Glomerulonephritis in dogs with canine leishmaniasis

Kidney specimens, obtained from 11 dogs of diverse species that had contracted spontaneous leishmaniasis, were submitted to a histopathological investigation using a classical preparation of sections embedded in paraffin, semi-thin and ultra-thin sections embedded in plastic, and sections frozen under immunofluorescence. Eight animals presented moderate to severe renal insufficiency. Two major categories of glomerular lesions were identified in the kidneys examined: acute glomerulonephritis and extra-membranous glomerulonephritis. These two categories were never associated and no transition from from one to the other was found. Immune complex deposits prevailed sharply over proliferative phenomena, which remained infrequent. Study of these glomerulonephrities could represent a model for better understanding of the immunological aspects of leishmaniasis.