• transfusion medicine
• Leishmaniasis
• preventative measures
• CaniLeish®
• canine

Canine Leishmaniosis (CanL) is a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan parasite Leishmania infantum and represents a serious public health problem in many part of the world. L.infantum can be experimentally transmitted by whole blood or mononuclear cell fractions of infected dogs to recipient animals. The LiESP/QA-21 vaccine (CaniLeish®, Virbac, France) was launched in Europe in 2011. CaniLeish® is capable of stimulating a strong and long-lasting cell-mediated immunity that is still present 1 year after the last dose of primary vaccine course. The aim of this study was to continue the previous study led at the Veterinary Transfusion Centre, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Univer-sity of Pisa, between February 2013 and July 2014. Serum biochemical analytes evaluation (Total Protein, Albumin and C Reactive Protein), serological (Speed Leish K™ and IFAT) and molecular (qualitative PCR) tests were assessed in a group of healthy blood donor dogs immunized with CaniLeish®. Canine samples were monitored during initial immunization, after 2 months and before the first, second and third annual booster. The results were: slight hyperproteinemia in 29.8% of cases no statistically significant, increase of C Reactive Protein in 60.7% of canine samples, slight statisti-cally significant alterations in globulins fractions (among which