RT Journal Article
T1 Evidence of Leishmania infantum infection in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in a natural area in Madrid, Spain
A1 García Benzaquén, Nerea
A1 Moreno, Inmaculada
A1 Alvarez, Julio
A1 Cruz Conty, María Luisa
A1 Navarro Gómez, Alejandro
A1 Pérez Sancho, Marta
A1 Conty, María Luisa
A1 Toraño, Alfredo
A1 Prieto, Antonio
A1 Domínguez, Mercedes
A1 Álvarez Sánchez, Julio
A1 Domínguez Rodríguez, Lucas José
A1 Rodríguez Bertos, Antonio Manuel
A1 García-Seco Romero, María Teresa
AB Leishmaniasis is one of most important neglected zoonosis and remains endemic in at  least 88 developing countries in the world. In addition, anthropogenic environmental  changes in urban areas are leading to its emergency world-wide. Zoonotic leishmaniasis  control might only be achieved by an integrated approach targeting both the human host  and the animal reservoirs, which in certain sylvatic cycles are yet to be identified.  Recently, hares have been pointed out as competent reservoirs of Leishmania infantum in  Spain, but the role of other lagomorphs has not been clarified. Here, 69 rabbits  (Oryctolagus cuniculus) from a natural area in Madrid in which a high density was  present were analyzed using indirect (immunofluorescence antibody test, IFAT) and  direct (PCR, culture) techniques. Fifty-seven (82.6%) of the animals were positive to at  least one technique, with IFAT yielding the highest proportion of positive samples.  L. infantum was isolated in 13% animals demonstrating the occurrence of infection in this  setting. Our results suggest that rabbits could play a role of competent reservoir of  L. infantum and demonstrate that the prevalence of infection is high in the analyzed area.
PB Hindawi Publishing Corporation
SN 2314-6133
YR 2014
FD 2014
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/35299
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/35299
LA eng
DS Docta Complutense
RD 15 may 2024