Allopurinol in canine leishmaniasis found not to eliminate leishmania.

Koutinas and colleagues at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece carried out a study on 45 non-uremic dogs, with clinical signs of leishmaniosis. The investigators confirmed diagnosis by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) on serum and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on bone marrow samples.
The investigators divided the dogs randomly into Group A (n=37) that received allopurinol (10mg/kg B.W., per os, twice daily) for 4 consecutive months, and Group B (n=8) that were placebo-treated. A complete listing of clinical signs along with a laboratory investigation was carried out for each group before starting treatment and also at the end of the treatment.
Mortality in Group A was three while in Group B it was one. Cause for death in all the cases was identified as end stage kidney disease. In Group A animals significant improvement in general body condition, conjunctivitis, peripheral lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, masticatory muscle atrophy, ulcerative stomatitis, epistaxis, exfoliative dermatitis, cutaneous ulcerations, blepharitis and nasodigital hyperkeratosis was seen.
A similar better laboratory profile was also noted with reference to cell and enzyme counts for anemia, lymphopenia, hyperproteinemia, hyperglobulinemia, hyperphosphatemia, increased alkaline phosphatase activity and the low albumin/globulin ratio. Group B dogs on the other hand were not found to show any such improvement. Lymph node and bone marrow parasite numbers were significantly decreased in Group A animals. In Group B, decrease in parasite numbers was observed only in the lymph nodes.
Koutinas and his team workers conclude that although allopurinol was found to be effective in causing clinical improvement, it did not help to completely remove the Leishmania organisms.

Reference for further reading:
Vet Parasitol 2001 Jul 27;98(4):247-61. A randomised, blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial with allopurinol in canine leishmaniosis. Koutinas AF, Saridomichelakis MN, Mylonakis ME, Leontides L, Polizopoulou Z, Billinis C, Argyriadis D, Diakou N, Papadopoulos O. Clinic of Companion Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, St. Voutyra 11, P.O. Box 16039, 54627, Thessaloniki, Greece.