Susceptibility of spiny rats (Proechimys semispinosus) to Leishmania (Viannia) panamensis and Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
; 97(6): 887-892, Sept. 2002. tab, graf
Article
in En
| LILACS
| ID: lil-320151
Responsible library:
BR1.1
RESUMO
The role of Proechimys semispinosus as reservoir of Leishmania (Viannia) panamensis on the Colombian Pacific coast was experimentally evaluated. The susceptibility to L. chagasi also was assessed to determine the utility of this rodent as a model for studying reservoir characteristics in the laboratory. Wild-caught animals were screened for natural trypanosomatid infections, and negative individuals were inoculated intradermally (ID) in the snout or feet with 10(7) promastigotes of L. panamensis. L. chagasi was inoculated intracardially (10(7) promastigotes) or ID in the ear (10(8) promastigotes). PCR-hybridization showed that 15 percent of 33 spiny rats were naturally infected with L. Viannia sp. Animals experimentally infected with L. panamensis developed non-ulcerated lesions that disappeared by the 7th week post-infection (p.i.) and became more resistant upon reinfection. Infectivity to sand flies was low (1/20-1/48 infected/fed flies) and transient, and both culture and PCR-hybridization showed that L. panamensis was cleared by the 13th week p.i. Animals inoculated with L. chagasi became subclinically infected and were non-infective to sand flies. Transient infectivity to vectors of spiny rats infected with L. panamensis, combined with population characteristics, e.g., abundance, exploitation of degraded habitats and high reproductive rates, could make them epidemiologically suitable reservoirs
Full text:
1
Index:
LILACS
Main subject:
Rodentia
/
Disease Reservoirs
/
Leishmania
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Animals
Country/Region as subject:
America central
/
America do sul
/
Colombia
/
Panama
Language:
En
Journal:
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
Journal subject:
MEDICINA TROPICAL
/
PARASITOLOGIA
Year:
2002
Type:
Article
/
Project document