title: Survey of wild mammal hosts of cutaneous leishmaniasis parasites in panamá and costa rica.
abstract: The eco-epidemiology of American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) is driven by animal reservoir species that are a source of infection for sand flies that serve as vectors infecting humans with Leishmania spp parasites. The emergence and re-emergence of this disease across Latin America calls for further studies to identify reservoir species associated with enzootic transmission. Here, we present results from a survey of 52 individuals from 13 wild mammal species at endemic sites in Costa Rica and Panama where ACL mammal hosts have not been previously studied. For Leishmania spp. diagnostics we employed a novel PCR technique using blood samples collected on filter paper. We only found Leishmania spp parasites in one host, the two-toed sloth, Choloepus hoffmanni. Our findings add further support to the role of two-toed sloths as an important ACL reservoir in Central America.
authors: Departamento de Parasitología, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud (ICGES) , Apartado Postal No. 0816-02593, Ciudad de Panamá, República de Panamá
authors: Kadir
authors: K
authors: González
authors: Departamento de Parasitología, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud (ICGES) , Apartado Postal No. 0816-02593, Ciudad de Panamá, República de Panamá
authors: José E
authors: JE
authors: Calzada
authors: Departamento de Parasitología, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud (ICGES) , Apartado Postal No. 0816-02593, Ciudad de Panamá, República de Panamá
authors: Azael
authors: A
authors: Saldaña
authors: Departamento de Parasitología, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud (ICGES) , Apartado Postal No. 0816-02593, Ciudad de Panamá, República de Panamá
authors: Chystrie A
authors: CA
authors: Rigg
authors: Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica , Apartado Postal 11501-2060, San Pedro, Costa Rica.
authors: Gilbert
authors: G
authors: Alvarado
authors: Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica , Apartado Postal 11501-2060, San Pedro, Costa Rica.
authors: Bernal
authors: B
authors: Rodríguez-Herrera
authors: Department of Environmental Studies, Emory University , Atlanta, GA, 30322 USA.
authors: Uriel D
authors: UD
authors: Kitron
authors: University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh , Oshkosh, WI, 54901 USA.
authors: Gregory H
authors: GH
authors: Adler
authors: Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia , Athens, GA, 30602 USA.
authors: Nicole L
authors: NL
authors: Gottdenker
authors: Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University , 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan ; Programa de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales (PIET), Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional , Apartado Postal 304-3000, Heredia, Costa Rica.
authors: Luis Fernando
authors: LF
authors: Chaves
authors: Programa de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales (PIET), Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional , Apartado Postal 304-3000, Heredia, Costa Rica.
authors: Mario
authors: M
authors: Baldi
keywords: Leishmania spp.; reservoir; zoonotic disease