title: Molecular detection of Leishmania spp. in road-killed wild mammals in the Central Western area of the State of São Paulo, Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Road-killed wild animals have been classified as sentinels for detecting such zoonotic pathogens as Leishmania spp., offering new opportunities for epidemiological studies of this infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study aimed to evaluate the presence of Leishmania spp. and Leishmania chagasi DNA by PCR in tissue samples (lung, liver, spleen, kidney, heart, mesenteric lymph node and adrenal gland) from 70 road-killed wild animals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DNA was detected in tissues of one Cavia aperea (Brazilian guinea pig), five Cerdocyon thous (crab-eating fox), one Dasypus septemcinctus (seven-banded armadillo), two Didelphis albiventris (white-eared opossum), one Hydrochoerus hydrochoeris (capybara), two Myrmecophaga tridactyla (giant anteater), one Procyon cancrivorus (crab-eating raccoon), two Sphiggurus spinosus (porcupine) and one Tamandua tetradactyla (lesser anteater) from different locations in the Central Western part of São Paulo state. The Leishmania chagasi DNA were confirmed in mesenteric lymph node of one Cerdocyon thous. Results indicated common infection in wild animals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The approach employed herein proved useful for detecting the environmental occurrence of Leishmania spp. and L. chagasi, as well as determining natural wild reservoirs and contributing to understand the host-parasite interaction.
authors: Departamento de Higiene Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Distrito de Rubião Júnior, s/n, Botucatu, SP, Brasil.
authors: Virginia Bodelão
authors: VB
authors: Richini-Pereira
authors: Departamento de Higiene Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Distrito de Rubião Júnior, s/n, Botucatu, SP, Brasil.
authors: Pamela Merlo
authors: PM
authors: Marson
authors: Departamento de Higiene Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Distrito de Rubião Júnior, s/n, Botucatu, SP, Brasil.
authors: Enio Yoshinori
authors: EY
authors: Hayasaka
authors: Departamento de Higiene Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Distrito de Rubião Júnior, s/n, Botucatu, SP, Brasil.
authors: Cassiano
authors: C
authors: Victoria
authors: Departamento de Higiene Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Distrito de Rubião Júnior, s/n, Botucatu, SP, Brasil.
authors: Rodrigo Costa
authors: RC
authors: da Silva
authors: Departamento de Higiene Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Distrito de Rubião Júnior, s/n, Botucatu, SP, Brasil.
authors: Hélio
authors: H
authors: Langoni
keywords: Leishmania chagasi; Leishmania spp; PCR; Road-killed animal; Zoonosis