The Ohio State University Infectious Diseases Institute's Genomics and Microbial Solutions Lab (IDI-GEMS) is expanding its laboratory service portfolio with the launch of a canine leishmaniosis testing service, providing veterinarians, researchers, breeders, kennels, and public health partners with access to advanced diagnostic tools for the detection of Leishmania infantum infection in dogs.
Christine Petersen, DVM, PhD, IDI associate director and associate dean for research and graduate studies in the College of Veterinary Medicine, will serve as faculty director of the service. A nationally recognized expert in leishmaniosis, Dr. Petersen's research has advanced understanding of the parasites’ transmission, diagnosis, and management in the United States and globally. The Petersen Laboratory will partner with IDI-GEMS in the establishment of this service, providing training and subject-matter expertise for implementation and ongoing quality assurance. The service is expected to support a broad range of canine health and surveillance efforts, including those of the Masters of Foxhounds Association of North America (MFHA), whose members have a longstanding interest in monitoring canine leishmaniosis and maintaining accurate health and pedigree records through the organization's Foxhound Stud Book.
Leishmaniosis is a chronic parasitic infection caused by the obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, Leishmania infantum. Domestic dogs are the primary reservoir of the infection, which through a sand fly bite can be passed to immunocompromised people. While the parasite is most commonly transmitted by sand flies in endemic regions, infection can also be passed from an infected mother dog to her offspring during breeding, pregnancy and possibly nursing, allowing the parasite to persist within canine populations. Infected dogs may remain asymptomatic for months or even years before clinical signs develop. When disease occurs, affected animals may experience weight loss, reduced energy, decreased appetite, enlarged lymph nodes, anemia, skin lesions, and, in advanced cases, serious organ failure. Because infected animals can harbor the parasite without showing signs of illness, accurate testing plays a critical role in disease surveillance, clinical management, and breeding decisions.
