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

• Published in: Veterinary parasitology Vol. 145; no. 3-4; pp. 357 - 360
• Main Authors: Maroli, Michele, Pennisi, Maria Grazia, Di Muccio, Trentina, Khoury, Cristina, Gradoni, Luigi, Gramiccia, Marina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.04.2007
• Subjects: Leishmania infantum; Phlebotomus perniciosus
• ISSN: 0304-4017
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2006.11.009

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.