to be co‑infected with VL and ME according to the results of clinical examination and rapid test kits, and 7 healthy dogs, which were determined to be healthy as a result of the same examinations. As a result of echocardiographic examinations, decreased left ventricular cytolic and diastolic diameters (LVIDs, LVIDd), fractional shortening (FS) and increased ratio of left atrium to left aortic root diameter (LA/Ao) values were determined in the Co‑infected Group compared with the Healthy Group. Also, as a result of biomarker analysis, higher cTnI) D‑dimer and NT‑proBNP levels were detected in the Co‑infected Group. In conclusion, considering studies of dogs infected with VL and/or ME alone, it was concluded that similar cardiovascular injury develops in dogs co‑infected with VL and ME.