Leishmania in synanthropic rodents (Rattus rattus): new evidence for the urbanization of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis

• Published in: Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária
• Main Authors: Eloiza Teles Caldart, Roberta Lemos Freire, Fernanda Pinto Ferreira, Bruno Bergamo Ruffolo, Mônica Raquel Sbeghen, Marcelle Mareze, João Luis Garcia, Regina Mitsuka-Breganó, Italmar Teodorico Navarro
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Spanish; Portuguese
• Published: Colégio Brasileiro de Parasitologia Veterinaria
• Subjects: Leishmanioses; Londrina; PCR; zoonoses; Leishmania infantum; Animal culture; SF1-1100; Rattus rattus
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/s1984-29612017001; https://doaj.org/article/9d284683dec842bcab65689000a1d15a

Abstract This study aimed to detect parasites from Leishmania genus, to determine the prevalence of anti-Leishmania spp. antibodies, to identify circulating species of the parasite, and to determine epidemiological variables associated with infection in rats caught in urban area of Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. Animal capture was carried out from May to December 2006, serological and molecular methods were performed. DNA was extracted from total blood, and nested-PCR, targeting SSu rRNA from Leishmania genus, was performed in triplicate. The positive samples were sequenced twice by Sanger method to species determination. In total, 181 rodents were captured, all were identified as Rattus rattus and none showed clinical alterations. Forty-one of the 176 (23.3%) animals were positive for Leishmania by ELISA and 6/181 (3.3%) were positive by IFAT. Nine of 127 tested animals (7.1%) were positive by PCR; seven were identified as L. (L.) amazonensis, one as L. (L.) infantum. Four rats were positive using more than one test. This was the first description of synanthropic rodents naturally infected by L. (L.) amazonensis (in the world) and by L. (L.) infantum (in South Brazil). Regarding L. (L.) amazonensis, this finding provides new evidence of the urbanization of this etiological agent.