Meningeal leishmaniosis induced by Leishmania infantum in naturally infected dogs

We report two cases of meningitis caused by Leishmania infantum in naturall y infected dogs. In both of these dogs the typical phenotypic features of g ranulomatous meningitis were observed with important lympho-plasma-cellular infiltrates and the presence of large numbers of parasites inside and outs ide macrophages. The immunological study of the cerebrospinal fluid of both animals showed that a large number of protein bands were recognized by tho se fluids and that they were similar to the ones recognized by the sera fro m the same animals. To our knowledge, this is the first description of meni ngitis associated to leishmaniosis. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All righ ts reserved.