First report of visceral leishmaniasis in a German shepherd dog in Fars Province, Southern Iran.

A 4-year-old male German shepherd with weight loss, alopecia, skin thickness, cachexia, black diarrhea, abnormal locomotion, and deformed nails was presented to the Veterinary Clinic of Shiraz University. The dog had not responded to antibiotic therapy, vitamin therapy, deworming, and ectoparasite treatment. All joints were intact by radiography. Leukocyte count was markedly raised. The concentrations of triglyceride, cholesterol, and albumin in serum were high. The result of a direct agglutination test for the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis was positive (1:320 titer), and a dipstick test (rk39) confirmed visceral leishmaniasis in this case. No parasite was seen in touch smears and culture of spleen or in liver biopsy and bone marrow aspirate. Additionally, the result of polymerase chain reaction using specific primers (RV1, RV2) was negative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]