title: Response to Silva et al.: Usefulness of PCR-based methods for screening Leishmania in epidemiological studies.
abstract: The detection of Leishmania in naturally infected rodents in endemic areas is of fundamental importance for defining these rodents as possible reservoir hosts of infection. The use of polymerase chain reaction in conjunction with molecular hybridization has provided important results that could lead to a better understanding of the natural history of leishmaniasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, 21040-900 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. fernandac@ioc.fiocruz.br
authors.forename: Fernanda S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Reginaldo P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Brazil
authors.forename: Raquel S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Pacheco
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D006801:Humans; D007891:Leishmania / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization / Q000379:methods; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D012377:Rodentia / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan