Leishmania chagasi in opossums (Didelphis albiventris) in an urban area endemic for visceral leishmaniasis, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

We investigated the occurrence of Leishmania infantum chagasi in Didelphis albiventris opossums at a wild animal rehabilitation center in the city of Campo Grande, Brazil. A total of 54 opossums were tested for L. i. chagasi infection in peripheral blood and bone marrow samples. The samples were ana...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene 2012-09, Vol.87 (3), p.470-472
Main Authors: Humberg, Roberta M P, Oshiro, Elisa T, Cruz, Maria do Socorro Pires E, Ribolla, Paulo E M, Alonso, Diego P, Ferreira, Alda M T, Bonamigo, Raquel A, Tasso, Jr, Norton, de Oliveira, Alessandra Gutierrez
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Brazil - epidemiology
Didelphis - parasitology
Didelphis albiventris
DNA, Protozoan - genetics
DNA, Protozoan - isolation & purification
Female
Leishmania chagasi
Leishmania infantum
Leishmania infantum - genetics
Leishmania infantum - pathogenicity
Leishmaniasis, Visceral - epidemiology
Leishmaniasis, Visceral - veterinary
Male
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
Short Report
Urban Population
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Summary:We investigated the occurrence of Leishmania infantum chagasi in Didelphis albiventris opossums at a wild animal rehabilitation center in the city of Campo Grande, Brazil. A total of 54 opossums were tested for L. i. chagasi infection in peripheral blood and bone marrow samples. The samples were analyzed by direct examination, culturing in a specific medium, and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Leishmania i. chagasi DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism in 11 (20.37%) animals. A total of 81.81% of positive opossums were captured in areas of known visceral leishmaniasis transmission. These results suggest a role for D. albiventris in the urban transmission of visceral leishmaniasis.
ISSN:0002-9637
1476-1645
DOI:10.4269/ajtmh.2012.11-0534