title: First report of infection of Lutzomyia longipalpis by Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum from a naturally infected cat of Brazil.
abstract: In recent years, cases of feline visceral leishmaniasis (FVL) have been described in different countries. In urban areas, domestic cats are suggested as possible alternative reservoirs of Leishmania (L.) infantum, the causal agent of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). This paper reports the first case of infection of Lutzomyia longipalpis by L. infantum of a naturally infected cat from Brazil through xenodiagnosis. The presence of a cat with FVL and its infectivity to the natural vector in Belo Horizonte city, an endemic area of VL in Brazil, suggests the need for further studies to determine the rate of occurrence of FVL among domestic cats and the infectivity ratio of L. longipalpis in endemic areas, and what is the role of these animals in the epidemiology of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627 Pampulha, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. sydmagno@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Sydnei Magno
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Priscila Fonte Boa
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Rabelo
authors.forename: Nelder de Figueiredo
authors.initials: Nde F
authors.lastname: Gontijo
authors.forename: Raul Rio
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Maria Norma
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: Vitor Marcio
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Marilene Suzan Marques
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Michalick
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000469:parasitology*; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000502:physiology*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D011576:Psychodidae / Q000469:parasitology*