Detection ofLeishmania Infantumin red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Central Greece

Abstract

This is the first record of Leishmania detection in foxes in Greece. Spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow and blood samples were collected from 47 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) found dead or captured, narcotized and freed after bleeding, from November 2009 to 2011, in Fthiotida prefecture, central Greece. This is an endemic for canine leishmaniasis area with several human visceral leishmaniasis cases. The samples were tested for Leishmania infantum and Leishmania tropica by molecular methods (polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism) and serology (indirect immunofluorescent antibody test; when blood samples were available). Leishmania infantum DNA was detected in 28 animals (59·5%). PCR positivity was related to animal age, sex, weight, characteristics of the area trapped, presence of leishmaniasis symptoms and presence of endo- and ecto-parasites. The results were related to dog seropositivity obtained earlier in the area. The findings support the hypothesis that this wild canid may serve as a reservoir for Leishmania in areas where the sandfly vectors are found. In the prefectures of Larisa and Magnisia, adjacent to Fthiotida, Phlebotomus perfiliewi and Phlebotomus tobbi (known vectors of L. infantum) have been reported.

Serological and molecular investigation of selected parasitic pathogens in European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) in Greece: inferring the ecological niche of Toxoplasma gondii and Leishmania infantum in hares

“…In addition, it reports the seroprevalence of L. infantum in hares in central and northern Greece for the first time. The occurrence of L. infantum infection in hares, cats, dogs, rodents, red foxes, and humans (Diakou et al 2009;Athanasiou et al 2012;Ntais et al 2013;Karayiannis et al 2015;Giannakopoulos et al 2016Giannakopoulos et al , 2017Tsakmakidis et al 2017) is highly suggestive of an overlapping of the sylvatic and the domestic transmission cycles in Thessaly, as has been suggested previously for the region of Thessaloniki, northern Greece (Tsokana et al 2015). This hypothesis is further supported by the exposure of hares to N. caninum and T. gondii, indicating that hares share the same living space with the definitive hosts of these pathogens, namely, wild carnivores such as gray wolves and dogs, and cats or free-ranging felids respectively.…”

Molecular and Serological Evidence of Leishmania Infection in Stray Dogs from Visceral Leishmaniasis–Endemic Areas of Bangladesh

“…It has been reported that the domestic dog may be an important reservoir host of L. donovani in eastern Sudan. 22 Some recent studies also reported reservoir hosts for Leishmania parasites other than dogs, such as red foxes in central Greece, 23 cats in the western provinces of Turkey, 24 and Brazilian bats. 25 In India, L. donovani DNA was recently detected in goats.…”

Leishmania infection in rodents in Greece

“…In domestic animals, a number of studies revealed infection or evidence of infection in cats, equids, sheep and goats . Among wild animals, the red fox has been studied more than others and was found infected in various countries, with prevalence ranging from 0% to 74.6%, depending on the area and the method applied (PCR or serology) . Other carnivores that have been found infected are grey wolves, jackals, European wild cats, polecats, pine martens, stone martens, common genets, Iberian lynxes, Egyptian mongooses, European badgers, weasels and European minks .…”