RT Journal Article
T1 A pathological study of Leishmania infantum natural infection in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis)
A1 Ortega‐García, María Victoria
A1 Salguero, Francisco
A1 Rodríguez Bertos, Antonio Manuel
A1 Moreno, Inmaculada
A1 García Benzaquén, Nerea
A1 García-Seco Romero, María Teresa
A1 Luz Torre, Gabriela
A1 Domínguez Rodríguez, Lucas José
A1 Domínguez, Mercedes
AB In this study, we describe the pathology of Leishmania infantum infection in naturally infected wild Leporidae and compare diagnosis of infection using  histopathology, direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) assay, immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and quantitative real‐time PCR (qPCR). Tissues were analysed from 52 European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and 7 Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis) from the Community of Madrid (Spain). Our results show that L. infantum infection is associated with only minimal histopathological lesions and that L. infantum amastigotes can be detected by DFA assay in all tissues types tested, including skin. These results were confirmed by qPCR on fresh frozen tissues in 13% of rabbits and 100% of hares. However, L. infantum DNA could not be detected by qPCR on paraffin‐embedded tissue obtained by laser capture microdissection. Using the DFA assay to diagnose L. infantum, infection may  provide further insights into this disease in wild animals and may allow the precise tissue localization of L. infantum, thereby guiding follow‐up tests with more accurate qPCR.
PB Wiley
SN 1865-1674
YR 2019
FD 2019
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/93233
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/93233
LA eng
NO Ortega‐García MV, Salguero FJ, Rodríguez‐Bertos A, et al. A pathological study of Leishmania infantum natural infection in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis). Transbound Emerg Dis. 2019;66:2474–2481. https://doi.org/10.1111/ tbed.13305
NO Ayuntamiento de Madrid
NO European Commission 
NO University of Surrey
DS Docta Complutense
RD 12 abr 2025