LeishDog: a single-cell transcriptome atlas of peripheral blood immune cells spanning progressive canine leishmaniosis

Although considerable advances have been made, the immune mechanisms underlying the transition from asymptomatic infection to symptomatic disease remain ill-defined, both in humans and dogs. To address this unresolved question, we generated a comprehensive atlas of peripheral immune cells from naturally-infected dogs and uninfected controls.

The LeishDog Atlas captures the cellular and transcriptional complexity underlying canine visceral leishmaniosis (CanL), tracing shifts in immune composition and gene expression across progressive, well-defined disease stages. Notably, we identified distinct myeloid, CD4+ and CD8+ T cell phenotypes associated with severe disease. This resource provides a valuable framework for understanding systemic immune dysregulation in CanL, and establishes a foundation for comparative, translational, and mechanistic studies of CanL immunopathology.