A large number of animal species are susceptible to Leishmania infantum (Kinetoplastida, Trypanosomatidae)\nin endemic areas, including domestic and wild felids such as tigers (Panthera tigris). Knowledge on the infection of this\nendangered species is still at its infancy, and therefore this study aims to identify clinical presentation and clinicopathological\nfindings of tigers naturally infected by L. infantum.\nResults: Tigers either L. infantum-positive (group A) or -negative (group B) were apparently healthy or presented visceral\nleishmaniasis unrelated conditions, except for one animal in which a large non-healing cutaneous lesion was observed.\nHowever, histological exam and immunohistochemistry carried out on the lesion excluded the presence of L. infantum\namastigotes. Biochemical analysis showed that the average concentration of total proteins, globulins and haptoglobin were\nsignificantly higher (p < 0.01, p=0.01 and p = 0.02, respectively), while the albumin/globulin ratio significantly lower (p = 0.05)\nin group A compared with group B. The biochemical alterations were partially confirmed by the serum protein\nelectrophoresis results revealing a significant increase in the total protein value (p = 0.01) and hypergammaglobulinemia\n(p = 0.03) but an unmodified albumin/globulin ratio in group A.\nConclusions: In this study tigers infected by L. infantum have shown to be mainly asymptomatic. The absence of clinical\nsigns may lead veterinarians to overlook leishmaniasis in animals kept in captivity. Therefore, diagnostic and screening tests\nas serology should be part of routinely surveillance programs to be performed on tigers in zoological gardens located in\nendemic areas. Though only few protein-related laboratory abnormalities were recorded in infected animals, they could\nprovide diagnostic clues for a first suspicion of L. infantum infection in tigers. Indeed, considering the high risk of zoonotic\ntransmission in heavily frequented environment as zoos, a prompt diagnosis of L. infantum infection is of pivotal importance.
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