Leishmania infantum MON-98: infection in a dog from Alto Douro, Portugal.
We report the isolation of Leishmania infantum zymodeme MON-98 in Portugal, its first known occurrence outside the focus of El Agamy, Egypt. One dog found to be infected with Acanthocheilonema dracunculoides during a survey of canine filariosis in the Alto Douro region, north-east Portugal, was also discovered to have Leishmania in bone marrow. The isolated strain was identified by isoenzyme analysis. A search for other possible cases of L. infantum MON-98 infection in dogs, vectors and particularly humans is necessary to establish the real epidemiological importance of this zymodeme in the endemic region of Alto Douro.
Cardoso
L
L
Departamento de Higiene e Sanidade, ICETA, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5001-911 Vila Real, Portugal. lcardoso@utad.pt
Santos
H
H
Cordeiro-da-Silva
A
A
Pratlong
F
F
Dedet
J-P
JP
Rodrigues
M
M
D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D011174:Portugal