title: Epidemiology of Leishmania infantum, Toxoplasma gondii, and Neospora caninum in Rattus rattus in absence of domestic reservoir and definitive hosts.
abstract: Isolated environments are privileged settings to study transmission of infection. Montecristo is a small island where no wild or domestic carnivores are present. Invasive Black rats Rattus rattus (n=78) were captured and tested by PCR for Leishmania infantum, Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum. We wanted to test, for these parasites, the existence of a sylvatic cycle independent of reservoir or definitive hosts. None of the rats tested positive by PCR for either T. gondii or N. caninum. We recorded a 15.5% prevalence (CI95% 8-26%) of L. infantum in the rats and Phlebotomus mascittii was captured in Montecristo, leading us to identify it as possible vector of the parasite.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Italy. Electronic address: stefania.zanet@unito.it.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zanet
authors.affiliation: NEMO, Nature and Environment Management Operators S.r.l., Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sposimo
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Trisciuoglio
authors.affiliation: Parco Nazionale Arcipelago Toscano, Portoferraio, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giannini
authors.affiliation: Museo di Storia Naturale e del Territorio dell'Università di Pisa, Calci, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Strumia
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferroglio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D062312:Islands; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000502:physiology; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D008522:Mediterranean Sea / Q000453:epidemiology; D018688:Neospora / Q000502:physiology; D010691:Phlebotomus / Q000469:parasitology; D015995:Prevalence; D051381:Rats; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000502:physiology; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology
keywords: Black rat; Leishmania infantum; Montecristo island; Neospora caninum; Toxoplasma gondii