Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a deadly disease caused by infection with the Leishmania parasite. As many as 310 million people are at risk of infection. Leishmaniasis is a fatal disease for the dog if not treated. The treatment can only reduce the importance of crisis, because the parasite stays alive in the different organs. Macrophages are one of the most important cells which have a critical role in the pathogenesis of this disease. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the rate of apoptosis occurrence in splenic macrophages of affected dogs by visceral leishmaniasis.
