title: First report of natural infection of least weasel (Mustela nivalis Linnaeus, 1776) with Leishmania major in Tunisia.
abstract: Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis, caused by Leishmania major (L. major), is endemic in Tunisia. Several rodents have been identified as reservoir hosts of parasites. This study reports, for the first time, the natural infection with L. major zymodeme MON-25 in a specimen of least weasel: Mustela nivalis Linnaeus, 1776 (M. nivalis) collected in Sidi Bouzid. This finding justifies further research on larger samples of this animal to verify its role as a potential reservoir host for cutaneous leishmaniasis in Tunisia.
authors.affiliation: Service of Medical Epidemiology, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, 13 place Pasteur, 1003 Tunis-Belvedère, Tunisia. ghawarwissemmed@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Wissem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ghawar
authors.forename: Mohamed Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Snoussi
authors.forename: Nabil Bel Haj
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Hamida
authors.forename: Aïcha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boukthir
authors.forename: Rihab
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yazidi
authors.forename: Sana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chaâbane
authors.forename: Jomâa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chemkhi
authors.forename: Amor
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zâatour
authors.forename: Afif Ben
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Salah
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000469:parasitology; D004586:Electrophoresis; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D037901:Euthanasia, Animal; D018320:Leishmania major / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000635:transmission; D008297:Male; D045969:Mustelidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D014416:Tunisia; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000469:parasitology