Vaccination against canine leishmaniosis increases the phagocytic activity, nitric oxide production and expression of cell activation/migration molecules in neutrophils and monocytes

Abstract

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is transmitted by phlebotomine sandfly vectors and domestic dogs serve as a reservoir. The elimination of seropositive dogs has been a recommended strategy for managing the disease in Brazil. A protective canine vaccine would be an important tool for controlling the disease, reducing the parasites available to sandfly vectors and, consequently, reducing the number of human VL cases. Leishmune® is an anti-canine Leishmaniosis (VL Canine) vaccine produced by Zoetis (Pfizer, Brazil) that was commercially available in Brazil until 2014. The main goal of the present study was to investigate the protective immunological events induced by vaccination with Leishmune® in t..