Short communication: Infection of sandflies by a cat naturally infected with Leishmania infantum

Despite the recent reports of feline leishmaniosis from Southern Europe, cats are still regarded as unusual Leishmania hosts. A cat found chronically infected with Leishmania was submitted to xenodiagnosis. After being sedated, the animal was exposed to the bite of 100 laboratory-reared Phlebotomus...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Veterinary parasitology 2007-04, Vol.145 (3-4), p.357-360
Main Authors: Maroli, Michele, Pennisi, Maria Grazia, Di Muccio, Trentina, Khoury, Cristina, Gradoni, Luigi, Gramiccia, Marina
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Leishmania infantum
Phlebotomus perniciosus
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Summary:Despite the recent reports of feline leishmaniosis from Southern Europe, cats are still regarded as unusual Leishmania hosts. A cat found chronically infected with Leishmania was submitted to xenodiagnosis. After being sedated, the animal was exposed to the bite of 100 laboratory-reared Phlebotomus perniciosus in a fine net cage for 90 min. Four out of 19 blood-fed sandflies (21%) showed motile promastigotes at the dissection. Parasites cultured from cat's lymph node and an infected fly were identical at PCR-RFLP genotyping and identified as Leishmania infantum MON-1, the main zymodeme responsible for human and canine leishmaniosis in Southern Europe. This is the first evidence of transmissibility of feline parasites to a proven vector, suggesting that cats may represent an additional domestic reservoir for L. infantum.
ISSN:0304-4017
DOI:10.1016/j.vetpar.2006.11.009