Short report: a disseminated infection of Leishmania mexicana in an eastern woodrat, Neotoma floridana, collected in Texas.
An eastern woodrat (Neotoma floridana) collected in January 2001 near Bedias, Grimes County, Texas, had extensive lesions of both ears and swollen feet. Impression smears and histologic sections demonstrated the presence of Leishmania in both ears and the one foot that was screened. Polymerase chain reaction screening using species-specific primers detected parasites in both ears and all four feet and indicated the parasites were L. mexicana. The detection of L. mexicana in N. floridana represents a new host record in a new ecologic region and may help explain a human infection acquired outside the previously-known range of the disease. Given the geographic distribution of N. floridana and the two other species of Neotoma found naturally infected, enzootic foci of Leishmania could be present over much of the southern United States.
McHugh
Chad P
CP
Air Force Institute for Operational Health, Air Force Research Laboratory, Brooks City-Base, Texas 78235-5116, USA. chad.mchugh@brooks.af.mil
Thies
Monte L
ML
Melby
Peter C
PC
Yantis
Loudon D
LD
Raymond
Russell W
RW
Villegas
Maria D
MD
Kerr
Sara F
SF
D000818:Animals; D017931:DNA Primers; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D007894:Leishmania mexicana / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051381:Rats; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D013781:Texas
D017931:DNA Primers; D016054:DNA, Protozoan