Equine Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Reviewed

In horses, leishmaniasis presents as nodules on the head, pinnae, scrotum, legs, and neck–the areas where sand flies commonly feed. These nodules can occur in groups or be solitary, and they often ulcerate.
Share
Favorite
Close

No account yet? Register

ADVERTISEMENT

Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease caused by the obligate intracellular protozoal parasite of the genus Leishmania. There are more than 30 known species of Leishmania that vary with region. The protozoa are endemic in many tropical and subtropical regions in both the Eastern and Western hemispheres, where it is well described in people and dogs. Leishmania infections in humans can result in cutaneous, mucocutaneous, or visceral (organ) lesions. Visceral leishmaniasis is the second leading parasitic cause of death worldwide. Signs include fever, anemia, diarrhea, darkening of the skin, spleen and liver enlargement, and lymphadenopathy.

Dogs are the most commonly affected domestic species and may act as a reservoir for disease. Canines can have visceral, ocular, and cutaneous lesions. In endemic areas all breeds of dogs are affected, while in the United States this disease has been most significant in the foxhound population.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis has been documented in horses around the world. Lesions are most commonly observed as nodules on the head, external ear, scrotum, legs, and neck. These nodules can ulcerate and are often mistaken for aural plaques or sarcoids. Visceral lesions have not been widely reported in the horse.

L. infantum has been reported as the causative agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in horses in Germany, Spain, and Portugal. Recently a report from central Europe identified L. siamensis (a species previously reported as a cause of visceral human leishmaniasis) in four horses. In South America, L. braziliensis has been identified as the causative organism in horses. Leishmaniasis has been recognized sporadically in the United States, primarily in horses with a history of international transportation. Recently, however, two horses in Florida were diagnosed with cutaneous leishmaniasis due to L. siamensis

Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.

TheHorse.com is home to thousands of free articles about horse health care. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.com.

Start your free account today!

Already have an account?
and continue reading.

Share

Written by:

Related Articles

Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with

FREE weekly newsletters from TheHorse.com

Sponsored Content

Weekly Poll

sponsored by:

Where do you primarily feed your horse?
287 votes · 287 answers

Readers’ Most Popular

Sign In

Don’t have an account? Register for a FREE account here.

Need to update your account?

You need to be logged in to fill out this form

Create a free account with TheHorse.com!