Review
LeishVet guidelines for the practical management of canine leishmaniosis
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* Corresponding author: Laia Solano-Gallego lsolano@rvc.ac.uk
1 Dep. Pathology and Infectious Diseases, Royal Veterinary College of London, UK
2 Dpto. Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
3 Companion Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
4 Dep. de Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal
5 Dip.to Sanità Pubblica Veterinaria, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Polo Universitario Annunziata, Messina, Italy
6 Dep. de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
7 Ecole Nationale Veterinaire Agroalimentaire et de l'alimentation Nantes-Atlantique (ONIRIS), France
8 Dep. of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Italy
9 School of Veterinary Medicine, Hebrew University, Israel
Parasites & Vectors 2011, 4:86 doi:10.1186/1756-3305-4-86
Published: 20 May 2011Abstract
The LeishVet group has formed recommendations designed primarily to help the veterinary clinician in the management of canine leishmaniosis. The complexity of this zoonotic infection and the wide range of its clinical manifestations, from inapparent infection to severe disease, make the management of canine leishmaniosis challenging. The recommendations were constructed by combining a comprehensive review of evidence-based studies, extensive clinical experience and critical consensus opinion discussions. The guidelines presented here in a short version with graphical topic displays suggest standardized and rational approaches to the diagnosis, treatment, follow-up, control and prevention of canine leishmaniosis. A staging system that divides the disease into four stages is aimed at assisting the clinician in determining the appropriate therapy, forecasting prognosis, and implementing follow-up steps required for the management of the leishmaniosis patient.