title: Isolation of Leishmania species from wild mammals in French Guiana.
abstract: Between 1981 and 1987, 486 wild mammals collected from 13 sites in French Guiana were examined for Leishmania. Eleven of 31 two-toed sloths, Choloepus didactylus, were infected, 4 of the isolates being identified as L. braziliensis guyanensis. This species was also found in 2 Didelphis marsupialis and 2 Proechimys sp. L. mexicana amazonensis was isolated from 3 Proechimys sp., 2 of which were P. cuvieri. The role of these mammals in the life cycles of the 2 anthropotropic species of Leishmania encountered in French Guiana is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur de la Guyane française, Cayenne, French, Guiana.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dedet
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gay
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chatenay
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000469:parasitology*; D005616:French Guiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D007891:Leishmania / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology; D008322:Mammals / Q000469:parasitology*; D008394:Marsupialia / Q000469:parasitology; D012377:Rodentia / Q000469:parasitology; D012867:Skin / Q000469:parasitology; D013154:Spleen / Q000469:parasitology; D004490:Xenarthra / Q000469:parasitology