Prevalence of antinuclear antibodies and rheumatoid factor titers in dogs with arthritis secondary to leishmaniosis (Leishmania infantum)

• Published in: Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation Vol. 34; no. 4; pp. 699 - 702
• Main Authors: Tsouloufi, Theodora K., Theodorou, Konstantina, Day, Michael J., Oikonomidis, Ioannis L., Kasabalis, Dimitrios, Mylonakis, Mathios E., Saridomichelakis, Manolis N., Kritsepi-Konstantinou, Maria, Soubasis, Nectarios
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01-07-2022
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Antinuclear; Arthritis - veterinary; Brief Reports; Dog Diseases - diagnosis; Dogs; Leishmania infantum; Leishmaniasis - veterinary; Leishmaniasis, Visceral - complications; Leishmaniasis, Visceral - veterinary; Prevalence; Rheumatoid Factor; Leishmania infantum; canine; anti-nuclear antibody; arthritis; rheumatoid factor
• ISSN: 1040-6387; 1943-4936
• DOI: 10.1177/10406387221099030

Dogs with infectious arthritis may occasionally exhibit positive serum antinuclear antibody (ANA) and rheumatoid factor (RF) titers; however, relevant data are sparse for arthritis secondary to canine leishmaniosis (CanL) caused by Leishmania infantum. We determined the prevalence of positive serum ANA and RF titers in dogs with arthritis secondary to CanL. Blood samples from adult, client-owned dogs with purulent arthritis secondary to CanL, without any comorbidities, were collected for diagnostic purposes. Serum ANA titers were measured by immunoperoxidase test and RF titers by the Rose–Waaler latex test. Twelve of 23 dogs enrolled prospectively in our study had clinical arthritis, and 11 of 23 had subclinical arthritis. Based on LeishVet clinical staging, 7 dogs had clinical stage II disease, 11 had clinical stage III disease, and 5 had stage IV. None of the 23 dogs was seropositive for ANA; 3 of 23 were positive for RF. ANA and/or RF seropositivity, in dogs with CanL-associated arthritis, appears to be weak, if present at all. Based on our results, positive serum ANA and RF titers should not be expected in dogs with arthritis secondary to CanL.